The Master of Public Administration (MPA) program at Miami Shores, Fla.-based Barry University has impressive goals. According to James J. Talerico, who is Assistant Professor and the university’s PACE Academic Coordinator for Public Administration, “The mission of the MPA Program is to instill in learners a commitment to ethical public service for the protection of the public interest and public trust, and to finding solutions to human, social, economic and environmental problems.” The MPA is offered through the university’s School of Professional and Career Education (PACE). The MPA is available both in-class and online.

Barry University is a private, Catholic institution founded by the Dominican Sisters in Miami in 1940. According to Talerico, Barry’s online Master of Public Administration Program has been ranked among the Top 50 online programs in the nation. He adds, “The ranking, issued by Value Colleges, puts Barry at No. 44. However, when compared to other private and non-profit schools, Barry ranks No. 14.”

Talerico (photo to the right) offers his responses to a few GPN questions below.

GPN: Can your school’s MPA degree offer new opportunities to our audience of government officials?

JT: Most definitely! After receiving an MPA degree, many graduates contact us two or three years later and thank us for helping them obtain a promotion in their current employment, or obtaining a higher position with another government agency elsewhere. Expanding your educational experience enhances your professional opportunities to grow within and outside an organization.

GPN: Is 2016 a great time to earn a MPA for government administrators?

JT: Aside from the fact that any time is a great time to earn a MPA, I think 2016 may be an even better time to do so. I say this because of the current presidential election occurring this year. A new federal administration will be entering the White House next year (whether it be Democrat or Republican), and many high executive jobs will be opening for experienced, qualified individuals. The new administration will be looking for educated, high-achieving leaders who they can trust to deliver exceptional results.  Additional positions will open in federal, state and local agencies as the year progresses.

GPN: Do you have any advice for our audience on choosing an MPA Program?

JT: The MPA is considered to be the terminal professional degree for practitioners in public service. Its philosophical background and explicit content are grounded in an assessment of how the modern public sector workplace has evolved, and the factors responsible for this evolution. 

Since this is a practitioner’s degree, prospective students should review the university’s faculty to determine whether they have the experience and credentials needed to enhance the student’s work-life experience in the public and non-profit world. Basically, pick the MPA program that is a good fit for your needs.

Barry University’s MPA Program curriculum is designed to address the critical administrative competencies in the public and non-profit sectors through skills development and enhancement in the context of a theoretical foundation.

See some of features of Barry University’s campus life in this video.

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