


Master of Public Administration
MPA
Program Overview
A Master of Public Administration is a versatile degree that will help you advance your career and prepare you for leadership roles in the public and nonprofit sector.
Program Snapshot
Why This Program & What You'll Learn
The CMU MPA Program is housed in the School of Politics, Society, Justice and Public Service within the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.
Accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA)
Program Highlights
As an MPA student you'll have the opportunity to:
- enhance your leadership skills.
- apply techniques to participate in, and contribute to, the policy process.
- leverage data and technological change for the public good.
- gain expertise in the nonprofit sector.
- develop your communication skills to interact in culturally responsive ways.
- gain internship experience, if needed. Previous MPA students have interned for U.S. Representative Moolenaar's D.C. Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the City of Flint, Michigan, the Jimmy Carter Foundation, the Michigan Women's Commission, and the Isabella County Office of Emergency Management.
Concentrations
Nonprofit Management
This specialization prepares you specifically for a leadership or management role in the nonprofit world. You'll learn about board governance and executive leadership, strategic planning, grant writing, public sector information technology and more.
State & Local Government
This specialization prepares you for high-level roles in state and local government. You'll learn about government management, intergovernmental relations, politics and policy in urban communities and more.
The State & Local Government Concentration includes an accelerated option where students may earn up to twelve hours of graduate credit toward the MPA degree for courses taken during the senior year of their undergraduate degree.
Careers & Outcomes
Your MPA prepares you to be a leader in a public-serving role or organization. You can go on to work in local government, as a city manager or program director. You can become an executive director of a nonprofit whose work you're passionate about — or maybe you'll start your own! You can also decide to pursue a Ph.D.
Career | Projected Salary |
---|---|
Policy Analyst | $64,950 |
Administrative Manager | $99,290 |
Social and Community Service Manager | $74,000 |
Local Government Manager |
$92,820 |
