Earn your Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree online with just 30 credit hours at the Paul V. Hamilton School of the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Lincoln Memorial University. With small class sizes offering individualized attention, LMU's MPA program offers a personalized focus you won't get in other programs.
You'll develop the knowledge and skills needed to pursue a successful career in an area that you're passionate about. Unlock your potential in one of our three unique tracks within the MPA program:
- Public Administration
- Nonprofit Management
- Health Care Policy
In addition, we also offer options for a Nonprofit Management Graduate Certificate and a Health Care Policy Graduate Certificate.
You may be wondering what sets LMU apart from other MPA programs. Here, our MPA program focuses on the systematic investigation of executive organization and management. Our primary goal is to strengthen your understanding of public administration and the making, management, implementation and assessment of public policy in today's society. You will learn to identify the development and principles of public administration and learn to serve as an executive manager within your local, state or federal government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and nonprofit organizations.
Admission Requirements
Review our list of requirements to ensure that you are eligible for admission into our MPA program. If one or more of these requirements are not met, an entrance interview may be required.
- Completed Bachelor Degree: Your undergraduate degree must have been awarded by an institution with regional accreditation or its equivalent. An international degree must comply with university policies for certifying international degrees and/or credits.
- Grade Point Average (GPA): You must have earned an undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or higher on a four-point scale.
- Undergraduate Coursework: It is preferred that you have completed two or more courses centered around the U.S. Federal Government, State and Local Government, or any other equivalent courses focused on the three branches of government; courses about government structure, policymaking, administration and budgeting.
- Letters of Reference: You are required to provide two letters of reference from your undergraduate instructors or one letter from an instructor and another from a professional source.
- Personal Statement: You must submit an essay concerning your reasons for applying to the LMU Master of Public Administration program, your relevant skills, qualifications, preparation and a statement of goals after completing the program.
- Transfer Credits: By approval of the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (AHSS) Graduate Admissions Committee, you will be allowed to transfer a maximum of nine graduate credit hours or its equivalent of graduate work related to the MPA degree.
How to Apply
For admission into the MPA program, apply using the LMU portal. There aren't any set deadlines for applications into the MPA program, though it is preferred by the Graduate School Selection Committee that you submit your application at least three or four weeks prior to the start of a new semester.
Outcomes
Earning an MPA degree isn't just an outstanding achievement, but also opens up a world of possibilities and potential public administration careers. After completing your master's degree, you will be qualified for and able to excel in careers like program manager, operation manager, chief executive, regulatory affairs manager, Technical Project Manager, Director of Social Services, Social Community Service Manager and much more!
Those all sound like wonderful and accomplished careers, but what will an MPA degree mean for your financial stability? According to Forbes.com, professionals who have obtained MPA degrees earn an average salary of $72,000 annually.
Dual Degree Opportunities
At LMU, you will have the opportunity to earn a second master's degree as you pursue your MPA. You can pursue dual Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD) and MPA degrees, or you can pursue dual Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MSCJ) and MPA degrees.
In the JD program, you are required to successfully complete 90 credit hours, comprised of 67 credit hours of required courses and 23 hours of elective courses. For the LMU MPA program, you must successfully complete 30 credit hours (18 hours in required courses and 12 hours of electives). In the JD-MPA Dual Degree Program, you may use 12 elective credit hours of JD coursework to fulfill the MPA program elective credits requirement.
The LMU MPA-MSCJ Dual Degree program combines the primary requirements and electives for the MSCJ and MPA programs to allow you to achieve both graduate degrees concurrently and efficiently. The completion of this dual degree program requires a total of 51 credit hours and fulfillment of all graduation requirements.
*All students must meet the admission requirements for each program before enrollment and fulfill all graduation requirements.
Contact Us
No matter if you're a current or soon-to-be student at LMU, we're here to help with any inquiries!
Paige Dzindolet
AHSS Graduate School Administrative Assistant
Office Address: 6965 Cumberland Gap Parkway, Harrogate, TN 37752
Phone: 423.869.6764
Email: Paige.Dzindolet@LMUnet.edu
Dr. Stephen Adkins
Master of Public Administration Program Director
Office Address: LMU-Cedar Bluff Office #171, 421 Park 40 North Blvd., Knoxville, TN 37923
Phone: 865.531.4168
Email: Stephen.Adkins@LMUnet.edu