Students with less than 5 years of professional experience also complete a 300-hour internship or a practicum project. Students have a lot of flexibility in terms of selecting their host. Students with 5+ years of professional experience or who complete a fellowship can have their internship requirement waived.
Financial aid is available to those who qualify. The FAFSA is available as well as scholarships, assistantships, fellowships, and employment. Please visit the UNCW Financial Aid Office or Admitted Student Next Steps for more information.
The MPA Program also awards a limited number of need-based and merit-based scholarships each year to new and returning students. Incoming students interested in obtaining financial support should apply early in the admission cycle. Returning students should maintain a high GPA.
The MPA program faculty select students based on their distinguished academic and service performance for scholarships courtesy of the Graduate School. These awards are available to current and prospective students. Please contact the UNCW Office of Scholarships & Financial Aid if you have any questions.
This scholarship was created by Elton and Michelle Daniels to Assist the University in meeting its commitment to maintaining a campus environment that values rich diversity in its student body. The scholarship is awarded to a student who has demonstrated significant academic ability and possesses a record of community involvement and leadership working with historically underserved populations.
This fellowship award is granted to an incoming or returning MPA student who has demonstrated academic ability and special achievement. the fellowship is renewable for returning students, as approved by the scholarship committee, provided they continue to meet the award criteria.
One tuition reduction scholarship is provided to an out-of state student working as a departmental graduate assistant who has demonstrated significant scholastic ability. This award traditionally adjusts out-of-state tuition to meet in-state costs.
The MPA Program may provide some travel assistance to students for conferences, research, and professional development. These awards are designed to supplement primary funds granted through the Graduate Student Association and the Graduate School Travel Awards program.
The MPA program awards several graduate teaching assistantships on a competitive basis.
Students are required to work a total of about 20 hours a week, 10 hours for a half-time GTA. Most GTAs are required to work at least four hours per week in the graduate computer lab that provides professors with help.
GTAs also provide classroom support for faculty in the Department of Public and International Affairs. This involves grading, covering classes in the case of illness, copying, preparing course materials, helping with website development and other related duties.
Each student is also assigned to a research/service cluster for a balance of their time with their assignment designed to further the teaching, research, and service missions for the MPA program. Some of the anticipated service and research clusters are:In addition, all GTAs will provide support to PIA and the MPA program during special events that allow GTAs with an opportunity to network with public and nonprofit administrators.
When there are openings, a request for applications will be sent out on the MPA listserv. If you are interested in applying for one of our GTA openings, at that time, please send a current resume and a cover letter as email attachments. In your cover letter, indicate any knowledge, skills, and abilities that are relevant to the position. You should also indicate your preferences with respect to the research clusters with which you are interested in working. These materials should be submitted electronically via email to the MPA coordinator, Craig Kelly (kellyc@uncw.edu).
For information on graduate assistantships at UNCW outside of the MPA program, click here.
These resources are designed to assist our students and alumni in their job searches. Please take a look at the following websites and announcements to find the perfect position for you.
We also send announcements via the listservs as we receive them. Be sure that you are on one of the MPA listservs. The MPA program does not serve as a staffing agency, so please contact the hiring agencies directly for additional information.
| Year: 2022-23 | MPA | EMPA | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applications | 26 | 42 | 68 |
| Admitted | 26 | 42 | 68 |
| New Enrollments | 18 | 35 | 53 |
| Fall 2023 | MPA | EMPA | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enrolled | 45 | 68 | 113 |
| Part-Time | 54% | 100%* | 84% |
*Half of part-time students in the program were taking one course per semester.
| Demographic | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Female | 59% |
| Minority | 18% |
| Out-Of-State | 5% |
| International Student | 1% |
| Initially Enrolled | Graduated within 2 years | Graduated within 3 years | Graduated within 4 years | Graduated within 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | 12 | 19 | 22 | 23 |
Number of MPA program graduates employed, unemployed or seeking jobs within six months of graduation.
| Type of Organization | # of MPA Graduates | # of EMPA Graduates | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| National or central government in the same country as the program | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| State, provincial, or regional government in the same country as the program | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| City, county, or other local government in the same country as the program | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Government not in the same country as the program (all levels) or international quasi-governmental | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nonprofit, domestic-oriented | 7 | 1 | 8 |
| Nonprofit/NGOs, internationally oriented | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Private Sector - Research/Consulting | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Private Sector but not research/consulting | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Obtaining further education | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Military Service | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unemployed (not seeking employment) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unemployed (seeking employment) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Status Unknown | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total Degrees Awarded | 18 | 2 | 20 |
Mr. Craig Kelly, MPA Program Coordinator
Leutze Hall
601 S. College Road
Wilmington, NC 28403
Dr. Mark Imperial, MPA Program Director
