Master of Public Administration
Public administrators address many of our nation’s most pressing issues. These professionals are experts at identifying community and organizational improvements and implementing change—across all sectors—while running government agencies, serving in elected office, or leading in military, nonprofits, and nongovernmental organizations.
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Form Your Future
The NASPAA-accredited Master of Public Administration online program is for working professionals looking to make a social impact while advancing in their current field, as well as for passion-driven individuals looking to make a career shift. Our prestigious, nationally recognized program provides valuable education and experience you can immediately apply in the workplace to make an impact.
Our primary mission is to prepare professionals, such as yourself, to become collaborative and innovative leaders to manage complex organizations and serve the public good, at home, and abroad.
USC Price offers an immersive and engaging multimedia curriculum, taught by expert faculty, that can be completed full-time in two years or less. In that time you will build analytical, political, and communication abilities through a comprehensive curriculum unlike any other online program.
Next Info Session: 4/11/23
Next Scholarship Deadline: 4/1/2023
Final App. Deadline: 4/1/2023
Career Outcomes
In recent years, our graduates have gravitated to diverse career opportunities:
30% |
Non-Profit Domestic |
27% |
Private Sector |
23% |
City/County/Local Government |
13% |
State/Provincial/Regional Government |
4% |
Federal Government |
3% |
International Government/NGO |
Capstone and Residencies
At USC Price, we know that building hands-on skills and cultivating real-world connections are just as important as being able to attend courses online, and a critical part of the learning process. To that end, our curriculum includes a capstone project at the end of the program and two in-person residencies.
The capstone is the culmination of the Master of Public Administration online program. In teams of three to four students, you will consult with a client and produce valuable research. The course connects online students with senior decision-makers from local and state government, nonprofit organizations, criminal justice, federal agencies, private sector firms and key public sector service providers. During the course, students develop “soft skills” such as consulting, advising, and communicating while developing new networks of professional contacts and are responsible for the academic effort necessary to develop strategic solutions to real issues.
At the end of the course, you and your team will produce a project report and communications briefing for your client. You will meet with the client to present your findings, answer questions and suggest next steps.
The most outstanding project among all USC Price MPA student teams will receive a Haynes Award for academic honor (and a cash prize) at our annual Price School Awards Ceremony.
Your capstone is more than just a course — it’s an opportunity. During this portion of the program, you will network with senior public policy and government leaders, build hands-on skills, and examine how you can help communities create real-world solutions.
Our program includes two in-person campus residencies — one at the beginning of the program and one at the end — to allow you to build hands-on skills and network with your peers, alumni, and faculty in person.
The residencies take place on USC’s campus in Los Angeles and include intensive class sessions during which you will participate with faculty, peers and alumni. Residencies also include social events and networking opportunities to connect colleagues, members of the Trojan Family and our campus community.
The Professional Residency is an onboarding experience which includes a brief orientation to our MPA online program and services available to you throughout. The long weekend also includes educational seminars focused on digital literacy, communications and writing techniques, research, quantitative methods, and more. These seminars are delivered by the faculty who teach our courses. Beyond meeting local alumni, all your key faculty (including the dean) and your individual cohort coach, you can use this opportunity to tour the USC campus and stop by the bookstore for Trojan gear.
The Capstone Residency takes place during the week before graduation and includes a capstone event where you will prepare various presentations and studios and share your best work focused on a current problem with your peers and expert judges. Highly competitive analysis and presentation skills are rewarded with engraved USC medals to be worn with graduation robes. The experience is a final opportunity to develop and solidify relationships with fellow students and alumni, reinforcing the USC Price professional network that you can leverage long after graduation.
Professional Residency (For new students)
Fall 2023 dates: October 6-8, 2023
Student Support
As a Master of Public Administration online program student, you have multiple dedicated individuals working every day to support your success in the program. Each professional fulfills a distinct primary focus, but all are useful to engage with frequently as they will help you navigate our program with greater success.
Office of Academic Programs
Counseling related to academic and administrative policies is provided by two program administrators, Cyndee McDougal and Cole Yamada. The Office of Academic Programs is the focal point for the administration of the master’s programs within the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy, and is primarily concerned with monitoring student progress, university compliance, and more.
Cohort Coach and Mentorship Program
You will be provided with a Cohort Coach, a program alumnus who will serve as your individual “go-to person” and often as a front-line professional mentor. Your Cohort Coach is a valuable resource for professional development and any questions, issues, or concerns you may have in your educational journey. The coach works alongside students in the first Residency, serving as a type of TA while providing valuable tips on time management, communicating within the program and about the program as you work to organize your life for academic success. After the first semester, your coach will host monthly meetings for your cohort to touch base and ask questions or explore information about certificates and career opportunities. In the past, the cohort coach alumni have provided job interview coaching, help negotiated salaries for new jobs and provided dozens of introductions to the Trojan Family and our network of professional job leads. Alumni of the MPA online program often seek out new graduates to help grow their organizations so it is advantageous to stay in touch with the network, coaches and their contacts.
Military Service Member Support
The USC Price MPA online program welcomes active duty, military dependents and veterans. Among our alumni (and faculty) are both active duty and veterans of military service. Many of the skills you developed in military training—navigating uncertainty, strategic leadership, effective decision-making, and more—are extremely valuable in the public administration field. Whether you are continuing to serve or transitioning out of the military, building on your experience with an advanced degree can be a path to becoming more versatile as a higher-ranking officer or to adapting your skill set to a civilian job. An MPA online degree from the Price school will rigorously prepare you for a career working in city/county management, emergency services, criminal justice, nonprofit management, shaping public policy, leading in the private sector, and more.
There are a number of dedicated resources available for military applicants and students. Active-duty military, veterans, spouses and dependents can request an application fee waiver from the graduate school and the USC Veterans Certification Office can assist with using your military tuition benefits. The USC Price School is also proud to partner with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide Yellow Ribbon benefits up to $5,000 for each award to qualified students. In addition, you will have the opportunity to work with a dedicated USC student success advisor who will support you throughout your time in the program, to assist you with scheduling courses, accessing funding, planning for deployment, and more. And you’ll connect to a worldwide network of Trojan alumni who have also served.
Why USC Price
Our multifaceted, NASPAA-accredited Master of Public Administration online program is top ranked nationally. Our program delivery emphasizes the digital transformation occurring in public administration, and offers connections to expert faculty, dedicated cohort coaches, and an extensive alumni network who will all work collectively to empower you as an agent of change.
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An Extensive Alumni Network
Make and keep connections with thousands of USC Price alumni who benefit from a wide range of career resources, networking opportunities, and alumni events and seminars. Each year the Price School’s annual homecoming event also offers the chance for former students to celebrate and reconnect with fellow alumni, with activities the whole family will enjoy.
USC Price alumni are united for life and stay closely involved with the school long after graduation.
“I think it was a really great way, especially when you go through the residency project or the capstone project, to have an opportunity to build strong relationships with your cohort and with folks that you are working so hard with. The program itself is such a unique experience and opportunity.”
“If someone in public service wants that spark in their career, the [MPA] online program is a great path towards new opportunities. The USC network is a very large community that is great in supporting fellow Trojans, regardless of field of study.”
Are you ready to form your future?
Call (213) 764-5999, email [email protected], or fill out our form to request more information.