Master of Public Administration

Asynchronous Online | Seven-Week Program | Flexible | Complete in Less Than 2 Years

Learn the management, budgeting, financial, and analytical skills necessary to govern effectively and advance in public management, policy analysis, and governance-related positions. Our mission is to impart public service values and knowledge so that graduates are prepared to enrich our communities by leading, managing, and solving public service-related problems with empathy, integrity, and excellence.

URI’s Master of Public Administration is a fully-online accelerated degree program that includes a curriculum of core courses and stackable certificates. All accelerated online classes are offered in convenient 7-week modules designed to allow students the flexibility needed to successfully complete coursework while meeting professional and/or personal obligations. Students typically complete the program in under two years, with some securing their MPA degree in as little as one year.

Program Structure

All students completing the full 36-credit program will complete the Public Administration and Policy Professional Certificate along with the MPA Capstone and at least one of three MPA certificates. Students must complete the Policy Analysis Certificate, Public Management Certificate, and/or Ocean Science Graduate Certificate. If only one MPA certificate is chosen to be completed by the student, then the student must choose any 12 graduate-level elective credits, which can include other online graduate-level certificate programs.

All students completing the full 36-credit program will complete:

  • The Public Administration and Policy Professional Certificate (12 credits)

MPA students are also required to complete the MPA Capstone and at least one of two MPA certificates:

  • The Policy Analysis certificate (12 credits) and/or
  • The Public Management certificate (12 credits)

Both pathways have a Blue MPA option available for students.

Ocean Reasearch boat in open ocean

Blue MPA

Learn more about the new program track option available.

learn more

Spring 2024 Dates

11/28APPLICATION DEADLINE
1/9CLASSES BEGIN
$856*TUITION PER CREDIT *Based on 2023 rates and subject to change
Graphic: Sample Curriculum Path for the URI Master of Public Administration (MPA) Accelerated Online Program
Sample Curriculum Path for the URI Master of Public Administration (MPA) Accelerated Online Program


Program Outcomes

Upon completion of the MPA, students will be able:

To lead and manage in the public interest

To participate in, and contribute to, the policy process

To analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems and make evidence-informed decisions in a complex and dynamic environment

To articulate and apply a public service perspective

To communicate and interact productively in culturally responsive ways with a diverse and changing workforce and society at large

Career Opportunities

Our students and graduates work in government relations for non-profit agencies, non-profit management and grant writing, municipal government, planning, housing policy, environmental policy, education policy, health policy, energy policy, and election administration.

Students who complete the URI Master of Public Administration degree will advance to positions requiring financial and budgetary expertise, leadership skills, knowledge of administrative law and procedure, the management of agency personnel, policy and grant writing, and analytics skills.

Seven profession discussing and looking at a laptop

Graduates of the program during ’21-’22 were employed full-time by the following organizations:

Federal Government
State Government
Local Government
Domestic Non-Profits
Private Sector Research and/or Consulting
Military Services

The Rhode Island State House at sunset

For Summer ’22, Fall ’22, and Spring ’23, students had the opportunity to be placed for internships at a variety of organizations including:

  • Rhode Island Secretary of State
  • State of Rhode Island Internship Program
  • City of Cranston Planning Department
  • Community College of Rhode Island Division of Workforce Partnerships
  • Town of Barrington Planning Department
  • Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office
  • Town of Westerly Planning Department

Request Information

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Get in touch.

URI Online Student Support Center
online@uri.edu
401.874.5280

Program Director
Aaron Ley
ajley@uri.edu