Data Reporting for the Master of Public Administration

Established in 1978, the Master of Public Administration (MPA) program at Central Michigan University is a NASPAA-accredited program that is currently offered in an online modality. The program can be completed in two years and requires 37 hours of course credit. We also offer a certificate in Nonprofit Leadership.

Applications to the MPA program are accepted throughout the academic year.

Tuition and fees

View the university's tuition and fees

Methods of program delivery

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) program at Central Michigan University is currently offered in an online modality.

Mission statement

The mission of the Master of Public Administration program at Central Michigan University is to provide current and future practitioners with enriching learning experiences that advance their intellectual growth and increase the likelihood of respectful governance in a variety of public settings, characterized by accountable and ethical decision-making that engages stakeholders with effective leadership and management practices.

Public service values

To achieve our mission and realize our vision, the MPA program at Central Michigan University emphasizes the following NASPAA (Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, & Administration) public service values.

Students and alumni from the MPA program at Central Michigan University will:

Pursue the public interest with accountability and transparency;
Serve professionally with competence, efficiency, and objectivity;
Act ethically so as to uphold public trust;
Promote participation and inclusiveness by demonstrating respect, equity, and fairness in dealings with members of society, stakeholders, and fellow public servants; and
Cultivating global, regional, and local awareness.

Universal competencies

To implement its mission statement, the MPA program at Central Michigan University uses the following set of NASPAA-required competencies in its curriculum. These competencies ensure that our students will develop and enhance their abilities:

to lead and manage in the public interest;
to participate in, and contribute to, the policy process;
to analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems, and make evidence-informed decisions in a complex and dynamic environment;
to articulate, apply, and advance a public service perspective; and
to communicate and interact productively and in culturally responsive ways with a diverse and changing workforce and society at large.

NASPAA annual reports

The Central Michigan University Master of Public Administration Program is a NASPAA-accredited program. Please visit the NASPAA website for more information.

Public Administration advisory board

Central Michigan University's Public Administration advisory board is comprised of a diverse group of MPA alumni. Members serve for a minimum of 3 years on the council and help manage the future direction of the MPA program at Central Michigan University.

Admissions data

Aggregate admission modality data for 2023-2024
Total Applicants to the Program	35
Total Admitted Students	29
Total Enrolled Students	27

Enrollment

Number of MPA Students Enrollment (10/21/2024): 52

Employment data for 2022-2023 graduates

Employment Data	Online Modality
National or central government in the same country as the program	0
State, provincial, or regional government in the same country as the program	3
City, County, or other local government in the same country as the program	7
Government not in the same country as the program (all levels) or international quasi-governmental	0
Nonprofit domestic-oriented	9
Nonprofit/NGOs internationally-oriented	0
Private Sector - Research/Consulting	0
Private Sector but not research/consulting	4
Obtaining further education	0
Military Service	3
Unemployed (not seeking employment)	1
Unemployed (seeking employment)	0
Status Unknown	1
Total number of graduates	28

Historical graduation data

	Initially Enrolled	Graduated within 2 years	Graduated within 3 years	Graduated within 4 years	Total Students Graduating and Persisting
Total Number Students in the ARY-5 Cohort	55	33	37	39	39

Student learning outcomes

As part of the mission of the Central Michigan University MPA program and NASPAA accreditation, students are required to demonstrate mastery on the following universal public service competencies:

To lead and manage in public governance.
To participate in and contribute to the policy process.
To analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems, and make decisions.
To articulate and apply a public service perspective.
To communicate and interact productively with a diverse and changing workforce and citizenry.

In addition to the universal competencies from NASPAA, the program has also adopted the following mission-based competencies. Students in the MPA program at Central Michigan University will develop and enhance their ability:

To integrate social, economic, political, and global trends in the management of public organizations.
To apply relevant systems of accountability, performance management, and transparency in the management of public organizations.
To define the challenges of intergovernmental and intersectoral relations in public organizations.
To recognize the importance of regional partners, nonprofit organizations, private sector organizations, and other units of government in the delivery of public services.

Using a unique scorecard approach, the program evaluates student mastery of these competencies in PAD 730 “Public Service Competencies.” Aggregate data on student mastery of competencies is included below:

Internship placements

Here are some of the internship placements site that our MPA students have completed:

City of Mount Pleasant, Michigan
City of Vassar, Michigan
City of Clare, Michigan
City of Flint, Michigan
Isabella County Office of Emergency Management, Michigan
Middle Michigan Development, Michigan
Isabella County Parks Office, Michigan
CMU MPA Program, Michigan
Planned Parenthood of Mid and South Michigan
CMU Academic Effectiveness (Claudia Douglas), Michigan
House Fiscal Agency (Michigan House of Representatives), Michigan
Office of State Representative Tom Leonard, District 93, Michigan
Sweet Serenity (SSI), Inc., McDonough, Georgia
29th Circuit Court Family Division, Ithaca, Michigan
Hudson Institute, Washington D.C.
Elk Rapids, Michigan
The Washington Center, Washington D.C.
Jimmy Carter Foundation, Atlanta, Georgia
Royal Oak, Michigan
City of Auburn, Michigan
Midland Area Community Foundation, Michigan

Past scholarship winners

Fulbright Scholars

2009-2010 Muzafar Abdulla Babkr
2014-2016 Adel Al-Adlani

Barbara P. Greene Endowed Scholarship in State & Local Government

2011-2012 Jeffrey Stoutenburg
2012-2013 Heather Heitsch
2013-2014 Not awarded
2014-2015 Michael Fisher
2015-2016 Brian Lechel
2016-2017 Kathy Tahtinen
2017-2018 Winifred Walsh
2018-2019 Danielle McCann
2019-2020 Cassi Miller
2020-2021 Charlisse Smith
2021-2022 Nancy Cepeda
2022-2023 Christopher Roosen
2023-2024 Natalee Witt

Edward H. Potthoff Scholarship in Local Government Administration

2011-2012 Andrew Knapp
2012-2013 Anthony McCloud
2013-2014 No Award
2014-2015 Roy Atkinson
2015-2016 Brian Lechel
2016-2017 Taylor Hollis
2017-2018 No Award
2018-2019 Joe Frey
2019-2020 Samantha Bohm
2020-2021 Jamie Smith
2021-2022 Kaitlyn Szczypka
2022-2023 Jenessa Danielson
2023-2024 Kaitlyn Szczypka