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| American University School of Public Affairs | |
|---|---|
| Name | American University School of Public Affairs |
| Established | 1934 |
| Type | Private |
| Parent | American University |
| City | Washington, D.C. |
| Country | United States |
American University School of Public Affairs The School of Public Affairs at American University is a professional school located in Washington, D.C. that prepares leaders for roles in United States Congress, White House, United Nations, World Bank, and International Monetary Fund. Its programs intersect practice and scholarship connected to offices such as the Department of State, Department of Defense, Central Intelligence Agency, Federal Reserve System, and institutions like the Brookings Institution, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and Council on Foreign Relations. Faculty and alumni have held positions under administrations including Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Joe Biden, and have been involved with events such as the Iran Nuclear Deal negotiations, Paris Agreement, and discussions at the United Nations General Assembly.
The School emphasizes public administration, public policy, and political science across programs tied to practical venues including the Supreme Court of the United States, United States Senate, House Committee on Oversight and Reform, National Security Council, and agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Homeland Security, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its location near landmarks such as the Capitol Hill, National Mall, Smithsonian Institution, and Dupont Circle provides students proximity to internships with the International Monetary Fund and fellowships with organizations like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Pew Research Center. The School collaborates with schools and centers such as the Kogod School of Business, Washington College of Law, and the Elliott School of International Affairs.
Founded within American University in 1934 during the era of the New Deal, the School's development paralleled policy shifts involving the Social Security Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, and wartime mobilization tied to the World War II effort. In the postwar period its curriculum responded to institutions such as the United Nations and NATO and to events like the Marshall Plan and Berlin Airlift. Faculty and leadership have included scholars who contributed to commissions such as the Commission on Civil Rights and advisory roles in the Department of Justice. The School expanded during the late 20th century alongside policy debates including those spurred by the Reagan Revolution, the End of the Cold War, and the post-9/11 era shaped by the Patriot Act and operations related to Operation Enduring Freedom.
The School offers undergraduate majors, master's degrees, and doctoral programs with concentrations comparable to schools at Harvard Kennedy School, Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, Georgetown University, and Columbia University. Degree tracks include Master of Public Administration linked to practitioners from the Office of Management and Budget and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Master of Public Policy with case studies referencing the Affordable Care Act and Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, and Ph.D. programs preparing scholars for tenure at institutions such as Johns Hopkins University, University of Chicago, and Stanford University. Professional certificates partner with agencies like the Federal Communications Commission, Environmental Protection Agency, and nonprofit organizations including United Way and The Nature Conservancy.
The School hosts centers that engage with policy challenges involving actors such as NATO, Organization of American States, African Union, International Criminal Court, and World Health Organization. Notable centers have focused on urban policy tied to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, cybersecurity topics relevant to National Institute of Standards and Technology, and governance research informing commissions like the Bipartisan Policy Center. Collaborations extend to think tanks including the Heritage Foundation, Center for Strategic and International Studies, and Atlantic Council for convenings and policy reports.
Faculty include former officials from the State Department, Defense Intelligence Agency, and Office of the Director of National Intelligence, scholars who published in venues such as the American Political Science Review, Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, and who testified before committees of the United States Congress. Administrators have held prior posts at institutions such as the Ford Foundation, National Academy of Public Administration, and Open Society Foundations. Visiting faculty and fellows have come from organizations like McKinsey & Company, Booz Allen Hamilton, and the Fannie Mae policy teams.
Admission standards attract applicants with experience from roles at the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, United States Agency for International Development, and state capitols including California State Capitol and Texas State Capitol. The student body includes international students from countries represented in the United Nations Security Council and domestic students who intern with offices such as the Mayor of Washington, D.C. and committees of the House of Representatives. Financial aid and fellowships reference funding models used by the Fulbright Program, Rhodes Scholarship, and public service loan forgiveness policies administered by the Department of Education.
Alumni have served as elected officials such as members of United States Senate, United States House of Representatives, governors who worked with the National Governors Association, and diplomats posted to missions at the United Nations and embassies in capitals including London, Beijing, and Brussels. Graduates have held leadership at institutions such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Federal Reserve Board, and nonprofits including International Rescue Committee and Doctors Without Borders. The School's impact is reflected in alumni participation in major initiatives like the Paris Agreement, legislative reforms related to the Clean Air Act, and public health responses coordinated with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.