School of Public Affairs

School of Public Affairs
School of Public Affairs Kerwin Hall building
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Working at the Center of the Policy World

Sissy Martinez SPA/BA '21, MS '22

MS Terrorism & Homeland Security Policy

During a transformative AU study abroad experience in Brussels, a rigorous program involving travel to Ukraine and Bosnia and an internship at the Institute for Economics and Peace, Martinez developed a fascination with European politics. Eventually, her AU skills and experiences led to a job as a project coordinator and research assistant with the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia team at the D.C. think tank the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
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Alison Jacknowitz

Introducing Alison Jacknowitz as our Interim Dean!

We are pleased she will lead our school in the 2023-24 academic year.

Message from the Dean

Discover Your Higher Purpose with SPA

The School of Public Affairs at American University is home to leading scholars in the fields of American politics, comparative politics, public administration, public policy, justice law and criminology, data science, and terrorism and homeland security. Come to a place where the faculty, staff, and other students are all committed to helping you reach your higher purpose.

Virtual Tour

AU SPA Ranked 10 in the US

Announcement ·

School of Public Affairs Again Ranked Tenth Overall in New U.S. News and World Report Rankings

The School of Public Affairs (SPA) at American University is ranked No. 10 overall among all public affairs institutions in the United States in the new U.S. News & World Report’s Public Affairs Graduate Schools rankings.
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SPA Highlights

Event Dispatches

SPA Dispatches

SPA shares insider information on the world of public affairs, from choosing and applying to the right program for you, to courses, careers, and the culture.

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Front of Kerwin Hall

Graduate Recruitment Events

Browse our graduate recruitment events to meet SPA on campus, on the road, or through one of our virtual sessions!

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#SPACyber: Policy Studies in Cybersecurity

#SPACyber is a practitioner informed, research driven hub of cyber curriculum, thought leadership, and engagement.

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Discover your future with AU

Six months after graduation,
AU
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in

% of Graduates are now Working, Grad School, or Both

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Featured News

Sine Institute Class of 2024 Spring Fellows and Distinguished Lecturers

Announcement ·

2024 AU Sine Institute of Policy & Politics Fellows and Distinguished Lecturers Soar From the Halls of Government to the Frontiers of Space

The Sine Institute for Policy and Politics announced its 2024 class of Spring Fellows and Distinguished Lecturers. The group brings together changemakers from government, business, space exploration, foreign policy, advocacy, and the media.
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Aisley Wallace Harper, dressed in graduation regalia, sings the national anthem at the May 2023 College of Arts and Sciences graduation ceremony

Alumni ·

Embracing Passion(s)—Plural—at AU

Aisley Wallace Harper, CAS/BA ’23, SPA/BA ’23, MS ’24, isn’t interested in disciplinary silos. The recipient of the Eleanor Gomolinski Lally Endowed Fund feels as at home onstage as in a counter-terrorism roundtable.
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Monty McGee

Department Spotlight ·

Khan Institute Hosts AU Cyber Community Breakfast

Speakers discuss the value of cyber training and AU’s coming cyber range.
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Specialty Rankings

number 6

for International Global Policy & Administration

by U.S. News & World Report's 2024 Public Affairs Graduate Schools Rankings

number 14

in Urban Policy

by U.S. News & World Report's 2024 Public Affairs Graduate Schools Rankings

number 15

in Public Policy Analysis

by U.S. News & World Report's 2024 Public Affairs Graduate Schools Rankings