What is NASPAA/COPRA Accreditation?
NASPAA Accreditation is the certification that a master’s program has met the standards for Professional Masters Degree Programs in Public Affairs, Policy and Administration established by NASPAA through a voluntary peer review process conducted by the Commission on Peer Review and Accreditation (COPRA). The process consists of a self study, an initial review by the Commission, a site visit from a team of academic and practitioner peers, and a final COPRA review and decision.

Who is eligible?
To be eligible for NASPAA accreditation, your program must be a master’s degree in public affairs/policy/administration (or similar title denoting a professional master’s degree preparing students for professional careers in public service). Your program must be a member in good standing of NASPAA, and your home institution should be regionally accredited. NASPAA accreditation is awarded at the master’s program level, not at the school or institutional level.

Why should our program apply for accreditation?
Accreditation is all about Quality. Participating in the accreditation process commits your program to a self study process that includes a thorough strategic planning exercise called “mission-based accreditation”. You’ll be asked to consult inside and outside your program to develop a mission statement; set program objectives; use appropriate assessment instruments to see whether you’ve achieved your objectives; and then feed back what you learn from that into improving the program. Your program will also have to work together to produce a self study document that captures what your program is, and where it is headed.

Accreditation brings the tangible benefit of being able to report that you are a NASPAA accredited program and to use the COPRA/NASPAA accreditation logo. But COPRA’s accreditation process is more than that: it makes you part of the peer review process and an integral part of the nationwide effort to improve the quality of programs to prepare professionals for public service. It is an opportunity for you to open your program for review and advice for improvement, and it is an opportunity for your faculty to learn what other programs are doing by participating as site visitors in the process at other schools. Professional contacts, reinvigorating new ideas, advice for improvement—all result from the decision to participate in the accreditation process. Accreditation is the cutting edge of NASPAA’s commitment to quality in public affairs education, and the Commission welcomes all interested programs to the process.

How does our master’s program apply for accreditation?
The first step is to contact Crystal Calarusse, the Managing Director of the Commission on Peer Review and Accreditation and express your interest in applying (copra@naspaa.org). COPRA has a special program, called “Incubation” for first-time applicants. It allows applicants to get advice from past COPRA members and chairs on draft mission statements, assessment instruments, and other matters of concern. COPRA also sponsors the “Accreditation Institute” at each annual NASPAA conference, and it typically features a session for schools going through a self study and a workshop on aspects of the self study process. There are also extensive materials on the NASPAA website to assist applicants at each stage of the process.

How long does accreditation last?
The period of accreditation is seven years. Annual reports are requested each year.

How much does accreditation cost?
At the time of each seven year accreditation review, there is an accreditation fee (for 2008-09 is $3,950.) Any modifications will be announced by the NASPAA office in April. The program is also asked to cover the expenses of a three person site team, and depending on airfares and hotels in the area, that amount usually ranges from $1,500 to $3,000. There are no additional annual accreditation fees above and beyond NASPAA annual membership dues.