Clinton School Online
Enhance Your Opportunities for Leadership in Public Service | Earn Your Master of Public Service through Clinton School Online
Clinton School Online allows students to earn a Master of Public Service while offering the convenience and flexibility of an online degree program.
Building on the strengths of the nation's first Master of Public Service, Clinton School Online provides professionals in public, private, and nonprofit sectors with a practical skillset and knowledge base to enhance their opportunities for leadership in public service.
The online master's degree program is designed for students who are looking to make a change in their careers, those who are seeking advancement in their existing careers, or those searching for opportunities to take on additional leadership within their workplace and community.
Convenience & Flexibility
Regardless of your place in your career, Clinton School Online provides you with the knowledge, skills, and network you're looking for without forcing you to relocate or disrupt your personal life.
Formatted with asynchronous online courses and bookended by on-campus experiences at the start and conclusion of the program, the Master of Public Service through Clinton School Online is designed to be flexible, allowing you to earn your master's degree on your own time. Clinton School Online creates a learning environment that enables you to balance your existing professional and personal commitments with your education.
Develop Your Skills to Create Impact
The Master of Public Service through Clinton School Online is a two-year, 36-hour program offered one course at a time. In total, students will complete 12 courses, each lasting eight weeks over a period of 24 months.
The Clinton School Online curriculum stands out from other public administration and public affairs schools in that it combines classes on field research and data analysis with courses focused on communication, advocacy, and leadership skills. Students conclude the program by designing and implementing an in-depth Capstone project with their employer or a partner organization of their choosing. The Capstone is the program's culminating project, challenging students to put into action the skills learned and developed throughout the program.
Unlike many other online graduate degree options, your classes are taught by the same instructors who teach this program on campus, giving you access to the same expertise and high-quality courses in an engaging environment that promotes success at a distance.
You will learn from high-touch faculty who are dedicated to your progress and join a network of public service leaders who bring a variety of personal and professional experiences to every discussion.
Career Outcomes
The holistic, interdisciplinary curriculum offered through Clinton School Online is designed to prepare students for a broad range of career opportunities and enhancements. Students graduate with a versatile public service toolkit that can be utilized across sectors and industries, with a blend of hard and soft skills that are desirable for any employer.
Clinton School Online graduates are thriving in a variety of roles, from the nonprofit sector to government agencies, all across the country. Among the alums are graduates serving as general counsel for a pediatric hospital, senior management at Fortune 500 companies, and executive directors and CEOs of national and regional nonprofit organizations.
The recent growth of social entrepreneurship and corporate social responsibility (CSR) has opened up more avenues for career possibilities. Dating back to the school's founding in 2004, Clinton School graduates can be found in the corporate offices at Apple, Starbucks, Walmart, and other leading-edge companies nationwide.
In addition to the Clinton School's community of students, faculty, and community partners, your network also grows to include the internationally prominent leaders, activists, and writers who speak at the Clinton Presidential Center throughout the year. Student opportunities for in-depth conversations with these visitors go far beyond the typical "meet and greet."
Kathryn Ling ('20)
CEO, Moonshot EdVentures
Ling serves as Chief Executive Officer of Moonshot EdVentures, a nonprofit in Denver, Colo., that supports a diverse pipeline of leaders to design and launch the learning environments of tomorrow.
“Our beginning coursework where we dove in to the definition and purpose of public service was a very meaningful, grounding exercise for me. It helped me articulate my goals in a way I felt for a long time, but hadn’t ever put on paper. I still use the resources from my courses on grant-writing and quantitative and qualitative research when I’m working on fundraising and program evaluation in my role now.”
Daniel Sims ('22)
Senior Director of Development, University of Wisconsin Foundation
As Senior Director of Development, Sims is responsible for leading fundraising efforts alongside a team in UW’s College of Engineering, while also providing leadership development and skills support to team members across the foundation.
“The skills and perspective I gained in my first year at the Clinton School have, in some ways, revolutionized the way that I approach my work with donors. As I transition my operational approach to fundraising from donor-centered to community-centered, I have taken the deliberation skills, research methods, and critical conversations I've had in the program and applied it to shifting how I best serve my community through encouraging philanthropic giving.”
Ryan Solomon ('20)
Vice President & General Counsel, Arkansas Children’s Hospital
Solomon was announced as Vice President and General Counsel for Arkansas Children’s Hospital in March 2021. Solomon, who joined ACH in 2014 and most recently served as Director of Enterprise Risk Management and Assistant General Counsel, continues to lead the pediatric hospital’s ERM efforts while taking on additional leadership and responsibility within the legal department.
“The Clinton School, and the way that they offer this program, allows someone like me, who has work, life outside of work, and a family, to really focus on pursuing their education and developing their skills.”
The CSO Admissions Process
Admission to Clinton School Online is determined by several factors including academic background, public service experience, and personal vision for future public service contributions. The Clinton School is test-optional and there is no application fee.
All applicants should meet the minimum criteria for graduate studies at the University of Arkansas, which includes a 2.85 undergraduate GPA. Due to a range of domestic educational protocols, Clinton School Online is only available to students living in the United States.
The Clinton School is a non-partisan graduate institution that welcomes academically and experientially qualified applicants of all ideologies, backgrounds, ages, and life experiences.
For more information on the admissions process, contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@clintonschool.uasys.edu or by calling 501-683-5228.
Ready to Make a Change?
You can request more information on Clinton School Online, schedule a video chat with the admissions team, or start your application. We look forward to hearing from you.
