In Massachusetts, Northeastern University is currently the only school that offers an online Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree program. Northeastern University’s online MPA program is offered through the school’s School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs, which has attained programmatic accreditation through the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA). The program can be completed fully online with no residency requirements and has an optional concentration in Healthcare Management and Policy. Students can also earn a graduate certificate while pursuing their MPA degree in several areas of study, including public policy analysis, urban studies, sustainability and climate change policy, and more.
Northeastern University is a private, non-profit academic institution that is institutionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). Learn more about Northeastern University’s degree program below.
Schools in Massachusetts with Online MPA Programs
Northeastern University’s online MPA degree program has a practice-oriented, research-based curriculum that focuses on enhancing managerial and leadership skills through the integration of case studies, group and applied projects, and the incorporation of real-world scenarios within a classroom structure. Faculty partnerships with The Kitty and Michael Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy, The Social Impact Lab, and the Boston Area Research Initiative allow for students to collaborative on use-inspired research while enrolled. Online students have the option of specializing in Healthcare Management and Policy, or pursuing an additional graduate certificate in one of the following areas of study: Computational Social Science; Information Ethics; Nonprofit Sector, Philanthropy, and Social Change; Public Policy Analysis; Security and Resilience Studies; Sustainability and Climate Change Policy; Urban Analytics; or Urban Studies. Requiring the completion of 40 graduate credit hours, including 28 core credits, 12 elective credits, and a final Capstone in Public Policy and Urban Affairs, students enrolled in one course per semester can earn their degree in 18 to 24 months. Preservice students are expected to fulfill an additional 300-hour internship.
MPA courses at Northeastern are taught utilizing asynchronous instruction. Students can access lectures and course materials, submit assignments, and engage with classmates and faculty on their own time using the learning management system Canvas. Online students have the option of gaining work and research experience by participating in the university’s co-op program. Co-op participants receive full-time placement within a nonprofit or government agency for a period of six months while simultaneously completing the program’s Experiential Integration course.