Mission
The School of Public Affairs and Administration is committed to improving the quality of public and nonprofit service. In a diverse and inclusive community, the mission of the School of Public Affairs and Administration is to provide learning and discovery opportunities which advance the knowledge and use of professional ethics, best theories, policies and practices for public and nonprofit organizations in order to create and support societies of respect, liberty, justice and equality.
Values
As a part of the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Public Affairs and Administration embraces the college’s values of global engagement, community participation, creativity and innovation, integrity, diversity, excellence, sustainability and social responsibility. In keeping with our mission, as a School of Public Affairs and Administration committed to improving the quality of public and nonprofit service, we uniquely value:
- The common good.
- Democratic governance and liberty.
- Ethical leadership, decision-making and administrative practice.
- Advocacy for social justice.
- Plurality of ideas and perspectives.
- Collaborative teaching, research and service.
- The intersection of theory and practice.
Programs
Western Michigan University's School of Public Affairs and Administration offers the following academic programs.
- Undergraduate major and minors in Public and Nonprofit Administration.
- Accelerated Graduate Degree Program in Master of Public Administration
- Master of Public Administration, accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA).
- Graduate Certificate in Tribal Governance
- Ph.D. in Public Administration.
Undergraduate courses are offered on weekdays at the main Kalamazoo campus.
Graduate courses are offered in-person at the main campus in Kalamazoo (mostly with 6 to 9 p.m. weekly meetings on weekdays) or in a combination of synchronous and asynchronous meetings online.