With a unique combination of theoretically grounded course work and practical application, our Master of Public Administration degree provides students with the knowledge and skills needed to lead, innovate, and problem-solve in public sector and non-profit settings.
Our Edwin O. Stene Master's program is one of the oldest and most respected programs in the United States, beginning with our local government leadership program founded in 1948. Since 1998, our tradition of excellence in educating students at the masters’ level has been recognized by U.S. News and World Report with a #1 ranking in local government.
On-campus and Online Program Options
The MPA degree meets the needs of both full-time students who are looking to launch a career in public service as well as those who already have a career and are looking to accelerate it by pursuing an MPA degree part-time. The MPA degree may be obtained through course work offered at the Lawrence Campus or online through synchronous and asynchronous courses.
MPA City/County Management Fellowship
MPA students specifically interested in local government are invited to apply to our 2-year City/County Management Fellowship program. Local government is the School of Public Affairs and Administration's most recognized program and has been ranked the #1 program in the country by U.S.. News and World Report since 1998.
Fellows receive all of the advantages of being in the KU MPA program and also benefit from:
- Designated scholarship awards
- Attendance to the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) annual meeting, supported by the School;
- Links to a large and welcoming professional network;
- Peer group learning and camaraderie;
- Additional experiential learning through part-time and full-time internships and other professional development opportunities.
The key distinctive feature of the Fellowship is its structure where the first year revolves around full-time intensive coursework and the second revolves around a full-time, paid internship.
Admission to Graduate Studies
An applicant seeking to pursue graduate study in the College may be admitted as either a degree-seeking or non-degree seeking student. Policies and procedures of Graduate Studies govern the process of Graduate admission. These may be found in the Graduate Studies section of the online catalog.
Please consult the Departments & Programs section of the online catalog for information regarding program-specific admissions criteria and requirements. Special admissions requirements pertain to Interdisciplinary Studies degrees, which may be found in the Graduate Studies section of the online catalog.
M.P.A. Admission
Please visit the M.P.A. Admissions page for complete admissions information.
For all applicants, a completed application includes:
- Online Graduate Studies application.
- A nonrefundable application fee, submitted online with the application form.
- 1 official transcript from the degree-granting college or university and any post-graduate college or university attended.
- 3 letters of recommendation. If possible, at least 1 should be an academic reference.
- A 3- to 5-page essay describing your background and career goals and clearly indicating how the M.P.A. degree fits into those goals and addressing any deficiencies in your academic preparation.
- A current résumé.
- A writing sample that is at least 5 pages long. It should be a well-cited work in which you critically analyze (not just summarize) an issue.
- Non-native speakers of English must meet Graduate Studies English proficiency requirements.
Applicants to the City/County Management Fellowship submit an additional essay discussed the relevance of the Athenian Oath to today's communities.
Students who are interested in enrolling in master's level coursework in public administration without formal admission to the graduate program are encouraged to apply for graduate non-degree seeking student status.
Deadlines
To begin in the spring semester, applications must be submitted by December 1. International applications must be submitted by November 1.
To begin in the fall semester, applications must be submitted by July 1. International applications must be submitted by June 1.
To begin in the summer semester, applications must be submitted by February 1.
Applicants interested in the City/County Management Fellowship must apply by the February 1 deadline and be prepared to begin full-time course work in the following Summer semester.
MPA Degree Requirements
The MPA degree is awarded after successful completion of 40 credit hours of course work. This includes 15 credit hours of required core courses (5 courses) that all students complete, 12 credit hours toward one School of Public Affairs and Administration graduate certificate (4 courses), 12 hours of electives tailored to the student's interests (4 courses), and a final 1-credit hour course that will serve as a culmination of coursework and professional competencies. Once a student begins the program, all degree requirements must be completed within 7 years. While completing the following degree requirements, graduate students are expected to understand and follow Office of Graduate Studies policies relevant to their student status and academic standing.
Core Course Requirements
The MPA core provides students with knowledge and skills foundational to advanced educational and professional engagement in public affairs and administration fields. They provide an important underpinning for the MPA certificates and are transferable across a range of public service professions. All MPA students complete core course work (15 credit hours):
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| PUAD 824 | Creating Good Public Policy | 3 |
| PUAD 835 | Managing Public Money | 3 |
| PUAD 836 | Data Informed Decision-Making | 3 |
| PUAD 841 | Context, Ethics and Legal Environment of Public Administration | 3 |
| PUAD 845 | Managing Public Organizations | 3 |
School of Public Affairs & Administration Graduate Certificate Requirement
The graduate certificate is a way to delve into specialized areas of public administration theory and practice. They are structured to provide a condensed version of the specific skills and knowledge to advance in particular professional fields. Certificate options and courses included in the 12-credit hour certificates include:
Elective Course Options
Elective Courses allow students to broaden perspective and explore other sectors of public administration. Some options for completing these credits include:
- a second SPAA graduate certificate,
- a graduate certificate outside the program with approval of the Director of Graduate Studies,
- public administration-adjacent courses in other disciplines with approval of the Director of Graduate Studies,
- or any PUAD and UBPL graduate-level courses in SPAA.
MPA Degree Final Course Requirement
All MPA degree students will complete PUAD 899 Excelling in the Practice of Public Administration in their final semester of the program. This course serves as a culminating review and reapplication of the core competencies and learning objectives emphasized throughout the MPA curriculum. Students will be eligible for degree conferral upon completion of this course and the other credit hour requirements toward the MPA degree.
Students may complete the MPA degree:
- On-campus in Lawrence;
- Online via a combination of synchronous and asynchronous course work; or
- On-campus in Lawrence in the MPA City / County Management Fellowship
On-campus Lawrence MPA
To complete the MPA program on campus in Lawrence, students will complete:
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| 15 |
| 12 |
| 12 |
| PUAD 899 | Excelling in the Practice of Public Administration | 1 |
MPA Online
To complete the MPA program online, students will complete:
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| 15 |
| 12 |
| 12 |
| PUAD 899 | Excelling in the Practice of Public Administration | 1 |
MPA City/County Management Fellowship
Prospective students interested in a local government career may apply to the City/County Management Fellowship program. Application to the City/County Management Fellowship requires an additional essay. The key distinctive feature of the fellowship is its structure: the first year revolves around full-time, intensive coursework and the second year revolves around a full-time, paid internship.
Students admitted to the MPA City/County Management Fellowship program complete the following courses to fulfill degree requirements:
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| 15 |
| 12 |
| 3 |
| PUAD 892 | Reflections on Practice | 3 |
| PUAD 894 | Professional Development Seminar I: Public Admin Contemporary Issues & Competency Assessment | 3 |
| PUAD 895 | Professional Development Seminar II: Leading to Create a Culture for High Performance | 3 |
| PUAD 899 | Excelling in the Practice of Public Administration | 1 |
