School of Government (GRAD)
The UNC Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) program is a nationally ranked degree available both on campus and online. Our graduates go on to lead government, nonprofit, and mission‑driven organizations, strengthening institutions, advancing communities, and improving lives through effective public service.
Housed within the UNC School of Government, the nation’s largest university-based training, advisory, and research organization for public officials, the M.P.A. program provides students with direct access to expert faculty engaged daily with local and state governments across North Carolina and beyond. Faculty bring these real-world experiences back into the classroom, where students gain hands-on opportunities to analyze and navigate the complex, interdisciplinary challenges they will encounter throughout their public service careers.
To learn more about our top-ranked, flexible public service leadership degree, please see the program website.
Admission Requirements
All M.P.A. admission requirements can be found on the program website.
Courses
Public Administration, Master's Program (M.P.A.)
Course Requirements
Coursework and requirements for the M.P.A. degree include a minimum of 45 semester hours of credit, a Professional Work Experience (practicum), a thesis substitute, and a final oral examination. These requirements are designed to ensure that each graduate possesses the core set of competencies that supports the M.P.A. program's mission of preparing public service leaders.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| PUBA 709 | Foundations of Public Administration | 3 |
| PUBA 710 | Organization Theory | 3 |
| PUBA 711 | Public Service Leadership | 3 |
| PUBA 719 | Public Administration Analysis and Evaluation I | 3 |
| PUBA 720 | Public Administration Analysis and Evaluation II | 3 |
| PUBA 721 | Professional Communications | 3 |
| PUBA 723 | Human Resource Management | 3 |
| PUBA 731 | Public Budgeting and Finance | 3 |
| PUBA 760 | Law for Public Administration | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Select elective courses from the following options: | 15 | |
15 hours of PUBA courses numbered 700 or higher | ||
Electives may include 9+ hours from an optional concentration (see lists below) | ||
| Thesis/Substitute or Dissertation | ||
| PUBA 747 | Applied Research Problem l | 1.5 |
| PUBA 748 | Applied Research Problem ll | 1.5 |
| Minimum Hours | 45 | |
Local Government Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PUBA 751 | Local Government Management 1 | 3 |
| or PUBA 738 | Managing Local Government Services | |
| Select additional courses from the following list to meet the minimum credit hours requirement for a concentration: | 6 | |
| Governmental and Not-for-Profit Accounting and Reporting | ||
| Productivity Improvement | ||
| Performance Management in Local Government | ||
| Capital Budgeting and Finance | ||
| Minimum Hours | 9 | |
- 1
It is highly recommended that students take both PUBA 751 and PUBA 738 as part of the concentration. When both courses are taken, students would complete three additional credit hours from the list of additional courses.
Nonprofit Management Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select courses from the following list to meet the minimum credit hours requirement for this concentration: | ||
| PUBA 730 | Governmental and Not-for-Profit Accounting and Reporting | 3 |
| PUBA 756 | Nonprofit Management | 3 |
| PUBA 757 | Financial Management of Nonprofit Organizations | 3 |
| PUBA 758 | Navigating Nonprofit Local Government | 3 |
| PUBA 763 | Grant Writing and Evaluation | 1.5 |
| PUBA 764 | Grant Writing and Management | 3 |
| PUBA 766 | Boards and Governance for Nonprofit Organizations | 1.5 |
| PUBA 767 | Nonprofit Sector Systems Thinking and Collaboration | 1.5 |
Public Management Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select courses from the following list to meet the minimum credit hours requirement for this concentration: | ||
| PUBA 739 | Governing Across Boundaries: Intergovernmental and Cross-Sector Collaboration | 3 |
| PUBA 740 | Modeling for Decision Analysis | 3 |
| PUBA 744 | MPA Immersion | 1.5 |
| PUBA 768 | Mediation Skills for Public Organizations | 1.5 |
| PUBA 769 | Facilitation Skills for Public Sector Managers | 1.5 |
| PUBA 772 | Mediation Skills for Public Managers | 3 |
| PUBA 778 | Strategic Information Technology Management | 3 |
| PUBA 787 | Applied Environmental Finance: How to Pay for Environmental Services | 3 |
Community and Economic Development
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select courses from the following list to meet the minimum credit hours requirement for this concentration: | ||
| PUBA 734 | Community Development & Revitalization Techniques | 4.5 |
| PUBA 735 | Community Revitalization Applied | 4.5 |
| PUBA 771 | Managing Economic Development | 3 |
Milestones
The following list of milestones (non-course degree requirements) must be completed; view this list of standard milestone definitions for more information.
- Master's Committee
- Master's Professional Work Experience (PWE)
- Master's Oral Exam
- Thesis Substitute
- Residence Credit
- Exit Survey
Recommended Checklist
-
Academic Course Planner — Students are requested to meet with the associate director of academic advising and student life in order to develop a curriculum plan tailored to individual needs.
-
Professional Development Plan — Students are encouraged to meet with the associate director of career services and professional development to understand what opportunities would allow them to apply theory to practice, build skills, develop relationship, and understand more about professional organizations.
Professors
Whitney Afonso, Albert and Gladys Coates Term Professorship of Public Administration and Government
Maureen M. Berner, Public Administration and Government
Anita Brown-Graham, Gladys Hall Coates Distinguished Professor of Public Law and Government, Director, ncIMPACT Initiative
Leisha Dehart-Davis, Professor of Public Administration and Government
Shea R. Denning, James E. Holshouser Distinguished Professor of Public Law and Government, Director, North Carolina Judicial College
Sara DePasquale, Professor of Public Law and Government
Cheryl D. Howell, Albert Coates Professor of Public Law and Government
Willow S. Jacobson, Robert W. Bradshaw Jr. Distinguished Professor of Public Administration and Government and Director, UNC M.P.A. Program, Associate Dean of Graduate Studies
Robert P. Joyce, Charles Edwin Hinsdale Professor of Public Law and Government
Diane M. Juffras, Albert and Gladys Hall Coates Distinguished Term Professor of Public Law and Government
Adam S. Lovelady, Albert and Gladys Coates Distinguished Professorships Public Law and Government
James Markham, Professor of Public Law and Government
Christopher B. McLaughlin, Albert and Gladys Hall Coates Distinguished Term for Teaching Excellence, Professor of Public Law and Government
Kara Millonzi, Robert W. Bradshaw Jr. Distinguished Professor of Public Law and Government
Jonathan Q. Morgan, Public Administration and Government
Ricardo S. Morse, Public Administration and Government; Director, LGFCU Fellows Program
Christopher Tyler Mulligan, David M Lawrence Distinguished Professor of Public Law and Government, and Director, Development Finance Initiative
Kimberly L. Nelson, Albert and Gladys Coates Distinguished Professorships Public Administration and Government
William C. Rivenbark, James E. Holshouser Distinguished Professor of Public Administration and Government
John Rubin, Albert Coates Professor of Public Law and Government
Michael R. Smith, Dean Emeritus
Carl W. Stenberg III, James E. Holshouser Jr. Distinguished Professor of Public Administration and Government
Charles Szypszak, Albert Coates Distinguished Professor of Public Law and Government
Shannon H. Tufts, Public Law and Government; Director, Center for Public Technology Aimee N. Wall, Dean
Jeff Welty, Public Law and Government
Associate Professors
Mark F. Botts, Public Law and Government
Jacquelyn Green, Public Law and Government
Jill D. Moore, Public Law and Government
Obed Pasha, Public Management; Director, North Carolina Benchmarking Project
Meredith Smith, Public Law and Government
John B. Stephens, Public Administration and Government
Assistant Professors
Julie Beasley, Public Administration and Government
Brittany Bromell, Public Law and Government
Kimalee Dickerson, Public Leadership
Belal Elrahal, Public Law and Government
Rebecca Fisher-Gabbard, Public Law and Government
Joseph Hyde, Criminal Law and Procedure
Colt Jenson, Public Administration and Government
James Joyce, Public Law and Government
Joseph Laizure, Public Law and Government
Kristen Leloudis, Public Health Law
Taylor Morris, Public Law and Government
Kristi Nickodem, Robert W. Bradshaw Jr. Distinguished Term Assistant Professor of Public Law and Government
Danny Spiegel, Public Law and Government
Elliot Stoller, Leadership and Governance
Teshanee Williams, Public Administration and Government
Catherine Wilson, Public Law and Government
Kristina Wilson, Albert and Gladys Coates Term Professor of Public Law and Government
Professor of the Practice
Ivy Taylor, Professor of the Practice
Teaching Professor
Gregory S. Allison, Albert and Gladys Hall Coates Distinguished Term Teaching Professor; Secretary, School of Government Foundation Board of Directors
Teaching Associate Professors
Kirk Boone, Public Finance and Government
Phillip Dixon, Public Law and Government; Director, Public Defense Education
Teaching Assistant Professors
Rebecca Badgett, Public Law and Government
Melanie Crenshaw, Albert and Gladys Coates Term Teaching Assistant Professor of Law and Government Civil Law for Magistrates
Crista Cuccara, Public Law and Government
Timothy Heinle, Albert and Gladys Coates Term Teaching Assistant Professor of Law and Government
Dylan Russell, Public Administration and Government
Amy Wade, Albert and Gladys Coates Term Professorship of Public Administration and Government
Adjunct and Visiting Faculty
Aida Ali Akreyi
Monica Allen
Evans Ballard
Justin Barbaree
Blossom Barrett
Alexandra Bartz
Kristen Brugh
Christopher Cody
John Crumpton
Ana-Laura Diaz
Heather Drennan
Sharon Edmundson
Tara Lynne Fikes
Clay Flemming
Jennifer Heckscher
Mary Hemphill
Katie Loovis
Emily McCartha
Tracy Miles
John Quinterno
James Robinson
Dale Roenigk
Sarah Towne
Micheal Welker
Joylea Wilkins
School of Government
Dean
Aimee N. Wall
