Public Administration

The NCCU Master of Public Administration (MPA) Program is now accredited by NASPAA, the global standard in public service education!

The Department of Public Administration is part of the College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities and the NCCU School of Graduate Studies, and offers the Master of Public Administration degree in traditional and executive tracks. The NCCU Master of Public Administration Program is accredited by the NASPAA Commission Peer Review and Accreditation and listed on the Annual Roster of Accredited Programs in conformity with NASPAA standards.

The department and the MPA program have seven core full-time faculty, in addition to a number of teaching practitioners, other NCCU faculty, and adjunct faculty.

Please follow us on social media (X/Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn) or visit our internal Public Administration Canvas site.

The Department of Public Administration at North Carolina Central University strives to prepare students from diverse backgrounds to become professionals with the knowledge and skills required for ethical leadership in the public and non-profit sectors through effective teaching, applied and scholarly research, and service to developing communities.

The Mission of the North Carolina Central University Master of Public Administration (MPA) program is to train leaders in public service by enhancing their knowledge, skills, and abilities through scholarship and professional development with a global lens. We advance diversity through truth and service to promote social equity.

The Public Administration department traces its origin to the establishment of an undergraduate Public Administration concentration. Under the leadership of Dr. Tyrone Baines, this concentration was created within the Department of Political Science in 1973 and grew to produce an impressive array of public sector professionals. The Master of Public Administration program was established in 1985 and was led by Dr. Clarence Brown. In 2001, under the guidance of Dr. William Lewis, Public Administration became an autonomous department. Four years later, in 2005, under the direction of Ronald Penny, Esq., the department established the Executive Master of Public Administration (MPA) program. In 2014, Dr. Emmanuel Oritsejafor became the chair of the Public Administration department. Under Dr. Oritsejafor, the MPA program added specializations in Human Resources, Non-Profit, Public Health Policy, and Urban and Regional Planning.

In 2017, Dr. Zaphon R. Wilson was named department chair after a national search. Under Wilson’s watch, the MPA program reduced its required number of credit hours from 45 to 42 credit hours and developed a partnership with the City of Durham on Public Budget Initiative, as well as a specialization in Law and Society.

Tuition and fees for the general MPA are available in the Tuition and Fees document for the university.

Tuition and fees for the EMPA track are higher than the traditional MPA track's tuition and fees. The nature of the program explains the increase in cost. Specifically, the EMPA program has an all-inclusive pricing model. Thus, students pay one charge to cover many of the costs that students in other programs pay in addition to the university tuition and fees. Among other expenses, EMPA charges cover the following:

• Airfare, lodging, and ground transportation for the Executive Internship Experience
• All books and case studies for courses
• Access to university computer systems (Banner, Blackboard, and library databases
• An electronic tablet computer

Note: Tuition waivers are not applicable to the EMPA track.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

The NCCU Office of Scholarships and Student Aid (OSSA, https://www.nccu.edu/ssa) aims to provide financial assistance to students through scholarships, grants, loans and work-study.

The Department of Public Administration offers two fully funded academic years (tuition and stipend) graduate assistantships, one partial summer assistantship and an M.P.A. scholarship. Funding is distributed based on merit.

The NCCU MPA offers students multiple start dates per calendar year:

• MPA traditional track: August, January, and May
• Executive MPA track: January and May

Application

The MPA application through NCCU's Graduate Studies can be found online here: https://gradapply.nccu.edu/.

For general questions about the graduate school admissions process or admissions application, contact Graduate Studies by phone at 919-530-7396 or by email at [email protected].

Please be prepared to provide the following materials to Graduate Studies Online for your application:

• Most recent resume or CV
• Two letters of recommendation
• One unofficial transcript from each university attended. Official transcripts for each university attended must be sent to the School of Graduate Studies at North Carolina Central University, 123-A Taylor Education Building, Durham, NC 27707.          
• Application fee (either online during the application process or by check through the mail)
• Statement of purpose, usually one to two pages in length, responding to the question, "Why do you want to earn an MPA from North Carolina Central University?" The statement should address your professional goals, experiences that have led you to consider a public service career, and why the MPA program at North Carolina Central University would be a good fit for you.

Graduate Contact Form

 NCCUMPA
 NCCU Public Administration
 NCCU_MPA

Apply now to North Carolina Central University!

Apply Now

The NCCU MPA Program Advisory Board provides regular guidance, support, and connections to public administration practitioners to support the program mission.

• Dr. Tyrone R. Baines, Professor Emeritus, North Carolina Central University
• Dr. Nathan Boucher, Associate Research Professor, Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University
• Mr. C.J. Broderick, President/CEO at The Greater Durham Black Chamber of Commerce COO
• Ms. Cora Cole-McFadden, North Carolina Black Elected Municipal Officials Association
• Mr. Christopher Iannuzzi, Durham City Deputy Fire Chief
• Mr. Wendell Davis, Former Durham County Manager
• Ms. Linda Gunn, Retired, Senior VP/Administrative Services NC Institute of Minority Economic Development
• Ms. Brenda Howerton, Chair of the Durham Board of County Commissioners
• Past President, NC Association of County Commissioners
• Ms. Wanda Page, Durham City Manager
• Mr. Ronald Penny, Secretary, NC Department of Revenue
• Mr. Terrance Scarborough, Director, SARA North Carolina - North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority
• Dr. James Svara, Retired Professor of Public Administration
• Ms. Annette R. Taylor, Manager, Minority Business/Community Affairs at North Carolina Education Lottery
• Dr. Zaphon R. Wilson, Chair and Associate Professor, Dept. of Public Administration, NCCU
• Mr. Patrick Young, Director of Planning and Development at City of Raleigh Municipal Government