Master of Public Affairs Mid-Career Program

The LBJ School of Public Affairs offers a mid-career option leading to the Master of Public Affairs degree for individuals with substantial policy-level experience in public affairs. To be eligible for the mid-career program, an applicant should generally have ten years of work experience, with at least five years in substantive policy-level or administrative positions related to the public sector.

Program Structure

To qualify for an M.P.Aff. degree, mid-career students take the required core courses in the LBJ School's master's curriculum, participate in one year-long policy research project, and take three elective seminars. The coursework can be completed in three long semesters by taking a full-time courseload of four courses each semester. The part-time program takes approximately three years.

Degree Requirements

The mid-career option requires 36 hours of course credit, which can be completed through full-time study, part-time study, or a combination of the two. Certain core courses may be waived for students who can demonstrate equivalent prior education and/or experience. An elective seminar must be substituted for each waived course in order to achieve the required number of credit hours for the degree.