KINGSTON, R.I. – July 15, 2024 – The University of Rhode Island’s Master of Public Administration program is the first in the state of Rhode Island to be accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA), the global standard in public service master’s degree programs. Accreditation is a reflection of URI’s commitment to public-service values and ensuring that rigorous standards are met for the program.
The competencies, determined by the NASPAA mission and public service values, mean that the MPA program puts the following principles at the foundation of the curriculum:
- Leading and managing public governance
- Participating in and contributing to the policy process
- Analyzing, synthesizing, thinking critically, solving problems and making decisions
- Articulating and applying a public service perspective
- Communicating and interacting productively with a diverse and changing workforce and citizenry.
The achievement has been a decades-long endeavor. The URI Master of Public Administration program began in 1961, and by the 1980s faculty had aspirations to become an accredited program. In addition to the faculty, current students, and alumni of the program, MPA Director Aaron Ley, Ph.D., credits this milestone to the work of his mentors and colleagues, including Francis J. Leazes of Rhode Island College, Robert A. Weygand, former director of the URI program, and Jeannette E. Riley, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
“This is terrific news for the College of Arts and Sciences and for the University at large. Mission-driven programs are what make URI unique and we couldn’t be more proud to have the first accreditation of this kind in the state,” said Riley.
In the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic, significant changes were made that moved the program from in person to online. “We also hired new faculty members and that gave us the numbers we needed to be eligible for accreditation,” said Ley. The program has 70 enrolled students.
A survey of public service schools showed that graduates enter government, nonprofit, and private sectors in large numbers after completing their degrees. In 2017-18, programs reported 48% of graduates entering the government sector, 17% entering the private sector, and 23% entering the nonprofit sector. In 2022-23, URI’s program had 57% of graduates employed in government careers, 35% employed in non-profit careers, and 9% employed by the private sector. No single sector pulls a majority of graduates, so it is dependent on the program to equip students with skills that will benefit them regardless of which career path they choose.
The value of leaving URI with an MPA degree from a NASPAA-accredited program stretches beyond creating a successful regional profile; it makes for a mission-driven program with integrity and dedication to its participants.
“Having a fully accredited MPA program will be a critical resource for the state of Rhode Island and regional governments as they navigate challenges relating to public policy, administration, and their relationships with non-profit and public-service-related organizations that partner with the public sector,” said Ley. “Accreditation also promises to our students that our program is recognized nationally for the high-quality and flexible curriculum that we deliver to current public service professionals seeking to advance in their careers, or recent graduates aspiring to enter public service-related careers.”
Ley is proud of the program’s commitment to constantly reevaluating whether certain benchmarks are met and its willingness to make adjustments. “We’re a program that gets a lot of input from stakeholders — whether it’s from students, employers outside of the program, URI administration and faculty members – we take the input and use that data to develop a world-class education.”
The recent accreditation is a symbol of its constant effort towards self-improvement. NASPAA accreditation is a multi-year process, so this day has been a long time in the making. URI looks forward to helping prepare the future public administration leaders in the state of Rhode Island and region.