M.P.A. Program Outcomes

The North Carolina Central University Master of Public Administration program has been accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) since 2021. Accreditation recognizes our commitment to rigorous professional education, public service values, student learning, and continuous program improvement. Our M.P.A. program is accredited across its traditional and executive delivery formats. We maintain our accreditation through ongoing assessment, public reporting of student outcomes, and periodic external peer review.

We regularly evaluate student learning and program effectiveness to ensure that our graduates develop the knowledge, skills, and professional competencies necessary for effective public service. Our assessment process includes direct evaluation of student work, including policy analyses, applied projects, case studies, and professional learning portfolios.

Faculty review assessment findings to evaluate progress toward our learning outcomes, identify areas for improvement, and guide changes to curriculum, instruction, and student support. We also incorporate feedback from students, graduates, practitioners, and our Public Administration Advisory Board into our ongoing program evaluation and improvement processes.

In 2025–2026, we strengthened applied learning through public-sector case studies and assignments in core courses expanded rubric-based assessment of students’ policy analysis, budgeting, quantitative reasoning, and research skills, and revised the capstone evaluation process.

The NCCU M.P.A. program learning outcomes are for students to be able to:

1. Analyze policies and programs
2. Compose communications for public administration
3. Improve management for organizational effectiveness and public service responsiveness
4. Develop leadership, ethics, and professionalism
5. Combine theory and practice in scholarship and service

Our program learning outcomes reflect NASPAA's universal competencies for graduate public service education while emphasizing NCCU's commitment to ethical leadership, analytical skills, organizational effectiveness, and applied public service.

The NCCU MPA program awarded 50 degrees in the 2025–2026 academic year.

Of the 77 students who entered the program during the 2020–2021 academic year, 76 (99%) graduated within four years.

Our students complete applied professional learning experiences in a variety of settings, including their existing workplaces and traditional internship placements. In 2025–2026, 59% of reported placements were in public-sector institutions, including government agencies, the judiciary, and public education.

Our graduates serve across government, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector. Among 2024–2025 graduates, 43% were employed in federal, state, or local government; 25% in nonprofit organizations; and 16% in the private sector. These outcomes include graduates who continued employment held during their studies.

Graduation Rates (students who started in academic year 2020–2021) by Track

NCCU Master of Public Administration students complete applied professional development experiences that connect academic learning with public service practice. Students may fulfill this requirement through traditional internships, supervised in-service projects, qualifying public-serving private-sector work, or public management consulting. Executive M.P.A. students are expected to complete this in their current role. The internship track requires 300 hours of applied professional development and a culminating analytical paper.

In 2025–2026, M.P.A. and Executive M.P.A. (EMPA) students completed internships at a variety of public-serving organizations, including the City of Greenville, Duke University, Durham County Magistrate’s Office, Durham Technical Community College, Easterseals PORT Health, Healthy Blue NC, Hodgestown Lifetime Learning Center, Mia Aesthetics, Molina Healthcare, NC Correctional Institution for Women, NC Department of Health and Human Services (NC FAST), NC Department of Revenue, NC Disability Determination Services, NC State Highway Patrol, NC Supreme Court, NCCU Department of Community Engagement and Service, NCCU Department of Public Administration, Next Generation Academy, RISE Ministries, South Garner High School (Wake County Public School System), Southern School of Energy and Sustainability (Durham Public Schools), Student U, Universal Vidya, Vaya Health, and Wake County Guardian ad Litem Program.

No internship waivers were granted during the 2025–2026 academic year. Students fulfilling their requirements through approved in-service projects were not classified as receiving waivers, because they completed the required supervised professional development experience and associated academic work.

Employment outcomes reflect the employment or educational status of 2024–2025 M.P.A. graduates, including graduates who continued in employment held during their studies. Categories follow NASPAA's graduate employment reporting framework.