The Master of Public Administration (MPA) program at CCU is about government and leadership. The program is designed to apply solid research, rigorous analysis, and critical thinking to current issues and provide insights into practical solutions to contemporary problems consistent with a biblical worldview resulting in graduates who are capable of impacting our governments, our society, and our world. Our graduates are currently in highly-placed appointed and elected positions in government at all levels.

Are you concerned about the direction of our country? Almost one million aborted babies in 2020 (Guttmacher Institute, 2022), college students no longer held accountable for their financial commitments, drug and alcohol addiction, promiscuity, police defunding, soaring crime, tanking economy, ungodly morality, critical race theory, gender confusion, illegal immigration are the norms. We need more Christians in leadership positions in government.

In this world, you can lead or you can be led. If you allow yourself to be led, an assessment of the world around us will show which way you're headed. If you feel called to lead, you should consider the MPA program at Colorado Christian University.

Admission to the Master of Public Administration Degree Program

Admission to the Master of Public Administration program is selective. Applicants are evaluated on the basis of previous academic performance, personal and professional accomplishments and goals, and strength of character. A strong desire to complete graduate-level work in a Christ-centered, biblically based community is important. All MPA admissions decisions are made by and only by Colorado Christian University.

  • Completed online application form (including essay, transcripts, and fees) at www.ccu.edu/ccu/grad/.

  • Valid state-issued driver’s license or state-issued ID card or passport.

  • Earned Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution.

  • A minimum undergraduate grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. Applicants with an undergraduate grade point average between 2.0 and 2.49 will be admitted on a conditional admit (CAD) basis for the first semester.  CAD students must maintain a 3.0 GPA or better in their first nine (9) credits to remain in the program.

  • Demonstrated completion (C or better) of undergraduate-level statistics prerequisite.

Transfer of Courses

Students may transfer up to six semester hours of graduate credit from a regionally accredited college or university. The coursework must be comparable to that offered at CCU and fulfill the CCU MPA degree requirements.

Time Limitation

The Master of Public Administration program is a 30 credit-hour degree designed to be completed within 15 months of intensive accelerated adult graduate study by persons who work or are otherwise occupied by the equivalent of a full-time job. 

All work applied toward a master’s degree must be completed within a four-year period from the date of enrollment. After the four-year period, an MPA student who has not completed the requirements to graduate will be withdrawn from the program. Students who go beyond the four-year period and wish to complete their MPA degree will be required to apply for reconsideration by completing a Petition for Exception to Academic Policy. Readmitted students will be required to adhere to the degree plans and academic policies in place at the time they are readmitted. 

Applicants to the Colorado Christian University’s Master of Public Administration program are required to have a background in statistics. This background may be obtained through undergraduate coursework as demonstrated by the student’s transcript, or taken at CCU or another accredited institution. Alternatively, the student may complete the equivalent CLEP or DSST exams. A student may start CCU’s MPA program before completing the prerequisite, but must complete the statistics prerequisite prior to registering for course Public Administration Capstone.  

Taking Prerequisite Courses Online

CCU has partnered with Ivy Software to provide students with a convenient and flexible way to fulfill prerequisite requirements at an affordable cost. The following course is available for purchase:

  • Business Math and Statistics (fulfills Statistics prerequisite)

The program takes on average 20 hours to complete. Students are able to download all course material. The student must pass a final course test with at least an 80% in order for the course to count toward the prerequisite. This test may be taken as many times as needed, but students are only allowed three attempts per purchase. Additionally, if exams are purchased but not completed within two years, the exam expires. Students may also test out of the statistic requirement by selecting the Ivy option #2. Upon selecting this option, the student would know immediately if they passed the assessment test, and the school will be notified via email that the requirement has been fulfilled. The student is then refunded the remaining cost of the course ($100). Otherwise, the student completes the course along with the final exam as normal. The Lockdown Browser with camera is used for both the beginning assessment test and the final exam.

Purchase and download prerequisite courses on the Ivy Software website.

Notify your CCU Student Service Advisor (SSA) of any problems you encounter with an Ivy Software program or any time you pass a test. He or she will be able to take the appropriate action to ensure that your degree plan is updated with the completed prerequisite information.