The MPA degree prepares students to take leadership roles in the public and nonprofit sectors. The Master of Public Administration degree is multidisciplinary and designed to provide graduate professional education for individuals who wish to prepare themselves for administrative and/or policy careers in public, nonprofit, national security and criminal justice systems. In addition to a solid core curriculum covering essential problem-solving and decision-making skills and diverse elective choices, students with less professional experience participate in internships with public and nonprofit agencies. Many SPA students, already established in the public sector in mid-level management, bring a stimulating real-world perspective to the classroom. Our traditional MPA degree is distinctive in that it can be acquired entirely online, entirely in the classroom, or in combination. The online availability means the degree is accessible to any student with Internet access. Curriculum, degree expectations, and competencies, are all identical for the online and classroom programs. Students in the MPA program should expect to complete the degree in no less than one and a half and no more than six years; the average is about three years. Approximately 120 MPA students were enrolled in the program during the 2012-2013 academic year.

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