Residential MPA
Lead with Purpose. Graduate Ready to Create Impact.
Public challenges are increasingly complex, and solving them requires leaders who can bridge policy, management, data, and strategy. The Cornell Brooks School’s Residential Master of Public Administration (MPA) prepares emerging and experienced professionals to lead across government, nonprofit, international, and private-sector organizations through an interdisciplinary Ivy League education grounded in real-world practice.
Whether you’re launching a career in public service or expanding your leadership responsibilities, the residential MPA equips you with the analytical, management, and communication skills to create meaningful change.
An Interdisciplinary Education Designed Around Your Goals
The Brooks School Residential MPA combines rigorous policy analysis with leadership development, economics, management, quantitative methods, and applied learning.
Students build broad public management expertise while customizing their degree through specialized concentrations that prepare them for careers across sectors.
Every student benefits from:
- Small, collaborative classes
- Faculty mentorship
- Applied policy analysis
- Professional development beginning before classes start
- Capstone and consulting experiences
- Access to Cornell’s interdisciplinary research community
MPA Concentrations
Choose a Concentration That Matches Your Career Goals
Build on the MPA’s foundational curriculum with a concentration that allows you to develop deeper expertise in a specific area of public policy. Each concentration begins with a Gateway Course, where students establish a shared foundation before expanding their knowledge through focused coursework and electives.
Learn From Faculty Across Cornell
Public problems rarely fit within a single discipline. That’s why MPA students learn from faculty whose research spans public policy, economics, political science, sociology, data science, environmental policy, health, and technology.
Featured Faculty
Dan Lamb
Associate Teaching Professor
Research areas:
- State and local government
- Public administration
- Political management
- Policy writing
Professor Lamb teaches students how government institutions develop, implement, and communicate public policy through decades of experience in public service and elected leadership.
Julie Ficarra
Associate Teaching Professor
Research areas:
- Global migration and refugee policy
- Global citizenship
- International education
- Community-engaged learning
Professor Ficarra explores how migration, education, and global development policies shape communities through partnerships with organizations around the world.
Rebecca Morgenstern Brenner
Associate Teaching Professor; Senior Atkinson Faculty Fellow
Research areas:
- Environmental policy
- Disaster and community resilience
- Environmental justice
- Project Management
Professor Brenner works with communities and public agencies to develop policy solutions that strengthen disaster resilience and advance environmental justice.
Learn By Doing
The technically rigorous coursework was instrumental in reshaping my problem-solving toolkit. Classes where I applied tools like Stata, R, Python, and SQL gave me the ability to move fluidly between raw data and policy insight, translating messy inputs into recommendations that non-technical stakeholders could act on. That bridge between technical fluency and policy communication is something I now consider one of my core professional assets.
– Kharisma Cahya Pradana MPA ‘26
The Cornell Brooks Schools Residential MPA emphasizes experiential learning from your first semester through graduation.
Students can participate in:
- Professional consulting and advisory projects
- Brooks School State Policy and Advocacy Center
- Faculty-led research
- Capstone experiences
- Graduate certificates
- Course field treks
- Summer internships
- Cornell in Washington. Externship Semester
- Capital Semester in Albany, NY Externship Semester
- Student Multidisciplinary Applied Research (SMART) Projects
I came to the MPA program with the career goal of serving in a federal government agency… The Washington Externship gave me the opportunity to work with Foreign Affairs and Foreign Service Officers at the State Department.
– Mauricio Cortes MPA ’17
Career Development Starts Before You Arrive
Professional development is integrated throughout the MPA experience.
Students receive support through:
- Career coaching
- Resume and interview preparation
- Employer networking events
- Alumni mentoring
- Internship advising
- Professional workshops
Graduates pursue careers across government, nonprofits, consulting firms, international organizations, and mission-driven companies.
Program at a Glance
Program Schedule
2 Years | Start Term: Fall
Degree Awarded
Master of Public Administration
Program Format
Full time, Residential
Ithaca, New York
My experience in the Cornell MPA Program has been transformative. I have grown academically, professionally, and personally. The MPA degree has helped me improve not only my understanding of policy analysis, public management, and economic principles but also my professional policy writing and public speaking skills. Being part of the Brooks School has equipped me with the tools and confidence to make a meaningful impact in the field of public affairs.
– Emiriana Stanishja MPA ‘24
Pipeline Programs
Cornell Brooks partners with organizations committed to expanding access to graduate public policy education.
Our pipeline partnerships help talented students prepare for graduate study while strengthening leadership across the public sector.
Programs include partnerships with organizations such as:
- Public Policy & International Affairs (PPIA)
- Service to School
- Service to Service
- Teach For America
- Peace Corps
- AmeriCorps
- Selected government fellowship programs
Our students also come from a wide range of academic backgrounds and professional experiences.
Recent cohorts include graduates from:
- Liberal arts colleges
- Research universities
- International universities
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities
- Hispanic-Serving Institutions
- Military and veteran education programs
Students commonly studied economics, political science, engineering, environmental science, business, public health, sociology, international relations, data science, and many other disciplines before joining the MPA.
Admissions at a Glance
Application Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
- Unofficial transcripts for application review
- Two academic or professional recommendations
- Statement of purpose and supporting application materials
- GRE/GMAT not required and not considered
International Applicants:
- Proof of English-language proficiency is required through TOEFL, IELTS, or an approved exemption pathway established by Cornell Graduate School.
Work Experience:
Professional experience is welcomed but not required. The program is designed for both recent graduates and early-career professionals.
Looking for Admission Details?
A career in public policy is often tied to existing and thriving in international communities. I was fortunate that at Brooks, diversity of culture and experience is celebrated. Like me, most of my classmates were international students, and Brooks staff and lecturers made it a priority to ensure the community existed and was celebrated.
– Barbara Batycka MPA ‘25
Funding Your Degree
The Brooks School is committed to helping students access an exceptional public policy education.
Funding Options Include
- Merit-based scholarships
- Federal student loans for eligible U.S. students
- Veterans education benefits
- External fellowships and scholarships
- Private educational loan options
Approximately 50% of MPA students receive strong merit-based scholarships, automatically considered during the admission process. A separate scholarship application is not required. Cornell Brooks MPA students benefit from competitive overall value compared with many peer public policy programs.
Estimated Tuition
Tuition and Fees:
$83,741
(Includes tuition and fees and estimates for indirect costs such as housing, food, books, transportation, and personal expenses.)
