Master of Public Administration
Montreat College Online through the School of Adult & Graduate Studies
Classes start January 6, 2024!
Further your career in Public Administration
Montreat College’s Master of Public Administration is designed for students with a desire to serve as managers, executives, and policy analysts in local, state, and federal government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and non-profit organizations. Students will gain the competencies to become an effective leader who is in high demand and has the flexibility to move between careers in multiple sectors.
Online Public Administration Degree Program Highlights
- Explore the business aspects of managing government programs, office, and employees at every level.
- Develop specific skills from budgeting and financial planning to research and policy, as well as essential skills such as critical thinking, research, and writing.
- Prepare for a high-level position in government management at the federal, state, and local level as well as nonprofit management.
- Enjoy the benefits of receiving a Public Administration Degree through online learning. Study when it is convenient in the comfort of your personal environment, while learning from supportive professors who care about your success.
For over 25 years, Montreat College Online through the School of Adult and Graduate Studies has been helping adult students acquire essential skills, complete their degrees, and take their career to the next level. Montreat offers undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs in a classroom or online.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When are the start dates for the Master of Public Administration degree program?
Please see the admissions page for specific enrollment and start dates.
How long does it take to complete the Master of Public Administration degree program?
This program requires completion of 30 credit hours or 10 classes. If students take a full-time load each term—one class at a time continuously throughout the program—they should complete the program within 20 months.
How much does the online Master of Public Administration Degree cost?
Montreat College programs are competitively priced, and we offer multiple forms of financial aid to help you achieve your educational goals. Please see the current AGS Tuition and Fees page here. Also, please keep in mind that there are multiple college and government financial aid programs available to help mitigate the cost of your education. You can learn more about your financial aid options.
What are the length of courses in the online Master Public Admin degree?
The courses for this graduate program are eight-week sessions. There are 2 sessions in a semester. To be considered a full-time graduate student, a student must take 6 credit hours per semester. The student must take 1 course (3 credit hours) the first eight-week session and 1 course (3 credit hours) the second eight-week session. Semesters for this Master of Public Administration online program are offered Spring, Summer, and Fall.
What jobs can you pursue with a Master of Public Administration degree?
Leaders in public service agencies, policy manager, budget analyst, director of economic development, director of public affairs, human resource manager and executives to private and non-profit organizations.
What is the job market like for people with Master of Public Administration degree?
The regional outlook is strong, with 11.63% job growth expected over the next 10 years, and 10.53% job growth, nationally. Therefore, the market demand for graduates of this particular degree is evident. Additionally, the growth trend in career outcomes over the past 5 years and projected growth over the next 10 years.
How much money do Master of Public Administration professionals typically make?
The average regional salary of graduates from this type of program is $75,965, and $76,286, nationally.
What are the admissions requirements?
Applicants must submit the following for admissions consideration:
- Montreat College Application for Admission
- Official, final transcripts of all college courses taken (All final transcripts must include graduation information)
- Minimum 2.75 GPA over last 60 credit hours of undergraduate work
- An application essay may be available for interested applicants whose GPA is below 2.75.
*If applicant has a GPA below 2.75 in their last 60 credit hours of undergraduate study, a “Low GPA” essay is required. The essay should cover challenges that contributed to the low GPA, as well as specifically what the applicant will do to maintain a 2.75 overall GPA in the MPH program.
What are the degree requirements?
Master of Public Administration students must meet graduation requirements and are found in the AGS Academic Catalog.
Is Montreat College a NASPAA member?
Yes, Montreat College is a member college of The Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration.
Courses
Prerequisite Courses for MPA
- BUSN 5601 requires a prerequisite of MATH 1210 Statistics or equivalent.
- BUSN 5611 requires a prerequisite of BUSN 2622 Economics, or a course in micro or macroeconomics, or equivalent.
MPAD 5111 Fundamentals of Public Administration
This course will introduce students to contemporary public administration, with attention to the role of administration in the policy process, the legal basis for public administration, legislative executive relations, and accountability, ethics, and responsibility in public, private and non-profit administration.
BUSN 5601 Quantitative Methods and Data Analytics
This course is designed to provide the graduate student in business with the skills to apply the techniques of quantitative analysis to various types of organizational decision-making situations. Quantitative methods will be used to gain a greater understanding of causation correlation, probability, and risk.
BUSN 5414 Developing and Implementing Strategy
This course prepares students to lead strategy development and implementation through the strategic planning process. Competition and competitive advantage will be investigated, using Porter’s 5 Forces model. Also, case studies, examples, and exercises will be used to help students understand the essence of good strategy and to be able to lead positive strategic change in both for-profit and non-profit organizations.
BUSN 5611 Applied Economics for Decision-Making
This course focuses on economic models and data analysis for real-world decision-making. Intelligent business decision-making requires understanding of economic theories, the ability to assess risk, and the incorporation of multiple types of information. These skills be will be taught through practical methods, such as case studies, exercises, simulations, games, and role-playing.
BUSN 5508 Ethics, Law and the Global Business Landscape
This course is a survey of legal and ethical issues facing management in complex global business situations. Legal and ethical question are addressed in a case study method. Traditional ethical theories are studied and applied to contemporary global business issues. This includes the nature, formation, and system of law in the United States, and how it related to international business. Additionally, personal and group ethics will be explored through projects and exercises, for the purpose of character formation.
MPAD 5404 Public Policy Analysis
Methods and techniques of analyzing, developing and evaluating public policies and programs. Emphasis given to benefit-cost and cost-effectiveness analysis and concepts of economic efficiency, equity and distribution. Methods include problem solving, decision making.
BUSN 5435 Strategic Human Resource Management
This course explores critical issues in human resources strategy, leading and developing the organization’s most important assets and developing and keeping people. Students will research organizational learning, employee motivation, employee assessment, methods for identifying and developing leaders, succession planning, and current topics in HR management.
MPAD 5814 Leading Public and Non-Profit Organizations
In this course, students will examine key leadership theories, and apply leadership principles in their own lives. Students will develop the skills required to ethically lead government and non-profit organizations through case studies and real-world experiences.
MPAD 5211 Public Budgeting and Financial Management
This course introduces to the revenue and expenditure structure of the public sector, including revenue policy, expenditure policy, and budget structure and administration.
MPAD 5881 Public Administration Capstone
This course allows students produce a project drawing from the full course of study toward the Masters of Public Administration. Special attention is placed on incorporating knowledge from the core curriculum.
