Master of Public Affairs

Earn your MPA from a leader in public affairs education

With an MPA from the O’Neill School, your education builds on 50 years of growth and scholarship. The O’Neill School is one of the largest and most-respected schools of its kind, consistently recognized as one of the best among all Master of Public Affairs programs.

Jumpstarting your MPA journey is easy. The GRE and GMAT are not required and you may qualify to earn up to 9 credit hours with prior experience. You can choose to complete your MPA in residence, online, or as a hybrid option, allowing you to switch between in-residence and online delivery as needed.

Over 60% of O’Neill master’s students receive funding.

Competitive funding packages are available to assist in making our top-ranked school affordable. If you apply by the priority deadline, you will automatically be considered for fellowship funding.

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MPA Overview

Watch an overview of the Master of Public Affairs program at the O'Neill School.

Description of the video:

O’Neill is the place where you come to learn about how to make a real difference. Whether it's in local, state, or federal government. Whether it's in consulting or contracting or whether it's in nonprofits. O’Neill creates leaders and we are expected to go out into the world after this and make a difference. We also have a lot to fix and make better. The O’Neill MPA is designed to prepare students to lead organizations and create positive change in the world. We combined a rigorous core curriculum with a rich experiential component to deliver the skills, the knowledge, and the hands-on learning needed to provide value to employers on day number one. I work with Deloitte consulting. We are a technology company and a consulting company, and we help public sector organizations solve big problems. One of the reasons I come on campus to recruit O’Neill students is, I know the critical thinking skills that they will have. I know the analytics background that they will have. Learning those kinds of skills at O’Neill early on really helped me stand out and I think those skills transferred directly into the workplace. The main thing that we're looking for is talented people who can help us solve problems and O’Neill has that in spades. We pride ourselves on having one of the most flexible programs possible. We do this by offering so many different concentrations. We also do so by allowing students to move back and forth between the online and the residential program and by taking as many electives as they'd like to take. Part of what makes O’Neill so unique is the professors that we have here. Those within academics are the top in their field. Those with prior professional experience understand what you're going to be walking into after you leave O’Neill. Students benefit from faculty expertise in the classroom, as well as through close mentorship, guiding them through coursework and even beyond graduation as they continue into their careers. The foundation that O’Neill helped me build in my career is invaluable. I made professional connections that helped me not just launch my career but to this day I run across O’Neill alumni in my daily work. As an O’Neill student you'll gain instant access to a powerful network of more than 36 000 alumni around the globe. They help offer guidance and mentorship and real-world connections. You're going to have a network that you can depend on. You're going to have the resources and the skills that usually only come from years in a field. We want people who are not only smart, that's important, but they care about making the world a better place. Doing good is at the top of everyone's priority list here and it's great to be in a school where that is our motto.

O'Neill School: #1 Public Affairs 2023 US News and World Report

Top-ranked curriculum

O’Neill is home to one of the nation’s top Master of Public Affairs programs.

  • #1 MPA among public universities
  • #2 MPA among public and private universities  
  • #1 Environmental Policy & Management 
  • #1 Nonprofit Management 
  • #1 Public Finance & Budgeting 
  • #1 Public Management & Leadership  
  • #4 Health Policy & Management  
  • #5 Public Policy Analysis  
  • #7 Local Government Management  
  • #10 Social Policy  
  • #20 Urban Policy  

U.S. News and World Report, 2025

98%of reporting 2021-22 MPA residential masters students go into employment or continuing education upon receiving their degree

2years to complete

48credit hours

Continuing to innovate

The O’Neill School continues to ensure the MPA curriculum focuses on preparing students to lead through unique societal challenges. The foundational core addresses universal topics of social equity, climate change, ethical responsibilities, racial injustice, and diversity, and delivers applicable skills that equip students to put knowledge into action.

Curriculum highlights:

  • Emphasis on data-based problem solving, decision making, and policy making
  • Course-level focus on social equity and justice
  • Leadership and project management courses
  • Wider array of diversity in all courses across authors, readings, case studies, session topics, and guest speakers
  • Expansion of the capstone project to include an immersive experience working with global clients in their home country

Washington, D.C. Accelerator Program

Interested in a career in the nation's capital? Our D.C. Accelerator program combines the traditional MPA with an immersive one-year experience in Washington, D.C. Space is limited to 24 students, so apply early to be considered for this program.

Consider a dual degree

Get more education in less time with a dual degree—earning two master's degrees in less time than it would take to earn each degree separately. Further your career possibilities by combining your MPA with a Master of Science in Environmental Science, Master of International Affairs, or Master of Arts in Arts Administration.

Important dates

Spring Term

Classes begin in January, online or in-residence

  • Priority Deadline*: November 15
  • Final Deadline: December 1  
  • International Deadline: October 1

Summer Term

Classes begin in May, online

  • Priority Deadline*: March 15
  • Final Deadline: April 1

Fall Term

Classes begin in August, online or in-residence

  • Priority Deadline:
    • In-residence: January 15
    • Online: July 15
  • Final Deadline: 
    • In-residence: June 1
    • Online: August 1
  • International Deadline: January 15
*You will be automatically considered for MPA fellowship funding when you apply by the priority deadline.

Funding packages for 2024 are still available.

“Choosing the O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs for Grad Certificate and MPA was the best professional decision I've ever made. The coursework was incredibly relevant, and the faculty are top tier. There's a reason it is so highly ranked.”

Elizabeth Crist Darby, MPA’15
Director of Organizational and Vendor Management
Indiana Family and Social Services Administration