April 30, 2021 —  Northern Kentucky University boosts its Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree with the addition of a fully online program. NKU's MPA program is one of the largest in Kentucky.

The MPA program engages students through service-learning projects that directly impact where they live, such as developing emergency management plans for city governments and securing funding for nonprofit organizations. NKU is also reducing the number of credit hours required for completing the MPA program, from 39 to 36 hours, to better meet students where they are.

"We are committed to making our MPA degree more accessible to people interested in pursuing public service careers in the commonwealth and beyond,” said Dr. Julie Olberding, MPA Director. “Our commitment to access and affordability is woven throughout the program, from waiving GRE scores to awarding our Diversity and Equity Scholarship each year."

The MPA program also offers two graduate certificates in Nonprofit Management and Emergency Management, which can be earned on their own or “stacked” toward the MPA degree. In addition, students can earn micro-credentials in areas such as Arts Administration, Disaster Readiness, and GIS and Mapping.

“All of our most recent graduates secured positions within six months of finishing their degree,” said Dr. Olberding. “We are extremely proud of our 700 alumni who serve communities and solve problems every day as city and county managers, police and fire chiefs, nonprofit executives, and other civic leaders.”

NKU's MPA degree is the only program in the region that's accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA), which is the international benchmark for public service education. The program also continues to climb the U.S. News & World Report for Best Graduate Public Affairs Programs list, jumping twenty spots to 146 this year.

To learn more about NKU's Master of Public Administration offerings, visit its website.