A Master of Public Affairs, or MPA, is one of the most versatile and valuable degrees available—a combination of the Master of Public Administration and the Master of Public Policy degrees. At the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs our students are prepared for public service jobs in our changing society in ways unmatched by other universities. Our MPA program builds leaders who will make a difference in our world.
Master of Public Affairs: A versatile and valuable degree
Take the first step
Important dates
Spring term
- Priority deadline: November 15
- Final deadline: December 1
Summer term
- Priority deadline: March 15
- Final deadline: April 1
Fall term
- Priority deadline: July 15
- Final deadline: August 1
As an online student, you'll benefit from the flexibility of our 48-credit-hour program.
Find the right balance for you
We recommend taking two courses a semester, but you may take more with permission from the faculty director. Summer courses are offered, too. Students in our program are able to juggle their careers, family obligations, and course work.
Description of the video:
An online degree from IU and especially from the O'Neill School, you get an incredibly rich curriculum, with incredibly talented faculty that are going to challenge you as much or more than if you were in an in-person program,
One of the main reasons why I chose the Master of Public Affairs program at O'Neill was because of the flexibility. I like the ability to be asynchronous completely.
I needed a program that allowed me the flexibility to take the courses I needed to do my job, but also do it at my own pace.
It's exciting to be able to participate in the number one program in the country from so far away, with people who are really around the world. You also have opportunities to come to campus and complete some course work, so it's very versatile.
I wanted to keep my career, but I still wanted to have an education. Having both at the same time made such a phenomenal difference in my life, because I was able to see those skills being applied in real life.
One of the greatest things about O'Neill is that most of the professors and instructors are practitioners. They know how it works in the real world.
The courses are set up so that you know beginning of the semester what is expected, it is paced out so that it is manageable.
Faculty at O'Neill, they're always very accessible and willing to share their expertise. I have been able to build some meaningful relationships
O'Neill faculty is very supportive. They're always here for you. They want you to succeed.
Seeing the career outcomes for a lot of the folks that have gone through the program, they get to work for the U.S. government, the state governments, local government, nonprofits, private sector.
O'Neill does a really good job by preparing you to be a leader. So whether it is budgeting or law or just management, I think O'Neill gives you all those tools that then allow you to be a successful public servant.
O'Neill gives you the tools you need to bring together multiple generations, multiple ideologies, and come together to create great solutions - so that not only are you leading for the greater good, but you're creating the greater good for generations to come.
Accelerate your MPA with prior experience
Earn a credit hour reduction of up to nine hours with prior experience, reducing the overall cost of the program and time it takes to graduate.
Three-credit hour reduction: Minimum of two to four years' technical, administrative, or policy-level work experience with a government, nonprofit, or private agency.
Six-credit hour reduction: Four to six years of relevant full-time managerial and/or policymaking experience in any sector, such as program leadership, budgetary oversight, organizational or staff development, fundraising, analysis, planning, or human resources supervision.
Nine-credit hour reduction: More than six years of relevant full-time managerial and/or policymaking experience. At this point, at least one higher-level, multi-year assignment is expected, including responsibility for supervision of staff, budget preparation, or organizational control of public or nonprofit agencies.