Graduate Programs

Preparation for whatever comes next

Further your career by preparing yourself for careers that serve the public interest from administration to policy and beyond. At IU Northwest, our flexible Master of Public Affairs program is ready to help take your career to another level.

Graduate Programs in SPEA

Master of Public Affairs (MPA)

An MPA degree helps to prepare students for leadership positions within the following sectors: local/state/federal government agencies, public, health, and nonprofit organizations, as well as positions addressing public affairs in the private sector. Here, you can choose from one of the following concentrations: Criminal Justice, Leadership, Health Administration and Social Change, and Sustainability and Social Change.

Graduate Certificate

Students pursuing the SPEA certificate program option can use the coursework to supplement their primary fields of study. You may seek graduate-level courses as you plan to move from professional or technical roles to managerial or administrative roles.

Graduate Admissions

Application Requirements

Effective January 1, 2021, students applying for the MPA degree will need the following items included in their application:

  1. Completed application
  2. Curriculum vitae or resume
  3. Letter of intent specifying your career goals and/or research area you want to pursue
  4. Names of 2 or more references with contact information (email and phone number)
  5. Unofficial or official are required for the application packet, but final official transcripts must be received prior to the start of classes

  1. Writing sample (such as paper submitted previously to a class)

    Candidates may submit any of the following as a writing sample:

    • A copy of any undergraduate research paper (does not have to be a graded paper).
    • A copy of a report written in a professional setting.
    • A 500-800 word paper on any issue you consider of importance today for public administrators, nonprofit leaders, or public policy analysts.
  2. GRE scores (if available) - GRE is not being required at this time for the application to either the Master of Public Affairs or the Certificate in Public Management.

Step 1: Submit required materials

Official copy of transcripts from all schools attended for an undergraduate degree. All transcripts should be sent to the following address:

Indiana University Northwest
School of Public & Environmental Affairs Graduate Program
3400 Broadway, Dunes 2101
Gary, IN 46408

A copy of your resume must be uploaded during the online application process.

A Letter of Intent is your personal statement as to why you want to pursue the program, what you hope to gain from it, career goals, etc.

Provide the names and contact information for two professional references (i.e. current/former employers or professors outside of SPEA).

Step 2: Complete the online application

Applications will only be accepted online via:

2023-2024 Application

Select Public and Environmental Affairs as your intended program and plan. This directs your application to SPEA. If you select a different program, your application will not be available for SPEA to review.

There is a $40.00 non-refundable application fee payable online at the time application is submitted.

For additional information on the graduate studies programs in the School of Public & Environmental Affairs at IUN, please fill out our contact form or call 219-981-5668.

Certificate Programs

For the certificate programs, the application process is the same with the exception of the GRE as this is required for the MPA application only.

Applications Deadlines

Applications for the SPEA graduate programs are accepted year-round for each fall semester cohort. Application deadlines are as follows for each academic year:

Fall Semester: May 1
Spring Semester: October 1

A lifetime of success

Tony Ellis received his MPA from Indiana University Northwest in 2014. Today he's enjoying a career in Washington, D.C. as a nutrition policy associate for The Center for Science and the Public Interest.

...so it would behoove me to go ahead and receive the skills and training that is necessary for me to be successful in this career field.

- Tony Ellis
Graduate Success Story