Master of Public Administration
Program Information
The University of Baltimore offers the Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) at the Universities at Shady Grove in a convenient, weekend format.
The M.P.A. program is designed to provide graduate education for people currently holding or seeking administrative careers in the public sector or at nonprofit organizations. The course of study is designed to improve students' understanding of the political and legal environment in which public managers function, to enhance knowledge of managerial processes and organizational behavior and to improve skills in research methods and quantitative techniques.
The curriculum includes courses in public organization theory, legal and ethical environments, statistical applications, information resource management and analytical techniques.
Why study public administration?
The goals of the program are to provide pre-service and in-service students with the substantive knowledge, skills and values needed for effective public administration.
Public administration spans the arenas of government, nonprofit organizations and third-sector organizations. Given the concentration of public-sector and nonprofit employees working and residing in the D.C. metropolitan area, having a strong education in this discipline will enable residents to better prepare themselves for an advanced career.
What is the weekend format?
Students have the opportunity to complete the program in a combination of weekend courses and online courses. The onsite courses at USG are offered on six selected weekends (Saturdays or Sundays) within a 15-week semester.
Admission Requirements
To be considered for admission to the M.P.A. program, students must complete a graduate admissions application, either online or in paper format, submit the appropriate application fee, request that two official transcripts be sent directly to UB from all colleges or universities previously attended and submit three letters of recommendation and a statement of personal interest in the program of study.
Applicants who have achieved at least a 3.0 GPA while completing their undergraduate degree or have 12 graduate credits with a 3.0 GPA may be admitted unconditionally.
Students who do not meet the above criteria will be evaluated for conditional admission on an individual basis. Such applicants may be asked for additional documentation, such as Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, current employment status and/or an interview.
Applications are available online, by calling the UB Office of Admissions at 1.877.ApplyUB or by visiting the Office of Student Services at the Universities at Shady Grove.
When applying, students must choose the Public and NonProfit Management specialization.
Admission Deadlines
Complete application packets must be submitted to the University by July 1 for admission for the fall semester and by Dec. 1 for admission for the spring semester.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Students enrolled in this program are charged the same tuition as those attending the University of Baltimore, but may have differing fees based on home campus. Financial aid is available to students and is administered through UB. A limited number of scholarships is available.
For more information, please visit http://www.ubalt.edu/financialaid.
UB Support Services
As a UB student, you are entitled to the same benefits as students studying on the home campus. This includes library services, disability support services, tutoring, career advising, student activities and clubs and more. Services are available through the Universities at Shady Grove or UB.
Contact Information
For more information, please contact Seth Kamen, program coordinator at Shady Grove, 301.738.6352.