Welcome to the Public Policy Administration Program! We are proud of our program and are happy to have you join our community of scholars, students, and practitioners. Our program has three very strong components: The Masters of Public Policy Administration degree program, the Nonprofit Management and Leadership Program, and the Local Government Partnership. All three are nationally-recognized. Please allow me to introduce the programs.
The strength of our degree program, the Masters in Public Policy Administration (MPPA), comes from three factors. First, it has an analytic and managerial focus. This means that students are exposed to a rigorous curriculum that allows them to advance or get a good start on careers in the public, nonprofit, and private sectors. Second, our program is interdisciplinary – we have jointly-appointed core faculty from business, economics, political science, and sociology. This exposes students to a wide variety of perspectives and skills. Finally, we are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Public Administration and Affairs (NASPAA), and on a regular basis we go through a careful process of national peer review. In short, you will find an engaged and diverse faculty committed to giving you the tools you need for better decision-making and management in a complex environment. Please explore our emphasis areas and graduate certificates to see how you can tailor the degree to fit your area of interest.
Our Nonprofit Management and Leadership Program (NPM&L) provides nationally-recognized education, training, research, and consulting. It offers a graduate certificate, which can be earned simultaneously with the MPPA or as a stand alone certificate. This program is the only graduate program in the St. Louis region approved by the national Nonprofit Academic Centers Council.
NPM&L also offers a range of professional noncredit leadership training, applied research, and consulting services. It provides these services to a wide range of nonprofit organizations located in the St. Louis region, as well as across the U.S. and the globe. Some of its offerings have been cited in The Nonprofit Times as among the premier nonprofit executive programs in North America. Because of its relationship with the interdisciplinary MPPA, the NPM&L program provides nonprofit and philanthropic practitioners the most up-to-date, knowledge-based training and consulting available.
Public Policy Administration also includes the Local Government Partnership, a cooperative effort with East-West Gateway Council of Governments and University of Missouri- Extension. This partnership links the university community and the local government professional community. It provides education, technical assistance and training to students, professionals and local government officials. The partnership offers a graduate certificate, which can be earned by MPPA students or as a stand alone certificate, and there is also an opportunity for students to take two elective courses in conjunction with the St. Louis Area City Managers Association. The partnership also provides students with an opportunity to network with local officials and professionals in a wide variety of formal and informal settings.
PPA also has some strong affiliated programs. We have relationships with two national organizations, the International Association of Clerks, Recorders, and Elections Officials (IACREOT) and the National Association of County Treasurers and Finance Officers (NACTFO). We provide their members the opportunity to earn our Chancellor’s Certificate in Public Administration by offering various courses at their national meetings. We are an editorial home of the American Review of Public Administration, one of the leading journals in the field of public administration.
As I have hopefully demonstrated, we have a very busy and productive faculty and staff, and would be happy to help you in any way we can. If you have any questions about our program, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Brady Baybeck
Director, Public Policy Administration