Master of Public Administration

The mission of the Master of Public Administration (MPA) Program at Northern Arizona University is to educate students for professional public and community service. The curriculum provides the theoretical and practical dimensions of public management within a program of study, which facilitates intellectual development, promotes scholarship, and integrates the theory and practice of public administration. This mission upholds the core goal of imparting competencies such as enhancing leadership, decision making, and effective communication within diverse organizational settings, critical thinking and problem solving in organizational settings. The MPA program is a professional degree program for students working in or wishing to enter public service careers in the public or nonprofit sectors. The program serves pre-career and mid-career students located in Arizona and the surrounding region, and may also serve students nationwide. To maintain flexibility for working professionals, the program may be completed online, or in a combination of online and on-campus courses. One of the program’s unique features lies in the fact that it serves the diverse communities of northern Arizona, as it has partnered with NAU’s Department of Applied Indigenous Studies to strengthen its already solid reputation as a professional degree program for those working in Native nation governance. NAU’s close proximity to the Navajo and Hopi Nations means that the MPA at NAU is one of the premier programs for Native American students entering or working in Tribal Government. The program itself is fairly small, which fosters close contact between faculty and students, including those completing the program online. Additionally, the department has foci in the areas of political development, the environment, and sustainability. These strengths combine to provide students with the unique ability to focus on administration related to environmental and sustainability issues, political development, or diversity as part of their degree program.