Thursday, August 05, 2021

UNCW’s Master of Public Administration and Executive MPA programs have been granted a six-year accreditation by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration, the global standard in public service education. This accreditation came after a rigorous year-long self-study and a site visit by representatives for NASPAA’s Commission on Peer Review and Accreditation. As a result of this process, UNCW’s MPA programs will continue to be included on NASPAA’s annual roster of accredited programs through August 2027. 

UNCW’s MPA programs are interdisciplinary, terminal professional programs that prepare graduates for careers in the public, nonprofit and for-profit sectors. The MPA degree is a 39-credit hour program offered predominantly face-to-face and serves the needs of full-time students and working professionals. Full-time students typically complete the degree in under two years and part-time students can complete the degree in less than three years. The UNCW Department of Public and International Affairs also offers a fully online 36-credit hour Executive MPA degree option that is designed for working professionals with more than five years of professional experience and can be completed part-time in just two years.

“Our reaccreditation was the product of more than two years of hard work by our MPA faculty. Accreditation validates that UNCW’s MPA and EMPA programs strengthen North Carolina communities and advance public and nonprofit governance by educating future leaders, conducting relevant research, and promoting commitment to public,” said program director Mark Imperial. “Being a NASPAA-accredited program also assures prospective students that they are joining a high-quality program that helps them develop the requisite skills and competencies needed to be effective public and nonprofit leaders.”

For additional information about UNCW’s MPA and EMPA programs, please contact program director Mark Imperial.

-- G. Guthrie

#CAS