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online public administration master's degree

Master of Public Administration

Start your online public administration degree

There are many challenges and opportunities in the public and nonprofit administration sectors. Lead the charge in solving them with our Master of Public Administration.

In as little as 17 months, you gain the skills to create and implement public policy. Classes are just 6 weeks long, so they won’t get in the way of your busy life. Plus, there’s no application fee, no SAT test requirements, and we’ll even request your prior college transcripts for you.

Ignite Your Passion

Start when you're ready

Courses

Browse courses for your online degree

Education should hold practical value. That’s why our courses meet rigorous academic standards and provide you with skills and knowledge immediately applicable to your career.

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Look for this icon to see which skills you’ll learn in a course.

Requirements: 36 credits

You’ll need 36 credits to complete this master’s in public administration online. Your course schedule may vary based on previous experience, training or transferable credits.

Schedule

Your academic counselor will help schedule your courses for an online MPA.

12 Core Courses

Here’s where you’ll pick up the bulk of your program-specific knowledge. By the time you finish these courses, you should have the confidence and skills needed in this field.

12 Core Courses

Skills-aligned program icon

Earn career-relevant skills in weeks – not years.

Learning shouldn’t take years to put into practice. That’s why we’re empowering you to build career-relevant skills with every five- to six-week course.

We’ve worked with the labor market researcher Lightcast to identify in-demand skills for occupations and mapped those to our related associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs.

Tuition

Paying for school

Tuition is based on number of credit hours per course. Courses are typically 3 credits, but can range from 1-6 credits. Costs do not include savings opportunities like transfer credits and scholarships.

Tuition Guarantee

Master's cost per course

$2,289 / course

Cost per credit 

Credits per course

Resource fee

$698

x3

+ $195

Estimated cost per course

$2,289

An illustration showing a couple pushing a stroller with a dollar sign and clock in the background

What affects the overall cost of my program?

Your full program cost can vary by: 

  • Savings opportunities. Get your degree faster and for less with eligible transfer credits, scholarships and work experience credits. Students with eligible credits and relevant experience can save up to $6,800 and 9 credits off their master’s degree.

With our Tuition Guarantee, you pay one flat, affordable rate from the moment you enroll to the day you graduate from your program.

Earn your master’s degree faster and for less with eligible savings opportunities:

Transfer credits

Get credit for what you already know. Earn your degree without starting from scratch. Have previous relevant work and life experience evaluated for potential credit. If you have military or law enforcement training, such as Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy training or the Senior Management Institute for Police (SMIP) training, you can apply to have that experience evaluated for up to 30 credits.

Financial aid

You may have options when it comes to paying for college tuition and expenses, such as federal grants and loans. Our finance advisors can answer your questions about financial aid and can help guide you through the process.

Federal Student Loan Basics

Careers & Outcomes

What can you do with a Master of Public Administration?

Discover where your degree might take you and make informed choices about your future.

An MPA can prepare you to be a:

  • Chief Administrative Officer
  • City Administrator
  • City Manager
  • Government Service Executive
  • Nonprofit Director
  • Public Works Director
  • Program Manager

Top skills learned in this program:

  • Leadership

  • Public policy

  • Communication

  • Problem solving

  • Financial management

Ready to get started?

Start your application for free or request additional information.

What you’ll learn

When you earn your master’s in public administration online, you’ll be equipped with a concrete set of skills you can apply on the job. You’ll learn how to:

  • Integrate leadership and management skills in context of public service organizations.
  • Integrate public administration principles in the policy process.
  • Analyze problem-solving approaches to public administration issues.
  • Analyze public service perspectives in fiduciary public administration environments.
  • Apply strategies for communicating with diverse and changing populations in public administration. 

3% Growth

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth for management occupations is projected to be below average between 2022 and 2032.

The BLS Projected Growth for 2022-2032 is published by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This data reflects the BLS’ projections of national (not local) conditions. These data points are not specific to University of Phoenix students or graduates.

Admissions

Apply for free – no application fee, no obligation.

Starting your degree is a big decision — and we want you to feel great about it. That’s why we remove obstacles from your application.

  • No cost to request prior transcripts
  • No GMAT
  • No essay required

Receive 1-on-1 support

You have a support team of real people you can lean on. And our academic counselors, who are with you every step of the way, have earned a 5-star rating from 90% of our surveyed students.[1] Start a conversation with an enrollment representative today.

[1] Transactional Survey, August 2021-22 (18,645 respondents)

Gabriel G., Enrollment Representative

Call or chat with us 7 days a week.

G. Galindo - Enrollment Representative

Gabriel G., Enrollment Rep

Receive 1-on-1 support

You have a support team of real people you can lean on. And our academic counselors, who are with you every step of the way, have earned a 5-star rating from 85% of our surveyed students.[1]

[1] Transactional Survey, September 2022-August 2023 (23,739 respondents)

Start a conversation with an enrollment representative today.

Call us at 844-937-8679 or chat with us 7 days a week.

Student Experience

An education that fits your busy life

Balancing family, work and school

Work toward your degree without giving up what matters most. Start your degree year-round and take one class at a time.

Online learning

Enroll in online classes and attend class whenever it fits your life, day or night.

Around-the-clock support and resources

You have a support team available up to 14 hours a day, 5 days a week. 

Computer requirements for courses

Many course assignments will require you to use a computer to complete and submit your assignment. 

Student completing homework at night while child plays on floor.

Faculty Spotlight

Professionals dedicated to you

Your success is a top priority for our deans and faculty members. They bring an average of 28+ years of experience and hands-on perspective to the classroom, and help bridge the gap between academics and industry knowledge.

Doris Savron

As a faculty member, I'm on your team. I'm your coach and your cheerleader.

Doris Savron
Vice Provost of Colleges, University of Phoenix

As a faculty member, I'm on your team. I'm your coach and your cheerleader.

Accreditation

Accredited for 45+ years

Since 1978, University of Phoenix has maintained institutional accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), hlcommission.org. Learn more about the value of University of Phoenix accreditation and how it benefits our students.

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While widely available, not all programs are available to residents of all states. Please check with a University Enrollment Representative.