MAJOR RESEARCH PAPER (MRP)
MPA students should be capable of conducting thorough research and analysis
on topics within the field, and must complete an MRP before they can graduate. View a list of professors and adjuncts approved to supervise MRPs.
Requirements
• Students must successfully complete PADMN 6289 (Research Design) prior to beginning their MRPs.
• Ideally, students write MRPs in conjunction with a class.
• Students must discuss their intent to write the MRP in conjunction with the class with the course instructor, at the beginning of the semester/course.
• Upon satisfactory completion of the MRP, the supervising faculty must sign an "Approval of Final MRP Draft" form, available through the MPA office.
• Upon satisfactory completion of the MRP, the student must send an electronic version of the paper to the MPA Office (linda.lecheminant@cppa.utah.edu).
• In order for a student to graduate, the MRP must be approved and an electronic version of the MRP must be submitted to the MPA office by the final day of classes for the semester the student wishes to graduate. If this deadline is missed, the student will not graduate in the semester, but instead during the next semester.
MRP Criteria
Students must meet the following minimum criteria for completing the MRP. These criteria apply regardless of differing requirements for the course in which they decide to write the MRP. The student's MRP will be evaluated by the instructor on the basis of the MRP criteria. The student must receive a grade of B- or better on the MRP in order for it to satisfy the MRP requirement.
• The MRP is a scholarly paper, normally 20-25 pages in length. As a scholarly paper, the MRP must include a discussion of previously published research relevant to the topic. The MRP, however, must include more than a review of published research. Students should provide their own assessments/analyses of the research, fairly present contending positions on issues, and adopt and defend a position with respect to those issues.
• The MRP should entail research in sources deemed necessary to provide thorough scholarly coverage of the topic.
• The MRP should address application of research to specific administrative, organizational, or policy contexts.
• The research and analysis for the MRP may address empirical and/or normative literature. It may be historical, legal, ethical, social-scientific, interpretive, phenomenological, and/or critical in method.
• Students writing the MRP must observe the highest standards of academic honesty, and therefore must clearly indicate where other people's ideas, insights, and/or writing are being used. In no case should a students represent another person's work as their own. Students should consult a style manual to ensure proper and thorough citation of research sources.
• A thesis option is also available for students who are strongly considering pursuing a doctoral degree. The thesis carries six (6) credit hours, and must be written in the area of concentration. The thesis must be orally defended. The first step toward completing your research paper or thesis, is taking PADMN 6289 and preparing a research proposal.