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
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:
I am a single mother. I have three children. We spend a lot of time going multiple directions of activities and programming and school. So when I am not living the dream every day through my career, I have a lot of other things going on. O'Neill's Online MPA allows me the flexibility to navigate the program. Having the opportunity to take an in-person class or to do online is really one of the critical components of why I chose O'Neill. I always choose an in-person option if I have the ability to do so. What I realized though, was between my family and my home life and my work life and all of the expectations, I needed a flexibility that having a set class time wouldn't necessarily allow. I have been able to tailor my coursework, which has been very good given that it's been many years since I had been in undergrad. Having the opportunity to choose which classes I thought were going to be the best fit for me at that time and topics of which I already have a strong interest in made this transition back into the learning mode much easier. The instructors I've had have always been wonderful about engaging with me, whether that was through written communication, if that was through a phone call, or the online office hour option. I'm a first-gen college student and the importance of this education to me is just as important as seeing my kids education grow. It's important for them to understand that continuing their education no matter where or what age they are in life is going to continue to add value to who they are and what they bring to their communities and then their careers. This is about knowing and recognizing that we are more than ourselves as individuals and that the work that we do and the impact we have on our communities is actually what is going to change the world.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.
