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The MAPL Program
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Q. Who’s this program for?
A. People who want to advocate for their idea of a better society; particularly, people who want to accomplish their advocacy through the political system.
Q. Isn’t politics a bad thing?
A. On the contrary. The classic definition of politics is, “Who gets what, when and how.” But the definition we use is, “Politics is how we care for each other.” We think of politics as the way a community is a community.
Q. What sorts of jobs will people have who graduate from this program?
A. Some will run for and win political office; (let’s be honest, some will lose, too). Some will be policy advocates for nonprofit organizations. Some will be business lobbyists. Some will work on political staffs. Some will work on campaigns. Some will become unelected leaders in their small town homes, helping those small towns to stay alive and viable. All will be people who understand that change is made through politics. Our students will be political, but not partisan.
Q. Do you have to be a college graduate to be in this program?
A. Yes.
Q. When do you meet?
A. Click here for schedule.
Q. What does it cost?
A. The per credit cost for Fall 2007/Spring 2008 will be $386.00/credit for residents ($696.75/credit for non-residents) and does not include UMD fees ($244.12/semester at full time status, i.e. at least 6 credits/semester), the $150 tech fee, $5.40 for the Internet/email access fee, nor the student health insurance fee (approximately $782/semester)). The 32 credits, not including fees or insurance, costs a resident $12,352 for the two year schedule, on average $6,176 per year or $3088 a semester.
Q. Is there any financial aid?
A. Aid can be sought through Federal Student Financial Aid. We are also continuing to work on scholarship funds for every student in the MAPL program. We have had scholarships available in the past and are continually fundraising. MAPL was grateful to receive gifts from five different sources in its initial year of operation. Gifts from UMD and Otto Bremer Foundation assisted MAPL in its start-up and operations. Scholarship gifts of $10,000 for three years were provided by the Elmer L. and Eleanor J. Andersen Foundation that were divided up between the students who are in the nonprofit, small communities, and undeclared concentrations. We also received funds from The Robins, Kaplan, Miller and Ciresi Charitable Foundation. The AFL-CIO Education Fund and contributing unions provide scholarships to MAPL students in the Labor concentration. The contributing unions are MAPE (Minnesota Association of Professional Employees), District 11 of the United Steelworkers of America, SEIU (the Service Employees International Union), Council 5 & 6 of AFSCME (the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees), University Education Association (UEA), and St. Paul Trades and Labor Assembly.
Q. How many students will be in my classes?
A. Each cohort will have up to 15 students and new cohorts will start each semester. Organizing around cohorts has a purpose: we want students from various parts of the advocacy community to know each other and to appreciate the work done in other areas; by staying together in cohorts, we hope students will develop an esprit de corps which they can use throughout their careers.
Q. Can people not in the MAPL program take these classes?
A. Yes, except for the MAPL 6XXX classes, which are reserved for the MAPL cohort students. For the cohort model, we want students to get to know each other and are concerned that too many outsiders will diminish that. Any MAPL elective course can be taken if you are not in the MAPL program. Specifically during the summer, MAPL will be offering one- and two-credit week-long classes available to students in the program and to the community.