What Is an MPA?

Government agencies and non-profit organisations often have different business goals and needs than companies in the private sector. With a Master of Public Administration (MPA), you can gain an important education to prepare for a leadership role in the public or non-profit sectors. Once you earn the postgraduate degree, you can explore many career opportunities, including human resources manager, energy management director, and urban planner.

Discover more about MPA degree programmes and the roles you can pursue after graduation. 

Master of Public Administration (MPA): Key facts

The Master of Public Administration is a postgraduate degree covering analytics, process improvement, critical thinking, communication, and management. Earning your MPA can prepare you for a career in public service, which often means working for the government or for a non-profit or private organisation. 

Earning an MPA typically takes two years of full-time study, but it can take longer if you attend part-time. Additionally, many schools offer online MPA programmes, which offer increased flexibility with timing. 

To qualify for MPA programmes, you must have a bachelor’s degree in any discipline. Some universities and colleges also base entry requirements on entrance exam scores, and you may be invited to interview. 

MPA curriculum

When pursuing your MPA, you will take various classes focusing on business principles like management, administration, public relations, and human resource management. Several of your classes will also cover topics on public administration, such as values, ethics, and even law. 

Depending on your course, some colleges and universities may require you to participate in an internship or a project. Some of the classes you might take as part of your four semesters of full-time study may include the following:

• Introduction to public administration

• Indian administration

• Financial administration

• Social sciences research

• Digital marketing

• Public policy

• Governance

• Social welfare

• Organisation and development

• Human resource management 

• Environmental policy and administration

• Administrative law

• Public policy analysis

• Ethical issues

Thesis 

Each MPA programme has different requirements. You can complete a thesis or dissertation, usually 10,000 to 15,000 words, or to carry out a project if you aim for further study in this field.

Alternative master’s degrees

When looking into working in public administration, you’ll find other relevant master’s degrees that may be worth exploring, including the Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Public Policy (MPP). Both take around the same time to complete when you attend full-time, but the goals and outcomes can differ. 

MPA vs Master of Business Administration (MBA)

The MPA and MBA programmes are similar because they prepare students for management positions. The difference, however, is in each programme’s focus. While an MPA focuses on future public administration leaders, the MBA focuses on future business leaders. Earning one type of degree doesn’t limit you to a specific career track: MPA graduates can work in the private sector, and MBA graduates can qualify for public sector positions.

MPA vs Master of Public Policy (MPP)

You can also earn your Master of Public Policy (MPP) if you’re interested in directly shaping the policies that affect communities. An MPA, on the other hand, will prepare you to lead agencies and organisations that implement those policies. In an MPP programme, your coursework will focus more on research, data analytics, and statistics, which you’ll use to investigate and determine new and existing policies.

Careers you can pursue with an MPA 

MPA degree holders have many opportunities, and the type of work you’re interested in will determine your potential salary. MPA graduates often get positions in the public sector, but some enter private sector roles. Public sector jobs traditionally have better benefits and security than private ones. However, working in the private sector can lead to higher-paying salaries. 

With your MPA degree, you can explore the following careers: 

Public relations manager 

Median annual salary: ₹3,68,243 [1]

Public relations managers plan and coordinate public image and brand identity. You will also write press releases and establish media relations in this position. 

Urban and regional planning consultant 

Median annual salary: ₹10,41,425 [2] 

If you’re interested in land use and how to identify and plan community development, opportunities are available in the private and public sectors. However, private-sector positions generally work closely with government agencies. 

Programme director

Median annual salary: ₹5,87,805 [3]

A programme director oversees the delivery of outreach programmes run by not-for-profit organisations. In this job, you might manage fundraising and development budgets. 

Pursue your MPA on Coursera

An MPA opens opportunities to work in the public and private sectors in a range of roles. To learn more about working in the nonprofit sector, consider taking a course like Introduction to the Nonprofit Sector, Nonprofit Organisations, Nonprofit Leadership, and Governance offered by the University of Buffalo on Coursera. 

You can also earn your Master of Public Health from the University of Michigan or your Master of Business Administration online from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Both offer numerous specialisations to advance your professional goals.

Give your team access to a catalog of 8,000+ engaging courses and hands-on Guided Projects to help them develop impactful skills. Learn more about Coursera for Business.