Public Administration (Urban Management), MPA
City Planning, Community, Culture, Environmental, Governance, Justice, Management, Political Science, Urban Affairs, city, ethics, law, sociology
Prepare yourself as a results-oriented, strategic leader capable of keen decision-making through this prestigious, flexible degree program. This top-ranked program will help you turn your desire for public service into a rewarding career in local and city management.
ASU ranks No. 9 for best graduate urban policy program and No. 13 for best graduate public affairs programs by U.S. News & World Report, 2024.
The Master of Public Administration program is a professional degree program designed to prepare students for public service at all levels of government as well as in the nonprofit and private sectors. The program consists of a core curriculum emphasizing managerial and analytic skills required for work in a wide variety of careers that serve the public good.
The urban management concentration prepares students to be leaders in local government, where most services and programs for residents are managed. Through a focused set of electives and interactions with experienced city managers, students gain knowledge and develop the skills they need in order to contribute to the operations of local government and help communities better serve the people who live there.
- College/school:
Watts College of Public Service & Community Solut
- Location: Downtown Phoenix
- STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
42 credit hours including the required capstone course (PAF 509)
Required Core (27 credit hours)
PAF 501 Public Service Research I (3)
PAF 502 Public Service Research II (3)
PAF 503 Public Affairs (3)
PAF 504 Microeconomics of Public Policy I (3)
PAF 505 Public Policy Analysis (3)
PAF 506 Public Budgeting and Finance (3)
PAF 507 Public Human Resource Management (3)
PAF 508 Organization Behavior (3)
PAF 574 Diversity, Ethics and Leading Public Change (3)
Concentration (9 credit hours)
select three of the following:
PAF 523 The City and County Manager (3)
PAF 525 Public Entrepreneurship (3)
PAF 530 Management of Urban Government (3)
PAF 534 Urban Services Infrastructure (3)
Elective (3 credit hours)
Culminating Experience (3 credit hours)
PAF 509 Public Affairs Capstone (3)
Additional Curriculum Information
Students should see the academic unit for a complete list of approved electives.
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions.
Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in a related field from a regionally accredited institution. Related fields include political science, planning, business, urban and metropolitan studies, as well as other social science disciplines, although the department may accept applicants with degrees from all educational backgrounds provided the minimum requirements for the degree program are met.
Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.
All applicants must submit:
- graduate admission application and application fee
- official transcripts
- two letters of recommendation
- written statement
- proof of English proficiency
Additional Application Information
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide regardless of their current residency.
Additional requirements for international students are located at the international admission page.
The written statement should be one to two pages in length and describe the applicant's educational and career goals. This statement is also used as a sample of the applicant's writing abilities.
Applicants also may submit a resume or other documents.
Students enrolling in MPA core courses must demonstrate minimum competency in statistics and American government, typically through the completion of an undergraduate social statistics course such as PAF 301 Applied Statistics and undergraduate coursework in American national government such as POS 310 American National Government. Completion of prerequisite courses is not a requirement for admission but must be completed within one semester after starting the program. Students may also satisfy the American national government competency by successfully completing a noncredit online course offered to incoming students by the School of Public Affairs.
Applicants should email spa@asu.edu if they have questions about the application process.
Graduates are prepared to pursue a career in a field related to public administration or public policy. This may include opportunities as a manager or policy analyst in local, state or federal agencies; nonprofit organizations; and private organizations that interface with the public sector.
School of Public Affairs
|
UCENT 400
spa@asu.edu
602-496-0450
3 year programs
These programs allow students to fast-track their studies after admission and earn a bachelor's degree in three years or fewer while participating in the same high-quality educational experience of a 4-year option. Students should talk to their academic advisor to get started.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
