Master of Public Administration (MPA) Programs

MPA programs provide you with the necessary education that can prepare you to enter a variety of public service fields. By instilling you with a knowledge set specific to your area of interest, you have the opportunity to take what you learn from your MPA program and use it to positively affect an organization or community. We offer three different emphasis areas for our MPA, in government and policy, nonprofit management and healthcare management.

A Degree That Ignites Passion and Purpose

If you’re passionate about providing leadership in areas such as public policy, nonprofit management, policy analysis, healthcare management or government administration, then one of our Master of Public Administration degree options may be ideal for you. This degree can provide you with the opportunity to gain advanced administrative knowledge of specific industries that you can translate into effective solutions, valuable insights and measurable outcomes within an organization or community.

A Quality Online Education

We offer our students the opportunity to earn an MPA degree online. Our online courses can provide you with a quality education that comes with convenience. You can study and interact with other MPA students from virtually anywhere through our e-learning platform, as well as take advantage of the numerous online resources available.

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$77,030

Median annual salary of social and community service managers as of May 20231

Master of Public Administration Degree: MPA Types

We offer various MPA programs that cater to your interests and career goals. From government to nonprofit management to healthcare management, our programs can help you advance your knowledge of your career field and position yourself for potential high-level opportunities.

Government and Policy

As you pursue your MPA in policy and government, you will work to evaluate and strengthen your leadership style as you explore various methods of modern policy and government issues. You will work to gain competence regarding the processes of different government agencies, including local, state and federal. Other topics you will cover include economics for public administrators, public administration influence, public and nonprofit administration and public financial management and budgeting, to name a few.

Nonprofit Management

In this program, you will be taught to serve the public by contributing your administrative knowledge and skills to benefit an organization or community. As you deepen your knowledge of nonprofit management, you will study administrative practices and their influence on the success of an organization. You’ll also have the opportunity to strengthen your effective communication and leadership skills.

Healthcare Management

In this healthcare emphasis, you will have the opportunity to gain the skills needed to lead as a public health professional. This includes studying policies, analyzing ethical dilemmas and exploring legal compliance, safety and quality in patient care. You will be taught to understand the crossroads between healthcare and administration and work to apply these concepts to the field.

Earn Your MPA From an Accredited University

GCU is an institutionally accredited university, which is a reflection of our commitment to providing quality education to all students. To learn more about our accreditation, visit our university accreditation page. 

Online MPA Degree Coursework

Your online courses will cover numerous topics relevant to a career in public administration. Depending on which MPA focus you choose, you will have specific courses related to that industry. Some topics you may cover include:

  • Public governance
  • Public and nonprofit administration
  • Human capital
  • Influence, power and politics
  • Leading public organizations
  • Policy and economic studies 
  • Public budgeting and financial management
  • Community development

To gain entry into our graduate programs, you must fulfill certain admission criteria to be considered eligible, including degree, GPA and testing requirements. To learn more about gaining admission to the MPA program of your choice, visit our admission requirements page.

Career Opportunities for MPA Graduates

MPA graduates will have been taught various concepts related to managing human capital, leadership, operations management, public affairs, and other areas relevant to their intended industry. Some careers related to this degree that you may explore include:

  • Chief executive
  • General and operations manager
  • Legislator
  • Social and community service manager
  • Transportation, storage and distribution managers
  • Postmasters and mail superintendents
  • City manager
MPA student smiling while working on computer and writing on paper

Frequently Asked Questions About MPA Degrees

Browse through some commonly asked questions and answers to learn more about obtaining an MPA.

An MPA is a Master of Public Administration, a graduate degree often focused on educating students interested in exploring high-level positions in industries such as government agencies, nonprofits, private corporations or healthcare organizations. In MPA degree programs, students cover topics such as public governance, strategic management, leadership, strategic planning and budgeting.

Career paths that MPA graduates may choose to pursue are often in important sectors that affect our day-to-day lives, such as government entities and public affairs. There are various positions that MPA graduates may explore, such as that of a social and community service manager. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates job growth for this position to increase by about 9% from 2022 to 2032, much faster than average, accounting for an estimated increase of 16,200 jobs in the field.2

While MPAs focus on preparing students for public service work in organizations such as government agencies or nonprofits, MBA programs can provide students with a comprehensive overview of business fundamentals. An MBA teaches students knowledge and skills widely applicable to various businesses, such as marketing, management, economics, accounting and finance. Meanwhile, an MPA curriculum teaches topics related to public affairs, including public policy, government affairs, strategic planning and organizational leadership. 

These programs are designed to educate you so you feel prepared to graduate and pursue your career aspirations in these industries. With the option to complete this program online, you also can benefit from the convenience that online courses offer. We also offer our MPA programs with different emphasis options, giving you the opportunity to focus your studies on the area you wish to work in. 

The time to completion for an MPA program may vary depending on different factors, such as part- or full-time status or potential transfer credits. To gain a better understanding of how long it may take you to complete your program, fill out the form on this page to speak with a university counselor.

Student Resources

As a student pursuing your MPA degree at GCU, we offer numerous valuable resources that can help support and assist you in your program. Explore these links, designed for our College of Humanities and Social Sciences students.

1The earnings referenced were reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (“BLS”), Social and Community Service Managers, as of May 2023, retrieved July 31, 2024. Due to COVID-19, data from 2020 to 2023 may be atypical compared to prior years. BLS calculates the median using salaries of workers nationwide with varying levels of education and experience. It does not reflect the earnings of GCU graduates as social and community service managers, nor does it reflect earnings of workers in one city or region of the country or a typical entry-level salary. Median income is the statistical midpoint for the range of salaries in a specific occupation. It represents what you would earn if you were paid more money than half the workers in an occupation, and less than half the workers in an occupation. It may give you a basis to estimate what you might earn at some point if you enter this career. Grand Canyon University can make no guarantees on individual graduates’ salaries. Your employability will be determined by numerous factors over which GCU has no control, such as the employer the graduate chooses to apply to, the graduate’s experience level, individual characteristics, skills, etc., against a pool of candidates.

2 COVID-19 has adversely affected the global economy and data from 2020 to 2022 may be atypical compared to prior years. Accordingly, data shown is effective September 2023, which can be found here: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Social and Community Service Managers, retrieved July 31, 2024. 

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