ABSTRACT
A critical component of the MPA director position is ensuring academic quality through systematic assessment to guide curricular and programmatic changes. The NASPAA voluntary accreditation process is a valuable and intentional process for programs to reflect on, revise, or reaffirm the current program mission and program goals, articulate student learning outcomes, and assess how programmatic and curricular activities are achieving goals and learning outcomes. This chapter offers strategies to prepare for and manage the accreditation process, demystifies the accreditation process, and articulates the many resources available to graduate program administrators and faculty in participating in a quality improvement process to promote quality public service education. Additionally, participating in NASPAA accreditation offers programs the support of the broader community of graduate programs that collectively uphold public service values. The result is that NASPAA accreditation is a mark of quality for prospective students, alumni who are active in public service professions, and potential employers who seek to hire graduates, and raises the awareness and relevance of graduate programs for public service.
