Head of the master’s program: Assoc. Prof. Albena Taneva, PhD  taneva@phls.uni-sofia.bg, albena.taneva.su@gmail.com

Prof. Aleksandar Marinov, PhD alexandar.marinov@gmail.com
Prof. Todor Tanev, Dr. Habil prof.tanev@gmail.com
Prof. Maria Slavova, PhD mgslavova@gmail.com
Prof. Milena Stefanova, Dr. Habil mstefanova@phls.uni-sofia.bg
Prof. Tatiana Tomova, Dr. Habil t.tomova@phls.uni-sofia.bg
Assoc. prof. Elica Belcheva, PhD lozanovabe@phls.uni-sofia.bg 
Assoc. prof. Krasen Stanchev, PhD krassen.ime@gmail.com
Assoc. prof. Atanas Slavov, PhD atanas_slavov@yahoo.com
Assoc. prof. Maria Tikova, PhD maria_kotseva@yahoo.com
Assist. prof. Denitsa Hinkova, PhD d.hinkova@gmail.com
Aleko Djildjov, PhD reformatora@gmail.com
Giannis Iakovidis, PhD janiak2021@phls.uni-sofia.bg

Classes are held regularly, within each semester – Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

You have to submit the following documents for the admission procedure:

• Acquired official diplomas and transcripts of higher education degree programs (at least BA level) from a recognized university
• Completed application form

Selection of applicants is based on submitted transcripts and official documents only. Selection procedure is based on average results from the BA or MA degree. Applicants will be ranked based on the Grade Point Average (GPA) of their Bachelor or MA degree.

Curriculum

1. Professional qualification
   Students who graduate with a Master’s degree in Public Administration have the necessary professional competence in the sphere of  management of administrative authorities in various spheres, as well as human resource management from Central, Local and European Institutions’ administrations. Students acquire additional skills for practical application of regulations, information technologies, as well as decision-making process in the areas of public policy, governance and administration in reference with democratic principles of good governance. Graduates also acquire knowledge about interaction of  politics and administration, public governance and economy and develop specific leadership skills.
2. Professional realization
   The interdisciplinary knowledge and skills acquired in the Master’s programme, provide wide range of options for career development of  graduates. They can occupy job positions as civil servants and officers in all areas and levels of Public Administration, which require a Master’s degree diploma, in accordance with the specific regulations in the field. MPA Graduates are able to develop a professional career as managers in various departments of the State, Local  and European Institutions’ administrations, including the highest levels of the public governance.

Students complete their one-year study with the degree „Master of Public Administration in English“ after successfully passing a state exam – Thesis Defense.

GRADUATION in November 2025
Step 1. SUBMISSION OF AN APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF A TITLE AND A SCIENTIFIC SUPERVISOR
According to the Curriculum, thesis defenses are held in two sessions:

• FOR THESIS DEFENSES IN NOVEMBER, the application must be submitted until 10 of JUNE latest,
• FOR THESIS DEFENSES IN JULY, the application must be submitted until 10 of APRIL latest,
  signed and scanned to the following email: anna.t.ivanova@phls.uni-sofia.bg, with a Cc copy to the chosen scientific supervisor. You can download the application form HERE►

ATTENTION:  You work on your approved title until completion of the master’s thesis. Resubmission of this application is due only in case of change of the scientific supervisor or the title.

Step 2. SUBMISSION OF AN APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION TO DEFENSE
Admission to defense is allowed after submission of application form at the Students Department. You can download the application form HERE►
The application must be signed, scanned/photographed and submitted within the following term: 20 – 28.10.2025, to the email address of Ms. Lyudmila Petrova (inspector at the Students Department): petrova@phls.uni-sofia.bg with a Cc copy to Ms. Anna Ivanova (administrator of the master’s program) anna.t.ivanova@phls.uni-sofia.bg.

ATTENTION:   In response to the received application, the Students Department inspector sends a report on your student status. Only the students who have completed all the semesters shall be allowed to the defense.

Step 3. PROCEDURE FOR VERIFICATION OF THE ORIGINALITY OF THE TEXT AND SUBMISSION OF THE COMPLETED MASTER’S THESIS
All applicants willing to graduate in November 2025 will be given access to a specially opened space in Moodle. It will be entitled “Master Theses Defense – November 2025” and will be accessible in the “My Courses” menu.

Between 29.10.2025 and 09.11.2025, until 23:59 PM latest, the student must:

1. Attach the master’s thesis file as a draft in (.doc), (.docx) or (.odt) format. Any other format, (e.g. .pdf) is not allowed. The file must be entitled „Master’s Thesis, Fac. No………”;
2. Declare (with a tick) the authorship of the text;
3. Press the button to finally submit the document. Up to an hour after submission (possibly later), the system automatically generates an analysis of the text about the presence or absence of plagiarism.

 ATTENTION:  

• Number of files for submission: Only ONE file is allowed (title page, table of contents, main text and all attachments must be in one file)
• Number of attempts for submission of the correct file: 
• The system will accept file uploads until 23:59 PM, then it closes down automatically!!! Only master’s theses submitted to the system are allowed to the defense!!!

FORMAL REQUIREMENTS
The title page shall provide information about:
1. The institution at which you study and work on your master’s thesis;
2. The title of the master’s thesis;
3. The type of the academic text. On the title page of your thesis, you shall write down “Master’s Thesis”.
4. Author’s full name and faculty number;
5. Author’s email address;
6. Title of the Master’s Thesis;
7. The scientific supervisor’s name and their signature on the title page (in case of uploading the master’s thesis to Moodle, the scientific supervisor’s signature shall not be required)
Important:  Master’s theses, parts of them, and results of research conducted for the purposes of acquiring a master’s degree in other master’s programs shall not be allowed to be defended once again for the purposes of another master’s program. The title and content of the master’s thesis should be consistent with the profile of the master’s program for which you are writing the master’s thesis.

Step 4. PREPARATION OF A PROTOCOL FOR VERIFICATION OF ORIGINALITY OF THE TEXT AND OPINION OF THE SCIENTIFIC SUPERVISOR
Between 10.11 and 11.11.2025, the scientific supervisors shall prepare and upload to the Moodle space:

• A protocol for verification of originality of the text;
• Opinion of the scientific supervisor.

Step 5. PREPARATION OF REVIEWS
Master’s theses for which there is positive Opinion are admitted to the defense and submitted for preparation of reviews on 12.11.2025. The reviews are provided to the authors by uploading them to the same space in Moodle, no later than three days before the defense date.

Step 6. CONDUCTING OF THE STATE EXAMINATION
The defenses of the master’s degrees shall be held as follows:
Date: November 22, 2025 (Saturday)
Time: 10:00 AM,
Auditorium: 107, bl. 4

Step 7. SUCCESSFULLY PASSED STATE EXAMINATION
After a successfully passed state examination you must register on the following URL: https://alumni.uni-sofia.bg/
And submit 1 portrait photograph of yourself, size: 3.5х4.5 cm, with your full name and faculty number on it, at the Students Department.

*For questions related to the issuance and receipt of diplomas, students shall contact the respective inspector at the Students Department.