Master of Public Administration Earns National Ranking

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) program in the UNC Charlotte College of Liberal Arts & Sciences again has been named among the top 60 public affairs programs in the country in the Best Graduate Schools by U.S. News Media Group rankings.

“Our Master of Public Administration Program maintains a consistent focus on providing our students with the critical skills they need for careers in public administration,” said Nancy Gutierrez, dean of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. “We are focused on helping students develop administrative and analytical skills that will be applicable in a wide array of organizations, and we are proud that our program provides excellent public affairs training.”

UNC Charlotte tied for 59th place in the 2013 ranking, in a slight change from its last ranking of 57th.  Other universities in UNC Charlotte’s tier include Brigham Young University – Provo, CUNy-John Jay College, Indiana University-Purdue University – Indianapolis, Northwestern University, University of Central Florida, University of North Texas and University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee.

The rankings are calculated based on responses of deans, directors, and department chairs representing 266 master’s of public affairs and administration programs, two per school.

The primary objective of UNC Charlotte’s MPA Program is to provide professional training in public and non-profit administration.  Students develop mastery through applied techniques and administrative exercises appropriate to the management of government, nonprofit, and arts-related organizations. MPA students have the option to concentrate their studies in several specialized areas including non-profit management, urban management and policy, arts administration, emergency management and public finance.

Certificates are available to students wanting specialized training within Non-Profit Management, Urban Management & Policy, Arts Administration, Emergency Management and Public Finance; but not necessarily interested in pursuing a Masters degree.

The program currently has 70 MPA students and 17 graduate certificate students. The MPA Program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA).

Highlights of the rankings will be published in the Best Graduate Schools 2013 edition book, available April 3. For more information about Best Graduate Schools, visit www.usnews.com/grad. 

To learn more about the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and the MPA program, visit http://clas.uncc.edu and http://mpa.uncc.edu/