Buffalo State’s Master of Public Administration and Nonprofit Management program earns NASPAA accreditation

Buffalo State's Master of Public Administration and Nonprofit Management (MPA), housed in the Department of Business, Economics, and Public Administration, has officially been accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA), the global standard in public service education.

The program is the only in-person MPA program in Western New York; the recent accreditation also makes Buffalo State's program the only accredited one of its kind in the Buffalo area.

"This is a significant step for our program," said Laurie Buonanno, professor and public administration coordinator. "We're the only MPA at a public university in Buffalo; we worked hard to get the MPA approved by the university, SUNY, and the New York State Department of Education. We have been a NASPAA member since the MPA's inception in 2011, but accreditation is a different level."

Buffalo State's MPA program successfully met NASPAA's seven standards for accreditation, which form the quality benchmark used by graduate public service programs around the world.

"Our MPA program is designed for working professionals," said Suparna Soni, associate professor and NASPAA lead. "All classes are offered in the evenings, with some available online. The program provides internship opportunities and also offers the 'India Study Program,' which I created to give students global exposure. With support from our alumni and advisory board, we've built a welcoming community that prepares future public and nonprofit leaders."

The NASPAA site visit report from March 2025 included recognition of the following:

• "The program makes good use of experiential exercises and involves students in the program's substantial networks in the Buffalo area community."
• On interviews with alumni: "We were struck by the overwhelming and unwavering support for the way they were supported by faculty and the school. The school and the university provide the normal range of supports, but the program appears to go far beyond that in serving its students."
• "This is a program that has legs. It has a local reputation with no local competitor. There are large areas in the surrounding area without an accredited MPA program."
• "The program has a diverse student body and students find it a welcoming environment."
• "This program has substantial potential to shape and support the public service in an important part of a critical state. It has strong community ties [and] an enthusiastic faculty group."

The MPA program offers tracks in public administration, nonprofit management, and international public management and, because the program is housed in the Department of Business, Economics, and Public Administration, students learn from faculty with expertise in public administration, nonprofit management, public budgeting, accounting, and human resource management, equipping them with the skills necessary for a comprehensive understanding of public administration.

"Public management is about customer satisfaction," Buonanno said. "Rather than a bureaucratic view of how government operates, we take the most efficient, economic, effective, and equitable way to manage in government and nonprofit agencies and combine that with the public service perspective-meeting the needs of citizens. We use management techniques that are hands-on."

In addition, students reap the benefits of learning from those practicing in the field. Former Buffalo mayor Byron Brown is a Professor of Practice in the MPA program and co-teaches PAD/ECO 515: New York State Government and Budget each spring.

"You make actual real-world connections-the former mayor is literally in your classroom," said Joelle Leclaire, chair of the Department of Business, Economics, and Public Administration. "You have knowledge coming from professors who are working in the field and presenting work at international conferences. Students are getting the hands-on from people who are doing the work today."

The program also rewards those who have spent time in the field; up to six credits of prior learning credit can be awarded to those with a minimum of five years' experience in managerial/program coordinator positions in a nonprofit, public, or business entity. Numerous former and current public officials are alumni of the program or are currently enrolled.

An event celebrating the MPA program's accreditation will be held on Thursday, September 25 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. in the lobby of E.H. Butler Library. In addition to faculty, students, alumni, and community members, invitations have been extended to the university president, provost, and several politicians, making this both a celebratory and high-profile occasion for the university.

"We want to be able to provide this service to our community," Leclaire said. "Let's build competent public leaders and provide a beautiful environment for our young people."

About NASPAA
NASPAA is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) membership association with over 300 institutional member schools at U.S. and non-U.S. universities that award degrees in public administration, public policy, public affairs, nonprofit and related fields. NASPAA is the recognized global accreditor of master's degree programs in these fields.