MPA Public Administration at University of Hawaii at Manoa

Programme overview

The MPA is a professional programme with a competency-based curriculum preparing public and nonprofit leaders, covering public ethics and leadership, budgeting, policy processes and analysis, organizational change, public personnel management, research design and methods, and program evaluation.

Faculty: College of Social Sciences | Department: Public Administration | Duration: Minimum 36 credit hours | Study mode: full-time | Location: Honolulu, HI, United States

What you will study

The degree requires 36 credit hours: 8 required courses (24 credits), 3 electives (9 credits) and a capstone group project analysing a public issue in Hawaii, the continental US or Asia-Pacific. Pre-service students take an additional 3-credit practicum (PUBA 690). Students must earn at least a B in PUBA 602, 603, 604, the practicum and the capstone.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Graduate Division English proficiency (applicants whose native language is not English; programme minimums may be higher): TOEFL iBT 61 (pre-2026 scale) or 3.5 (2026 scale), IELTS Academic 5.5, Duolingo 90. Catalog lists no programme-specific admission criteria.

Domestic applicants: USD 10,400 a year (2026-27). Graduate tuition for 2026-27 based on a typical full-time load of 8 credits per semester (indicative budget figure from the cost of attendance page); excludes fees ($934), housing, food, books and other costs. Hawaii resident rate. Source

International applicants: USD 22,432 a year (2026-27). Graduate tuition for 2026-27 based on a typical full-time load of 8 credits per semester (indicative budget figure from the cost of attendance page); excludes fees ($934), housing, food, books and other costs. Non-resident rate. Source

Graduate applications are accepted for Summer, Fall and Spring terms; Graduate Division begins processing applications from August 1 for the following Fall and Summer semester and from April 1 for the following Spring semester.

All graduate application deadlines are set by the graduate programmes and vary by programme; some programmes set priority deadlines. Most Fall applicants hear a decision by late March/early April and Spring applicants by November/December. Application fees are non-refundable.

Apply through the official page: https://manoa.hawaii.edu/graduate/

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