Master of Public Administration (MPA): Public Management or Nonprofit Management

Students choose a foundation in either public management or nonprofit management.

Required:

• Principles of Public Administration & Democratic Governance (3)
• Human Resources Management (3)
• Ethical Challenges in Public Affairs (3)
• Economics for Public Administration (3)
• Data Analysis for Decision-Making (3)

Public Management Track:

• Managing Public Organizations (3)
• Government Budgeting (3)

Nonprofit Management Track:

• Principles of Nonprofit Leadership and Management (3)
• Nonprofit Budgeting and Financial Management (3)

The MPA allows for six (6) elective courses (18 credits) that students can use to pursue their individual interests and career goals. A variety of elective courses, including special topics courses, are available each semester from SPAA and across Rutgers. Students can fashion their own specialization by choosing from elective courses on topics such as labor relations, leadership and diversity, government technology, administrative law, performance measurement and evaluation, the policy process, and more.

Elective courses can also be applied toward one or more graduate certificates offered in Budgeting and Financial Management, Healthcare Administration, Leadership of Public Organizations, Nonprofit Management, and other areas of professional specialization.

The capstone serves as a culminating experience in the MPA program and provides students with an opportunity to integrate their learning from coursework with application to real-world issues and career ambitions. Students develop either a research paper (thesis) on a topic of interest or a professional portfolio (often in the form of a website) showcasing their academic work, community engagement, and professional competencies from across the MPA curriculum.

Required:

• Capstone Project (3)

To be considered for admission to the MPA program, applicants must:

• Hold a bachelor’s degree from a recognized institution of higher education

To apply to the MPA program, applicants must complete or submit the following:

• Online Application – all applications are completed online, via Rutgers University Graduate Admissions
   
• Resume or CV
   
• Official Transcripts – showing all undergraduate and graduate work from each post-high school institution attended
   
• Three Letters of Recommendation
   
• Personal Statement – two to three pages explaining “Why You are Pursuing an MPA Degree”
   
• $70 Application Fee – payable to Rutgers University
   
• English Proficiency Examination Score(s) (TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo) – if applicable
  English language proficiency is required if your undergraduate education was completed in a non-English speaking country. International and non-U.S. applicants are required to take an English proficiency examination.
  • TOEFL: The minimum IBT-internet based TOEFL is Writing 22, Speaking 23, Reading 21, Listening 17 (i.e. a TOEFL score of 83). The minimum paper-based TOEFL score is 550. The minimum computer-based TOEFL score is 213.
  • IELTS: An acceptable IELTS score is bandwidth 7.
  • Duolingo: The minimum Duolingo score is 115.

**GRE scores are no longer required for admission

Priority application deadlines:

• Fall semester: July 1
• Spring semester: December 1

Applications received after the priority application deadlines will be considered on a rolling basis.