City/County Management Fellowship MPA Program
Leading Communities and Managing with Excellence.
Our City/County management program and has been ranked the #1 program in the country by U.S.. News and World Report since 1998.
Leading Communities Around the Country
The City/County Management Fellows program boasts a record of excellence.
- Our alumni are serving at all levels of local government, in communities of all sizes, all over the country.
- The 40-credit hour MPA Fellows program is accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA).
- Through course work, students are able to effectively:
- Lead and manage in public governance
- Participate in and contribute to the public policy process
- Analyze, synthesize, think creatively, solve problems, and make decisions
- Articulate and apply public service perspectives
- Communicate and interact productively with a diverseand changing workforce and citizenry
- The MPA Fellows program also features the advantages of:
- Designated scholarship awards
- Attendance to the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) annual conference, supported by the School
- Links to a large and welcoming professional network
- Peer group learning and camaraderie
- Additional experiential learning and relevant professional experience through part-time and full-time internships and other professional development opportunities.
Graduation Rate and Employment Statistics
Of the 46 students who were admitted and enrolled for the 2013-2014 academic year, 30% graduated within 2 years; 54% graduated within 3 years; and 63% graduated within 4 years. This percentage rate should be viewed in the perspective of the small number of students admitted and enrolled. Of the students who did not complete, some moved away, had personal obligations that took precedence, or found that the program was not a right fit for them.
As an example of where our graduates are employed, here is the information for MPA students who graduated in the 2018-2019 academic year:
- Total number of graduates: 36
- Federal government: 2
- State government: 3
- Local government: 16
- Nonprofit (domestic): 6
- Nonprofit (internationally-oriented): 1
- Private sector (research/consulting): 1
- Private sector (not research/consulting): 3
- Obtaining further education: 0
- Military service: 4
- Retired: 0
- Unknown: 0
U.S. News & World Report MPA Ranking Highlights
What Sets the MPA Fellows Program Apart...
The key distinctive feature of the Fellowship is its structure.
- In their first year, Fellows engage in full-time intensive coursework as well as a part-time, paid internship. This allows Fellows to immediately apply academic concepts to the profession.
- The second year of the Fellowship revolves around a full-time, paid internship and 3 week-long intensive seminars, which round out professional concepts and provide Fellows guidance as they join the profession.
- Fellows also benefit from regular interactions with our strong network of alumni who are working in local governments across the country.
Tracking City Management Fellows Success
Questions? - MPA Fellows
Program and admission information
Derek Bixler, Graduate Program Coordinator
wdbixler@ku.edu
785-864-6814
Issues Submitting Application
KU Graduate Studies
graduateadm@ku.edu
785-864-3140
Internships & professional development
Cari Ann Kreienhop, Graduate Programming Manager
cak@ku.edu
785-864-3665