Public Administration (MPA)

Brooks School of Public Policy

Program Website

Program Description

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) program is designed for people who aspire to management and leadership roles across the field of public affairs in public, private, and non-profit sectors. It is a two-year, full-time, on-campus professional degree for people ready to tackle the world’s most pressing policy problems in careers that serve the greater good. Students choose from seven concentrations, each designed to equip them with specialized knowledge and skills that support their career growth in their chosen field.

Concentration Areas

  • Data Science
  • Economic Policy
  • Environmental and Sustainability Policy
  • International Policy Management
  • Public and Nonprofit Management
  • Science and Technology Policy
  • Social Policy: Health, Education, and Inequity

Admission Requirements

Admission to the MPA Program is aimed at fostering academic and professional talent, welcoming applicants from various disciplines and professional backgrounds. While no specific undergraduate major is required, applicants with demonstrated experience in policymaking or policy implementation are especially encouraged to apply. Each application is reviewed holistically and in the context of the overall applicant pool for that admission cycle. To be considered for admission, applicants must submit a complete application package as outlined below.

  • Transcripts from all colleges or universities attended
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Resume
  • Statement of purpose
  • Online video interview
  • TOEFL or IELTS scores, if applicable

Please visit Cornell Brooks Public Policy: How to Apply website to view our application deadline.

Policies and Procedures

MPA students are expected to meet policies set by the Brooks School of Public Policy and the University for professional master’s students. For details about Brooks School academic policies, see the Brooks School policies page.  Please review the university catalog policies regarding academic integrity and final exams.

Petitions

Course substitutions may be permitted based on prior mastery of a subject or to request a relevant course not listed within the catalog year’s curriculum requirements. These petitions must be approved by the Brooks MPA Program Director.

MPA students must be in-residence for all semesters of the program. They must also attend classes according to the modality offered by the course and cannot request an alternative form of attendance/participation.

Students who face an extenuating circumstance may petition the MPA Director for an exception to an MPA program academic policy.

Good Academic Standing Requirements

The minimum academic standards are as follows:

  • A student must maintain a semester and cumulative grade point average of 3.0.
  • Students must receive a grade of C or better in all degree requirements. If the course is only offered with S/U grading, a grade of SX must be received.
  • A student cannot carry more than two (2) incomplete grades simultaneously.
  • Students must complete at least 12 credits each semester unless they have received an approved petition to take fewer than 12 credits (e.g. for Student Disability Services (SDS) accommodation)
  • Students must be in-residence unless they are participating in an approved Off-Campus activity, with written approval from the Program Director.
  • A student must be making “satisfactory progress” toward a Brooks School master’s degree.

Review Process:

At the end of each semester, the Brooks School committee on academic status (CAS) reviews each Bachelor of Science and Professional Master Student’s academic record to ensure that the minimum academic standards are met. The committee takes appropriate action for students whose academic achievement is considered unsatisfactory as defined by the criteria above.  To support every student’s success, the committee may take any of the following actions:

  • Withdraw the student permanently from the Brooks School and Cornell University.
  • Require the student to take a leave of absence for one or more semesters.
  • Issue a warning to the student at one of the following levels (these imply that if the student does not show considerable improvement during the semester, the committee may withdraw the student):
    • Severe warning with danger of being withdrawn
    • Severe warning
    • Warning
  • Add the student’s name to a review list; students with this status are monitored by the committee throughout the semester.
  • Return the student to good standing.

Any of the above actions may be accompanied by a semester credit limit or a requirement for the student to meet with an academic advisor by a date set by the committee.

Students placed on a required leave must appeal to CAS to return. This appeal occurs at the end of the required leave period. Students who have been withdrawn may appeal the decision before the committee during the pre-semester appeals meeting.

All students with an academic warning status automatically will be reviewed for specific criteria at the end of the subsequent semester. Students put on warning, severe warning, or severe warning with danger of being withdrawn status will be informed of conditions that they are expected to fulfill to return to good standing.

Students who have been previously placed on a required leave and wish to return to the Brooks School must submit a plan of study to the committee before being rejoined. The student should contact the Registrar in the Brooks Office of Admissions, Student Services, and Career Management to discuss the process and due dates.

Students who have been withdrawn from the Brooks School by CAS may request that they be readmitted. Such students have three years from the date they were withdrawn to make this appeal with assistance from an advisor in the Brooks Office of Admissions, Student Services, and Career Management. After three years, a former student must apply for readmission through the Brooks School admissions process. A student applying for readmission should discuss their situation with an advisor in the Brooks Office of Admissions, Student Services and Career Management.  The student also should talk with others who may be able to help—faculty mentors, instructors, or a member of the university medical staff. Any information given to the committee is held in the strictest confidence.

Complementary Degree Pathways

Master of Public Administration (MPA) – Juris Doctor (JD) Pathway

Cornell Law School and the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy offer a four-year pathway that leads to a JD degree and a Master of Public Administration degree. Applicants must apply to, and be accepted by, both schools. Applicants to the MPA program from the Cornell Law School may apply up to twelve (12) credits from the Law School toward their MPA degree, subject to the approval of the director of graduate studies of the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy.

Master of Public Administration (MPA) - Master of Business Administration (MBA) Pathway

As of May 2025, admissions to the MPA-MBA pathway is on pause. Students who received acceptance into both pathways prior to May 2025 remain eligible to participate.

This pathway enables students to earn an additional degree alongside their MPA degree by applying up to twelve credits across both programs.