The MPA Program at

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...

is a full-time, two-year curriculum that serves up to 60 students annually. Courses range from

management Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activities o ...

leadership Leadership, both as a research area and as a practical skill, encompasses the ability of an individual, group or organization to "lead", influence or guide other individuals, teams, or entire organizations. The word "leadership" often gets view ...

public policy analysis Policy studies is a subdisicipline of political science that includes the analysis of the process of policymaking (the policy process) and the contents of policy (policy analysis). Policy analysis includes substantive area research (such as health ...

, to project evaluation, the program educates future leaders for local, state, and federal governments and nonprofit organizations. Established in 1966 at

UNC UNC is a three-letter abbreviation that may refer to: Education * University of Northern California (disambiguation), which may refer to: ** University of Northern California (Santa Rosa), in Petaluma, California, United States ** University of Nor ...

, the MPA Program became an integral part of the School of Government in 1997. As the largest university-based local government training, advisory, and research organization in the United States, the School of Government offers up to 200 classes, seminars, schools, and specialized conferences for more than 12,000 public officials each year. In addition, faculty members annually publish approximately 50 books,

periodicals A periodical literature (also called a periodical publication or simply a periodical) is a published work that appears in a new edition on a regular schedule. The most familiar example is a newspaper, but a magazine or a Academic journal, journal ...

, and other reference works related to state and local government. Each day that the

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is in session, the school produces the "Daily Bulletin," which reports on the day's activities for members of the legislature and others who need to follow the course of legislation.

Ranking

The program is considered among the best public administration graduate programs in the country, ranking second nationally in the specialty area of local government, and 21st overall.Public Affairs Ranking
(accessed 2019)

Academics

The curriculum is designed to be completed in two years of study. Students complete a management internship between their first and second years. Additionally, the program requires that each student, advised by a faculty committee, complete an independent capstone research project, reported in writing and orally to an audience of public service professionals. A more flexible schedule is available for a limited number of experienced practitioners. UNC-Chapel Hill also offers dual degree programs with the UNC School of Law,

School of Social Work A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes compulsor ...

, and Information and Library Science; the Departments of City and Regional Planning, Public Policy, and the Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Program.

Faculty

School of Government faculty members who teach in the MPA Program also are engaged in School of Government programs serving state agencies and local governments. These professors are joined on the MPA teaching faculty by other faculty members based outside the School of Government.

MPA@UNC: Online MPA Program

Carolina's MPA program is also offered in an online format MPA@UNC.
(accessed 2012) The MPA@UNC program is designed with working professionals in mind, offering the accessibility and flexibility of online education with the best of UNC's on-campus experience, including a virtual classroom setting, to effectively teach tomorrow's public service leaders. The program employs the same rigorous curriculum and courses as the on-campus program, and students are held to the same academic standards. Students attend live, face-to-face online classes led by UNC School of Government faculty. The program also includes self-paced coursework and hands-on learning through a professional experience component, which is designed to empower students with the knowledge and relationships needed to progress in their career. Upon completion of the program, students will have developed and practiced the skills necessary to be a public leader with the core knowledge, perspectives, and relationships necessary to manage local, state, and federal agencies, as well as nonprofit organizations. The knowledge and skills gained from the program can be applied in any organization, city, state, or country. MPA@UNC's first cohort started classes in January 2013.
(accessed 2013)

Alumni

Graduates of Carolina's MPA program enjoy successful careers in every level of government and in organizations that support the public interest, including nonprofits and a range of businesses in the private sector. Alumni include those currently in the following positions: *

US Government The federal government of the United States (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States, a federal republic located primarily in North America, composed of 50 states, a city within a feder ...

* Assistant US Attorney *

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

*Budget Analyst, US Senate *

State Government A state government is the government that controls a subdivision of a country in a federal form of government, which shares political power with the federal or national government. A state government may have some level of political autonomy, or ...

*Human Resources Director, Office of the Governor *Deputy State Treasurer *

Municipal Government A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

*City/Town Manager *Assistant City/Town Manager *Director of Mobility & Transportation *Nonprofit Organizations *VP of Operations,

American Museum of Natural History The American Museum of Natural History (abbreviated as AMNH) is a natural history museum on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City. In Theodore Roosevelt Park, across the street from Central Park, the museum complex comprises 26 inter ...

*Regional Director, Environmental Defense Fund *Academic Institutions *VP of Business & Finance (College) *VP for Government Relation (University)

References

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External links

* http://www.sog.unc.edu/uncmpa * http://onlinempa.unc.edu/

Master of Public Administration The Master of Public Administration (M.P.Adm., M.P.A., or MPA) is a specialized higher professional post graduate degree in public administration, similar/ equivalent to the Master of Business Administration but with an emphasis on the issues of ...