The Graduate School

FAQ's The Center for Public Administration and Policy

What is CPAP and where is it located?
The Center for Public Administration and Policy (CPAP) was founded in 1977. One location of CPAP is the Thomas Conner House, nearby to the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, VA. There are also branches of CPAP at Virginia Tech's Alexandria and Richmond campuses as well. The CPAP education combines intellectual rigor with instruction in skills needed to advance in the world of public management. Our program is nationally ranked and offers various concentrations and certificates within the field of public administration and policy. CPAP is a program within the School of Public and International Affairs and is administered within the College of Architecture and Urban Studies.

What is public administration?
Public administration is the study of the management and administration of the
public sector. This can include the federal, state, and local government
levels, as well as non-profit and non-governmental agencies.

What is a Master’s in Public Administration (MPA)?
An MPA is a professional degree intended for future and present practitioners in
public administration. Its purpose is to train early-career individuals for
jobs in management and public policy and improve the skills of mid-career managers. The MPA also offers chances for specialization in various fields and a choice in an internship, thesis, or professional paper option.

What are some possible areas of concentration when getting a MPA?
There are many different areas of concentration that a student can choose to specialize in. Choosing areas of concentration are possible through using the 9 available credits for elective courses. Some possible areas of concentration are: public law, environmental policy, public service ethics, non-profit management, human resources management, organizational theory, local government, state government, federal government, international relations, and health policy among others.

What are possible careers in public administration?
There are various career paths in the public sector. Some examples are:
• Think tank policy analyst
• Government Management- City Manager or Legislative Services
• Federal agency manager
• Government Accountability Office Analyst (GAO)
• Human Resource Management- Personnel Analyst or Employee Development
• Health/Welfare Services- Hospital Administration or Social Work
• Planning and Resource Development- Environmental Planning or Agriculture Services
• Public Safety- Police Administration or Fire Protection

Alumni of CPAP have found jobs and careers all throughout the United States as
city mangers, county administrators, legislative assistants, non-profit agency
coordinators, fire protection administrators, and various other notable
positions.

What is the program of study for an MPA?
The following is a link to the program of student for all MPA students. It is
important to note that these are simply guidelines.

How long does it take to complete an MPA?
The MPA can be completed as quickly as one and a half years, although most
students choose to complete the program in two years. CPAP does have numerous
part-time students who complete the MPA anywhere from three to five years,
which is very common for adults who work full-time.

What is the typical class size at CPAP?
Generally, CPAP classes can have a total of 10-25 students. Some individuals
may be part-time or full-time students from related programs.

Do students take classes outside of CPAP?
MPA students are encouraged to take classes outside of CPAP to fill their nine
credit hour elective requirement for an MPA. Below are some examples of other
departments whose courses are of interest to students of public administration and policy.

Urban Affairs and Planning
Government and International Affairs
Department of Political Science
Department of Philosophy
Department of Economics

How much does an MPA cost and how do I pay for it?
Information regarding scholarships, grants, tuition costs and financial aid can
be found at the Virginia Tech Bursar’s Office online at www.bursar.vt.edu.

CPAP and Virginia Tech do offer many Graduate Assistantships. The deadline to be
considered for assistantships is March 1st.

What is required for the application procedure?
Information regarding required materials for graduate programs can be found
under the CPAP Prospective Students page and Graduate School Prospective Student page.

How long does it take to get a decision back about admission into CPAP?
Once the committee receives the application materials, it normally makes a
decision within two weeks. An email and letter is then sent to the prospective
student concerning his or her admission status.

If I have more questions, who should I contact?
Please send any further questions or inquiries to CPAP.