MPA Handbook

Career Opportunities and Professional Affiliations

Career Opportunities for and Employment of MPA Graduates 

Many MPA students are able to secure employment before or just after the completion of program requirements. For those students who do not, however, there are several helpful sources. The job- seeking graduate should consult with the MPA Director, MPA faculty members, and MPA Assistant Director. Often these individuals are notified of employment opportunities before they appear in job registers.

Another source of job opportunities is the Twardowski Career Development Center (see the Important Contact Information section of this Handbook for contact information), which receives job listings from federal, state, and local governmental agencies, in addition to special newsletters.

Job-seeking graduates should also read the job recruitment bulletins published by the following associations (see the Professional Associations in Public Administration section of this Handbook for contact information and web addresses):

• American Society for Public Administration (ASPA)
• Association of Pennsylvania Municipal Management (APMM)
• Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM)
• Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA)
• City Management Association of Delaware (CMAD)
• Government College Relations Council (GCRC)
• Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA)
• International City Management Association (ICMA)
• International Hispanic Network (IHN)
• International Personnel Management Association for Human Resources (IPMA-HR)
• National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA)
• New Jersey Municipal Management Association (NJMMA)
• Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations (IANO)

Job-seeking graduates should also consult PublicServiceCareers.org, the leading source for advice and information regarding careers in the public sector. The website, co-sponsored by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM), the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA), and the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA), is an excellent resource for individuals interested in a range of professional opportunities in government agencies, nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations, consulting firms, and academia.

The Career Advice and Resources page of the website provides valuable information pertaining to:

Articles and links to other resources that offer career advice;

• Detailed information about finding internships in public service;
• Data on salaries in different public service careers;
• A searchable database of conferences, job fairs, lectures, special trainings, and other opportunities submitted by users of the website; and,
• A Public Service Careers job board, as well as database of other job boards related to careers in the field.

National and Professional Associations in Public Administration

An important factor in the employment market is professional contact. Students should join, as early as possible, at least one professional association relevant to their career interests. The importance of these early professional contacts cannot be overstated.

American Society for Public Administration (ASPA)

Membership includes students, academic specialists, and practitioners from local, state, and federal agencies. ASPA has one national meeting each year, and there are also regular multi-state regional meetings and local chapter meetings in many areas. ASPA publishes Public Administration Review (PAR), perhaps the most important journal in public administration, which includes articles of commentary, analysis, and research. Members also receive Public Administration Times, which includes job openings in various administrative fields, and articles on current events in public administration.

American Society for Public Administration

1120 - “G” Street. N.W., Suite 500

Washington, DC 20005

The Association of Pennsylvania Municipal Management (APMM)

The APMM is the recognized state organization of local government professionals with an affiliation with the International City/County Management Association (ICMA).

APMM is a nonprofit, nonpartisan association of professional municipal managers and administrators working in Pennsylvania local government. The Association of Pennsylvania Municipal Management is dedicated to the promotion of professional and effective local government management in Pennsylvania. 

Association of Pennsylvania Municipal Management

414 North Second Street

Harrisburg 17102

Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM)

APPAM is dedicated to improving public policy and management by fostering excellence in research, analysis, and education. APPAM hosts a multidisciplinary annual research conference that attracts the highest quality research on a wide variety of important current and emerging policy and management issues, and publishes a peer-reviewed multidisciplinary journal that features the highest quality research on public policy and management.

APPAM offers three types of membership, individual, institutional, and student, who benefit from exposure to a highly experienced network of educators, researchers, public policy analysts, and other like-minded individuals and institutions.

Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management

1029 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 1150

Washington, DC 20005

Phone: 202.496.0130

Fax: 202.496.0134

Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA)

ARNOVA is a leading interdisciplinary community of people dedicated to fostering through research and education, the creation, application and dissemination of knowledge on nonprofit organizations, philanthropy, civil society and voluntary action. The Student/ Academic Membership rate for this organization is $55.

ARNOVA

550 W. North St., Suite 301

Indianapolis, IN 46202

City Management Association of Delaware (CMAD)

The CMAD is the recognized state organization of local government professionals with an affiliation with the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). 

CMAD is a nonprofit, nonpartisan association of professional municipal managers and administrators working in Delaware local government. The Association of Pennsylvania Municipal Management is dedicated to the promotion of professional and effective local government management in Pennsylvania.

Government College Relations Council (GCRC)

The Government College Relations Council (GCRC) was founded in Chicago in 1968. It is a professional association that supports working relationships between representatives from accredited post-secondary colleges/universities and federal, state, county and local governments. The Student/ Academic Membership rate for this organization is $15.

Government College Relations Council

Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA)

The purpose of the Government Finance Officers Association is to enhance and promote the professional management of governments for the public benefit by identifying and developing financial policies and best practices and promoting their use through education, training, facilitation of member networking, and leadership.

Membership in the GFOA is open to everyone whose career, studies or interests involve government financial management. GFOA members form a diverse group of individuals, from entry-level employees to senior managers who work for a broad range of governments, including cities, towns, and other municipalities of all sizes; county governments; school districts and special districts; public employee retirement systems; states and provinces; schools of administration and public affairs; libraries; federal agencies; and accounting firms, law firms, investment banks, and consulting institutions. The Education Membership rate is $40, and $35 of your total membership dues pay for a subscription to Government Finance Review, GFOA’s bimonthly magazine.

Government Finance Offers Association

203 N LaSalle Street, Suite 2700

Chicago, IL 60601-1210

Students may also benefit from membership in the Government Finance Officers Association of Pennsylvania (GFOA-PA).

International City/County Management Association (ICMA)

ICMA is a professional and educational organization representing appointed mangers and administrators in local governments throughout the world. Members receive bi-weekly newsletters and the monthly publication of Public Management magazine.

International City/County Management Association

777 N. Capitol Street, NW, Suite 500

Washington DC 20002

Local Government Hispanic Network (LGHN)

The purpose of the Local Government Hispanic Networkis to encourage professional excellence among Hispanic local government administrators, to improve the management of local government, to provide unique resources to Hispanic local government executives and public managers, and to advance the goals of professional, effective and ethical local government administration. The network works with other organizations, such as the International City Management Association, which shares common goals. The Student/ Academic Membership rate for this organization is $10.

Local Government Hispanic Network (LGHN)

2107 N. First Street, Suite 470

San Jose, CA 95131

International Personnel Management Association for Human Resources (IPMA-HR)

IPMA-HR is the recognized association for public personnel professionals. Members receive a monthly newsletter, which includes position openings, a quarterly journal, and a membership directory.

International Personnel Management Association

1850 K Street, N.W., Suite 870

Washington, DC 20006

National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA)

The mission of the NFBPA is embodied in the organization's commitment to strengthen the position of Blacks within the field of public administration; to increase the number of Blacks appointed to executive positions in public service organizations; and, to groom and prepare younger, aspiring administrators for senior public management posts in the years ahead. Students at the undergraduate and graduate levels are eligible to become members of the NFBPA, provided they subscribe to the goals and objectives of the NFBPA and shall be a full-time student as defined by the institution in which they are enrolled. Student Membership is limited to four consecutive years. Adults who are employed full-time and pursue part-time academic study are ineligible for student memberships. Documentation that verifies full-time status is required. Student memberships are $25.00.

National Forum for Black Public Administrators

777 North Capitol Street NE, Suite 807

Washington, DC 20002

New Jersey Municipal Management Association (NJMMA)

The New Jersey Municipal Management Association (NJMMA) is an organization of professional local government administrators & assistants whose goal is to improve the quality of local government in New Jersey through professional management. The Association creates an information network offering the free flow of ideas thereby enhancing each member's ability to deal with the problems & pressures of the profession.

New Jersey Municipal Management Association

303 George Street, Suite 604

New Brunswick, NJ 08901

Phone 732-932-3640 x 640

Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations (PANO)

PANO is the professional organization for individuals engaged in the administration of nonprofit agencies in Pennsylvania. This organization publishes a quarterly newsletter including job openings, and topical articles.

Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations

777 East Park Drive, Suite

300 Harrisburg, PA 17111

Important Contact Information