Public administration is a field practiced at the intersection of the government, nonprofit, and private sectors. GSPIA’s MPA program trains managers to balance the needs of each community with its resources, promoting neighborhood development, effective local government, ethical leadership, and responsible business practices. Students acquire an incredibly diverse and flexible set of professional skills appropriate for careers in nonprofit agencies, government offices, and private businesses worldwide.
The 48-credit MPA degree is designed to advance the core value of social equity fundamental to today’s public management. GSPIA’s programs in urban affairs and nonprofit management are consistently ranked among the very best in the country. Additionally, GSPIA’s Center for Metropolitan Studies and the Johnson Institute for Responsible Leadership bridge the gap between theory and practice, allowing students to work directly with local government and nonprofit leaders.
In 2008 US News ranked GSPIA #14 among all MPA programs for “City Management and Urban Policy.” A major reason for this strength is GSPIA’s relationship with Pitt’s University Center for Social and Urban Research (UCSUR), where students and faculty engage in scholarly analysis of urban and regional issues. UCSUR promotes a multidisciplinary research agenda centered on economic, demographic, and social change in cities and regions.
Degree Requirements and Majors
MPA students may choose one of three majors: Public & Nonprofit Management, Urban & Regional Affairs, or Policy Research & Analysis. Any major can also be done as a minor. GSPIA also offers a minor in Civil Security & Disaster Management popular with MPA students.
Prior to graduation, students must also complete a 300-hour internship with an approved public, private, or nonprofit organization. Pittsburgh is a living laboratory for MPA students, with 130 local municipalities, 40 school districts, and nearly 3,000 registered nonprofit organizations that collectively make Pittsburgh one of the country’s leading philanthropic centers.
Joint Degree Options
MPA students are eligible to pursue one of several joint degrees at the University of Pittsburgh, including a joint MPA/law degree (JD), MPA/Master of Public Health (MPH), MPA/Master of Science in Information Science (MSIS), and MPA/Master of Social Work (MSW). They may also pursue a joint master’s degree through the Graduate School of International Cooperative Studies at Kobe University in Japan. An accelerated, five-year bachelor’s/master’s degree program is available to select University of Pittsburgh undergraduates. Read more here.
Area Studies Certificate Options
MPIA students are eligible to combine their master’s degree with a graduate certificate from the University Center for International Studies, specializing in Africa, Asia, western Europe, eastern Europe, the European Union, Latin America, or Russia. Read more here.
Related GSPIA & University Research Centers
Johnson Institute for Responsible Leadership
Center for Metropolitan Studies
Center for Disaster Management
University Center for Social & Urban Research
Accreditation
GSPIA's Master of Public Administration degree is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA). NASPAA accreditation recognizes that a master's program in public affairs has gone through a rigorous process of voluntary peer review conducted by the Commission on Peer Review and Accreditation (COPRA) , and has met NASPAA's Standards for Professional Master's Degree Programs in Public Affairs, Policy, and Administration.