MPA Program Ranks Among the Best Public Affairs Programs Nationwide

March 30, 2016
Categories: College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences, News, Teaching & Advising
MPA poster presentation
MPA students present their research findings

UNC Charlotte’s Gerald G. Fox Master of Public Administration program has ranked in the top 25 percent of public affairs programs in the nation by U.S. News and World Report. The MPA program continued its strong ranking in the 2017 “Best Graduate Schools” rankings released in March 2016, landing at No.  63.

The U.S. News and World Report rankings of public affairs programs are based solely on opinions of each program’s quality as rated by academic experts at peer institutions. The rankings of public affairs programs, completed in 2016, are based solely on the results of a peer assessment survey. Deans, directors and department chairs representing 272 master’s programs in public affairs and administration were surveyed in fall 2015 by Ipsos Public Affairs.

The mission of the MPA program in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences at UNC Charlotte is to provide education and training for the public and nonprofit sectors, conduct scholarly and applied research to advance the field of public administration, and serve the community.

MPA students have the option to concentrate their studies in several specialized areas:

  • Non-Profit Management
  • Urban Management & Policy
  • Arts Administration
  • Emergency Management
  • Public Finance

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

The MPA Program is accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs & Administration (NASPAA.)  The MPA program and Certificate programs have approximately 100 enrolled graduate students.

The MPA Program also is working to endow its longest-awarded scholarship. The Burkhalter-Rassel Scholarship was established to honor the memory of David Burkhalter, who served as the City Manager of Charlotte from 1971 to 1981, and Faculty Emeritus and former MPA Director Gary Rassel, who taught in the MPA program from 1982-2012. This scholarship is awarded to an incoming or first-year student each fall semester. Endowing this scholarship means the program can award it in perpetuity and always have scholarship assistance available for MPA students.

For more information about U.S. News & World Report’s rankings, visit usnews.com.