Online Public Administration Master's Degree

Program Details

Next Start Date: January 8

Credit Hours: 36

Course Length: 8 weeks

Estimated Program Length: 24 months

The Master of Science in Administration with a specialization in Public Administration from the University of West Florida is a fully online program that can prepare you for advanced management and leadership roles in public, nonprofit and private organizations.

Why Study Public Administration at UWF?

The UWF online Public Administration MSA program offers flexibility while still providing an in-depth curriculum that teaches students the ins-and-outs of public administration. In this program, you will learn from experienced, hands-on faculty who integrate administrative theory and best practices into a curriculum that gives a holistic understanding of organizational environments. The program’s expert faculty, with experience ranging from city planning to acquisitions and contracts, have published research in recent and highly-relevant peer-reviewed journals and are authors of relevant textbooks in the study of public administration, sustainability, resilience and ethics.

Apply Now

Request Information

What You Will Learn

The master’s in public administration program gives you the opportunity to complete one of two certificate programs: Acquisition and Contract Administration or Managing Sustainability and Resiliency. Upon graduation, you will receive your chosen certificate credential in addition to your master’s degree to enhance your opportunities in the job market. Our certificate programs are designed to allow you to further specialize your degree and skills for the career you want.

The Acquisition and Contract Administration certificate prepares graduates for employment in federal, state and local government contracting as well as the Department of Defense and civilian contracting.

The Managing Sustainability and Resiliency certificate provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to develop and apply sustainability and resiliency policies and strategies in their roles as managers and administrators of public service agencies.

By completing this degree, you will be able to:

Develop and implement budgets
Apply administrative reasoning, roles and responsibilities to your profession
Employ ethical decision making
Create, analyze and implement public policies
Deploy sustainability and resilience planning in an organizational setting

Courses

No. 20 by BestColleges for Top 50 Most Affordable Master's in Public Administration (MPA) Degrees Online, 2021
No. 22 by Best Colleges for Best Online Master’s in Public Administration, 2019
No. 12 by Intelligent.com Best Online Master's in Public Administration Degree Programs, 2019

Program Scholarships

The Master of Science in Administration with a specialization in Public Administration offers ample scholarship and funding opportunities for its students in addition to the financial assistance provided by the University. Available scholarships include but are not limited to the Bill W. Peebles, Jr. Scholarship, the Grant Holmes Memorial Scholarship, and the John C. Pace, Jr. Scholarship. Students interested in pursuing these opportunities should visit the Lewis Bear Jr. College of Business scholarship page and follow the instructions there to apply.

Online programs may not be available in all states. If you are an out-of-state student, please review our State Authorization Status to confirm that the program is available in your state.

Courses & Requirements

The master’s in public administration program requires a core of 6 credit hours, which builds a foundation in financial management, management skills and organizational behavior. The next 21 credit hours are fulfilled by the public administration specialization, including courses in ethics, budgeting, political economy, strategic management and public policy. You can choose between the Acquisition and Contract Administration Certificate or the Managing Sustainability and Resiliency Certificate (both 9 credit hours) to complete your degree. You could complete both certificates with additional credit hours beyond the degree program.

MSA Core Courses (6 credit hours):

GEB 5872 - MBA Foundations: Financial Management I
GEB 5875 - MBA Foundations: Management Skills and Applications
MAN 6156 - Management and Organizational Behavior

Public Administration Specialization (21 credit hours)

PAD 6041 - Public Service Ethics
PAD 6053 - Public Administration Theory Practice
PAD 6227 - Public Budgeting
PAD 6275 - Political Economy of Public Administration
PAD 6417 - Public Service Human Resource MAnagement
PAD 6946 - Public Administration Capstone
PUP 5045 - Public Policy Analysis

Choose one of the following certificates:

Acquisition and Contract Administration Certificate (9 credit hours)

PAD 5635 - Government Contract Law
PAD 5855 - Contract Planning and Formulation
PAD 5862 - Contract Award and Administration

Managing Sustainability and Resiliency Certificate (9 credit hours)

PAD 5434 - Leadership in Sustainability
PAD 6357 - Sustainability and Resiliency Planning
PAD 6335 - Strategic Management for Public Service Organizations

To be considered for admission to the University of West Florida’s online master’s in public administration program, you must have an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution. Other criteria for successful admission include:

Undergraduate transcripts and institutional GPA
Graduate GPA, if applicable
Submission of letter of intent describing the candidate’s work experience and reasons for pursuing the degree program, including how the degree relates to career goals.
Overall fit with the program

How to Apply

To apply for admission to this program, you first need to submit an application for graduate admission (plus a $30 application fee) and be accepted for admission to the University of West Florida. In addition, you must:

Submit official transcripts confirming a bachelor’s degree from an institution whose accrediting agency is included on the list of UWF approved accrediting agencies
Submit a letter of intent

Admission Deadlines:

Fall admission deadline: August 1
Spring admission deadline: December 1
Summer admission deadline: April 1

Program Start Dates (2023-2024): Aug: 8/21, Oct: 10/16, Jan: 1/8, March: 3/4, May: 5/13, June: 6/24

Have questions about this program or the admissions process? Contact our graduate admissions team at gradadmissions@uwf.edu.

Full Course Descriptions Registration Requirements

Careers & Outcomes

Upon completion of our MSA in Public Administration, you can pursue a variety of careers with desirable salaries and growth potential.

Job Titles

City and County Managers
Budget Directors
Urban and Regional Planners
Social and Community Service Managers
Public Policy Administrators
Chief Executives
General and Operations Managers

Career Outlook

The median annual salary for public administration in 2024 is $95,035
Public administration occupations are projected to grow 10% by 2034
Diverse career opportunities across occupational fields including computer science, legislative, environmental science, medical administration and management

Source: Lightcast, 2024

Tuition Rate Per Credit Hour

Public Administration, M.S.A. Online Graduate Tuition
Component	Cost	Total*
In-state Tuition	$384.60 per credit hour	$13,845.60
Full Out-of-state Tuition	$1,044.24 per credit hour	$37,592.64
90% Out-of-state Tuition	$478.83 per credit hour	$17,237.88

Tuition waivers cover up to 90% of the non-resident portion of your tuition and are available to non-Florida residents (including international students) admitted to online campus programs and registered for online courses in active pursuit of that degree or certificate. You must pay all other assessed tuition and fees. The renewal of Online Campus Out-of-State Tuition Waivers is not automatic. Waiver requests must be submitted every semester and are not retroactive for previous semesters. Review Tuition Waiver Information to learn more.

Time to completion varies by student, depending on individual progress and credits transferred, if applicable. Fees are charged per semester unless otherwise noted.

Refer to UWF Cost of Attendance Estimates and Financial Literacy for more information on UWF costs and financial aid.

* Tuition and fees are subject to change.

Alabama, Military & Financial Aid

Alabama Differential Out-of-State Tuition

Residents of Alabama are eligible for Alabama Differential Tuition, a reduced out-of-state tuition rate. To verify residency status for tuition purposes, new undergraduate students should contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and new graduate students should contact the Graduate School. Current enrolled students should contact the Office of the Registrar. See more about Tuition Waivers.

Military & Veterans

The UWF Military & Veterans Resource Center (MVRC) serves as the campus advocate for military, dependents and veteran students. Contact the MVRC to learn more about the various military and veteran education assistance or tuition waiver opportunities and eligibility requirements.

UWF Financial Assistance

The University of West Florida offers various financial aid options for our online students, including loans, scholarships and grants for degree-seeking students. We provide eligible students with an alternative to paying the full amount of tuition at the beginning of each term in the form of an installment payment plan or a short-term loan. See more about Financial Aid and Education Funding Opportunities.