Master of Science in Public Administration

Credit Hours

100% online, 8-week courses

Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total

Next Start Dates: January 19, 2026 | February 16, 2026 | March 23, 2026

Make a Difference in the Public Sector With a Master’s Degree in Public Administration

Are you looking to take the next step in your career? Liberty’s Master of Public Administration (MPA) – General is a professional degree for those who wish to serve in the public sector as managers, executives, and policy analysts in all areas of local, state, and federal government. Throughout our MPA degree, you will study the principles and development of public administration as it relates to executive-level management and leadership.

As a public administration professional, you will be required to analyze situations and create solutions for the challenges society deals with. With the training you receive through our MPA degree, you can work to fix the problems your community is dealing with, or work toward solutions for global issues like poverty, water and food shortages, HIV, and other needs that plague underdeveloped nations.

At Liberty, our goal is to Train Champions for Christ. Our MPA provides advanced public administration training taught from a biblical worldview. You can learn how to lead with integrity as you help shape and improve public policy.

Your officially conferred degree name will be Master of Public Administration (MPA) – General.

Backed by a brick-and-mortar campus ranked as Niche.com’s #2 Best College Campus in America for 2026

Private Nonprofit University
600+ Online Degrees
No Standardized Testing for Admission
Transfer in up to 75% of an Undergrad Degree
Transfer in up to 50% of a Grad/Doctoral Degree

Top 10 Reasons to Choose Liberty

Why Choose Liberty’s Online MPA Program?

Our accredited Christian university has been pioneering distance education since 1985. We strive to continue developing our online learning environment to meet your specific needs. Our professors use their first-hand experience and education in the field to help you become the Christian leader you desire to be. We believe that your master’s degree should prepare you for more than a job – it should prepare you to influence others with integrity. Advance your career through online courses that teach best practices in leadership and management applicable to the public administration sector.

By providing a master’s degree in public administration 100% online, we hope to give you the flexibility you need to continue working in your field, supporting your family, and ministering to your community. Our online MPA can be completed through an 8-week course format, with no set login times, and 8 different start dates throughout the year.

What Will You Study in Our Public Administration Master’s Degree?

Our online master’s degree in public administration courses will address public policy analysis, management styles for public organizations, and strategies for economic development. The courses that define our MPA degree can help you understand the financial, decision-making, and political implications of policy work.

Throughout any career in public administration, there is a common thread of decision-making and execution of public policy. In most positions, you contribute toward how the government or organization functions. Therefore, it is crucial that you understand how to analyze policy, assess community development needs, manage public sector organizations, and conduct advanced research. You can learn all this and more while earning Liberty’s MPA degree.

Our professors are passionate about leading world change through policy and economic management. They will provide you with key principles to create a stable financial life within a community, as well as practical tools to lead political stakeholders and constituents.

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Tuition & Aid

At Liberty University, a private Christian education is less expensive than you think. Over the last 10 years, Liberty University’s Online Program has only raised its standard tuition costs by less than 5% – and most of our online tuition rates rank in the top 35% for affordability for 2025 when compared to our leading online competitors.

Graduate Full Time	$580/Credit
Graduate Part Time	$645/Credit
Military Graduate	$290/Credit

These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.

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Admission Information for Our Online Master of Public Administration

Admission Requirements

Apply online or over the phone with an admissions counselor by calling (800) 424-9596.
- A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required).
Send official college transcripts (mailed as sealed, unopened copies or sent via a direct electronic transcript system). A regionally or nationally accredited bachelor’s degree with at least a 3.0 GPA is required for admission in good standing. Students with a GPA less than 3.0 may be considered for admission on caution. Applicants who have earned a master’s degree or at least 12 graduate credits from an accredited institution will be assessed on the basis of the master’s-level degree work.
- Unofficial transcripts can be used for acceptance purposes with the submission of a Transcript Request Form.
Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy.

Preliminary Acceptance

If you are sending in a preliminary transcript for acceptance, you must:

Be in your final term and planning to start your master’s degree after the last day of class for your bachelor’s degree.
Complete a Bachelor’s Self-Certification Form confirming your completion date. You may download the form from the Forms and Downloads page or contact an admissions counselor to submit the form on your behalf.
Submit an official/unofficial transcript to confirm that you are in your final term. The preliminary transcript must show a minimum of 105 completed credit hours.
If you are a current Liberty University student completing your undergraduate degree, you will need to submit a Degree/Certificate Completion Application.
Send in an additional, final official transcript with a conferral date on it by the end of your first semester of enrollment in the new master’s degree.

Undergraduate Enrollment in Graduate Courses Policy

Transcript Policies

Unofficial College Transcript Policy

Unofficial transcripts combined with a Transcript Request Form can be used for admission. Official transcripts are required within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first, and will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.

Before sending unofficial college transcripts, please make sure they include the following:

Your previous school’s name or logo printed on the document
Cumulative GPA
A list of completed courses and earned credit broken down by semester
Degree and date conferred (if applicable)

Official College Transcript Policy

An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to luoverify@liberty.edu.

If the student uses unofficial transcripts with a Transcript Request Form to gain acceptance, all official transcripts must be received within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first. Failure to send all official transcripts within the 60-day period will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.

Admissions Office Contact Information

Submit your application online or over the phone.

Start Online Application

Apply by phone: (800) 424-9595

Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.

Who May Qualify?

Active Duty
Reserve/National Guard
Veterans/Retirees
Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees
Current Department of Defense Employees

Available Benefits:

Tuition discounts – $290 per credit hour for graduate courses
Additional discount for veterans who serve in a civilian capacity as a First Responder*
8-week courses, 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times (may exclude certain courses such as practicums, internships, or field experiences)

*Not applicable to certificates.

These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.

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*Some restrictions may occur for this promotion to apply. This promotion also excludes active faculty and staff, military, non-degree-seeking, DGIA, Continuing Education, WSB, and certificate students.

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Master of Public Administration – General Craft Effective Governance Strategies

Make a Difference in the Public Sector With a Master’s Degree in Public Administration

What Sets Us Apart?

Why Choose Liberty’s Online MPA Program?

What Will You Study in Our Public Administration Master’s Degree?

Potential Career Opportunities

Featured Courses

Degree Information

Not sure what to choose?

Tuition & Aid

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Admission Information for Our Online Master of Public Administration

Admission Requirements

Preliminary Acceptance

Undergraduate Enrollment in Graduate Courses Policy

Transcript Policies

Unofficial College Transcript Policy

Official College Transcript Policy

Admissions Office Contact Information

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