Master’s of Public Administration (MPA)

A Program of Study is the set of classes that is recognized by ASU, the Graduate College and the School of Public Affairs as sufficient to grant a degree. Programs of Study for the MPA total 42 hours of graduate credit and include core courses, concentration courses (if applicable) and approved electives. The degree is designed to be completed in two years for full-time students. Students have up to six years from the term of their first class to complete the degree.

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Required Core (30 credit hours)

• PAF 501 Public Service Research I (3) 
• PAF 502 Public Service Research II (3) 
• PAF 503 Public Affairs (3) 
• PAF 504 Microeconomics of Public Policy I (3) 
• PAF 505 Public Policy Analysis (3) 
• PAF 506 Public Budgeting and Finance (3) 
• PAF 507 Public Human Resource Management (3) 

• PAF 508 Organization Behavior (3) 

   

• PAF 509 Public Service Capstone (3) 

   

• PAF 574 Diversity, Ethics and Leading Public Change (3)

Electives (12 credit hours)

• Students take 4 elective courses (12 credit hours) 

Degree Options

Our MPA is offered to immersion students on the Downtown Phoenix campus (DTPHX), via ASU Online, and on HAITC’s campus in Hainan, China.

Students can choose to use their elective courses to obtain a concentration as part of their MPA degree programs. Here is a list of degree options as well as the locations available:

• Public Administration, MPA (DTPHX, ASUOnline, Hainan) 
• Public Administration (Emergency Management), MPA (DTPHX, Hainan) 
• Public Administration (Nonprofit Administration), MPA (DTPHX) 
• Public Administration (Public Finance), MPA (DTPHX) 
• Public Administration (Urban Management), MPA (DTPHX) 

Use our tuition estimator for a personalized cost.

Program Fees: Every ASU graduate degree program has a “program fee” assessed for students in that program. These fees vary for each program—the higher the fee, the more competitive/highly ranked a degree program. These fees cannot be waived.

We also have some funding opportunities for students. Learn more about the Marvin Andrews and Jane Morris Fellowship in Urban Management, the nation's premier program in urban management leadership.

For scholarship information please see our Scholarships page.

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution in a related field. Related fields include social science degrees, although the department may accept applicants with degrees from all educational backgrounds provided the minimum requirements for the degree program are met.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

All applicants must submit:

• graduate admission application and application fee
• official transcripts
• two letters of recommendation
• written statement
• proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information

An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency. Additional requirements for international students are available on the ASU Admission Services website.

The letters of recommendation should be from faculty members or other academic staff who can evaluate the applicant's academic performance.

The written statement should be one to two pages in length and describe the applicant's educational and career goals. This statement is also used as a sample of the applicant's writing abilities.

Applicants also may submit a resume or other documents.

Admitted students must demonstrate minimum competency in (1) statistics and (2) American Government. These competencies are demonstrated by having taken a basic statistics course and an American government-related course (earning a B or higher) at any time in the past. These competencies do not need to be met to be admitted, but students admitted to the MPA program who have not satisfied one or both competencies will be required to complete a free online module once admitted to the program.

 A public service internship is recommended for students without previous work experience in the government or non-profit sector. However, an internship is not required to graduate with an MPA. The internship aims to provide students with practical and professional experience in a specific career area. Students work for public organizations applying the skills and knowledge acquired in their program of study. During an internship, students can develop a professional network that will aid them in their career endeavors. Students can use three hours of internship credit to the degree program by taking PAF 584.

Recent internships include placements with Phoenix, Tempe, Mesa, Gilbert, Peoria, Goodyear, Chandler, Casa Grande, and Maricopa, as well as a wide range of state agencies and nonprofit organizations.

MASTER OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (MPA)

Completion Rates and Post-Degree Employment for MPA Cohort 2018-2019 academic year.

A nationally-ranked, high-quality professional degree program for those aspiring to take leadership and management positions in the public sector.

MPA Graduates during AY 2022-2023 by employment sector.

The MPA program at Arizona State University has successfully met the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) Standards for Professional Master’s Degree Programs in Public Affairs, Policy and Administration. The NASPAA Standards are the quality benchmark used by graduate public service programs around the world. NASPAA’s accreditation process is mission-based and driven by public service values. Accredited programs must contribute to the knowledge, research and practice of public service, establish observable goals and outcomes, and use information about their performance to guide program improvement. They must practice truth in advertising and ensure their students achieve learning objectives in five domains essential to public service.