Clinton School of Public Service

What Clinton School of Public Service does

The Clinton School of Public Service is a public graduate school within the University of Arkansas System, founded in 2004 on the initiative of President Bill Clinton and located at Sturgis Hall on the grounds of the Clinton Presidential Center in downtown Little Rock, Arkansas. It offers two degree formats of the nation's first Master of Public Service (MPS): a two-year, 46-credit residential program costing $24,495 total, and Clinton School Online (CSO), a two-year, 36-credit asynchronous online program for working professionals priced at $33,600. The curriculum is differentiated from traditional MPA programs by integrating three for-credit experiential learning components — Practicum (domestic team project), International Public Service Project (IPSP, 8-10 weeks overseas), and Capstone — alongside classroom coursework in policy analysis, program evaluation, and communication.

The business model is tuition-driven, supplemented by state appropriations as part of the UA System, with a layered scholarship ecosystem that includes merit awards ($5,000 to full tuition), Peace Corps Coverdell fellowships, AmeriCorps Education Award matches, Rotary Foundation Global Grants (nearly $800,000 since 2015), and Service to Service veteran scholarships. Recruitment runs through a sales-led motion — direct online applications (Workday), virtual and in-person campus visits, video consultations, and referral pipelines through service organizations — targeting graduates of Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, military service, and working professionals. Approximately 50 students enroll per Fall residential cohort and 25-30 per CSO cohort, with 72 field-service placements completed in 2023-24 and graduation rates of 68.2%-90.0% within 2-4 years for the 2017-2019 cohorts.

The school's competitive positioning rests on brand association with the Clinton name and Presidential Center, a curated alumni network spanning 100 countries and sectors including Fortune 500 corporate social responsibility roles, and four concurrent-degree partnerships (JD, MBA, MPH, MSW) with other UA System schools that the school describes as the first of their kind. The school operates dedicated centers (Center on Community Philanthropy, Open Governance Lab, Impact Center) that extend its footprint into applied research and policy advisory work. As a public institution, there is no private ownership, and revenue/financial data beyond tuition rates is not disclosed in source materials.

Name

Clinton School of Public Service

Legal name

Clinton School of Public Service at the University of Arkansas

Website

https://clintonschool.uasys.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Clinton School of Public Service is a public graduate school within the University of Arkansas System, founded in 2004 at the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. It offers the nation's first Master of Public Service degree — both in-person and online — integrating three for-credit field service projects (Practicum, IPSP, Capstone) targeting aspiring public service leaders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education / Graduate Public Service Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Online Professional Schools (MBA/MPA/MPH/Etc.) (EDAHALAE)

Keywords

• Graduate public service education
• Master of public service degree
• Experiential field service learning
• Public administration graduate program
• Concurrent professional degree pathways

Headquarters

HQ city

Little Rock

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. MPS Tuition: The in-person Master of Public Service (MPS) degree program generates revenue through tuition at $511 per credit hour plus $21.50 fees per credit hour, totaling $532.50 per credit hour. The full 46-credit program costs $24,495 in tuition and fees. All students pay the same rate regardless of residency status.
2. Clinton School Online Tuition: The Clinton School Online (CSO) program charges $850 tuition per credit hour plus $83.33 in fees per credit hour. The full 36-credit program totals $33,600. This distance learning option provides flexibility for working professionals while generating revenue for the institution.
3. Rotary Foundation Global Grant Scholarships: International students may receive funding through Rotary Foundation Global Grant scholarships. The grant sponsor is Rotary District 6150. Since 2015, nearly $800,000 in scholarships have been awarded to Clinton School students through this program, supporting international students' education costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Clinton School of Public Service delivers graduate-level public service education through its Master of Public Service (MPS) degree — the first of its kind in the United States — along with the Clinton School Online (CSO) distance learning variant. Its core academic model integrates three for-credit field service projects (Practicum, International Public Service Project, and Capstone) with classroom curriculum in policy analysis, program evaluation, communication, and leadership. Students earn 46 credits in the in-person MPS or 36 credits online, with optional certificates and concurrent dual degrees available.

Product overview

The Clinton School of Public Service offers two primary degree programs: the in-person Master of Public Service (MPS) and Clinton School Online (CSO). The MPS is a full-time, two-year, 46-credit program integrating classroom coursework with three required field service projects (Practicum, International Public Service Project, and Capstone). The CSO is a part-time, two-year, 36-credit online program for working professionals with one Capstone requirement. Students can enhance their degree with certificate programs in Social Entrepreneurship, Communication for Social Change, or Program Planning and Evaluation for Social Change, or pursue concurrent degrees in law, business, public health, or social work with partner institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Clinton School Online: A two-year, 36-credit-hour online Master of Public Service degree program designed for professionals working full-time, formatted through online courses bookended by on-campus experiences.

Products and services

• Master of Public Service (MPS) The nation's first Master of Public Service degree; a two-year, 46-credit-hour full-time in-person graduate program that integrates three for-credit field service projects (Practicum, International Public Service Project, and Capstone) alongside classroom curriculum in policy analysis, data analysis, and communication. Designed for prospective graduate students seeking careers in government, nonprofit, social entrepreneurship, policy, and corporate social responsibility.
• Clinton School Online (CSO) A two-year, 36-credit-hour online Master of Public Service degree program for U.S.-resident working professionals. Delivered asynchronously and bookended by on-campus experiences, with one required Capstone project; designed to allow professionals to advance their public service credentials without relocating or leaving full-time employment.
• Field Service Projects Three required experiential learning components for the in-person MPS program: Practicum (a team-based domestic project in Arkansas), International Public Service Project or IPSP (an 8-10 week individual overseas placement in a partner country), and Capstone (a culminating independent public service project). Together these account for the 500,000+ hours of field service work and 100-country reach attributed to the program.
• Certificate Programs Skill-building graduate certificates available to enrolled MPS students in three areas: Social Entrepreneurship, Communication for Social Change, and Program Planning and Evaluation for Social Change. These certificates allow students to deepen expertise within the broader MPS curriculum.
• Concurrent Degrees Dual-degree options pairing the MPS with a Juris Doctor (UA Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law), Master of Business Administration (UA Fayetteville Walton College of Business), Master of Public Health (UAMS Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health), or Master of Social Work (UA Little Rock School of Social Work). Saves students 13-18 credit hours depending on the pairing.

Quantifiable outcome

• 72 total field service placements completed in 2023-24 academic year
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• UA Little Rock William H. Bowen School of LawcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConcurrent JD/MPS degree partnership allowing students to earn both degrees simultaneously. Can save students up to 18 credit hours. Designed for students interested in public policy law, public interest law, or serving as general counsel within government or public agencies.
• UAMS Fay W. Boozman College of Public HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConcurrent MPH/MPS degree partnership saving up to 18 credit hours. Ideal for students serving public in fields such as epidemiology, environmental health, health policy and management. Alumni have pursued careers in healthcare administration, health education, and public health nonprofits.
• University of Arkansas Sam M. Walton College of BusinesscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConcurrent MBA/MPS degree partnership saving up to 13 credit hours. Designed for students applying business knowledge to the public service sector. Alumni career paths include social entrepreneurship, brand management, and business development leadership.
• UA Little Rock School of Social WorkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConcurrent MSW/MPS degree partnership saving up to 18 credit hours. Designed for students impacting communities through social work with concentrations in Advanced Direct Practice (clinical) or Community and Organizational Impact.
• Peace CorpsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinton School is a partner institution of the Peace Corps Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program. Awards up to five $8,000 tuition scholarships plus $4,000 IPSP stipend to returned Peace Corps volunteers. Since program inception, 5,000+ returned Volunteers have participated nationwide.
• AmeriCorpscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinton School offers up to five AmeriCorps Education Award match scholarships to admitted AmeriCorps alumni. Education Awards can be used for tuition or student loans and may be transferred to children or grandchildren.
• We the Veterans and Volcker AllianceflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerService to Service initiative connects Veterans and Military-connected families with public service education. Clinton School provides full and half-tuition scholarships to qualified Veteran, Active Military, and Military dependent applicants. One of 12 founding member institutions.
• Ronald McDonald House Charities of ArkansasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPracticum partnership led to creation of Ronald McDonald Family Room at UAMS NICU, serving approximately 1,000 families annually.
• Newport Economic Development CommissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPracticum partnership in 2008-09 led to Delta Visual Arts Center and Delta Arts Festival, now attracting 4,000+ visitors annually.
• Isla Internships AbroadminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFacilitates international internship placements for IPSP students, including placement with Office of the President of the Republic of Kosovo.
• Clinton Presidential CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinton School is located on the grounds of the Clinton Presidential Center. Students have opportunities for in-depth conversations with internationally prominent leaders, activists, and writers who speak at the Center throughout the year.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• USC Sol Price School of Public Policy: USC's MPA and MPP programs serve a similar applicant pool with comparable career outcomes in government and nonprofits, including a large online delivery component that overlaps with Clinton School Online.
• Syracuse University Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs: Long-established MPA/MPP program widely regarded as a leading public administration graduate school. Directly comparable in mission and target candidates to the Clinton School's MPS.
• Princeton School of Public and International Affairs: Princeton's MPA program is one of the most selective public affairs graduate degrees in the U.S., directly competing with the Clinton School for high-caliber public service candidates.
• Harvard Kennedy School: Harvard's primary graduate school offering the MPA degree. Direct competitor to the Clinton School's MPS for the same applicant pool of early- and mid-career professionals pursuing public service credentials.
• Indiana University O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs: Large MPA program consistently ranked among top U.S. public affairs schools. Directly competes for the same applicant pool as the Clinton School, especially for state and local government career paths.
• University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy: Top-tier MPP program with a quantitative, analytical orientation. Competes with the Clinton School for applicants seeking policy-focused graduate credentials, though with a more analytical emphasis.
• George Washington University Trachtenberg School of Public Policy: Washington, D.C.-based MPA program with deep ties to federal agencies and policy employers. Comparable to the Clinton School in target student profile and public service mission.
• University of Michigan Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy: Michigan's MPP program is a leading public policy graduate degree with strong analytical and quantitative training, directly comparable in target candidates and mission to the Clinton School MPS.

Emerging players

• London School of Economics and Political Science - School of Public Policy: LSE's public policy programs serve internationally-oriented students interested in public service and policy careers. Comparable to the Clinton School for international applicants considering global public service pathways.
• Carnegie Mellon University Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy: Heinz offers MS programs in public policy and management with a quantitative, data-analytics emphasis. Comparable to the Clinton School for career-changers with technical backgrounds pursuing public service roles.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ClintonSchool
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ClintonSchool
• Facebookfacebook.com/clintonschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/clintonschool
• Instagraminstagram.com/clintonschool

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Clinton School of Public Service