A Graduate Program Designed for Public and Nonprofit Working Professionals Living in Central and North Central Iowa offered at Mary Greeley Medical Center!
Drake University is pleased to offer a 36 credit hour fully accredited graduate degree program in Public Administration to be taught in Ames, Iowa at Mary Greeley Medical Center. The Drake MPA degree, already held by nearly 1,000 graduates since the 1970’s is designed for the person working in the public and nonprofit sectors who seeks graduate education that provides a focus on enhancing the working professional’s ability to manage, lead, and to make intelligent decisions.
Program Schedule & Timeline
The weekend-based Drake MPA program is designed for professionals in the central and north central Iowa region. The Drake University Weekend MPA in Ames is designed to be pursued as a cohort (a learning group) of between 20 and 30 students. Most classes will meet two weekends with an additional Friday orientation session spaced over a six to eight week period. The sequential format means students will pursue and complete a class, take a break and then move on to the next course in the 12-course program. The time required to complete the Drake Weekend MPA is six semesters or two calendar years. It may seem like a major time commitment (and it is), but graduates report that the series moves along quickly.
Two Areas of Specialization
The Drake Weekend MPA offers two areas of specialization to further define your learning experience: Executive Development and Public Policy. At the halfway point in your program you will be asked to select one of these two areas of specialization that best represents your professional interest. Either track may be completed without extra travel by completing the 12 course program. For those seeking an even wider array of options, speak with one of our advisors. NOTE: for those who have already earned from Drake’s Center for Professional Studies the Certificate in Healthcare Leadership and Administration, the Drake Weekend MPA allows the students to complete the Healthcare track in the Resources Development Specialization.
Located to meet your needs
Classes will be offered at the educational facilities of Mary Greeley Medical Center (http://www.mgmc.org/) in Ames, Iowa. Ames is ideally located for people living in Central and North Central Iowa. This location, plus the weekend format, provides an easy drive for people living in Mason City, Iowa Falls, Cedar Falls, Waterloo, Marshalltown, Newton, Carroll, Perry, Boone, Fort Dodge, Webster City and other cities in this region. Class times of 4:30-8:30PM on Fridays and 8:30AM-5:30PM on Saturdays allows for a commute that avoids the expense and hassle of an overnight stay. Typically, just five trips are required for each class reducing the time of travel for those living throughout the state. For example, someone living 70 miles from Ames attending the weekend program will spend no more total time in the car and consume no more fuel than someone living just 15 minutes from campus, but who is taking a traditional 16-week evening program.
More Information?
The Drake Master of Public Administration degree in Ames offers the working professional the best possible combination of relevant coursework to prepare graduates to be an agent for change within the dynamic public and nonprofit environments. We believe you will find that the Drake Weekend MPA program is easily accessible allowing the working professional the opportunity to complete the 36 credit-hour graduate degree.
For more information about the Drake Ames Weekend MPA Program, please contact us at (515) 271-2188 (toll free 1-800-44-DRAKE, ext. 2188), or by e-mail: cbpa.gradprograms@drake.edu