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Master’s

Master of Public Service & Administration (MPSA)

Become a principled leader for the public and nonprofit sectors

The MPSA prepares people of character to lead in public life, including government, nonprofits, and beyond. You'll build the management, leadership, policy, and analytical skills public service demands, put it all to work with your classmates and accomplished faculty, and put it all to work on practical projects for real clients before you graduate.

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Program at a Glance

Credential

Master of Public Service & Administration (MPSA)

Tracks/Concentrations

Students choose a track and concentration to create specialized degree plans

Duration

48 Credit hours 2 years, full-time

Format

In residence, College Station

Program Pillars

Core curriculum, a chosen career track, and a year-long capstone, plus a summer internship

Capstone

year-long project, for a real-world client

About the Program

The need for leaders of character and integrity in public life is greater than ever. The MPSA develops principled leaders for the public and nonprofit sectors, giving students the tools and knowledge to perform effectively and ethically as public servants face new and increasing challenges. The curriculum builds knowledge and skills in management, leadership, policy analysis, and research methods, taught by an accomplished faculty in a small, close-knit learning community with an exceptional student-to-faculty ratio.

The MPSA degree is fully accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA), ranks among the top public affairs programs nationally (U.S. News & World Report), and has been named the number one “best value” residential MPSA program.

Curriculum

The MPSA is a 48-credit, non-thesis program completed over two years of full-time study. The curriculum combines a shared core, a focused career track, and hands-on experiential learning.

View in the Texas A&M Catalog

Core Curriculum

Shared training in management, leadership, policy analysis, and research methods that grounds every MPSA student.

Career Track

A chosen specialization in Nonprofit Management, Public Management, or Public Policy Analysis.

Summer Internship

Putting classroom learning into practice in a public-service setting.

Year-Long Capstone

A robust, practical project for a government or nonprofit client, completed with faculty and peers across the second year.

Tracks and Concentrations

Choose Your Track | MPSA

Choose between the Nonproft Management, Public Management, and Public Policy Analysis Tracks.

Nonprofit Management Track

Explores the evolving role of the nonprofit sector, the distinctive challenges of nonprofit leadership, and the diverse structures, activities, and environments in which nonprofit organizations operate.

View Nonprofit Track

Public Management Track

Prepares students for effective, ethical leadership in public and nonprofit organizations, with a focus on internal operations and the broader environments in which these organizations serve.

View Public Management Track

Public Policy Analysis Track

Prepares students to assess policy choices and evaluate when government action is appropriate. Students learn tools such as cost-benefit analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, and risk assessment, applying them to current policy issues.

View Public Policy Analysis Track

Concentrations

Concentrations

Enhance your career goals and build expertise to create your path to public service by choosing 2 concentrations in your degree program.

Suggested electives

Analytical Methods

Equips you with critical, marketable skills for today’s data-driven policy environment, supports career growth, enhances your impact on public service, and prepares you for leadership

Cybersecurity Policy and Management

Designed to allow students to conduct focused study on a topic that has application across both public and private enterprises.

Education Policy and Management

Examines education policy institutions, shaping forces, and their impact on equity, adequacy, accountability, and administration.

Energy, Environment, and Tech Policy and Management

Studies key institutions involved in policy making and administration, the forces shaping it, obstacles to implementation, tools for evaluation, and critical, interconnected policy issues.

Health Policy and Management

Covers main health policy institutions, the political and economic forces shaping policy, obstacles to implementation, analytical evaluation tools, and critical, interconnected health issues.

Homeland Security and National Defense

Provides an in-depth study of security policy, management, governance, strategies, and current issues, focusing on homeland security, national defense, and emergency management.

International Nongovernmental Organizations

Provides relevant coursework and preparation for work in international NGOs or nonprofits working in non-US settings, or for work focused on improving the effectiveness of such organizations.

State and Local Government Policy and Management

Examines security policy, management principles, governance, strategies, and current events, with emphasis on homeland security, national defense, and emergency management.

Beyond the Coursework

An MPSA education extends well past the classroom.

Explore the bush school experience

Summer Internships

Public-service placements that build practical experience between the two years.

Public Service Organization

Student-led service and volunteering that puts public-service values into practice.

Public Service Leadership Program

The school’s leadership development program for graduate students.

Explore Further

Faculty

MPSA courses are taught by an accomplished, distinguished faculty in a close learning community. Explore their backgrounds and research.

Explore the Faculty Directory

Careers & Outcomes

MPSA graduates lead in government, nonprofits, and the private sector. For placement rates and where graduates work, see Careers & Outcomes.

Explore Careers & Outcomes

Cost & Funding

The MPSA is among the most affordable programs of its quality nationally, and funding is available. The Cost & Funding overview and the MPSA Cost page carry the details.

Explore Cost & Funding

Ready to Apply?

Applications open in August for fall entry. See deadlines, requirements, and instructions on the MPSA admissions page.

How to Apply

Related Links

Quick Links

Academics

Department Faculty

Ways to Study

Research