Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
The MMA, in partnership with Suffolk University, offers three programs and a fellowship designed exclusively for municipal employees to further their professional careers in local government:
• Local Government Leadership and Management Certificate Program
• Municipal Finance Management Seminar
• Municipal Human Resources Seminar
• Municipal Fellowship Program
This graduate-level academic program provides a solid grounding in public management.
The program is an excellent opportunity for skilled municipal managers and professionals from all parts of local government to continue their education and build a network of colleagues.
Courses are taught by Suffolk University faculty and are considered graduate level; applicants are not required to have a bachelor’s degree.
Current courses
• Foundations of Local Government Administration
• Budgeting and Financial Management
• Human Resources Management
• Strategic Leadership
• Seminar in Public Policy: Contemporary Legal Challenges for Local Government
• Seminar in Public Policy: Contemporary Management Challenges for Local Government
Certificate graduates may be eligible to waive up to 12 credits at an accepting MPA program.
How to participate
Applications for the Certificate program are available each year between Feb. 1 and April 30.
Completed applications must be emailed to [email protected] by April 30 for consideration by the admissions committee. Applicants will be notified of their status by June 1. This is a competitive application process.
Schedule
Certificate classes are held on 25 Fridays, from September through May. All classes are held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Certificate programs are held in a hybrid format, with 10 classes held in person and 15 classes held on Zoom.
Programs are hosted in different communities each academic year. Applicants will apply to one location and complete the program with that cohort. Approximately 25 students will be admitted to each location.
Upcoming programs
| Class Dates | Locations | Application window | Admissions decisions |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026 - May 2027 | Littleton, Medfield, Palmer | Feb. 1-April 30, 2026 | June 1, 2026 |
| September 2027 - May 2028 | Barnstable, Lexington, Great Barrington | Feb. 1-April 30, 2027 | June 1, 2027 |
| September 2028 - May 2029 | TBD | Feb. 1-April 30, 2028 | June 1, 2028 |
Cost
The cost of the Certificate program is $2,850.
This seminar provides an overview of municipal finance in Massachusetts and covers topics including:
• Structure and purpose of local government
• Municipal budgeting systems and sources of revenue
• Financial reporting and record keeping
• Financial management
• Principles of property assessment
• Intersection of human resources and financial resources
• Best practices in local government finance
Courses are taught by Suffolk University faculty; participants are not required to have a bachelor’s degree.
The seminar does not qualify toward graduate credits.
How to participate
Registration for the finance seminar is first-come, first-served. Enrollment will open for each program on the dates listed below.
Approximately 25 students will be admitted to each seminar.
Register for the MMA-Suffolk Municipal Finance Management Seminar
Participants will be vetted to ensure that they’re a current municipal employee; there can be no more than three participants in each seminar per municipality. Students are expected to attend all course sessions, participate in class activities, and complete all course assignments. If you already know you cannot attend one class date, please wait to enroll in a future seminar.
Schedule
The seminar is held three times per year — in the fall, winter, and spring — over the course of five Fridays, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. All classes are held on Zoom.
Upcoming Programs
| Class Dates | Registration opens |
|---|---|
| Fall 2026: Oct. 30, Nov. 6, Nov. 13, Nov. 20, Dec. 4 | Aug. 5 |
| Winter 2027: Jan. 8, Jan. 15, Jan. 29, Feb. 5, Feb. 12 | Oct. 21 |
| Spring 2027: March 5, March 12, March 19, March 26, April 2 | Dec. 9 |
Cost
The cost of the Finance Seminar is $925.
Scholarship opportunity
In 2021, the Massachusetts Municipal Management Association established the Rocco Longo Scholarship, which will be awarded to one participant in each session of the MMA-Suffolk Municipal Finance Management Seminar and covers the full program fee. The qualifications for this scholarship are: a commitment to local government and a financial need. Scholarship applications will be sent to all enrolled students for each seminar.
This seminar reviews human resources management, policies and practices specific to Massachusetts cities and towns.
The seminar is designed for municipal employees interested in furthering their career in municipal human resources, employees who are new to municipal human resources, and employees who work in a municipal function with human-resources-adjacent tasks.
Key topics include:
• Hiring and onboarding
• Benefits administration
• Policy development
• Collective bargaining
• Employee reviews and evaluations
• Relevant labor laws
• Best practices in municipal human resources management
Courses are taught by Suffolk University faculty; participants are not required to have a bachelor’s degree.
The seminar does not qualify toward graduate credits.
How to participate
Applications for the HR seminar are available on the dates listed below.
2026-2027 HR Seminar Application
This is a competitive application process. Approximately 25 students will be admitted to each seminar.
Students are expected to attend all course sessions, participate in class activities, and complete all course assignments. If you already know you cannot attend one class date, please wait to apply to a future seminar.
Schedule
The seminar is held three times per year — in the fall, winter, and spring — over the course of five Fridays, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. All classes are held on Zoom.
Upcoming programs
| Class Dates | Application window | Admissions decisions |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2026: Sept. 25, Oct. 2, Oct. 9, Oct. 16, Oct. 23 | May 1-July 15, 2026 | mid-August 2026 |
| Winter 2027: Jan. 29, Feb. 5, Feb. 12, Feb. 19, Feb. 26 | Sept. 1-Nov. 20, 2026 | early Dec. 2026 |
| Spring 2027: April 9, April 16, April 23, April 30, May 7 | Nov. 23-Jan. 29, 2027 | late Feb. 2027 |
Cost
The cost of the Human Resources Seminar is $925.
Municipal professionals interested in pursuing a Master of Public Administration degree at Suffolk University are encouraged to apply for the municipal fellowship program, which offers a significant scholarship, while the recipient’s municipality commits to continuing their salary and position while they attend the program part-time.
Fellowship applicants must be accepted for admission to Suffolk’s Master of Public Administration program and must receive the support of the chief municipal official in their municipality. Additional consideration will be given to graduates of the MMA-Suffolk Certificate in Local Government Leadership and Management program.
Those interested in the Municipal Fellowship should check off, on Suffolk’s application, that they are a municipal employee interested in the fellowship, and apply to Suffolk by May 1.
The fellowship selection committee will interview qualified applicants and award up to two fellowships in June.
If you have questions about the MMA-Suffolk programs, please contact Katie McCue at [email protected] or Kate Evarts at [email protected].