The School of Public Administration has been a member of the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration (NASPAA) since 1973. NASPAA is an organization which sets national standards for the Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree program and the other master's-level degree programs in Public Administration. The following excerpt from NASPAA's web site (www.naspaa.org) clearly states the purpose of a Master of Public Administration degree program.

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree is the core professional degree for a management career in public service. The curriculum is designed to aid students in developing the skills and techniques used by leaders and managers to implement policies, projects, and programs that resolve important societal problems. Graduates of an MPA program work in all levels of government (federal, state, and local), in nonprofits, in international organizations, consulting firms, and in the private sector.

The Master of Public Administration degree program at Kentucky State University was accredited by NASPAA in June 1997. The program is modeled after NASPAA's standards for such programs and shares its educational philosophy. The objectives of the MPA program include providing knowledge, skills, and experience that can be directly utilized by public and private sector professionals in their changing work environment. The program equips students with the technical skills and liberal arts values necessary for responsible administrative roles in state, local, federal, quasi-governmental, non-profit, and private sector systems. The program provides the interdisciplinary foundations of public administration, quantitative skills, sensitivity toward humanistic dimensions of public organizations, fiscal management, and computer utilization.

A majority of public administration courses are offered in the evening to accommodate students with full-time jobs. By taking two courses each semester, such students can complete all degree requirements in three years. Many of KSU's MPA students work for government agencies and receive employer tuition assistance, but some full-time students receive graduate assistantships in exchange for part-time work. Full-time students typically earn the Master of Public Administration degree in two years of study.