Overview

The MPA Public Affairs program at the Western Carolina University is a 39-semester hour program with the option for an internship if a student does not have previous professional experience. The curriculum is taught by an experienced faculty and public sector professionals.

The course work hones a student’s research and analytical skills while covering subjects like Legal Issues in Public Affairs; Public Financial Management; and Public Policy Analysis. The internship option places students in a variety of local, federal and non-profit organization positions and is a great chance for practical experience while networking with existing professionals.

Where You'll Go

WCU’s MPA alumni are working in leadership positions in regional and national governments and agencies. You will have the chance to work in a variety of government departments, work as a policy analyst or researcher, work with non-profit organizations, get into education or continue your studies in a doctoral program.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Legal Issues in Public Affairs

Public Affairs Administration

Public Financial Management

Public Organizational Theory

Public Policy Analysis

Research Methods for Public Affairs

Public Affairs Capstone Experience

Public Personnel Management

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 12 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-08-18 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-08-01 00:00:00

More details

The MPA program accepts and welcomes International applicants to apply only for Fall terms.

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

105

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Credits

39 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Asheville, United States

Disciplines

Public Policy View 408 other Masters in Public Policy in United States

Join for free or log in to access our complete career info list.

Academic requirements

GPA

Required

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

105

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

In addition to the Graduate School Admission Requirements, applicants should have a B average in their last two years of undergraduate study and must obtain a satisfactory score on the Graduate Record Exam General Test.

All candidates for admission to the MPA must submit official GRE scores that are no more than 5 years old.

However, a candidate with a graduate degree from a regionally accredited university is not required to submit standardized scores.

In addition, all applicants must submit an up-to-date resume and must submit a 1-2 page essay that addresses the following question: “Why to you want to pursue an MPA and a career in public service?

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

21444 USD / year

≈ 21444 USD / year
Out-of-State

21444 USD / year

≈ 21444 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

10724 USD / year

≈ 10724 USD / year

Living costs

Asheville

United States

1124 - 1870 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

In order for us to give you accurate scholarship information, we ask that you please confirm a few details and create an account with us.

Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Public Affairs.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

On this page

About

Overview

Where You'll Go

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

Asheville

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

Our partners