Master of Public Affairs (MPA)

Develop the skills you need to lead and manage organizations working to create positive change. Our top-ranked MPA will prepare you to find solutions to complex challenges in areas you’re passionate about. Our cutting-edge curriculum will prepare you with relevant skills that are in demand by today’s employers. Whether you want to manage a nonprofit, support local government, work toward sustainable development, or influence international policy, you’ll find the right fit here.

Tailor your Degree

Choose from 12 concentrations—more than any other MPA in the world—or design your own concentration based on your specialized interest. Within each concentration, you’ll have options to customize your MPA through electives further, ensuring you get the exact experience needed to meet your goals. Whatever path you choose, you’ll be prepared to lead in any sector, giving you the freedom to transition between public, private, and nonprofit organizations as your career develops.

Consider a dual degree

Get more education in less time with a dual degree—earning two master's degrees in less time than it would take to earn each degree separately. Combine your MPA with an MA in Arts Administration, an MS in Environmental Science degree or a Master of International Affairs and further your career possibilities.

Service Corps

Serve the community while offsetting the cost of your education. Through Service Corps, you can get professional experience in a local public, nonprofit, or arts organization while earning a federal work-study award.

Ultimate Flexibility

We offer our MPA in-residence, online, or as a hybrid option, allowing you to switch between in-residence and online delivery as needed. We’re dedicated to meeting you where you are and providing the same quality learning experience, no matter your lifestyle needs. The MPA is a two-year, 48-credit-hour program. However, you can accelerate or slow down the pace based on your needs. We offer up to nine credit hours for prior professional experience.

Our online MPA is delivered asynchronously, so you can complete coursework at the times that work best for you, no matter where you are in the world.

Experiential Learning

Go beyond the classroom with an internship or research project. Our partnerships with local and international organizations help pave the way for you to get meaningful professional experience relevant to your areas of interest. You’ll also complete a capstone during your final semester, working with peers to create a detailed analysis of a policy or management issue for a real-world client.

The O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs is home to globally and nationally recognized degrees featuring a skills-based, interdisciplinary design that can be tailored to meet the needs of students from any professional background. As a member of the O’Neill School student community, you’ll learn from our world-renowned faculty, who will equip you with the knowledge you need to lead and make a difference across any sector. Upon graduation, you’ll join a supportive, global alumni base of over 37,000 serving their communities in all different capacities and organizations.

Leadership skills with an interdisciplinary foundation

Our professional, interdisciplinary programs connect areas of study, tapping into the strengths of expert faculty in each discipline and offering varied perspectives representative of our interconnected world.

Whether you pursue a degree in public affairs, arts administration, environmental science—or a combination through our dual degrees—you’ll graduate ready for a leadership position that spans the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. And, you'll gain career experience while in school.

Learn from leading faculty

Learn from and alongside our expert faculty—top scholars in their fields, engaged in ongoing research, practice, and, most importantly, your education. More than 85 percent of our courses are taught by full-time faculty. They will become your mentors and advisors, bringing their experience into the classroom and laboratory to prepare you to lead for the greater good.

Top-tier program at a top value

You’ll attend one of the most highly regarded programs in the nation at a cost that is significantly lower than that of many other top-tier programs—we offer one of the most affordable programs in a city that is cosmopolitan, but not costly.

Part of the student—and Bloomington—community

At the O’Neill School, you’ll get a small school experience where we actively strive to cultivate diversity, equity, and inclusion, all with the benefits of a Big Ten Research I university. You’ll find student organizations for every interest—and for advancing your network or career—in addition to the welcoming Bloomington community, ranked one of the most beautiful and best places to live and study.