MPA Pathway

This pathway offers OCPM students an opportunity to leverage their training and professional experience into a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from our nationally recognized program.

The Ohio Certified Public Manager® (OCPM) program provides a rigorous curriculum that aligns with several core MPA courses. Upon completing the OCPM certification, students automatically earn 12 graduate credit hours toward their MPA degree with no additional fees.

Professionals with at least five years of relevant experience receive a waiver for four additional graduate credit hours, leaving only 24 credit hours to complete their MPA degree.

Students can complete the remainder of their degree remotely, in-person, or through a combination of both. Our flexible learning formats include in-person, Zoom, online asynchronous, and hybrid options. Remote students typically take a mix of online asynchronous classes (self-paced, log on at your convenience) and live Zoom classes (scheduled, real-time interaction with professors and classmates, typically offered as night classes once per week).

Students can complete their OCPM and MPA courses simultaneously or spaced out—whichever option works best for their schedules.

Federal, state, and local government employees all pursue the degree as well as nonprofit and private sector professionals. CSU’s MPA program is ranked 1st in Ohio and 12th nationally for local government management by U.S. News & World Report. We’re ranked 1st in Ohio and 4th nationally in urban policy.  

Coursework Requirements

OCPM students take the following MPA core courses, along with 8 credit hours of electives with professional experience, or 12 credit hours of electives without professional experience, to fulfill their degree requirements:

• UST 601 - Data Analytics for Social Impact
• UST 602 - Program Evaluation (Note: Students who have completed LeanOhio Boot Camp may substitute for this course.)
• UST 617 - Policymaking in the Public Interest
• UST 618 - Power, Influence, and Ethics in the City

Students attending in-person classes are encouraged to take UST 500 - Public Administration in the City as an elective, which provides an immersive experience in Cleveland’s civic ecosystem. If they take UST 500 as an elective, their elective credit hour requirement drops from 8 to 7 hours.  

Tuition Information

Cleveland State University’s 2024-2025 graduate tuition and fee rate is $618.25 per credit hour. Please refer to the CSU Bursar’s Office for the most up-to-date information on Tuition and Fees.

Tuition Reimbursement

Many employers offer tuition reimbursement programs to support professional development. Be sure to check with your employer about available benefits. For example, employers such as the State of Ohio and Cuyahoga County provide tuition assistance for employees who pursue their degrees.

Application Process

Applicants must submit an official transcript of their baccalaureate granting institution and a personal statement of purpose.  Application details regarding the personal statement can be found in the Graduate Catalog.  OCPM applicants who wish to be considered for professional work experience should submit a PDF copy of their resume to urbanprograms@csuohio.edu.  Official transcripts may be sent to allinone@csuohio.edu.