Master of Public Administration
Grow your Community; Grow your Career
Now, more than ever, our communities need people committed to serving the greater good of society. The University of Central Oklahoma Master of Public Administration program prepares you to take a leadership role in public service, contributing to meaningful programs and advancements that make our communities thrive.
Relevant
Our graduates are working in all levels of government — city, country, state and federal — as well as in nonprofit organizations, the military and the private sector.
Flexible
The UCO MPA offers flexibility for working adults with night and weekend classes on our Edmond campus and downtown Oklahoma City facility, as well as online and streaming classes. Students can also create customized learning opportunities such as internships, field studies, institutes, workshops and independent studies that can help them complete their degree faster.
Affordable
The UCO MPA is one of the most affordable degrees of its kind in the Oklahoma City metro offering competitive tuition and financial assistance to those that qualify. The Tuition and Fee Estimate Calculator can help you plan ahead for the semester and provides a breakdown of current costs.
The UCO Political Science Department also offers Teaching Assistantships. These opportunities are posted on UCO’s Careers site. UCO MPA Students may also be eligible for tuition waivers, financial aid, and scholarship opportunities. For a helpful listing of how to pay for school, please visit Admissions and Aid.
Accredited
The UCO MPA is accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration (NASPAA)—the global standard for public service education. The NASPAA standard ensures programs promote public service values, bound in the pursuit of programmatic improvement and educational quality. Accreditation puts UCO's MPA in an elite group—Central is one of only two institutions in Oklahoma to be accredited, and one of 208 programs globally.
The UCO MPA Experience
The UCO MPA is a 36-credit hour program that is usually completed within two years of full-time study (nine hours per semester). UCO MPA students enjoy small classes taught primarily by full-time Ph.D. faculty who integrate academic excellence, rigorous research and professional experience. The program also may be completed part time. It is housed in the Department of Political Science in the College of Liberal Arts.
MPA Alumni
The University of Central Oklahoma MPA program produces graduates whose skills are in demand in both public and private sector jobs. Since its inception, the MPA has produced graduates who have taken positions across the globe.