Walden University Launches First Online School of Public Policy and Administration

Minneapolis—April 1, 2006—Crises such as September 11th and Hurricane Katrina have underscored the importance of an effective, efficient and highly skilled public sector. Walden University, an accredited online institution, and its new School of Public Policy and Administration are taking several significant steps to help to prepare new leaders in the governmental and nonprofit sectors through the only graduate school in public policy and administration available fully online.

Walden University, with the first fully online public administration school in the nation, has created a public administration curriculum that addresses an urgent need to develop a larger pool of professionals with enhanced critical-thinking, problem-solving skills, and cultural competence. Research shows that government faces a retirement drain in the years ahead, just at a time when our public sector faces increasing need for resources. To address that need, Walden’s curriculum provides the necessary training and scholarship for the next generation of public sector leaders.

To further support this effort, the school has created a scholarship program available to current federal, state, and local government employees, designed to assist the efforts of the government sector.*

Mary R. Hamilton, PhD, former executive director of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA), said, “There is a great need for skilled public managers in today’s evolving public sector. New managers will require different skills to address issues such as the management of networks of providers to deliver public services, the effects of globalization and the communications/technology revolution on local communities, the need to build and support civic culture, and the need to refocus on the common good. Walden’s program addresses these needs.”

As the first accredited university to offer a dedicated online School of Public Policy and Administration, Walden has seen significant growth in student enrollment and has created numerous master’s and PhD specializations within the school, including the addition of a new specialization in Criminal Justice at the master’s and doctoral levels beginning in June 2006. The stand-alone School of Public Policy and Administration was created at the end of 2005, and Marion Angelica, PhD, the department’s former chair, was tapped as the school’s new dean.

“Walden’s program is unique because it revolves around the scholar-practitioner model, which gives our students the skills they need from both academic and real-world applications,” said Paula E. Peinovich, PhD, president and provost of Walden University. “We have countless examples of students whose thesis or dissertation research findings are put to direct use in their jobs within their communities. Many of the Walden faculty are experienced researchers who also put their research into use to improve practice.”

Another differentiating feature in Walden’s public policy and administration curriculum is its continuous theme of Managing at the Boundaries, which examines historical and contemporary patterns of interaction between the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. “Because the lines between these sectors are increasingly blurred, public sector professionals must have a greater understanding of how they can work together more effectively to achieve greater results,” Dr. Angelica explained.

Employees in federal, state, or local government who are interested in Walden’s scholarship program may call to speak to an Enrollment Specialist at 1-866-492-5336 or visit www.WaldenU.edu.

*Scholarship not offered in the state of Tennessee.

About Walden University
Since 1970, Walden University has offered working professionals the opportunity to earn advanced degrees through distance learning. Today, this comprehensive, accredited online university offers master’s and doctoral degrees in education, psychology, management, public policy and administration, and health and human services, as well as master’s programs in engineering and IT, and bachelor’s completion programs in business. For more information, visit www.WaldenU.edu.

Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association, www.hlcommission.org; 1-312-263-0456.