Three universities in Louisiana currently offer online Master of Public Administration (MPA) programs with minimal or no on-campus or residency requirements. Via the programs offered by Louisiana State University, Tulane University, and the University of Louisiana Monroe, students can specialize their MPA degree in one of the following areas of study: Emergency Management, Economic Development, Environmental Management and Resilience, K-12 Education Leadership, Nonprofit and Strategic Philanthropy Management, Healthcare Administration, Criminal Justice, or General Public Management.
The public and private universities included on this page are each accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Continue reading below to learn more about each of their MPA programs.
Schools in Louisiana with Online MPA Programs
Louisiana State University (LSU) offers an online MPA through the E. J. Ourso College of Business’ Department of Public Administration. The Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) accredited program requires the completion of 36 credit hours of graduate coursework, including 24 core credit hours, nine elective credit hours, a single credit Practicum, and a two-credit Capstone course. The curriculum focuses on social change, enhancing foundational knowledge of public administration, and managerial and analytical skills. Students enrolled full time can fulfill the degree requirements fully online in one year.
LSU MPA courses are taught using asynchronous instruction. Students can access lectures, readings, and assignments on their own schedule through the learning management system Moodle. Upon admissions, students have access to an enrollment coach to assist with logistical preparations, and throughout the program online students are encouraged to utilize university resources such as academic coaching, tutoring, and career services. MPA students are also invited to join the school’s chapter of the Public Administration Student Association (PASA).
Tulane University’s School of Professional Advancement (SoPA) offers an online MPA degree, and has attained programmatic accreditation through NASPAA. The curriculum emphasizes contemporary societal complexities and challenges, and requires the completion of 12 courses, including six core courses, five concentration courses, and a final capstone course. Elective courses can be concentrated in one of the following subject areas: Emergency Management, Economic Development, Environmental Management and Resilience, K-12 Education Leadership, and Nonprofit and Strategic Philanthropy Management. Electives, with the exception of Emergency Management courses, can be used to earn an additional graduate certificate. Online students enrolled in two classes per semester can earn their degree in two years.
Tulane uses the learning management system Canvas to conduct its online MPA program. Online students are expected to log on for classes and other interactive activities at a specified time (i.e., synchronous instruction), though coursework may be completed at the students’ convenience (i.e., asynchronous instruction) while adhering to deadlines outlined in the syllabus. While the majority of Tulane’s MPA program can be completed remotely, the program culminates with an Annual Public Administration Professional Residency. Held on Tulane’s campus at the conclusion of each spring semester, the three-day residency provides online students the opportunity to participate in panel discussions, professional development sessions, and networking events with peers, faculty, and other civic sector professionals.
University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM) offers an online MPA degree through its College of Business and Social Sciences (CBSS). The degree involves the completion of 36 credit hours of graduate coursework, broken out into 18 core credit hours and 18 hours within a designated area of study. Students can select from one of the following areas of concentration: Administration of Health (ADH), Administration of Justice (ADJ), Administration of Education (ADE), Management (MGT), or Public Management (PMG) which the university considers its general public administration track. Concentrations require the approval of an academic advisor. Pre-service students, those with less than two years of relevant professional experience, must complete an additional three-credit Public Administration Internship. Online MPA courses are offered in eight-week and/or sixteen-week sessions each semester, and students enrolled full-time can earn their degree in 12 to 18 months.
At ULM, the learning management system Moodle is used to provide access to online course materials and assignments. Online students also have access to resources including the university library and academic advising through the Student Success Center. The Office of Career Connections and Experiential Education, open to both current students and alumni, is also available to online students to aide in career counseling and job placement.