Doctor of Public Administration

The University of La Verne’s Doctor of Public Administration (DPA) program, offered by the College of Business and Public Management, is designed for professionals with five or more years of work experience who wish to become the next generation of outstanding civic leaders and professionals. Graduates of the program are ready to assume vital roles as insightful and thoughtful contributors to a broad spectrum of public sector organizations, as well as nonprofits, municipal government, and a variety of quasi-governmental agencies.

Students in the DPA program graduate with valuable skills and knowledge they can immediately apply to real-world problems and career opportunities, including how to:

The DPA curriculum offers state-of-the-art management courses that emphasizes creativity, responsible leadership, values, and the essential abilities to anticipate, interpret, and manage the rampant changes in the workplace of today and tomorrow.

The program consists of 56 units and can be completed in four to eight years. Students take three classes per term for three years, with classes taking place on Saturdays to accommodate full-time work schedules. The third year is focused on each student’s individual research and following years are for the development of a dissertation. View the entire DPA curriculum.