From education and public safety to housing and infrastructure, governmental leadership shapes how resources are managed and services are delivered, impacting the everyday lives of citizens and supporting the orderly functioning of society
Today’s public managers are expected to make ethical decisions, lead with integrity, and build trust with the communities they serve, and continuing education can ensure they are consistently prepared to meet today’s challenges.
Built for early- and mid-career professionals, the Certified Public Manager certificate program at UVA helps public sector leaders develop the skills they need to solve real-world problems and grow professionally.
“For public sector professionals, leadership development is not just about personal advancement. It is about improving the systems, services and communities they serve. At its core, the Certified Public Manager certificate has the power to shape not just careers, but communities.”
Alexa Jeffress, Senior Director of Professional and Enrichment Programs, UVA SCPS
Who Should Consider a Certified Public Manager Certificate?
If you work in the public sector and manage people, projects or programs, this certificate can help you to build practical management skills, expand your impact, and take the next step in your career. The Certified Public Manager certificate is designed for professionals in a range of positions, including:
- Entry-level professionals such as coordinators or administrators
- Mid-level professionals such as program managers, project managers and operations managers
Why is a Certified Public Manager Certificate Relevant Today?
Public sector leaders help ensure government services operate efficiently and effectively. From managing essential services to stewarding public resources, their decisions affect quality of life at the local, state and national levels. As expectations for accountability, transparency and results continue to rise, the need for public sector expertise has never been greater.
Demand for these roles in the job market is growing. Jobs in public management, including county and city managers, are projected to grow by 13% through 2028, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers. As public organizations continue to rely on strong leadership to drive outcomes, professionals who can lead teams, think strategically and deliver results are increasingly valuable.
“A Certified Public Manager certificate is more relevant than ever because public sector leaders operate in an environment that has become significantly more complex, highly visible, and performance-driven. This certificate bridges the gap between technical expertise and the leadership, management and governance skills required today.”
Charles W. Hartgrove, Managing Director - Virginia Institute of Government, Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service
What Do Students Learn?
UVA’s Certified Public Manager curriculum reflects the realities of modern public sector work, helping professionals navigate both current challenges and future trends. Christina Bruner, an instructor in UVA’s Certified Public Manager program, says that students will leave the program with skills, contextual awareness, and an ethical foundation that will strengthen their own abilities and those of the organizations they serve.
Learning objectives in the program are aligned with the seven core competencies identified by the National Certified Public Manager Consortium (NCPMC):
- Personal and organizational integrity
- Managing work
- Leading people
- Developing self
- Systemic integration
- Public service focus
- Change leadership
How Will This Certificate Help Students Succeed?
A Certified Public Manager certificate from UVA helps professionals position themselves for increased responsibility. Whether participants are preparing for a promotion or looking to improve in their current role, the program focuses on hands-on professional growth.
Build Practical, Job-Ready Skills
Participants gain a wide range of skills that can be applied immediately in the workplace, including:
- Effective communication and collaboration
- Ethical decision-making
- Innovative problem solving
- Data analysis and budgeting
- Change management
- Understanding public administration systems and legal frameworks
Apply Learning Through Real-World Projects and Collaboration
One of the most valuable aspects of UVA’s Certified Public Manager program is its focus on applied learning. Rather than relying solely on theory, participants work on real problems that impact their organizations and communities.
UVA’s program is shaped by input from public sector leaders across Virginia. Stakeholders from local, state and federal organizations help inform the curriculum and capstone projects to ensure relevance. Students also benefit from peer learning, building a network of professionals across agencies, regions and roles.
A Nationally Recognized Credential
The Certified Public Manager credential is aligned with the National Certified Public Manager Consortium, which sets rigorous standards for program quality and curriculum. Upon completion, participants are eligible to join the American Academy of Certified Public Managers, a national professional network that supports ongoing development and collaboration.
The National Certified Public Manager Consortium only allows one organization per state to offer a Certified Public Manager certificate program. In Virginia, that provider is UVA. Jeffress explains, “Aligning with the NCPMC ensures our program meets its very high standards for public sector leadership education.” Classes are taught by seasoned public administrators and academic instructors.
What Makes UVA’s Certified Public Manager Certificate Unique?
UVA’s Certified Public Manager Certificate is offered through a partnership between the School of Continuing and Professional Studies and the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service. Hartgrove highlights the strength of the partnership, saying “with the Cooper Center’s understanding of the evolving needs of public leaders and SCPS’s expertise in standing up professional development programs, we are able to offer both a relevant curriculum and a space for public servants to learn and network.”
A Capstone Experience That Tackles Real Challenges
A defining feature of the Certified Public Manager certificate is the capstone project. Participants complete an 80-hour, team-based project focused on pressing public sector issues. “Students tackle big challenges that we are facing in Virginia and beyond, working on real problems with the goal of driving measurable outcomes,” Jeffress explains.
Examples of capstone topics students may explore include:
- Affordable housing
- Public safety and policing
- Data governance
- Community and infrastructure challenges
Participants collaborate with stakeholders across local, state and federal levels, ensuring their work is grounded in real-world needs and has the potential to create meaningful change.
Flexible Format for Working Professionals
The Certified Public Manager Certificate program spans eight months, from September to April, and combines in-person and online learning, allowing students from all over Virginia to be fully engaged in the program while balancing their work and personal lives, without the burden of extensive travel.
Opening and closing sessions are held in person to foster connection and collaboration, and the majority of coursework is delivered online for flexibility and accessibility.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Learn more about UVA’s Certified Public Manager certificate and how it can expand your effectiveness as a public manager.
About UVA’s Weldon Cooper Center
The University of Virginia's Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service helps build a strong, well-informed citizenry by providing nonpartisan, reliable services to individuals and entities that serve the public good. We conduct rigorous, practical research that informs public policy, and provide best-in-class leadership development programs for students, state and local governments, and non-profit leaders. Through our training and research, we serve as a critical and objective partner to help policymakers and practitioners solve pressing problems.