Develop the substantive skills, knowledge and values necessary to become an executive-level leader in the government, public-sector or nonprofit arenas.
This 48-credit doctoral program is geared toward working public administration professionals, senior-level public managers and prospective faculty.
Degree Requirements
This 48-credit doctoral program requires 21 credits in core courses, 6 credits in Advanced Methodology, 9 credits in one of three specialization fields, and 12 credits in dissertation research. Learn more
Flexible Options
Required courses are scheduled only on the weekends and cycle between the main UBalt campus and the Universities at Shady Grove in Rockville, Md. All required D.P.A. courses are conducted in-person as seminars with small class sizes to facilitate student-faculty interactions.
Application Deadlines
The D.P.A. Admissions Committee reviews applications on Nov. 15, Jan. 15, Mar. 15, and May 15. The deadline for fall assistantships and fellowships is Apr. 1 and should not wait for the admission decision. See the admission requirements
Program Costs
Tuition is $989 per credit in-state, $1,630 out-of-state. The D.P.A. program is NOT eligible for regional residency tuition. Learn more about tuition and fees
As a student, you'll:
- develop a thorough knowledge of the legal, ethical and political environments of public administrators
- understand the administrative functions of governmental agencies and gain expertise in strategic planning, program evaluation, advanced management techniques, program implementation and results-based leadership
- write and publish a dissertation, a significant research paper that makes a theoretical and practical impact on the field
- specialize in one of four areas:
- program administration
- program evaluation
- health-care systems administration
- administration of justice.
Helping pay for your degree.
- The Schaefer Center for Public Policy offers selective fellowships for full-time students to work on the center's applied research projects. In addition, there are opportunities for students to work as student assistants or as research assistants on various center projects. See the Admission Requirements page for information about application deadlines.
- To help you learn while doing and to offset the cost of your education, departmental assistantships are also available. Learn more.
Our accomplished faculty members are a great strength of the program. They regularly publish articles in leading major journals, serve on committees for national professional organizations and are nationally and internationally recognized theorists and practitioners. You could take classes from:
- a leading scholar in public administration ethics
- a former CFO of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- a recognized expert on diversity in organizations
- a former administrator of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- or National Academy of Public Administration Fellows.
Contact Us
Aaron Wachhaus
program director
email: awachhaus@ubalt.edu | phone: 410.837.6113
view Prof. Wachhaus' faculty profile
For more information about graduate admission, please contact the Office of Admission at gradadmission@ubalt.edu or 410.837.6565.