The MPA Program at CCNY exposes students to alternative models of public service leadership and management, critical perspectives on public policy, and emergent forms of economic design and organization that aim to better serve the needs of a diverse public. In service to our mission to uplift leaders to transform society, the MPA Program invites faculty, students, and community partners to co-create a social justice leadership practice that is values-driven and inclusive of the multitude of perspectives and diverse experiences reflected in our communities. Now more than ever, we need public service professionals committed to shifting power in ways that deepen our commitment to democratic principles, and that can catalyze society’s transformation toward a more equitable world.
Application Process Apply Today
Preparing public service leaders to shift power and transform society: only at ccny
79% of MPA graduates accepted a new job offer or promotion within 6 months of graduation
Professional development program provides leadership workshops and career-building exercises
Work experience requirement ensures job-based learning and professional growth parallel to coursework
Capstone engages students in a semester-long, team-based project management experience in service to a community partner
Student Info
Our students bring core convictions and lived experiences that uniquely position them to transform the future of public service leadership and management. MPA graduates build meaningful careers spanning the public and social sectors - with 47% working in nonprofit organizations, 30% working in government institutions, and 23% working in business and social enterprise. Collectively, our students embody our mission to shift power toward those historically marginalized from it. The majority of our students are women, people of color, and the first in their families to earn a graduate degree. We bring together immigrant New Yorkers and US-born New Yorkers. We welcome people early in their careers, mid-career professionals, and people returning to school after accumulating rich life experiences in service to others. Please see our 2023 incoming student infographic.
Faculty Info
Our program harnesses the experiences of practitioners - professional faculty who are deeply immersed in the field of public service and social change - and connects that experiential knowledge and social issue expertise with the interests of a diverse student body of rising professionals. MPA faculty work in leading think tanks, social impact finance companies, philanthropic foundations, federal and local government agencies, and national nonprofit organizations. Our faculty have also founded their own social impact consulting firms, led successful national campaigns on prescient issues, done pioneering work in local nonprofits in NYC, and have received honors and awards including the prestigious Echoing Green fellowship, MacArther Genius Award, and Fulbright ETA Award. Please see our faculty bios.
Curricular Innovation
The CPS MPA curriculum centers real-world practice through professional experiences working in closest proximity to communities marginalized from power. MPA coursework are designed to prepare students with in-demand professional skills and results-driven approaches to public service management that are relevant to real world settings. The MPA curriculum is anchored by five core competencies: effective communication, strategic management, data-driven decision making, stakeholder engagement, and leadership. Please see our core course descriptions.
Admissions Facts
Total Credits: 45
GRE Required: No
Minimum TOEFL/IELTS Scores: 500 (TOEFL PBT), 61 (TOEFL IBT), 6 (IELTS), 44 (PTE) or 85 (Duolingo)
Degree Awarded: M.P.A.
Supporting Documents Required:
- Personal Statement
- Short-Answer Questions
- Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended
- 2 letters of recommendation
- Resume/CV
- Supplemental questions within the application
- TOEFL/IELTS scores (international students and those who have not completed at least two years of higher education from countries where English is the official language.)
What is the value of this degree for the student?
MPA graduates can explore different career options in government, non-profit organizations & the private sector. Roles may range from policy analysts in a city government to program directors at an international non-profit.
Recent student job placements and/or distinctions:
As of our last survey in 2023, 47% of our graduates worked in the nonprofit sector and education, 30% worked in government, and 23% worked in business and social enterprise.
- Director of Diversity and Inclusion | Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health
- Associate Director, Engagement | Ichor Strategies
- Manager of LGBTQ Programs | NYC Dept. of Education
- Senior Policy Analyst | NYC Mayor’s Office
- Senior Associate | Rockefeller Foundation
- Vice President | New York City Economic Development Corporation
Program Advisor:
Caroline Enjalbert, Program Manager
cenjalbert@ccny.cuny.edu
For more information, please visit the Program Website.
Ready to take the next step?
CONTACT INFORMATION
Wille Administration Building
Room 101
160 Convent Avenue
New York, NY 10031
212.650.6977
graduateadmissions@ccny.cuny.edu
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IN-PERSON OFFICE HOURS
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Wednesday 9:00 AM - 6:30 PM
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VIRTUAL FRONT DESK HOURS
Monday and Thursday 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Tuesday 2:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Wednesday and Friday Closed
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Last Updated: 02/19/2025 12:27