Developed in partnership with leading water industry organizations, our program prepares utility leaders to thrive in a rapidly changing water sector. In just 16 months of online coursework, you'll earn a degree that blends essential business training-finance, marketing, data analytics, management, and ethics—with specialized courses in rate setting, strategic planning, water regulations, cybersecurity, public communication and modern innovations like water reuse and AI in water systems.
To be considered for admission into the Master of Science in Water Utilities Management program, you must submit the following materials:
- Completed application.
- Official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended, sent directly from the institution; electronic transcripts are preferred.
- Letter of Support from current employer
- A current résumé documenting work experience.
- Two letters of recommendation from academic or professional sources; recommender names/emails can be uploaded to the application, allowing the recommendation form to be sent to them by email.
- A personal statement regarding the motivation and goals that have prompted your application to the program.
You are considered for admission into the program once all application materials have been received.
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Hold a bachelor's degree or higher
- Candidates with exceptional work experience, training, and leadership may be considered without a bachelor’s degree.
- WMGT 510: Water Utility Fundamentals.............1 credit hour
- WMGT 520: Water Resource Economics.............2 credit hours
- WMGT 530: Business Ethics.............2 credit hours
- WMGT 540: Organizational Behavior and Leadership.............2 credit hours
- WMGT 550: Business Analytics Information Systems.............2 credit hours
- WMGT 559: Financial Math Tools.............0 credit hours
- WMGT 560: Fundamentals of Finance.............2 credit hours
- WMGT 570: Water HR: Personnel Management.............2 credit hours
- WMGT 580: Marketing and Social Media Strategy.............2 credit hours
- WMGY 590: Water Accounting.............1 credit hour
- WMGT 610: Water Policy and Regulations.............2 credit hours
- WMGT 620: Strategic Communication for Water Utilities.............2 credit hours
- WMGT 630: Risk and Resiliency Planning.............1 credit hour
- WMGT 640: Rate Setting.............1 credit hour
- WMGT 650: Strategic Planning for Water Utilities.............1 credit hour
- WMGT 660: Smart Water Technologies and Digital Transformation.............1 credit hour
- WMGT 670: Cybersecurity and Water Management.............1 credit hour
- WMGT 501: Residency 1.............1 credit hour
- WMGT 502: Residency 2.............2 credit hours
- WMGT 503: Residency 3.............2 credit hours
- WMGT 690: Capstone 0.............0 credit hours
- WMGT 691: Capstone 1.............1 credit hour
- WMGT 692: Capstone 2.............1 credit hour
WMGT 580: Marketing and Communications for Water Utilities
This course prepares water and wastewater utility managers to design effective marketing and communication strategies that build public trust and support organizational goals. Students examine customer engagement, risk communication, rate and capital project messaging, and crisis communications within the public utility context. Emphasis is placed on translating technical and financial information into clear, accessible messages for customers, governing boards, media, and community stakeholders. Through applied cases, students develop communication strategies that strengthen transparency, credibility, and customer relationships.
WMGT 610: Water Policy and Regulation
This course introduces water and wastewater utility managers to the legal, regulatory, and policy frameworks governing drinking water and wastewater systems in the United States. Students examine federal and state regulations, including the Safe Drinking Water Act and Clean Water Act, and explore how policy decisions affect utility operations, capital planning, compliance costs, and service delivery. Emphasis is placed on the roles of regulators, governing boards, and stakeholders, as well as emerging policy challenges related to affordability, equity, and environmental resilience. Through applied cases, students develop the ability to interpret regulatory requirements and anticipate policy impacts on utility strategy.
WMGT 640: Rate Setting and Utility Finance
This course provides water utility managers with the financial and economic foundations needed to develop sustainable, equitable, and defensible water and wastewater rates. Students examine cost-of-service analysis, revenue requirements, capital financing, and rate design within the regulatory, political, and governance contexts of public utilities. Emphasis is placed on balancing financial resilience, infrastructure investment, customer affordability, and long-term asset management. Through applied cases and financial modeling, students learn to evaluate and communicate rate proposals to governing boards, regulators, and stakeholders.
WMGT 650: Capital Planning and Asset Management
This course serves as a culminating experience that integrates utility finance, rate setting, and operational fundamentals into long-term capital planning and asset management decisions. Students learn to evaluate infrastructure condition, risk, and lifecycle costs to prioritize investments and develop defensible capital improvement plans (CIPs). Emphasis is placed on aligning capital planning with financial capacity, rate impacts, regulatory requirements, and service level goals. Through applied cases and scenario analysis, students synthesize technical, financial, and policy considerations to support sustainable, long-term utility decision-making.
Tuition
- MS in Water Utilities Management..............$1,125 (per credit hour)
Other Costs
- Study Abroad Trip Fee - Estimate $3,500 (depends upon cohort size). Includes lodging, most meals, ground transportation, and all group-scheduled activity tickets while abroad. Does not include air travel or course tuition.
Discounts and Scholarships
- 5% tuition discount for active membership within one of our Educational Partners (AWWA, AMWA, NACWA, or WEF) or by working for one of our Business Partners.
- Williams College of Business graduate scholarships
- Note: Tuition discounts do not apply to fees.
Fees
- Student ID Fee..............$15
- Graduate Student Association Fee, degree-seeking full-time..............$15 (per semester)
- Graduate Student Association Fee, degree-seeking part-time..............$10 (per semester)
For the full, official listing, please visit xavier.edu/costs.
Xavier University reserves the right to correct any computational or clerical errors.
Why Xavier's MS in Water Utilities Management?
Earn a graduate business degree from Xavier’s world-class, AACSB-accredited Williams College of Business. Designed for current and aspiring water utility leaders, the program features cutting-edge management practices taught by expert faculty and guided by an experienced Advisory Board representing every facet of the water sector.
Courses are fully online and asynchronous, offered in convenient 7-week sessions that let you balance work and study. You’ll learn in a supportive community, staying closely connected with faculty and peers. To support you as you grow, an Executive in Residence also provides professional mentoring and career guidance.
In addition to the fully online asynchronous courses, students meet in person three times during “Residency Experiences”: the Orientation Residency, the Abroad Residency (London and Amsterdam, Summer 2027), and the Capstone Residency. Each experience features keynote speakers, expert panels, cohort-building activities and valuable networking opportunities.
You'll apply concepts in real-time to solve challenges within your organization and the water sector. Instead of simply studying rate design, for example, you’ll put your learning to work analyzing real company rate schedules. Does your company have a long term strategic plan? You'll analyze it or start one!
Gain an international perspective on water management, climate resilience, and infrastructure. By working directly with global experts and utilities, students return home with new insights and actionable ideas to enhance their own water systems.
Xavier University's Williams College of Business graduate programs consistently rank among the top nationally and statewide, particularly excelling in specialized areas like management and finance.
Educational Partners
American Water Works Association
Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies
National Association of Clean Water Agencies
Water Environment Federation
FAQ
Take the next step in your career and become a leader in the water utilities management sector. Learn more.Courses are fully online and asynchronous, offered in convenient 8-week sessions that let you balance work and study.
Students meet in person three times during the program on our campus in Cincinnati, Ohio: the Orientation Residency, the Abroad Residency (London and Amsterdam, Summer 2027), and the Capstone Residency. Each experience features keynote speakers, expert panels, cohort-building activities and valuable networking opportunities.
Water Utilities Management (MS) Program at Xavier University
Xavier University's Williams College of Business is accredited by the AACSB. AACSB-accredited schools offer students a relevant and challenging curriculum, the highest quality faculty and career opportunities that are not found at other business schools.
Xavier University is a private university located in Cincinnati, Ohio, providing a liberal arts education in the Jesuit Catholic tradition. Founded in 1831, the University is the sixth-oldest Catholic university in the nation. It has been ranked among the top 10 master's-level universities in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report for the past two decades. The Princeton Review names it one of the "Best 385 Colleges in America."