The difference between public service and public solutions? The skills to lead.
We know you’re driven to serve — otherwise you wouldn’t be here. But in a world where passion is equal, preparation wins out. It’s our job to make sure you’re not only prepared to serve the public through leadership, but serve it well.
Our online Master of Public Administration can help you build the skills to address public needs in effective, efficient, and imaginative ways. We want you to take the big ideas in your head and put them into action by helping you develop as a project manager, communicator, policy analyst, and financial mind. When you have an expert understanding of public administration and the professional tools to back it up, you can lead a career of consequence for your constituents.
Scholarship Opportunities
MPA Partner
Certain state agencies, municipalities, professional associations, and private corporations have formalized an agreement with us to be considered MPA Partners. Employees of our MPA Partners will receive a $1,000 scholarship for one term. Click here to see a list of MPA Partners.
Military
Veterans and active duty military from any branch are eligible to receive a $1,000 scholarship for one term in appreciation for their public service.
Ohio University Alumni
Ohio University graduates can receive a $1,000 scholarship for their second or subsequent term of the program.
Why choose OHIO’s Online Master of Public Administration?
We’re not looking to build ideologues, we want to help you influence action and explore your interests in public service. At the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs, our faculty and staff have dedicated decades to finding research-based solutions to challenges in the world, and that trickles down into the foundations of your learning.
We’re uniquely prepared to help you learn the intricacies of public administration through a pragmatic approach. Study the management of financial and human resources. Learn how to take policy from planning to financing to execution and evaluation. Connect the public and private sector as partners, not adversaries. Help cut through red tape with organizational excellence, the kind that can translate just as effectively in a town hall or the halls of Congress.
Our faculty members know the field’s obstacles and how to navigate them from firsthand experience. They are field-tested professionals who are actively engaged in promoting public efforts that spark their interest. We want you to do the same, which is why we offer four distinct concentrations and a strong core curriculum to develop you into a well-rounded public leader.
Rankings and Acknowledgements
- In 2020, Ohio University was named one of the nation’s top military-friendly schools for the ninth consecutive year.
- The Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs tied for 58th on the U.S. News and World Report’s list of the top public affairs graduate schools for 2020. This puts OHIO’s MPA in the top 20% of public affairs schools nationwide.
- Our Online MPA was also named as the 18th Best Online Master’s Public Administration Degrees by Guide to Online Schools.
- Our Online MPA in Nonprofit Management at Ohio University is also ranked #7 by Best College Reviews.
- In 2020, Ohio Univerisity ranked #1 Online College in Ohio by Online College Directory.
12.3 million jobs
T2019 Nonprofit Employment Report
— Forbes
24 Million
The number of people employed in military, public, and national service at the local, state and federal levels across the U.S.
— Brookings.edu
10.6 million
full-time employees working at the state and local government level
— Census.gov
Curriulum Designed for Action
Unlike other Master’s in Public Administration online programs, we offer a curriculum built for real challenges faced by public administrators. You won’t find us teaching hypotheticals. Instead, we focus on topics like data analysis, public-private partnerships, and measuring outcomes. We also offer four concentrations that reflect the current landscape of public affairs, such as real-life crisis and emergency management skills, innovation in the burgeoning non-profit sector, and leadership in the public sector.
Online Master of Public Administration Core Courses (27 Credits)
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Public Leadership and Management Concentration Courses (9 credits)
Leadership in the public sector isn’t easy in a digitally enlightened, post-recession U.S. The public wants to know its dollars are being spent wisely and effectively to achieve positive outcomes locally and across the nation. Learn to blend efficacy and ethics while maximizing financial resources and personnel.
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Non-Profit Management Concentration Courses (9 credits)
Currently 1 in 10 U.S. workers are employed in the non-profit sector, and it continues to grow. Non-profits help to fill service gaps in communities, and you can help. Merge social responsibility and entrepreneurship. Use the connective power of technology to raise funds and awareness of your efforts.
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State and Local Government Management Concentration Courses (9 credits)
Prepare to make a difference in the lives of everyday citizens as a leader in state and local government. Whether enforcing laws or delivering services provided by state and local governments, you’ll be at the forefront of helping communities grow. Learn effective leadership and strategic management in order to respond to the ever changing needs of constituents and nuances of state and local government.
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Crisis and Emergency Management Concentration Courses (9 credits)
In managing emergency and crisis situations today, an integral factor in handling these situations is how you lead before, during and after critical events. Ohio University’s Online Master of Public Administration program with a concentration in Crisis and Emergency Management blends academic knowledge, practical skills, and strategies for best handling various situations you may face while working in emergent settings. Our highly-seasoned faculty members have been in pivotal roles in the preparation of high profile emergency events.
The Crisis and Emergency Management concentration will prepare you to work with federal agencies, state and local governments, and community organizations to create, implement and manage responses during emergency situations.
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What’s the OHIO MPA experience like?
“This year, working with senior administrators at Ohio University, it’s made me more confident when I’m going into meetings, speaking up and not being just a shy note-taker in the background. I’m voicing my opinions and getting out of my comfort zone.”
– Thomas Raabe, Ohio University Online MPA Student
“It gave me the experience of grant writing, policy briefs, basically doing all of the leg work of a non-profit.”
– Crescent Gallagher, Ohio University Online MPA Student
Meet the faculty
Our online MPA is led by a faculty of industry experts with a wide range of interests and experiences. Committed to sharing their skills with the next generation of public administration professionals, our faculty fuels the dynamic online MPA program.
Read more about their research and work below, starting with our online MPA Program Director, Dr. Jason Jolley:
Dr.Jason Jolley