Master of Public Administration

We are the original public administration program in Orange County, educating professionals since 1968. The program has approximately 120 students and builds upon students' experiences and interests in American government and public policy at the local, state or federal level, and in the nonprofit sector. With more than four decades in Orange County, we have strong relationships with local governments and agencies in and around Southern California which employ many of our graduates. Alumni include city managers in at least six Orange County cities, leaders in many others cities, and managers in public and nonprofit agencies across the region. To prepare our students for a career in public service by providing a core set of competencies anchored in the foundations of scholarly research and professional practice. Our students develop knowledge, skills, and public service values that equip them to be ethical and exceptional leaders in their communities who act with a commitment to public service, democratic values, accountability, social equity, and diversity.

You are eligible to apply as a graduate student if you have earned a degree equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree.

A student who meets the above requirements may become a classified student if all following conditions are met:

Completes a minimum of 12 semester units of undergraduate coursework in the social sciences or business, six semester units of which must have been upper-division level. At least one of the courses must have been in economics. Upon recommendation of the public administration faculty, suitable practical experience may be substituted for a maximum of six units of the social science/business requirement;

completes a one-semester course in basic statistics

TOEFL: 550 or 80 iBT

IELTS: 6.5

PTE: 58