Degree Requirements

The mission of the Carolina MPA Program is to prepare public service leaders. We track progress towards our mission with a competency-based curriculum. Click here to view the primary and intermediary competencies that are integrated within the program's core courses.

The curriculum, designed to be completed in two years of full-time study for on-campus students and 18 months to 5 years for online MPA students, combines three essential components of professional development:

1. A minimum of 45 semester hours of credit, consisting of rigorous core classes on the theory and practice of public management and elective courses from selected fields of interest. View a typical on-campus MPA course schedule and typical online course schedule.
2. Students will complete a Professional Work Experience Practicum (PWE). The PWE provides students an opportunity to further develop their competencies in public service work environment and to gain actual work experience for career advancement.
3. Completion of an applied research problem (Thesis-subsitute project) including a comprehensive oral exam during the student's final semester of the program.

Click here to view a list of MPA courses and descriptions. 

See below for a general MPA degree requirements checklist.