Why is NASPAA accreditation important?
Accreditation is a sign that a program has met a set of standards regarding MPA/MPP curriculum, administration, program mission, student admissions, faculty quality, student services and placement, and facilities. It means the program has gone through a rigorous process of self study, an accreditation commission review, and an extensive on-site campus visit by a team of experts. In brief, accreditation is one of many signs of quality that a student can use when considering graduate programs. All NASPAA member schools (262) possess regional/general accreditation. On top of that, 161 of NASPAAs 262 members have the additional MPA/MPP accreditation in addition to their regional/general one. An unaccredited MPA/MPP program is not by any means a program of inferior quality. It simply means that the program has chosen not to participate in the NASPAA peer review process.
