Frequently Asked Questions about the MPA

No. Many students decide to enroll in elective courses that provide specialized education in a specific area of study, and our program offers specialized study in nonprofit leadership or hazard policy. As an alternative, students interested in arts administration or urban planning may decide to use electives in these areas to fulfill MPA requirements. Other students take an array of elective courses to broaden the scope of their knowledge and skills in a variety of public administration areas upon graduation.

The MPA Program offers courses in a mix of online and traditional classroom settings. About half our courses are offered online, the other half in-class.

The program has about 45 students. Roughly 50 percent of our students are pre-service and have not worked in public or nonprofit organizations; 50 percent are currently working, or have worked, in public or nonprofit settings for at least two years. Generally, about three quarters of our students elect to enroll full-time.

Students who enroll full-time will obviously complete the program faster than those who are part-time. Full-time students can complete the program in four semesters with continuous full-time enrollment, while part-time students can complete the program in three to four years, depending on how many courses are taken each semester. The data below show the completion rate for the 20 students who entered the program during the 2017-2018 academic year.

Program Completion Numbers and Percentages:
Summer 2017-Spring 2018 MPA Students

• Initially Enrolled: 20 (100%)
• Graduated in 2.5 years: 31 (70%)
• Graduated within 3 years: 2 (85%)
• Graduated within 4 years: 36 (92%)

Our graduates go on to serve in the public sector in a variety of different capacities, securing positions in national, state, and local government sectors and the nonprofit sector. Several of our graduates have also gone on to serve in the private sector, often providing research and consulting services to for-profit entities.

This information can be found here.

Tuition & Fees