** Please note that we are currently waiving the GRE requirement for applicants to our program. For more information please submit the form below.
The purpose of the Master of Public Administration (MPA) program is to provide professional education for leadership and management by offering a core curriculum that covers the essentials of both leadership and management in social, economic, political, and increasingly international contexts. The Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) Commission on Peer Review and Accreditation originally accredited the FAU MPA in 1986 and re-accredited the program in 1993, 2000, 2007, 2014 and 2022. The MPA is housed in the School of Public Administration (SPA), which is part of the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters at Florida Atlantic University.
The mission of the Master of Public Administration Program at Florida Atlantic University is to prepare pre-service and in-service students in southeast Florida to be leaders, managers, and analysts for all levels of government by providing intellectual, analytical, technical, and practical education via a curriculum that students can customize to meet their professional goals.
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We value the diversity of our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community and we foster inclusiveness, participation, and cultural competence in our MPA courses and other educational activities.
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We strive to create inclusive environments in which MPA students are respected and supported, while they improve their professional and ethical competence and become accountable public leaders, managers, and analysts.
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We advance the state of knowledge in public administration through research activities and collaborations with internal and external partners that examine and address local, regional, state, national, and international matters of public concern.
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We enhance ethical public service by encouraging ethical deliberation and decision-making in our MPA courses and through other educational activities.
On average, 40-60 students are enrolled in our MPA program and the majority of our MPA students (70%) graduate within three years.
The majority of our MPA students are employed full-time. Many of the current MPA students work in local (35%) and state (17%) government, while others work in the nonprofit sector (4%), and the private sector (9%). For those students who graduated in the past two years, 78% currently work in a city or county government agency or other local entity, 14% work in state government, and 1% work in the private sector. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2019), the average (mean) salary for someone in a management occupation within local government is $ 94,080.
Based on our 2020 survey of current students, 100% indicated that they were very satisfied or satisfied with their FAU MPA educational experience. Based on our 2019 survey of FAU MPA alumni, 91% indicated that they were very satisfied or satisfied with their FAU MPA educational experience.
For any questions regarding the Master of Public Administration degree program, please contact Dr. Robin Larson (Program Coordinator).