Wright State’s Master of Public Administration program reaccredited until 2030

Wright State University’s Master of Public Administration program has been reaccredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration until August 2030. The program received full accreditation without monitoring, which is the highest level of accrediting possible.

“This is the best possible scenario for any program,” said Dan Warshawsky, Ph.D., director of the Master of Public Administration program and professor of geography. “We are extremely proud of this accomplishment.”

Wright State’s Master of Public Administration program has been continuously accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration since 2002. Wright State’s program is the oldest accredited MPA program in the region.

The network is incredibly supportive in its accreditation efforts, Warshawsky said, offering workshops to help programs navigate the reaccreditation process.

The reaccreditation process occurs every seven years. After the Master of Public Administration program submitted a self-study to the organization in 2023, a team of three representatives came to Wright State during the spring of 2024 and interviewed faculty, staff, administration, advisory board members, students, alumni and other stakeholders.

In July 2024, Wright State received word of its reaccreditation.

Warshawsky said that reaccreditation is important because it enables Wright State to remain competitive in the region. The high level of accreditation enhances Wright State’s reputation and puts the university in an elite group of approximately 200 nationally accredited programs.

Warshawsky said that Wright State’s program further distinguishes itself from other local programs because it possesses three unique tracks: social issues, criminal justice and a general track.

In addition to its talented faculty and students, Warshawsky said, Wright State’s MPA program has an incredible advisory board and alumni network. These stakeholders help the MPA program remain one of the region’s best, he said.

Graduation rates in Wright State’s program are high, with between 70% and 80% of students completing their degree within the designed program length. Additionally, 96% of graduates find employment within six months, and between 80% and 90% remain in Ohio after they graduate.

Recent alumni of the program have been appointed the leaders of large hospital networks and other nonprofit organizations and city managers of Beavercreek, Fairborn and other cities across the region. Nan Whaley, former mayor of Dayton, graduated from Wright State’s Master of Public Administration program.