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Become an accomplished leader in the public or nonprofit sector. Tap into your interests to make real change to policy and practice in state and local government or within the third sector. As executive positions in these sectors continue to grow, the skills and knowledge you gain in the Doctor of Public Administration (D.P.A.) program from the College of Business will prepare you to lead, motivate, and inspire.
Nova Southeastern University’s D.P.A. program is designed to build the skillsets of emerging leaders in public service. It provides a grounding in the theories and applications of management and policy in the public and nonprofit sectors with a curriculum that provides a strong foundation and allows for flexibility. Expand your professional network and engage in vital experiential learning opportunities.
Graduates will emerge equipped to address the social, economic, and political challenges of leadership with the confidence to advance change.
A career in public service or nonprofit management is personally and professionally fulfilling. With the program’s focus on advanced training for practice, NSU is preparing future executives in these sectors. Leadership development is critical in these sectors and NSU is preparing these students to meet those challenges.
Adam Williams, Ph.D. | Chair & Associate Professor
Quick Facts
The Doctor of Public Administration program is available to start every August/Fall semester.
Doctor of Public Administration Curriculum
D.P.A. Core Courses (40 credits)
Credits
Closure Exercise (20 credits)
In this course, students are required to do a detailed, accurate, and cohesive account of a scholarly investigation designed to answer one or more applied/real-world problems or focused research questions. It is required of all doctoral students, and its purpose is to improve scholarship and practice in public sector.
Admissions Requirements
Ready for the Next Step?
We're thrilled you're applying to NSU's Doctor of Public Administration program.
This program accepts students in the fall term.
NSU recommends that you start the application process at least one to two months prior to the deadline date.
Have the following items ready to submit with your online application:
- $50 nonrefundable application fee
- Official transcripts from all schools attended
- Resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
- TOEFL scores (if applicable)
You may also be asked to complete an interview for admission.
- Completed Doctoral Application for Admission.
- $50 nonrefundable application fee.
- Official transcripts from all colleges and universities previously attended. The applicant's master's degree transcript must show degree conferral date in order to be evaluated for admission consideration. Electronic transcripts can be sent to electronictranscript@nova.edu. Hard copies may be mailed to:
- A current, to-date professional resume that demonstrates five or more years of public sector experience in positions with increasing levels of responsibility.
- An interview is required, if offered.
To be considered for acceptance into the D.P.A. program, international applicants must fulfill additional admission criteria.
Applications are evaluated as soon as the student's file is complete.
- A conferred master's degree earned from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or equivalent for international applicants, with a 3.25 GPA overall may be considered for admission.
- For all applicants with a graduate GPA below 3.25, the Public Administration Faculty Admissions Committee reserves the right to place conditions on the applicant's first terms, such as: remedial coursework in appropriate subjects, limit course enrollment to appropriate levels, suspend or dismiss such applicants based upon first term course grades or require GMAT scores of 450+ or GRE scores of 306+. The exam must have been completed in the past three years.
- A Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL or IELTS or PTE Academic) is required for any applicant whose native language is not English and whose bachelor's degree education was not completed in English. The minimum required scores are as follows: a TOEFL score of 550 (paper test) or 79 (Internet test), a score of 6.0 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam, or a score of 54 on the PTE Academic exam. Test scores cannot be more than two years old. A letter on official letterhead from the applicant's prior university stating that all bachelor's degree course material was taught and studied in English may suffice for the TOEFL requirement.
Are You Ready to Make a Difference?
Advance your career with our world-class business programs and our network of leaders, innovators, and change agents. Do your best and deliver what's Best for Our World™.
The H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship graduate enrollment office is located in the Carl DeSantis Building in Suite 1115 on NSU's Fort Lauderdale-Davie campus in Davie, Florida. Click here for a map.
Phone: (954) 262-5067 or Toll-Free: 800-672-7223 x25067
Email: hcbeinfo@nova.edu
Hours of Operation
Monday – Friday
8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.