Overview

Key facts

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) is the primary professional degree for the public and nonprofit sector. The MPA program develops skills and techniques used by leaders and managers to implement policies, projects, and programs in public-serving organizations. As a general management degree, the MPA is similar to the Masters of Business Administration, except the MPA focuses on the finance and management of government agencies, nonprofit organizations, philanthropic institutions, and healthcare providers rather than for-profit corporations. If you are strongly motivated to be an effective, ethical and innovative organizational leader working for the betterment of your community, the MPA degree is your best choice.

Why study Public Administration at Grand Valley State University?

Our program, located adjacent to downtown Grand Rapids, has a myriad of partnerships throughout West Michigan which provide internships and service learning opportunities. This ensures our students get networked with leaders of various local public, private and nonprofit sector organizations.
Student with any undergraduate major can enter the MPA program. Over a five year period, students came to us with 104 different undergraduate majors. The top 10 majors were Criminal Justice, Psychology, Public & Nonprofit Administration, Political Science, Sociology, Social Work, Liberal Studies, Advertising & Public Relations, International Relations, and Health Professions.

Programme Structure

Courses included:

Foundations of Public Service

Research Methods

Human Resources in Organizations

Organization Theory
Public Management Seminar

Public Financial Administration

Metropolitan Politics and Administration

Strategic Management and Planning

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 12 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-08-26 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-08-01 00:00:00
Starting 2027-01-08 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-12-01 00:00:00
Starting 2027-05-06 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-04-01 00:00:00

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

105

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TOEFL^® IBT

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PTE Academic

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IELTS

6.5

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Credits

30 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Allendale, United States

Disciplines

Public Administration View 604 other Masters in Public Administration in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

105

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

A completed graduate application.
A $30 non-refundable application fee unless the applicant has previously applied to Grand Valley State University and has paid this fee.
An official transcript from each undergraduate and graduate institution.
Three references from informed sources.
An essay on career and educational objectives (250 to 750 words).
A resume

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

24780 USD / year

≈ 24780 USD / year
Out-of-State

24780 USD / year

≈ 24780 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

24780 USD / year

≈ 24780 USD / year

Living costs

Allendale

United States

1000 - 1500 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Financing

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Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Public Administration.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

On this page

About

Overview

Key facts

Why study Public Administration at Grand Valley State University?

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

Allendale

Financing

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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