The Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania, a Bonner Foundation graduate school partner, is currently looking for highly motivated individuals like yourselves who are interested in a Master of Public Administration beginning in Fall 2025. All Bonner members and alumni admitted to a Fels program are guaranteed a scholarship of at least $15,000.
”I am thrilled to witness this partnership between Fels and the Bonner Foundation. As a Bonner and AmeriCorps alum, I learned the power of service and the impact I can have on my community. Bonner, in particular, continues to inspire students to seek out a greater understanding of their communities and tackle the problems that exist within them. At Fels, I was given the tools to understand public policy and the levers that influence the public and social sectors to create lasting change. This partnership will undoubtedly help Bonner graduates obtain an excellent and affordable graduate education to help them ‘be the change they seek.’”
Tyler Seville, Fels MPA 2018 and 2011 Burlington County College Bonner Leader
Fels currently has 2 MPA’s they offer: The Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree delivers the analytical tools, practical experience, and valuable connections you need to achieve your career goals in just one year. This 9-course, 9 c.u.* fully on-campus program, which includes a capstone project and summer internship, is designed for early career professionals and individuals looking to advance in the public sector or pivot into the public administration or nonprofit sectors. Our curriculum takes the theory beyond the classroom and prepares you to make an immediate impact. As a Fels student, you are admitted into a small cohort of emerging public leaders who work closely with Penn faculty and leading policy practitioners to translate your classroom experiences into real-world results.
The Fels Executive Master of Public Administration (Executive MPA) program is an innovative, practitioner-focused degree designed to meet the needs of professionals with at least five years of experience seeking to advance in—or pivot into—the public and nonprofit sectors without interrupting your career. In addition to weekly synchronous, online class meetings, students come to campus monthly for required day-long courses during Friday-Saturday Executive Weekends throughout the program. This low-residency format offers Executive MPA students the opportunity to complete an Ivy League degree in less than two years while continuing to work full time—regardless of where you live and work. Our curriculum takes the theory beyond the classroom and prepares you to take the lead in the public sphere: This 10-course, 10 c.u.* program includes a capstone project designed to build the knowledge, skills, and practical experience needed to translate ideas into real-world results.
A few Key dates to note about the Fels MPA program are as follows:
Fels Virtual Information Session - Tuesday September 17, 2024 at 5:00 PM EST.
September 16, 2024 – All applications open.
December 1 – MPA priority application deadline
January 15th – MPA standard application deadline
February 1 – EMPA priority application deadline
April 1 – EMPA deadline
If you have any questions regarding the admissions process or would like to learn more about their program, please contact Marlon Lewis, Assistant Director for Recruitment and Student Services – marlonle@upenn.edu