The Truman School advances the study and practice of governance in Missouri, the nation and the world. The mission of the Truman School's MPA Program is to prepare a diverse student body for ethical leadership in the public, nonprofit, and private sectors. The MPA program draws upon the interdisciplinary teaching, research and public service capacity of the Truman School, the University as a whole and practitioners to provide students with a range of perspectives and experiences that promote public service values and democratic discourse. Through their coursework, students build knowledge of policy processes and management principles and develop critical thinking and analytic skills that enable them to advance in careers in a rapidly changing public service. <br><br>Our goals are to: <br><br>Offer a comprehensive set of core and specialization courses that build a strong theoretical foundation in public affairs, policy, and management, develop rigorous analytic skills, and provide opportunities for practical application of knowledge, skills, and competencies to significant public policy and management issues. <br><br>Ensure students gain hands-on experiences and engage with public and nonprofit organizations as an integral part of the program. <br><br>Promote public service values across the curriculum and provide opportunities for experiential application of these values. <br><br>Promote a respect for diversity by exposing students to national and international scholars, governmental and nonprofit leaders, and students from various countries who exemplify public service values. <br><br>Provide students with the skills to critically analyze, evaluate, propose, and facilitate solutions that address the dynamic challenges facing the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.<br><br>The MPA program is 36 credit hours. The programcan be completed on-campus or100% online. With appropriate documentation, students with three to five years progressively responsible, public service related work experience at the time of admission may be able to receive up to six credit hours for their work experience toward the internship and capstone classes. Applicants interested in this option should submit a statement of career eligibility with their application and upon admission, students will receive further information about how to apply for credit.