Master of Public Administration

Master of Public Administration (MPA)

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) program is for students committed to public service who want to become leaders and make a positive difference in the world. Our focus on strong analytical and communication skills ensures students are prepared for rewarding management careers in public and non-profit organizations.

The MPA program has affordable tuition, excellent academics, expert faculty and opportunities to gain real-world experience, ensuring students receive a great return on their educational investment. 

What we offer students

Our MPA program helps students develop a wide range of marketable skills and translate what they are learning in the classroom into real-world settings.

Many of our students concentrate their studies on local government or nonprofit management. However, our flexible program allows students to focus on other specializations, tailoring their academics to fit their needs.

Accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA), Binghamton University's Master of Public Administration (MPA) program collaborates with community-based organizations to prepare students to be tomorrow's leaders, innovators, lawyers and public and non-profit service managers. Graduates are equipped with practical, real-world experiences and the theoretical framework needed to tackle today's toughest societal issues.

An MPA is a marketable professional degree that prepares students for management careers in public and nonprofit organizations. This program is ideal for those dedicated to public service, aspiring to become leaders in these sectors, and aiming to positively impact the world.

As organizations reshape, restructure, and respond to economic, demographic, and social shifts, it is essential for public servants to be trained as effective problem solvers. Opportunities abound for those able to think critically, creatively and ethically. With a range of roles to fill in every city and state, MPA students are attractive hires for positions that allow them to make positive changes. Graduates can also compete for business and other private-sector openings that require management and financial analysis experience. As well as a stepping stone towards law school, and becoming a successful lawyer.

Dual-degrees 

Complete two master’s degrees at the same time! By carefully structuring the sequence of courses, recognizing comparable course offerings and using courses in one program to count as electives in the other, students can complete a dual or double degree program in only three years of full-time study. An application to both programs is required.

• MPA in Public Administration (Dual-Degree with MSW)
• MPA in Public Administration (Double-Degree with MS in Sustainable Communities)
• MPA in Public Administration (Double-Degree with MS in Systems Science)
• MPA in Public Administration (Double-Degree with MS in Genocide and Mass Atrocity Prevention)

Certificate Programs

• Certificate in Local Government Management
• Certificate in Non-Profit Administration
• Certificate in Genocide and Mass Atrocity Prevention

Professional Development

This program offers students the opportunity to engage in community and public affairs right from the start. Faculty members participate in various community organizations in advisory and management roles, providing students with valuable connections as they create their personalized courses of study.

Students are afforded more than 150 hours of professional experience through internships with public or non-profit organizations in the greater Binghamton area, across the country, and around the world. The Department of Public Administration and Policy hosts the Philanthropy Incubator. This unique program gives students the chance to work through community issues and distribute grant money to local non-profit organizations.

These opportunities, along with certificates in local government management, non-profit administration, and a specialization in sustainable communities, enable students to customize the MPA program according to their academic and professional interests.

After You Graduate

Internships provide networking opportunities and often precipitate long-term employment. Alumni of the MPA program have gone on to various civic activities, working at the community, city, county, state, and national levels. Forty percent pursue careers in government, 30 percent in non-profit organizations, and 10 percent in the private sector. Another 10 percent work outside the U.S. Those completing double/dual-degree programs are qualified to pursue many careers in social work, educational institutions and nursing.

Academic Performance Requirements

Students who earn a grade of B- or below in any core (required) course must repeat that course and earn a grade of B or better. Students who fail to earn a B or better grade the second time they take a core (required) course will be recommended to the Graduate School for severance from the MPA program. Students who fail to earn a 3.0 GPA in the first 12 credits will be placed on academic probation, and may be recommended to the Graduate School for severance from the program if the GPA is not above a 3.0 after the first 24 credits in the program. Students must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher to graduate. All graduate school policies can be reviewed online.

The Academic Honesty Code can be reviewed online. If a violation of the Honesty Code is suspected, the College of Community and Public Affairs procedures for resolving academic honesty cases will be followed.