Online Masters in Public Administration MPA

Online Masters of Public Administration

The University of Birmingham’s Masters of Public Administration has been specifically designed to equip public-sector professionals with the tools necessary to help make a positive difference, help manage change, and evaluate impact within local governance and strategic public management. The online format offers an immersive learning experience that a student can apply their learnings in real-time in their current role. With advanced knowledge, you’ll be able to make positive changes as we look at life together through a global lens.

Delivered through the prestigious Institute of Local Government Studies (INLOGOV) – the United Kingdom’s leading centre for the study of local public service management, policy, and governance – this programme is perfectly positioned to encourage progressive ideas and innovative thinking without having to set foot on campus.

Short Courses in Public Administration

Not looking for a full master? Study the core practises, principles, and strategies of public services by joining a flexible 8-week course and receive an official University of Birmingham Postgraduate Microcredential certificate worth 10 Master’s credits.

Programme Outline

The University of Birmingham Masters of Public Administration (MPA) online programme covers topics from leadership and governance to partnership strategy and public policy. This broad range of subject matter ensures the programme is relevant to your day-to-day work. By the time you graduate, you’ll have mastered how public management and governance work so you can navigate managerial leadership and global governance and turn theoretical knowledge into real-world scenarios. Below is a sample of what you’ll study through reading, interactive live lectures, discussion forums, and group activities in an engaging, online format.

• Public management and governance in a changing world
• Leadership in public services
• Democracy, governance, and participation
• Managing in a political environment

Shape communities in public or private sectors

This online MPA provides the necessary practical, contemporary content to help you better serve your local communities and prepares you for work in various areas of practise and policy. You will develop the skills to advance your career to make a greater impact on people’s lives. This programme will help you improve your relevance, be it for the public sector, government, or external agencies.

For individuals with the right level of education and global expertise, several diverse MPA careers are available, from policy management and town planning to corporate services and change management. Underpinned by the latest research, academic insights, and practise-based learning, social services managers and even members of parliament and more.

This program is available as PGCert and PGDip and can be offered as a micro-credential.

Key Facts

The University of Birmingham’s Online Masters of Public Administration has been specifically designed to equip public-sector professionals with the tools necessary to help make a positive difference, help manage change, and evaluate impact within local governance and strategic public management. The online format meets the needs of busy professionals who are balancing full-time careers and personal commitments alongside their studies.

There are multiple intakes a year. Students can join the programme in January, February, June, August, and October.

Learning Pathways

If you’re unable to commit to the full MPA programme, there are alternative qualification routes. You can exit with one of the following credentials:

• Postgraduate Certificate — 60 Credits, 1 Year
• Post-graduate Diploma — 120 Credits, 2 Years

Lasting just eight weeks, short courses in Public Administration allow you to specialise in a particular area of public service, completing with a micro-credential certificate worth 10 master’s credits.

• Top 100 world leading university (QS 2025, THE 2025)
• 4th in the UK for online learning (Uswitch 2022)
• Russell Group university member
• 1st in UK for teaching and research on local governance and strategic public management
• 13th in the UK for Social Policy & Administration (QS 2024)
• Bronze Athena SWAN awarded in 2020

We are excited to be offering a 10% early bird discount from the first module for the March 2025 intake to those who have accepted an unconditional offer and are registered on the programme by 31st January 2025.

Curriculum

Program options include:

The Online Master of Public Administration is a 180-credit full master's programme that takes approximately two and a half years to complete. You will take six 10-credit modules in your first year, followed by six 10-credit modules in your second year, with each module lasting approximately 8 weeks in total. You will enrol in these modules sequentially and will build specialist public services knowledge as you progress through your studies – helping you to meet the challenges of today’s evolving public sector environment.

You will complete all taught studies before you begin your dissertation. This is a 60-credit research project that will take approximately 6 months to complete.

Core Modules

•    M1MPA1 Public management and governance in a changing world - 10
•    M1MPA2 Leadership in public services - 10
•    M1MPA3 Strategic management - 10
•    M1MPA4 Managing public money -10
•    M1MPA6 Public policy research method - 10
•    M1MPA7 Programme and Project Management – 10
•    M1MPA8 Performance management - 10
•    M1MPA9 Partnership and collaboration - 10
•    M1MPA10 Democracy, governance and participation - 10
•    M1MPA11 Managing in a political environment - 10
•    M1MPA12 Managing the information age – 10
•    Realising International Agendas in the Public Sector - 10
•    M1MPA14 Dissertation – 60

Ranking

•    Top 100 world leading university (QS 2025, THE 2025)
•    4th in the UK for online learning (Uswitch 2022)
•    Russell Group university member
•    1st in UK for teaching and research on local governance and strategic public management
•    13th in the UK for Social Policy & Administration (QS 2024)
•    Bronze Athena SWAN awarded in 2020

“This MPA course has helped me to identify gaps through process mapping, defining and resolving problems faster and more effectively. It has given me the scope to view local government through wider lenses and a future towards e-governments, greater public involvement, and co-production of services and delivery.” Ana Soochit, Online Master of Public Administration graduate, Trinidad