WASHINGTON - For the second year, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the University of Maryland will offer a master's degree in public policy with a concentration in public housing administration.

"The first 15 candidates of this program will graduate this year," said HUD Assistant Secretary for the Office of Public and Indian Housing Michael Liu who announced the continuation of the program today. "HUD and the University are producing a cadre of public housing professionals who are equipped with the skills necessary to manage and lead the nation's public housing authorities."

The program will accept 15 to 20 candidates for classes at the College Park campus beginning January 2002. HUD will provide up to $300,000 toward the cost of tuition, fees and books. HUD's contribution will be structured as a forgivable loan, with one-third of the obligation retired after each of the three successive years the candidate works for a housing authority following completion of the degree.

To be considered, candidates must have a bachelor's degree from a four-year college or university with at least a 3.0 grade point average; five years of public housing experience; promotion potential at a housing authority or HUD; and agree to work for the public housing authority currently employing the candidate for three years upon completion of the program.

The 12-month curriculum will include six courses in managing public housing authorities and six courses in public policy. The management courses include housing finance, asset management, community development, managing social services, leadership, principles and practices in public housing management and evaluation of welfare reform. The public policy courses include political analysis, microeconomics, finance, moral dimensions in public policy and management strategies in public organizations.

Candidates will be required to complete a special project in an area of interest to HUD and/or a housing authority. Course work will be supplemented by field trips to housing developments and other sites, and meetings with Congress members, senior HUD staff or housing industry representatives. Each candidate will be assigned a mentor experienced in housing development or management.

Since 1994, the Maryland School of Public Affairs (MSPA) and HUD have offered several executive education programs for housing professionals in the areas of housing and community development.

Applications are due November 9, 2001 and can be obtained from the University of Maryland's Graduate School website (www.gradschool.umd.edu/) or by calling the University's Office of Research and Graduate Studies at 301/405-8222. Admissions decisions are expected by November 27, 2001. For more information about the program contact Cedric Brown, HUD Office of Public and Indian Housing: telephone 202-708-0950, e-mail Cedric_A._Brown@hud.gov; or Kay Bokowy, University of Maryland Office of Executive Programs: telephone 301-405-6201, e-mail Kbokowy@wam.umd.edu.

HUD administers federal aid to approximately 3,200 local housing agencies nationwide that serve approximately 3 million families in public housing and the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher programs.

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