{"id":12280,"date":"2019-07-25T16:51:12","date_gmt":"2019-07-25T23:51:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/css\/?page_id=4896"},"modified":"2025-10-09T23:48:13","modified_gmt":"2025-10-09T23:48:13","slug":"frequently-asked-questions","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/cahss\/political-science-public-policy\/public-administration\/frequently-asked-questions\/","title":{"rendered":"Frequently Asked Questions"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":425,"featured_media":0,"parent":12279,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-12280","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":{"background_image_type":"custom","background":{"ID":2794,"id":2794,"title":"UDistrictBridge","filename":"UDistrictBridge.jpg","filesize":288734,"url":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/cahss\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2019\/05\/UDistrictBridge.jpg","link":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/cahss\/political-science-public-policy\/public-administration\/student-information\/udistrictbridge-2\/","alt":"Panorama of the Spokane campus with focus on the U-District Bridge","author":"425","description":"","caption":"","name":"udistrictbridge-2","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":4860,"date":"2019-05-24 23:51:18","modified":"2021-07-10 02:25:54","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/cahss\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1600,"height":900,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/cahss\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2019\/05\/UDistrictBridge-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/cahss\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2019\/05\/UDistrictBridge-300x169.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":169,"medium_large":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/cahss\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2019\/05\/UDistrictBridge-768x432.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/cahss\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2019\/05\/UDistrictBridge-1024x576.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":576,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/cahss\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2019\/05\/UDistrictBridge-1536x864.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":864,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/cahss\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2019\/05\/UDistrictBridge.jpg","2048x2048-width":1600,"2048x2048-height":900,"gform-image-choice-sm":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/cahss\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2019\/05\/UDistrictBridge.jpg","gform-image-choice-sm-width":300,"gform-image-choice-sm-height":169,"gform-image-choice-md":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/cahss\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2019\/05\/UDistrictBridge.jpg","gform-image-choice-md-width":400,"gform-image-choice-md-height":225,"gform-image-choice-lg":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/cahss\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2019\/05\/UDistrictBridge.jpg","gform-image-choice-lg-width":600,"gform-image-choice-lg-height":338}},"background_vertical_alignment":"center","title":"Frequently Asked Questions","bold_title":"(FAQs)","content":"","primary_content_copy":"

About Us<\/h2>\n

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) Program provides a wide variety of educational opportunities in public and not-for-profit management. Our program prepares students through an emphasis on policy, management, and leadership\u2014key skills that employers look for. Graduate study opportunities are available for both current professionals and recent graduates interested in pursuing a career in public service. Students can choose between full-time and part-time study programs.<\/p>\n

Students are encouraged to understand the public service environment, the values that shape public service, and the critical and analytical skills required to formulate, implement, and evaluate public service decisions. Our courses focus on state and local government (along with nonprofit organizations), as these sectors represent the largest portion of public sector employment.<\/p>\n

Program faculty, all of whom hold doctoral degrees and have public service management experience, have been selected from several academic areas most pertinent to public sector applications. Adjunct faculty are highly trained, qualified, and experienced academics and practitioners.<\/p>\n

\"NASPAAThe MPA Program is accredited by the NASPAA Commission on Peer Review and Accreditation<\/strong> and listed on the Annual Roster of Accredited Programs in conformity with NASPAA standards.<\/p>\n

For further information or questions, please contact Courtney Jensen at 509.828.1317<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0cejensen@ewu.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n","blocks":[{"acf_fc_layout":"accordion-with-notes","module_background_color":"white","accordion_position":"left","title":"Frequently Asked Questions","notes":"","include_spacing":true,"expanded":false,"sections":[{"label":"What types of careers will an MPA help me succeed in?","copy":"

There are a wide variety of public service careers into which our graduates go.<\/p>\n

Most often they embark into the management of public service organizations — including government agencies, nonprofit agencies, and even for-profit companies (e.g. as the government relations person for a company).<\/p>\n"},{"label":"Do I need an undergraduate degree in government to join the MPA program?","copy":"

No. Any bachelor’s degree will do. We do, however, have some background requirements we expect you to either have upon entry or to obtain during the program.<\/p>\n"},{"label":"Do I need work experience prior to entering the MPA program?","copy":"

No, but many of our students have had work experience — some in public service careers.<\/p>\n

Part of the energy in the classroom that is a valuable part of this program derives from the discussions which include a variety of viewpoints, including experienced public service professionals, people right out of their bachelor’s degree programs, business people, social workers, bureaucrats, law enforcement personnel, etc.<\/p>\n"},{"label":"How are the MPA classes offered?","copy":"

All MPA classes are offered asynchronously online. They do not require students to meet at a specific time.<\/p>\n"},{"label":"Can I enroll in the program while still working full-time?","copy":"

Yes. Most of our students work full-time.<\/p>\n"},{"label":"How long does it take to complete the MPA program?","copy":"

That, of course, depends on how many credits you take per quarter and whether or not you take classes during the summer quarter.<\/p>\n

The program is designed to be completed in 18 months for full-time students. 20-25% of our students complete the program on that timeline.<\/p>\n

Many of our students, however, have full-time jobs that make a full course load impractical. 50% complete the program within 36 months.<\/p>\n

Students may take up to six years to complete the program.<\/p>\n"},{"label":"Is an internship required for the MPA degree?","copy":"

No, but it is an option for up to 8 of the 20 credits in electives. We do not normally recommend internships until a student has completed about half of the program (30 credits).<\/p>\n

In recent quarters, MPA students have held internships at organizations like:<\/p>\n