The Bush School of Government & Public Service and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences offer a five-year (3+2) degree program in which students admitted into the Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences undergraduate majors in the 2021-2022 academic year or earlier can earn a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences (B.S. WFSC) and a Master of Public Service & Administration (MPSA) graduate degree in five years. The program includes a total of 150 hours with 18 hours double-counting to both degrees.
Description | Eligibility Requirements | Curriculum | WFSC Required | MPSA Required | Admissions | Advising
Description
Effective with the 2022-23 academic year, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences restructured to better serve students, changing the undergraduate major to Rangeland, Wildlife, and Fisheries Management.
Visit the 3+2 MPSA/RWFM web page for more details.
Students admitted in the 2021-22 academic year or prior within the Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences major began their studies at Texas A&M University in College of Agriculture & Life Sciences taking classes toward their undergraduate degree. Throughout the course of the student’s first three years at Texas A&M, the student works with their undergraduate advisor to ensure they satisfy all eligibility requirements listed below prior to applying to the Master of Public Service & Administration (MPSA) in the fall of their junior year (when classified as a U3).
If admitted, students must ensure they fulfill the rest of the undergrad requirements listed below by the time they enter the MPSA in the fall of their senior year at Texas A&M University when classified as a U4. In the student’s fourth year, they take Bush School graduate level courses; 18 credit hours of which will double count toward their bachelor’s degree. In the student’s fifth year, they are re-classified as a G7 graduate student and take the remaining courses left to satisfy the requirements for the MPSA degree.
After successful completion of 150 hours (with 18 hours double-counting to both degrees), students receive both Texas A&M degrees, earning a B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences and a Master of Public Service & Administration at the end of their fifth year. Although they earn both, students will only walk for their MPSA graduation.
Students who choose not to finish the MPSA degree after starting the 3+2 degree program may exit the program at any time. Completed MPSA courses will be applied to their bachelor’s degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, as appropriate. Failure to complete the MPSA program will in no way impede a student’s ability to attain a bachelor’s degree when the requirements for that degree are completed.
Eligibility Requirements
To apply to the 3+2 MPSA/WFSC degree program, students must:
- be classified as a U3 majoring in Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences at Texas A&M University, and
- have a 3.25 GPA or above by the start of the fall semester in which they will enter the 3+2 program (if admitted), and
- work with their undergrad advisor to map out courses the student must complete prior to entry into the 3+2 program (if admitted), and
- have approximately 66-78 credit hours completed by the time they apply to the 3+2 program in the fall semester of their junior year, and
- have approximately 102 credit hours completed before entry into the 3+2 program in the fall of their senior year (including all required courses for the WFSC major, college, and Texas A&M), and
- be in good academic standing with their undergrad department, and
- not be expected to graduate during the academic year in which they are applying, and
- understand that failure to satisfy ALL of these requirements will result in 3+2 admission (if offered) being revoked.
Curriculum
The curriculum for the 3+2 MPSA/WFSC degrees consists of 150 total credit hours: 102 credit hours of undergrad courses and 48 credit hours of MPSA courses. A maximum of 18 credit hours from Bush School MPSA courses can double count toward the student’s bachelor’s degree. This means students must complete approximately 102 credit hours (of the required 120 credit hours) for their bachelor’s degree requirements prior to the fall semester of their fourth year when they begin the 2-year MPSA program. To help 3+2 MPSA students in the course planning process, we’ve created a 3+2 MPSA/WFSC course planner they can use with the help of their undergrad advisor.
Five-year students will be enrolled in Bush School graduate courses with an undergraduate classification (U4) during their fourth year and will be re-classified as degree-seeking master’s students (G7) prior to the start of the fall semester of year five.
Admitted 3+2 students are required to complete the same 2-year, 48-hour curriculum as other MPSA students. The MPSA curriculum combines ten core courses with six electives. Students choose a track in Public Management (PM), Public Policy Analysis (PPA), or Nonprofit Management (NPM) and are encouraged to create their own area of interest or to select from one of our elective concentrations A non-credit bearing professional internship is also completed in the summer between the first and second years for those without substantive professional experience. A capstone project for a “real world” client in year two caps the learning experience.
B.S. in Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences Course Requirements
Students admitted to the 3+2 MPSA/WFSC must complete 102 credit hours of their bachelor’s degree prior to enrollment in the MPSA in the fall of their fourth year when classified as a U4. Students complete the rest of their bachelor’s degree course requirements by double counting 18 credit hours of MPSA courses toward their bachelor’s degree. 9 credit hours double count toward WFSC general electives and 9 credit hours double count toward general electives.
Courses to Complete PRIOR TO FOURTH YEAR (102 Credit Hours)
Students admitted into the 3+2 MPSA/WFSC degree must complete the following 102 credit hours of their bachelor’s degree prior to enrollment in the MPSA in the fall of their fourth year.
| B.S WFSC Required Courses: 102 Hours | |
|---|---|
| Biology 111 & 112 (8 hrs) | RENR 205 (3 hrs) |
| Chemistry 119 & 222 (7 hrs) | RENR 215 (1 hr) |
| COMM 203 or ENGL 210 (3 hrs) | Social & Behavioral Science (3 hrs) |
| Creative Arts (3 hrs) | STAT 301, 302, or 303 (3 hrs) |
| ENGL 104 (3 hrs) | WFSC 101 (3 hrs) |
| ESSM 301, 302, or 303 (3 hrs) | WFSC 302, 303, 304, & 311 (12 hrs) |
| ESSM 351/RENR 405 (3hrs) | WFSC 401, 402, 403, 408, & 433 (15 hrs) |
| HIST 105 & 106 (6 hrs) | WFSC 484 – Internship (3 hrs) |
| Language, Philosophy, & Culture (3 hrs) | * WFSC Directed Elective (3 hrs): WFSC 619, 628 |
| MATH 140 & 142 (6 hrs) | 639, WFSC 655/RPTS 655, or WFSC 685 |
| PHYS 201 (4 hrs) | *Take after 3+2 entry: Double counts as MPSA elective |
| POLS 206 & 207 (6 hrs) | *General Electives (4 hrs) |
| *19 hrs total required; Only 4 hrs must be completed prior to 3+2 entry, 15 double count-PSAA 601, 611, 621, 643, BUSH 631 | |
MPSA Course Requirements
In the fall of their fourth year when classified as a senior (U4), admitted 3+2 students will enter the Bush School’s MPSA program and complete approximately 48 total credit hours; 18 hours of which will double count toward both degrees.
COURSES TO COMPLETE AFTER ENTRY to 3+2 Degree (48 Credit Hours)
| FOURTH YEAR | SUMMER |
|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Professional internship |
| * BUSH 631:Quantitative Methods I (3 hrs) | |
| * PSAA 621: Economic Analysis (3 hrs) | FIFTH YEAR |
| * PSAA 601: Foundations of Public Service (3 hrs) | Fall Semester |
| * PSAA 643: Foundations of the Nonprofit Sector (3 hrs) | PSAA 675: Capstone Seminar I (3 hrs) |
| Spring Semester | Two MPSA Approved Electives (6 hrs) |
| * PSAA 611: Public Policy Formation (3 hrs) | Track Requirement (3 hrs): |
| * WFSC Directed Elective WFSC 619, WFSC 628, WFSC | PPA: PSAA 615: Policy Analysis |
| 639, WFSC 655/RPTS 655, or WFSC 685 | PM: PSAA 623: Budgeting in Public Service |
| Quantitative Methods II (3 hrs): | NPM: PSAA 644: Mgmt & Leadership of Nonprofits |
| PPA: BUSH 632 (Quant II) or BUSH 635 (Q II-Policy Analysis) | Spring Semester |
| PM: BUSH 632 (Quant II), BUSH 633 (Qual Mthds), or PSAA 630 (Program Eval) | PSAA 676: Capstone Seminar II (3 hrs) |
| NPM: BUSH 632 (Quant II), BUSH 633 (Qual Mthds) or PSAA 630 (Program Eval) | Three MPSA Approved Electives (9 hrs) |
| Track Requirement (3 hrs): | |
| PPA: PSAA 622: Public Finance | |
| PM: PSAA 634: Public Management | |
| NPM: PSAA 632: Fiscal Management for Nonprofits |
* Double counts as MPSA Approved Elective
Admissions
Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences majors who satisfy (or are expected to satisfy) all of the eligibility requirements listed above can apply to the 3+2 MPSA program in the fall of their junior year when classified as a U3. Admission criteria for the 3+2 MPSA program is the same as other MPSA students. To apply, visit our 3+2 MPSA Admissions page. If admitted, students begin the MPSA degree in the fall of their senior year.
Advising
It is imperative for students interested in the 3+2 MPSA work with their undergrad WFSC advisor as soon as possible to ensure the student is on track to complete all necessary courses prior to entry into the program, if admitted. The Bush School Admissions Office can help answer questions about the admissions process but cannot help answer questions about undergrad degree or course requirements. The MPSA department is available to help answer questions about the MPSA curriculum or courses and will be the student’s point of contact if admitted into the 3+2 program.
For questions about undergrad courses or degree requirements in preparation for applying to the 3+2 program:
- Contact Undergrad Advisor: https://rwfm.tamu.edu/contact-advisor/
- Faegen Lee at fdlee@tamu.edu
- Schedule an Appointment through the Navigate Student App.
- Email: WFES.advising@ag.tamu.edu
- Office: 112 WFES
For questions about the MPSA curriculum or courses:
- Contact Elaine Lippard at elippard@tamu.edu or 979.458-2276.
For questions about admission into the 3+2:
- Contact the Bush School Admissions Office at bushschooladmissions@tamu.edu or 979.862.3476.
