Frequently Asked Questions

Our MPA degree is for students interested in public service careers. We have three emphases: local government, non profit, and healthcare management. Our students get jobs in state government, city, country, or other local government, nonprofit organizations, healthcare organizations, and private sector organizations.

The program is a total of 39 credits (or 13 courses) to complete the MPA. most of our students complete the program within two to three years, however students have up to seven years to complete the program.

Yes! Our MPA program can be completed 100% online.

Our courses are offered asynchronously (students review materials on their own with support and advice from professors) or synchronously (in a virtual classroom on specific dates and times). All professors are available to virtually meet on a regular basis by videoconferencing or telephone. In addition, we have networking events for students to meet SUNY Brockport MPA alumni and practitioners in local governments, nonprofits, and health care.

Yes, the MPA program is accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA), which is the gold standard of public administration and public policy education.

No, our program admits students in fall, spring, and summer sessions. We do not use a cohort model, and students can take courses in any sequence. However, we recommend that students take Foundations of Public Administration (PAD 541) and Research and Program Evaluation (PAD 688) as the first courses they do in the program as both of these courses offer some foundational knowledge and skills that will be useful in subsequent courses.

Yes, the SUNY Brockport MPA program has two competitive scholarships: James E. Fatula Memorial Scholarship and Dr. Faith Prather Scholarship. For more information, please visit the Brockport Foundation Scholarships page. 

In addition, students can apply for a graduate assistantship or a teaching assistantship. For more information, please visit the Graduate/Teaching Assistantships page.

Students can complete the program at a pace that works for their schedules through either full or part-time study.

The program offers two capstone opportunities including internships and portfolio projects. The portfolio is a written project and sometimes is the better choice for students already active in their careers.

Students looking for professional experience or to expand their resumes have completed a variety of internships in public, nonprofit, and healthcare settings. To see a list of prior internship sites, visit our Graduation and Career Data page.

Although  students can apply as late as as two weeks prior to the semester beginning, we recommend more time since some courses will be full by then and it can take longer for transcripts or a letter of recommendation to be received.

No. Although we have in person networking events, these are not required for program completion. There will never be an in-person meeting that is required.