北卡罗拉娜州立大学

Public Administration students at NC State enjoy an extraordinary faculty recognized for its research productivity, a highly-ranked graduate program with great flexibility in its elective courses, and North Carolina’s capital city location and proximity to the world-renowned Research Triangle Park.

Many public administration professionals who are currently working part- or full-time pursue their MPA degree with us to study public administration, policy and theory and apply what they’re learning on the job. You’ll get a rich classroom experience that enhances your real-world needs in one of the top ranked MPA programs and the only Public Administration Ph.D. program in North Carolina.

Our MPA program gives you an integrated, interdisciplinary academic experience. We’ve been preparing professionals since 1968 to lead and serve in public and nonprofit agencies. Our 1,500+ alumni work across North Carolina, in Washington, DC, and across the world.

The 42-hour program has several overlapping components:

a 24-hour core curriculum
microeconomics and statistics prerequisite requirements
18 hours of elective coursework in which you’ll pursue an individualized specialty
an internship – unless you’ve already got work experience in the public sector

Specialization Information

The Masters of Public Administration program at NC State does not offer formal specializations. Instead, the program affords students the opportunity to tailor individualized public service specialties consistent with their interests and abilities, the university’s strengths, and labor market needs. Students work with their faculty adviser to select courses geared to their academic interests and career objectives.

The MPA program offers elective coursework in public management, nonprofit management, urban management, financial management, organizational leadership, policy analysis, and justice administration. The department also offers two graduate certificates, one in nonprofit management and the other in policy analysis:

MPA Learning Outcomes

Program: All Programs

These are the program objectives:

MPA program: To develop students as generalist managers with mission-relevant competencies
MPA program: Prepare students to be successful professionals in public service careers

Objective: MPA program: To develop students as generalist managers with mission-relevant competencies

Graduates are expected to be able to lead and manage in public governance.
Graduates are expected to be able participate in and contribute to the policy process.
Graduates are expected to be able analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems and make decisions.
Graduates are expected to be able to articulate and apply a public service perspective.
Graduates are expected to be able to communicate and interact productively with a diverse and changing workforce and citizenry.

Objective: MPA program: Prepare students to be successful professionals in public service careers

The MPA program includes a mix of pre-service and in-service students.
The MPA program serves students from historically underrepresented groups
Graduates are satisfied with their elective specialty coursework
MPA internships develop students' professional skills and prepare them for the job market
Graduating pre-service students are successful in job and internship placement
Graduating in-service students are able to apply concepts and skills from the MPA program to their public service job