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You Can Make a Difference. We Can Help.

Be a Leader With the Kent State Online MPA Program

Hone your public-sector leadership skills with a well-rounded graduate education. Earn a Master of Public Administration (MPA) in as little as two years or a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management in as little as one year. Help build a better tomorrow for everyone.

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Program of Interest

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Take your career to a higher level with our affordable, flexible online MPA or graduate certificate in nonprofit management. Our 100% online programs allow you to keep up with your current responsibilities while you study. Find out how we can help you become the leader you want to be.

Download our guide to learn more about:

Career Opportunities
Customizing Your Degree
The Student Experience
Admission Requirements
Tuition and Financial Aid

A Degree Program for the Real World

I recommend this program to anyone who is interested in public administration—the instruction and content have been excellent, and the online format makes it very doable with a full-time job and busy schedule.

Leslie B. MPA ‘19

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Affordable and Applicable

The Kent State online MPA program helps you quickly build highly marketable skills for the nonprofit and public service sectors. Fifty percent of our graduates have received or expect to receive a promotion within six months of graduation. Advance your public service career while making a difference in your community and increasing your earning potential.¹

Grow Into the Leader You Know You Can Be

With 100% asynchronous courses, the Kent State online MPA program is designed to be flexible, so coursework fits into the rest of your life, and you can finish what you started, no matter how busy life gets.

Focus on What You’re Passionate About

Customize your learning experience in our NASPAA-accredited program to focus on what interests you most and build on the skills you've already acquired.

Our Program Flexes Around Your Life

Kent State University's online MPA program gives you the flexibility to learn what you need, when you need it, and still maintain your busy lifestyle. You can start with a graduate certificate, and then transfer 12 credits from the certificate to your MPA when you decide to continue your education.

Online and Connected

Build relationships with classmates and professors that will help you throughout your career through the opportunities for networking, discussion and collaboration built into the powerful learning management system.

Make a Real Impact on the World

The need for public administration professionals is evident. About a third of the job roles in the U.S. are public service occupations, and the nonprofit sector is one of the largest in the country. ^{2, 3}

Kent State’s online MPA program will help you develop the advanced expertise required of senior management in these arenas:

Nonprofit organizations
Government (all levels)
The military
Businesses serving the public sector

Whether you are more interested in healthcare and social assistance, educational services, the arts and humanities, or advocacy, the skills and connections you gain in our program can help you advance your career and make a real impact in the world.

Careers Snapshot

These are some of the directions you can take in your career with a degree from the Kent State online MPA program.

$96,008⁴

Public Policy Analyst

$109,593⁵

Non-Profit Executive Director

$119,860⁶

Public Relations and Fundraising Manager

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Master’s Degree Overview

Coursework in the Kent State online MPA builds your skills in leadership, public policy formulation and program management practices. You also gain knowledge of finance, personnel management and strategic planning.

The program comprises 36 credit hours,* including:

Eight core courses
Three elective courses
One final capstone project

*Those without substantive full-time administrative experience in a public service organization (as assessed by the MPA program coordinator) must complete at least three credit hours of an internship in addition to the required 36 credit hours of coursework.

Explore the Master’s Program

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Graduate Certificate Overview

Create a custom course list for your online graduate certificate in nonprofit management, which comprises 12 credit hours. The curriculum can help you develop these essential leadership skills:

Recruiting, selecting, leading and managing people in public organizations
Developing and managing budgets for nonprofit and public organizations
Fundraising and resource development for nonprofit organizations

Course credits you earn in the nonprofit management graduate certificate program may be applied to your MPA when you decide to continue your professional education.

Explore the Graduate Certificate

Committed to Your Success

Kent State has been helping students achieve their dreams since 1910. We are committed to giving our students unsurpassed support to ensure success. When you earn a Kent State University degree, you join more than a quarter-million alumni who are creating the future we all want to see.

The Kent State online MPA program is one of the elite few accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA), assuring you of an academically rigorous, relevant program of study that will serve you well in your career.

We are proud to have earned the Military Friendly^® gold designation for the level of service we offer members of the extended military community and all our students.

Move Forward With the Kent State Online MPA Program

Professors for the Kent State online MPA program are connected, engaged practitioners and researchers with expertise in diverse areas. With their varied interests, experiences and connections, our faculty can help you chart your course to a successful nonprofit management career.

92% of graduates are satisfied with our programs⁷

Benefit from one of the most affordable programs in Ohio⁸

At just $676 per credit hour for Ohio residents and $686 per credit hour for out-of-state students, Kent State MPA online tuition combines with the caliber of our program to create outstanding educational value.

Program Flash Facts

The Kent State online MPA program will help you become the strong, informed public leader who drives decisions, progress and policy. Our program:

Has no GRE requirement
Is open to people with bachelor’s degrees
Offers asynchronous online flexibility
Has a part-time workload with focused, seven-week courses
Offers three start dates: January, May, August

Talk to an Admissions Outreach Advisor Get a Brochure

Build Your Career with a Degree Built Around You

Explore the immersive online experience, our faculty roster and some post-graduation career options.

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Immersive Online Curriculum

Designed for busy working professionals and students seeking to expand their career options.

Explore the Online Classroom

Practitioner Faculty

Study with specialists, published authors and leaders in public administration and policy.

Meet Our Faculty

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Public Administration Career Potential

Gain expertise in budgeting, financial management, public sector laws, strategic planning and ethics.

View Career Info

Advance Your Career with Kent State

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Apply Now

Important Dates

Oct

Priority Application Deadline

Spring 2024 Term

Dec

Application Deadline

Spring 2024 Term

Jan

First Day of Class

Spring 2024 Term

Read Our New Blogs

Big Data and Government Combine to Drive Public Sector Programs

Multicolor graphic shows several technology specialists in front of multiple computer screens.

The World Bank explains ‘big data’ as, “a term widely used to describe the exponential growth of data, particularly the data flowing from ubiquitous mobile phones, satellites, ground sensors, vehicles and social media. It also explains the rise of the computing technologies and algorithms that harness big data for valuable insights.”

Does Context Matter? New MPA Faculty Research on Representative Bureaucracy

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Daniel Hawes, MPA Coordinator and Associate Professor in Kent State University’s Department of Political Science, recently published a study titled “Representative Bureaucracy, Institutional Support, and Clientele Need: The Case of Undocumented Students” in the Administration and Society journal. Read a synopsis of his research and background on the subject here.

Sources

Based on a limited sample of self-reported data from alumni of the Kent State University online MPA from graduating cohorts between 2015 and 2018, including respondents who indicated they expect to change employers within six months from the time of their response.
Retrieved August 2, 2022, from bls.gov/emp/tables/employment-by-major-industry-sector.htm
Retrieved August 2, 2022, from causeiq.com/insights/how-many-nonprofits-in-the-us/
Retrieved August 2, 2022, from glassdoor.com/Salaries/public-policy-analyst-salary-SRCH_KO0,21.htm
Retrieved August 2, 2022, from glassdoor.com/Salaries/nonprofit-executive-director-salary-SRCH_KO0,28.htm
Retrieved August 2, 2022, from bls.gov/ooh/management/public-relations-managers.htm
Based on a limited sample of self-reported data from Kent State alumni from graduating cohorts between 2016-2020.
Retrieved August 2, 2022, from bestcollegesonline.org/most-affordable/online-masters-public-administration-mpa/