Below are some frequently asked questions when entering the program. If you have any further questions, please contact the MPA office at (86-10) 62513870.

How much is tuition?

The tuition is RMB 99000 for three years. It includes the fall and spring semesters. It is subject to change without notice.

How can I pay for graduate school?

MPA students can finance their education through fellowships, scholarships, and/or assistantships. The MPA office offers the MPA Fellowship, Jufang Scholarship, and a number of assistantships.

• MPA fellowship is awarded on the basis of enrollment in the program. It can cover part of the tuition.

• Jufang Scholarship is awarded based on academic and other achievements. It is a form of financial aid complementary to the fellowship.

• Assistantships fall into three categories: graduate, research and teaching. Students can apply for one of them through the MPA office.

Do I have to choose an area of specialization?

MPA students could choose a specific area of study. Our program offers specialized study in the following: governance and leadership, public security and emergency management, public policy, management science and decision-making, regional development and urban development, land using and urban-rural development, fiscal and taxation management, healthcare policy and management, social security, public organization and human resource management, non-profit organization management.

How are MPA classes delivered?

The MPA program offered all courses through in-person instruction in a traditional classroom setting. We also delivery online courses to MPA students, including parts of core course, elective course. Previously a few of MPA students have been arranged to study in Suzhou campus, now all the students have moved to the main campus in Beijing.

How long will it take me to complete the MPA degree?

MPA students are requested to take 5 credits for general education courses, 11 credits for required course, 5 credits for core courses, 5 credits for required specialization courses, 10 credits for elective courses and 2 credits for internship, which can ensure both of their knowledge breadth and depth in the field of public administration. Afterwards, individual student can choose a certain study subfield which is tightly connected with his/her job obligations so that a faculty member can be selected to act as his/her supervisor. After this substantial class-taking they should fulfill to write a master thesis and pass an oral defense to get the degree.

The program can be completed in 2 to 3 years with continuous full-time enrollment. If a student elects to enroll part-time, the program can be completed in 2.5 or 3 years, depending upon how many courses are taken per semester. Students can apply for the maximum of 2-year-extension of graduation, if they cannot graduate in 3 years.

How many students are enrolled in the program?

There are currently 1356 students in the program. Roughly 22.12% enrolled in the program in 2020 and 21.75% in 2021. The percentage of female is approximately 60%. 10% of the students are ethnic minorities in China.

How many enrolled students complete the program?

The completion rates of the 2014-2019 cohorts are reported in the Table below.

 Table. The Completion Rates of MPA Graduates (the cohorts of 2014-19)

What are the placements for internships and jobs following graduation?

The vast majority of students of our program are staff in post. They fulfill the internship requirement by performing work at their current job positions, and stay at the position after graduation. They are from a variety of public sectors in the cell and all levels of local governments, as well as from public institutions and state-owned enterprises.

Table. The job Placement of MPA Graduates in 2022

Can I get joint degrees?

No joint degrees are currently available in the program.

How are MPA classes delivered?

The MPA program offered all courses through in-person instruction in a traditional classroom setting. We also delivery online courses to MPA students, including parts of core course, elective course. Previously a few of MPA students have been arranged to study in Suzhou campus, now all the students have moved to the main campus in Beijing.

What is the organizational relationship between program and university?

Our program is managed directly by SPAP, but we accept many policy guidance and regulation from the University. The Graduate School is in charge of our program’s functioning policies in admission, coursework, extra-curricular activities and thesis-writing. The Graduate Students’ Affairs Department is in charge of all graduate students’ campus life and psychological support. The International Affairs Department undertakes MPA students’ international exchange. The Logistics Group is responsible for providing food catering, accommodation and other logistics affairs.

How does the program offer financial aids and assistantships to current students?

Both of the University and SPAP offers scholarships to encourage MPA to get excellent performances in course-learning and thesis-writing. SPAP also provides financial aids to help students to overcome possible financial difficulties based on case-by-case approval system. In addition, many TA and RA positions with assistantships have been offered to MPA students both by the University and SPAP.

Which placements does our program offer for students’ internships?

To facilitate students’ working skill training, particularly for full-time MPA students, our program has several internship placements, such as some China’s state organizations (i.e., the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology), local organizations (i.e., Beijing Chaoyang District Committee Office, Beijing Chaoyang District Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau), public institutions (i.e., Chinese Academy of Public Administration, Fund Supervision and Control Center of Ministry of Education, Working Committee for Central Party and State Institutions), state-owned and private enterprises (i.e., China Development Bank, Beijing Bytedance Network Technology Co. LTD, Huawei Technologies Co. LTD)

What’s the completion rate of our program for class entering five years prior to data year that graduated within 2 years and 4 years?

The completion rate of our program varies in different years. Generally speaking, over 85% of students can graduate within 4 years.