Master's Degrees

Master's Degree in Public Administration

Learn to Lead in Government and Healthcare

Learn to mold work environments outside the traditional boundaries of business with a Master’s Degree in Public Administration here at DeVry University and our Keller Graduate School of Management. Whether you study online or in a hybrid format1, choose from emphases in Government Management or Healthcare Management to further hone your skillset.

Get to Know Our Master’s in Public Administration

Our Master’s in Public Administration program can help you gain skills to lead important projects in the public sector. Develop your leadership and team-building abilities, explore project management systems and learn to manage organizational change. Your chosen program emphasis will align your coursework to your career goals to help you prepare to pursue your personal and professional goals.

Government Management Emphasis

Prepare to utilize your managerial experience within federal, state or local government with coursework in governmental finance and public policy.

Healthcare Management Emphasis

Build your skills in the field of healthcare management with coursework in health rights, responsibilities, policy and economics.

Classes start on July 7, 2025
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Course Waivers at Keller

Master’s Advantage

Put your degree to work sooner!

 
3
fewer courses
6
fewer months
 
 
Up to
$6,800
savings
Are you eligible?

If you’ve earned an undergraduate degree in business or technology, you may be eligible to waive up to 3 courses (or 9 credit hours).2 We call this our Master’s Advantage. With prior learning credits, you can take fewer courses and put your master’s degree to work for you even sooner.

Accelerated Schedule*
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12 months
Average 10 credits per semester
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Normal
Schedule
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2 years
2 months
Average 6 credits per semester

ACCELERATE ON YOUR SCHEDULE

Choose the schedule that best fits your goals and commitments. With at least 9 credit hours of qualifying Prior Learning Credit and an accelerated pace, you can earn your Master's Degree in as few as 12 months.*

Or, follow a normal schedule and complete your program in 2 years 2 months.**

*Accelerated time to complete requires at least 9 credit hours of Prior Learning Credit. Per 12-month period, assumes completion of 3 semesters, enrollment in an average of 10 credit hours per semester and continuous, full-time year-round enrollment with no breaks.
**Assumes continuous year-round enrollment for 7 semesters and an average of 6 credit hours per semester and that students remain on a normal schedule throughout their program.

  • 01 Knowledge & Skills
  • 02 Embedded Programs
  • 03 Career
  • 04 FAQs
  • 05 Catalog Download
Knowledge & Skills

What You'll Learn

Our Master’s in Public Administration degree program covers the following:

  • Management Theory and Practices
    Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of enterprise-wide functions relevant in the global economy.
  • Collaboration
    Demonstrate collaborative skills with diverse populations in multiple settings.
  • Problem-Solving
    Build the knowledge required to implement innovative approaches to solve specialized business problems.
  • Project Planning
    Develop a project plan including objectives, timing, budget, key tasks and measurements for success.
  • Project Management Tools
    Integrate project management tools to ensure projects are completed on time, on budget and within scope
  • Project Cost and Schedule Management
    Analyze organizational strategies, goals and procurement techniques to ensure quality, cost and schedule measures are satisfied.

Accreditation and Recognition Matter

DeVry is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC), www.hlcommission.org. Our Keller Graduate School of Management is included in this accreditation.

 

Our Master’s Degree in Public Administration is accredited3 by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) www.acbsp.org
 

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Student Achievement
At-a-Glance
Embedded Programs

Embedded Programs - Demonstrate Skills at Every Step

Want to earn a graduate certificate on the way to your Master’s in Public Administration? Now you can with our unique 2-in-1 program. All courses in our Health Services Management Graduate Certificate are embedded within our Master’s of Public Administration program if you choose the Healthcare Management emphasis. Requesting this embedded option can allow you to earn a graduate certificate once you’ve successfully completed the required coursework.4

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Master's
39
Credit Hours**
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Graduate Certificate
18
Credit Hours**

**The figures displayed represent the minimum credit hours required for graduation. Additional coursework may be necessary to complete program requirements.

Career

Career Opportunities in Public Administration

Graduates of our Master’s in Public Administration degree program may consider career fields such as:

  • Administrative Services Management

  • Medical or Health Services Management

  • Regulatory Affairs and Compliance Management†

  • Social and Community Service Management

†The University’s Master’s in Public Administration (MPA) with an emphasis in Healthcare Management program is not designed to prepare graduates for nursing home, assisted living facility, long-term care or home care administrator positions. Students interested in practicing a regulated profession must contact the appropriate state regulatory agency for certification or licensure requirements. For instance, in Virginia certain educational and training requirements must be satisfied for initial nursing home administrator licensure or initial assisted living facility administrator licensure; Keller’s program does not satisfy the educational and/or training requirements.

FAQs: Master's in Public Administration

What Can I Do with a Master’s in Public Administration?

Professionals who’ve earned a Master of Public Administration degree may be prepared to pursue numerous career opportunities in the public and private sectors. In the public sector, government roles may include disaster response, education, public affairs and public health.

In the private sector, where some roles demand large-scale administrative skills, MPA graduates may find opportunities in such areas as human resources, communications and fundraising. Specific roles for MPA graduates are likely to exist in the areas of grant writing, policy analysis, nonprofit management and governance and labor relations.

Can I earn my Master’s in Public Administration online?

Yes, at DeVry, your Master’s in Public Administration can be earned 100% online, offering the flexibility to study when and where you like. If you’d like to take select courses on-campus, we also offer a hybrid option.1

How many years does it take to earn a Master's in Public Administration?

Several factors affect the time it takes to complete any academic program, including the specific program you are enrolled in, any transfer credits you may have earned, and whether or not you are enrolled full- or part-time. This degree program can be completed in as little as 12 months on an accelerated schedule,* or 2 years and 2 months on a normal schedule.** Visit our Graduate Admissions page for more details.

*Accelerated time to complete requires at least 9 credit hours of Prior Learning Credit. Per 12-month period, assumes completion of 3 semesters, enrollment in an average of 10 credit hours per semester and continuous, full-time year-round enrollment with no breaks.
**Assumes continuous year-round enrollment for 7 semesters and an average of 6 credit hours per semester and that students remain on a normal schedule throughout their program.

What is the difference between MBA and MPA?

While these master’s degrees are similar in that they both offer coursework in essential business management skills like accounting, financial management, human resources and strategy, there are some key differences between them. The coursework in an MBA program typically emphasizes cost-efficiency and profitability, while the coursework for MPA students tends to focus on social impact. MBA degree holders tend to follow a career path in the private sector, while MPA graduates may be more likely to pursue opportunities in the public sector or with nonprofit organizations.

How much does it cost to earn your Master's in Public Administration?

Several factors can influence the final cost of your MPA program or any academic degree program, such as course waivers2, qualifying transfer credits or qualification for a scholarship, grant or group pricing program5. Complete financial information, including tuition, fees and expenses, can be found in our Keller Academic Catalog.

Academic Catalog
2023 - 2024 Academic Catalog
View Academic Catalog
Capstone Project
More Information
Program Guides
Public Administration: Healthcare Management
View Program Guides
Public Administration: Government Management
View Program Guides

Related Programs

*Accelerated time to complete requires at least 9 credit hours of Prior Learning Credit. Per 12-month period, assumes completion of 3 semesters, enrollment in an average of 10 credit hours per semester and continuous, full-time year-round enrollment with no breaks.

**Assumes continuous year-round enrollment for 7 semesters and an average of 6 credit hours per semester and that students remain on a normal schedule throughout their program.

1Program, course, and extended classroom availability vary by location. In site-based programs, students will be required to take a substantial amount of coursework online to complete their program.

2Eligibility for and application of course waivers varies based on the type and level of course, credit earned, enrolled location and/or state of residence. For more information, please refer to the Course Waiver section of the Keller academic catalog.

3Student Achievement At-a-Glance - Available for all of DeVry and Keller's ACBSP accredited programs. For a full list of DeVry University's business and accounting degree programs accredited by ACBSP, please see the Accreditation page.

4Future programmatic changes could impact the ability to earn additional credentials en route to an eligible degree program. Refer to the academic catalog for details.

5Scholarships are available to those who apply and qualify. Click here for more information, including any requirements or restrictions. Students may participate in only one DeVry University-based scholarship, grant or group tuition benefit program at a time. Those who qualify for more than one program will be presumed to accept the program with the highest reduction per session cost, unless the student confirms their desire to participate in different program in writing prior to starting classes at DeVry. Scholarship and grant terms and eligibility conditions are subject to change.