About the MPPA

Prospective MPPA Students

The Master of Public Policy Administration (MPPA) is an interdisciplinary program designed to prepare students for managerial and policy analysis positions in the public and non-profit sectors or related organizations. The MPPA is part of the Public Policy Administration program, an independent unit of the UMSL Graduate School, and is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA).

A key strength of the program is the experienced faculty, all of whom are committed to the success of our students. Core faculty members serve joint appointments in public policy administration and related departments, such as economics, history, political science, sociology, and business administration. Adjunct instructors also have considerable professional, educational, and teaching experience and play an important role in connecting our students with the professional community.

Another strength of the program is the diversity of the students and alumni. Students range from professionals working full time to recent graduates who enroll full time and 10% are international students. Alumni work in a wide variety of public, nonprofit, academic, and private sector positions. All students and alums share a commitment to public service and to making the world a better place.

The curriculum is rigorous yet grounded in the real world. Core courses are focused on policy analysis, public administration, management, budgeting, and economics. Elective coursework is organized around the student’s area of interest.

U.S. News and World Report ranks the program in the top third of graduate public affairs program and it is the highest ranked in the St. Louis region. Tuition rates are competitive and graduate research assistantships are available. To accommodate those who are working, MPPA courses are generally held in the evening (starting no earlier than 5:30 pm) or on weekends. The campus is located near I-170 and I-70 and has two onsite MetroLink stations. Full-time students are eligible for free Metro passes.

The program is comprised of 28 credit hours of core classes and 12 credit hours of electives in a chosen emphasis area. The core combines work in public administration and policy analysis, training students in qualitative and quantitative approaches to the field. Included in the 28-hour core is a 3-hour capstone course that uses the case study approach to analyze real world problems and solutions. 

A student can choose an emphasis area in Non-Profit Management & Leadership, Local Government Management, Managing Human Resources & Organizations, and Policy Research & Analysis.  Students may also work with the program to create their own individualized emphasis areas.

A complete listing of Public Policy Administration courses and their descriptions can be found in the University Bulletin

All course schedules can be seen through UMSL’s MyView system. Search by academic year, semester, subject, or course number.

For students wanting to gain field experience in a local government, state or national agency, a policy research organization, or a nonprofit organization, an internship program is offered through the MPPA Program.

The MPPA Student Handbook serves as useful tool for both prospective and current students. All information regarding the program is contained in the handbook.

Pi Alpha Alpha is a national honor society for students of public affairs and administration. It recognizes outstanding scholarship in the field and encourages further accomplishment.

Each student is assigned an advisor who is available as a program resource. Questions regarding course scheduling and career path questions can be directed to them.

The MPPA program opens the door to a wide variety of career opportunites. Find job boards and other resources geared toward program graduates.

The MPPA program communicates with its students using a variety of means, such as email, Facebook, and LinkedIn.