Master of Public Administration (MPA)

Designed for pre-career and in-career students, the master's degree program in public administration at Rutgers SPAA provides professional competencies in public administration and management and gives students a broad understanding of the field and its relevant issues. Students become competent at defining pu­­­blic problems, analyzing quantitative and qualitative data, developing and communicating creative solutions, and implementing ethical and practical courses of action.

Program Quick Facts

• Program: In Person | Online
• Credits: 42 (33 Core Credits | 9 Concentration/Elective Credits)
• Priority Application Deadline: Fall: July 1 | Spring: Dec. 1

MPA Core Curriculum Areas of Study

1. Foundational: Provides understanding of public administration contexts and key professional competencies for public and nonprofit sectors
2. Analytical: Examines quantitative and qualitative data methods and research design
3. Managerial: Provides foundations in organization and human resources management
4. Financial: Examines financial contexts and budgeting skills
5. Applications: Provides students with the opportunity to utilize what they have learned in the program via a real world capstone project

Capstone Project

The Capstone Project serves as a culminating experience in the MPA program. It provides students with an opportunity to integrate learning from various courses with applied analysis of real-world issues. Students work individually under the guidance of a faculty member to develop a research design, carry out data collection and analysis, evaluate their findings, and provide conclusions and recommendations.

Curriculum

For course descriptions and prerequisites see Courses.

Core Curriculum (33 Credits)

MPA Concentrations/Electives (9 Credits)

Students currently enrolled in the MPA program can graduate with a concentration, a concentration and a certificate, or neither a concentration nor a certificate. Two courses taken in the same area is considered a concentration.

Admission Requirements

For admission requirements and application information and deadlines see Apply Now.

Program Costs

For information on tuition rates and program fees see Tuition & Fees.

Academic Policies, Procedures & Forms

For MPA program information such as the student handbook, mission statement, and advisement forms, see Academic Policies, Procedures & Forms.