A Master of Public Administration (MPA) is a rigorous, professional, post-graduate degree that prepares students for interdisciplinary careers working in the public interest. An MPA prepares individuals for management and leadership careers across the field of public affairs—in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.
Graduates work in a wide range of federal, state, and local government agencies, nonprofits, private firms that interface with the public and nonprofit sectors, and international organizations, where they serve as executives, managers, analysts, and planners.
An MPA program values diversity of thought and experience. Relative to other professional degrees, the MPA is far more interdisciplinary, drawing on the fields of economics, finance, management, political science, and psychology.
By promoting this interdisciplinary perspective, the MPA provides students with the tools required to improve people’s lives.
The term “public administration” is a misnomer. In reality, solutions to our world’s most pressing public affairs challenges are implemented via a complex network of public, private, and nonprofit organizations. Getting an MPA provides graduates with the hard and soft skills required to forge these solutions across sectors in a strategic, mission-oriented, and equitable manner.
We foster the development of innovative ideas and tools that really matter for improving the political, economic, environmental, and social climate of our world.
Work in public affairs is for service-oriented professionals looking to make a real, tangible difference in people’s lives. Professionals serving in the field of public affairs work as leaders across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors on a variety of pressing and most challenging issues, including:
If you’re interested in learning more about how our MPA Program has helped graduates tackle these issues, skip ahead to our eight concentration options and featured alumni.
Those who pursue an MPA pursue management roles in the public interest, where the standards of accountability, transparency, and equity demand a unique mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities. Those pursuing an MPA do so after careful introspection, and upon determining that their goals, values, and focus lie in improving people’s lives.
While there are several professional degree options that can enhance your knowledge, skills, and abilities and allow you to make a valuable contribution to the world, it is important to distinguish between these degrees and the opportunities they will lead to.
The Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) is the professional organization that oversees education in the field of public affairs, public policy, and public administration. NASPAA defines a Master of Public Administration as “the core professional degree for a management career in public service. The curriculum is designed to aid students in developing the skills and techniques used by leaders and managers to implement policies, projects, and programs that resolve important societal problems.
NASPAA also notes that graduates of an MPA program “work in all levels of government (federal, state, and local), in nonprofits, in international organizations, consulting firms, and in the private sector.”
So, how does the MPA differ from a Master of Public Policy (MPP) or a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree? Let’s dive a little deeper.
A Master of Public Policy (MPP) degree focuses on analysis. MPP students use the tools of economic analysis to forecast the consequences of public policy. MPP graduates typically assume roles as analysts in the public or private sectors. The MPA, on the other hand, is a general management degree that builds leadership, planning, management, and evaluation skills.
An MPA is often referred to as a “Master of Business Administration/MBA for the Public and Nonprofit Sectors.” While this is the case in many respects, the two degrees are not interchangeable. Both the MPA and MBA degrees are interdisciplinary, merging perspectives from management, economics, and organizational behavior.
The MPA degree provides insight into the intricacies of how these disciplines apply in the context of public service, however, whereas the MBA is focused on profit-driven results.
Those who pursue an MPA pursue management roles in the public interest, where the standards of accountability, transparency, and equity demand a unique mix of knowledge, skills and abilities. Those pursuing an MPA do so after careful introspection, and upon determining that their goals, values, and focus lie in improving people’s lives.
The MPA allows graduates to accelerate the “business of public affairs” and unravel challenges in federal, state, or local government; nonprofit organizations, and in international public organizations.
The Guide to Internships & Externships in the Cornell Brooks School MPA Program is your go-to resource for understanding the value of learning-by-doing as a way of sharpening your competitive edge and cultivating marketable skills.
“The Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy brings together scholars across disciplines to tackle the biggest public policy challenges we face as a society, both in the U.S. and globally. Our mission is to make positive change in the world.” – Colleen Barry, Inaugural Dean
Cornell University is located in Ithaca, New York, a vibrant town that offers the perfect backdrop for two years of concentrated graduate study. Ithaca is also just a short drive or bus ride from many major metropolitan areas (four hours to NYC, Philadelphia and Toronto; six hours to Washington, DC).
Cornell University’s Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy is home to a variety of undergraduate and graduate programs, all dedicated to preparing students to improve human’s lives by exploring and shaping human connections to natural, social, and built environments.
The Brooks School trains future leaders in the field of public affairs to address the world’s most complex public policy challenges with a two-year program of study leading to the Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree. The Cornell Brooks School MPA program prepares individuals for management and leadership careers in public service. The MPA offers a solid foundation of core coursework in management, economics and finance, and quantitative analysis.
The Cornell Brooks School MPA places a strong emphasis on experiential learning. Real-world consulting opportunities, internships, off-campus study, and Capstone experiences help you develop the skill set you need to be successful in your future careers, and provide relevant material for inclusion in résumés and job interviews.
Cornell’s interdisciplinary curriculum also affords you the opportunity to work with renowned faculty across many different departments, schools, and colleges at Cornell, which is among the largest and most diverse of the Ivy League universities.
The Cornell Brooks School offers three graduate certificate programs, which are open to current graduate students in good academic standing:
These certificate programs provide you with specific knowledge and tools for working in the respective area of study. The additional credentials that these certificates provide may offer you a competitive edge in your future careers. Courses that apply to your certification also apply toward your MPA degree requirements.
The Cornell Brooks School offers a complementary degree option and a dual degree option for competitive, driven students looking to augment their MPA with an additional degree.
Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Public Health (MPH), and Juris Doctor (JD): Applicants who wish to pursue a Cornell MBA, MPH, or JD along with their MPA degree may work out a complementary program of study if they apply to and are accepted by both programs. Fellows may then apply up to twelve credits of the complementary professional degree program (MBA, MPH, or JD) toward their MPA. Applicants to the MPA program who have already completed a Cornell MBA, MPH, or JD may apply up to twelve credits from their other degree program toward the MPA degree if these are appropriate for an MPA course of study.
Pursuing these options may reduce the time toward degree completion by approximately one semester. Applicants should plan on meeting with the Director of Graduate Studies to discuss which credits from the MBA, MPH, or JD would be transferable to the MPA program. Please contact the the Brooks School MPA Program at 607-255-8018 or mpa@cornell.edu to set up an appointment.
Master of Public Administration (MPA)/Master of Health Administration (MHA): A dual MPA/MHA program is available for students enrolled at the Brooks School and the Sloan Program in Health Administration. This option enables students to complete both degrees in three years while eliminating duplicate coursework. Students must apply and be accepted to both programs (admission to one program does not guarantee admission to the other).
The goal of this dual degree program is to enable students to combine training in public administration with training and management tools and their applications to health administration and of the organization of the health care sector, health policy, and the tools of public health.
See and experience the extraordinary beauty and excitement of Ithaca.
As a Brooks School student, you’ll receive a rich combination of coursework and practical experience. Our flexible, interdisciplinary curriculum gives you the opportunity to work with renowned faculty across many different departments at Cornell to build your expertise.
At the Cornell Brooks School, we’re dedicated to teaching the “nuts and bolts” of professional development and career advancement — in fact, career management is woven throughout our MPA curriculum.
Brooks MPA students are required to take two semester-long courses (or equivalent) that focus on strengthening professional preparation, which may include statistical, analytical, or mathematical skills, professional writing or speaking, leadership or management, or additional skills or knowledge needed for a fellow’s selected concentration.
Brooks MPA students may also want to consider including a course from the list of General Concentration courses or from the list of Public and Nonprofit Management courses as one of their two specialized/professional development courses.
To earn the MPA degree, Brooks School students must complete a “Professional Writing” requirement. Of the options available, most students choose to participate in the Cornell MPA Capstone. A semester-long program for second-year students, the Capstone engages participants in rigorous consultancy projects for either domestic or international clients.
Students work on teams conducting research on well-defined policy or management problems posed by their clients, and develop proposals for relevant and actionable solutions. Read more about Capstone Projects.
Check out our case study clients, below:
We place significant emphasis on professional development and career management — before, during, and after your time at Cornell University. See what career management and professional development at the Cornell Brooks School is like.
To earn the MPA degree, Brooks School students must complete a “Professional Writing” requirement. Of the options available, most students choose to participate in the Cornell MPA Capstone. A semester-long program for second-year students, the Capstone engages participants in rigorous consultancy projects for either domestic or international clients. Students work on teams conducting research on well-defined policy or management problems posed by their clients, and develop proposals for relevant and actionable solutions. Check out our case study clients, below:
The MPA Program Office of Career Management works one-on-one with graduate students to integrate real-world experience into their program of study. This is revealed in the internship and externship opportunities for Cornell's MPA students.
Students who choose to spend a semester in one of the Cornell Brooks School’s off-campus study programs earn academic credit while completing an externship.
Washington, DC
New York, NY
To fulfill the Practical Experience component of the degree, most students choose to complete an internship in the summer between the first and second year of study or to do an externship while enrolled in one of the Cornell Brooks School’s off-campus semester programs. The Office of Career Management will assist you through each phase of your internship search.
At Cornell University, we have measurable data that shows the real, marketable value of our MPA degree.
MPA graduates are found in a wide variety of workplaces. The career paths that require professionals with public affairs education often influence major decisions that affect the community around you—at the public, nonprofit, and in some instances, the private sector.
Given the diversity of interests and career objectives represented at Cornell, postgraduate activities are regularly distributed across three primary sectors: public, private, and non-profit.
MPA graduates often pursue careers with purpose. See where Cornell MPA graduates are working today.
MPA Student
Amber Ingwell, an MPA student with a concentration in Government, Politics, and Policy, shares her experience studying an MPA, why she chose the MPA Program in particular, and how her graduate education is preparing her for a meaningful career.
Because Cornell is the only Ivy League school with land-grant status, the Cornell Brooks MPA program is more affordable than some other schools offering the same degree, including Columbia, New York University, and Georgetown. Combined tuition, fees, and overall living expenses range from $20,000 to $40,000 less than our competitors.
Note: For professionals seeking a way to finance an Ivy League education, this blog is a must-read!
In addition to the Brooks School’s affordable costs, a variety of funding opportunities are available to pay for your MPA, including merit-based fellowships, part-time campus employment, federal loans, Brooks School-supported fellowships, and external funding.
About 50 percent of our students receive merit-based fellowships from a number of sources. These fellowships, based on previous academic performance, partially cover tuition. If you are admitted to Cornell Brooks School, you will receive notification of your award in your admission letter.
Fellowships Supported by the Brooks School:
Cornell’s Student Employment website is the source for information and policies about student jobs on campus. The site maintains a jobs database open to Cornell graduate students.
Cornell currently participates in two federally funded programs: the William D. Ford Direct Loan and the Federal Graduate PLUS loan. These programs are available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are matriculated toward the degree.
If you work for a nonprofit organization, you may be eligible for the federal loan forgiveness program. The program forgives loans on the balance of your student loan after you have made 120 qualifying monthly payments while working full-time for a qualifying employer. Qualified employers include government organizations, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and other nonprofits that provide qualifying service.
Whatever your financial standing, Cornell University is dedicated to helping high-achieving and competitive students to fund their graduate education. If you have questions about financing your graduate degree at Cornell, don’t hesitate to contact us today.
To receive optimum consideration for funding opportunities, however, we encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible.
Ready to take on some of the world’s most complex policy challenges? You’re in the right place. We are looking for students of exceptional quality who have the analytical, leadership, and communication skills necessary to succeed in a career serving the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Let’s get started.
