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Online Master of Public Administration (MPA)

Enrich your Public Administration Career and Help your Community

#28 Best Public Affairs Programs, U.S. News & World Report

Accredited Curriculum

Two Specialization Options

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We’re here to answer your questions about admissions, financial aid, transfer credits and more. Fill out the form below to get in touch with a helpful admissions counselor.

  • Duration 30 months
  • Cost per Credit $950
  • Credit Hours 36

Program Benefits

  • Ranked in the 2023 Best Public Affairs Programs by U.S. News & World Report
  • Flexible 7-week online courses, ideal for working professionals
  • No GRE required

Train to Lead and Manage Diverse Public and Nonprofit Organizations

Delivered by the prestigious Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration, our online MPA program allows you to practice leading-edge management and problem-solving skills as you enhance your knowledge of the field. Plus, you’ll gain the professional experience you need to make values-based decisions in your ideal public administration career.

What You’ll Learn

UD’s MPA online program teaches you to contribute solutions to the public challenges of our times through research and public service projects that involve you in experiential learning.

View Our Latest Virtual Open House

Meet the Program Director and learn about the curriculum, career outcomes, and how to apply for our Online Master in Public Administration (MPA).

Serve Your Community in Rewarding Public Administration Careers

With your master’s degree in public administration from UD, you’ll be ready to advance in positions that help shape policy and implement effective solutions in the government, nonprofit and private sectors. MPA graduates work for mission-driven organizations and engage in socially meaningful careers that advance common good.

  • 100% of Biden School graduates are employed or pursuing further education.
  • Mayors, city managers, county administrators and governors earned over $100,000, on average, in 2020.1
More About Careers

Two Specialization Options

Health Systems Management

You can add a nine-credit specialization in Health Systems Management to your online MPA. You’ll gain the analytical and managerial tools to lead in public and not-for-profit healthcare organizations and related institutions.

General Specialization

You can add a nine-credit General Specialization to your online MPA. The General Specialization develops essential decision-making and analytical skills for public and nonprofit managers.

Learn to Address Complex Administrative Challenges

7-week Courses

Focus on Emergent Needs

Accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA), the University of Delaware’s online MPA features an instructional approach that combines theory, research and application-based solutions.

In 36 credit hours of public administration courses, you’ll study topics including:

  • Human Resources in Public & Nonprofit Sectors
  • Leading Organizations in Public & Nonprofit Sectors
  • Financial Management in Public & Nonprofit Sectors
Curriculum Details

Application Requirements

Fully Online Application

No GRE required

Our graduate application system is designed to put you in control of not only the application but all documents associated with it. We have designated areas within the application where each required document should be uploaded. You’ll need:

A completed online application
A bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year university
A current résumé
Unofficial copies of your transcripts (we’ll need official versions once you’re admitted)
Letters of recommendation
A personal statement
View the Application Process

We’re Committed to Affordability

$950 Per Credit Hour

Scholarships Available

We work hard to keep our tuition affordable while maintaining the highest academic standards.

Financial Aid

In addition to a variety of scholarships, you could fund your program by receiving a grant, qualifying for federal or private loans, utilizing military benefits or pursuing employer tuition reimbursement. Our dedicated admissions and financial personnel will help you through the process, including enrolling in a payment plan if applicable.

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Program Outcomes

  • Lead and manage in public governance
  • Participate in and contribute to the policy process
  • Analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems and make decisions
  • Articulate and apply a public service perspective
  • Communicate and interact productively with a diverse and changing workforce and citizenry.

Student Testimonials

“For me, one of the most valuable components of the MPA program has been the combination of not only the academic and technical concepts, but also applying those foundations of public policy and research to issues that affect my organization.”

-Emily Thomas, 2022 MPA Graduate
Director of Grants, Office of the President, Delaware Technical Community College

“[The MPA program] really helped me out a lot, especially with how the courses relate back to my organization.”

-Christopher Shore, Current MPA Student
Social Practitioner, Club Nova Community, Inc.

“For me, the move to asynchronous was the perfect choice…I had the benefit of being able to look at any school in the country… It was the curriculum of this program that sold me and made me want to apply. They are all things you do in the real world, and you do in your job… The most challenging classes have been the most rewarding.”

-Kate Bradley, Current MPA Student
Manager, Legislative Affairs, New Jersey Department of Children and Families

Faculty Are Readily Available to You

Our faculty are highly qualified and highly engaged citizens of the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy & Administration. Committed to the practice of Public Administration, they are deeply engaged in work with governments and nonprofits, bringing those experiences to their courses.

What it’s Like to Study Online

We pride ourselves on teaching and innovation, so you’ll encounter an advanced digital curriculum delivered by experts. Knowledgeable staff members are available to answer questions by phone, chat and email, and you can access technical support 24/7.

UD Online Student Experience

Answers to Common Questions

We’ve provided answers to the most commonly asked questions about UD’s online programs. If we missed anything, you can get in touch with a knowledgeable admissions counselor by phone at (844) 237-1338.

You can earn your degree in as few as 30 months full-time or complete the program part-time at your convenience.

Yes, UD’s MPA is ranked in 2021 Best Public Affairs Programs by U.S. News & World Report, including their lists of Best Nonprofit Management, Public Finance/Budgeting, and Public Management/Leadership programs.

The first step toward applying for this program is to complete your online application through the graduate student Application Management System.

Read more about admissions.

Yes, this program accepts up to nine transfer credits with the approval of the program director.

You may start this program in the fall, summer or spring semesters. Applications are accepted at any time up until a week before classes begin. Applicants are considered for admission on a rolling basis, which makes now the perfect time to apply.

Read more about admissions.

Yes, the online MPA degree offers two specializations – general (or public management) specialization and health systems management specialization. Both specializations comprise nine credits or three classes.

The general specialization allows you to:

  • Develop essential decision-making and analytical skills for public and nonprofit managers.
  • Understand ethical standards by which the public leaders’ actions are judged.
  • Learn about the roles that public administration, policy analysis and policy research play in society.
  • Learn about the political economy of public policy, including the intersection of policy with politics and markets, and the institutional and structural dimensions of the policymaking process.

The health systems management specialization teaches you to:

  • Understand the U.S. healthcare system
  • Analyze how health policy and reform affect the U.S. economy
  • Evaluate, design and implement e-services in the healthcare industry
  • Use healthcare information technology and public health data to manage and improve population health
  • Understand legal, regulatory and ethical concerns in population health management
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