About
Mission and Values
The School of Public Affairs and Administration seeks to improve the lives of people in West Michigan and beyond, one dedicated public service graduate at a time! We uniquely value the common good, democratic governance, ethical leadership, the intersection of theory and practice, and a plurality of ideas and perspectives while pursuing social justice and the efficient, effective, equitable, and transparent practice of public service.
Our cornerstone, the MPA program, seeks to improve the quality of public service by developing professionals and leaders equipped with knowledge and skills in theories, methodology, and innovative practice in the interdisciplinary field of public administration. Our graduates lead and manage a diverse range of governmental, nonprofit, and health care organizations and make positive impacts on the lives of citizens locally, nationally, and globally.
Programs
Western Michigan University's School of Public Affairs and Administration offers the following academic programs.
- Undergraduate major and minors in Public and Nonprofit Administration.
- Accelerated Graduate Degree Program in Master of Public Administration
- Master of Public Administration, accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA).
- Graduate Certificate in Tribal Governance
Undergraduate courses are offered on weekdays at the main Kalamazoo campus with PADM 2000 also being offered as an asynchronous, online course.
Graduate courses are offered in the evenings as synchronous, online courses, with some also being offered Hyflex (face-to-face and asynchronous at the same time).