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Some of our greatest leaders are not the people you see standing behind a podium giving speeches, rather they are the police officers, firefighters, soldiers, and public and private sector managers getting the work done and ensuring it is done right. The MPA (or MLPA) Master’s Degree gives our students the credentials needed for advancement.

Centenary University’s Master of Arts (M.A.) in Leadership and Public Administration (MPA or MLPA) is a Master’s Degree designed to prepare students to advance into supervisory, management, and leadership positions in any career field. We’ve taken the traditional MPA and enhanced it with a focus on Leadership! Busy professionals can choose either an in-person program or an accelerated online program.

We conveniently offer two options for this 30-credit program, depending on students’ schedules and learning styles:

Both programs focus on helping you understand and embrace quality leadership, including how to navigate the interactions between public offices and agencies. Through coursework and associated research, students will explore public sector management while mastering the skills necessary to be an exceptional leader—from employee evaluation and development to conflict resolution. Most students who start out looking for an MPA are excited by the Centenary University MLPA’s additional focus on leadership — one of the key factors for career advancement.

Check out the Leadership and Public Administration audit sheet for course listings.


A Fit for Your Career

Centenary’s Leadership and Public Administration students come from a variety of fields, including:

  • Law enforcement, middle, and upper-level managers
  • Fire service personnel
  • Military personnel
  • Municipal, county, state, and federal government managers
  • Healthcare, hospitals, and counseling services
  • Private-sector managers
  • Non-profit managers

No GRE or GMAT

At Centenary, we are looking for students who are strong leaders and communicators—not test-takers. We don’t require GRE or GMAT scores for admission. To apply for our program, you will need:

  • A bachelor’s degree
  • Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
  • An essay/personal statement
  • A minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.5

Government Employee Benefits

Our program also provides special benefits for public sector employees including:

  • 30% tuition discount for full-time federal, state, and local government employees, including retirees.
  • Up to six graduate credits may be transferred into this program from appropriate educational programs. (For example, Certified Public Manager® (CPM) programs, FBI National Academy, and the NJSACOP Command & Leadership Academy.)

If you are ready to lead, we are ready to show you how. Apply now!

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