Serve the Common Good in a Public Affairs Setting
You strive for good management within the public sector. With IUP’s MA in Public Affairs program, you will be prepared to lead with management know-how and organizational acumen that equips you to thrive within complex work environments.
The program gives you a pathway to build essential skills and excel in your career in the public sector or with other types of organizations. You can choose from several specializations to focus on the type of public affairs work that interests you most:
- Criminal justice administration
- Human resources management
- Human services administration
- International development administration
- Local government management planning
- Regional development
Why Study Public Affairs at IUP?
IUP's MA in Public Affairs is a terminal degree designed for both traditional students and mid-career professionals who want roles as public affairs officials at the local, state, national, and international levels.
As a graduate student, you’ll benefit from opportunities to work in your specialized field through internships and in-class experiences. Your internship may be near campus in the Borough of Indiana or Indiana County, elsewhere in Pennsylvania, or in Washington, DC.
You’ll appreciate the interdisciplinary character of the MA in Public Affairs as a hallmark of the program. The Political Science Department, where the program is based, works with other IUP departments including Geography and Regional Planning, Sociology, Economics, Criminology and Criminal Justice, and Employment and Labor Relations to give you access to field concentration expertise.
What You’ll Learn
Led by our highly skilled and caring faculty, you will progress through coursework that reflects the latest trends and emerging issues of public concern. The program emphasizes:
- The increase in what citizens expect from public services and programs
- The shift of responsibilities for programs, services, and funding from the federal government to the state and local governments
- The greater use of technology to support and implement public services
Imagine Your Future
As a graduate of the MA in Public Affairs program, you’ll be well-prepared to step into rewarding and challenging positions in a variety of settings.
Public affairs professionals serve as city managers, financial officers, chiefs of staff, and political staff. You might land a role in departments from public relations to city planning. In addition to government jobs, you could pursue positions with public interest groups, nonprofit organizations, and international non-government organizations.
Your skills as a public affairs professional can also translate to the private sector. More businesses are hiring MA in public affairs graduates to help guide and shape companies in areas such as government relations.
USAJOBS, the employment website for the US Office of Personnel Management, put together a list of the 50 occupations expected to have the greatest demand during the next 10 years. Occupations on the list include:
- Administrator
- Budget analyst
- Contract specialist
- Financial administrator
- Human resources specialist
- Intelligence analyst
- Management and program analyst
- Program manager
- Security administrator
- Social science specialist
With more members of the Baby Boomer generation retiring, employers are seeking the next generations of public affairs professionals to step in and deliver impact. For example, the US General Accounting Office put management of the federal government workforce on its list of high-risk areas that will need substantial numbers of trained workers to fill openings as others retire.
Projected Employment Growth in Selected Categories
| Employment Category | Percent Growth 2019-2029 |
|---|---|
| Emergency Management Directors | 3 |
| Financial Managers | 17 |
| Management Analysts | 11 |
| Compensation, Benefits, And Job Analysis Specialists | 7 |
| Administrative Services Managers | 7 |
| Budget Analysts | 3 |
| Human Resources Managers | 7 |
| Social And Community Service Managers | 12 |
| Urban And Regional Planners | 4 |
| Compensation And Benefits Managers | 2 |
Classes and Requirements
As a student in the MA in Public Affairs program, you’ll take rigorous coursework to prepare you for a career in public administration. You’ll graduate with core competence in methodology and public administration, the six specializations, and directed research.
Full Academic Catalog Listing
The course catalog is the official reference for all our degree and course offerings. Check it out for a full listing of the classes available and requirements for this degree.
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Begin Your MA in Public Affairs as an Undergraduate
If you are an undergraduate student at IUP, you can consider starting the MA in Public Affairs program before you complete your bachelor’s degree.
If you have a 3.0 GPA or higher and earned at least 15 credits in your major, you can apply for the MA in Public Affairs program when you earn your 16th credit. Once accepted, you can take graduate seminars that count toward both your undergraduate and master’s degree requirements. You can finish early—with two degrees—and launch your career ahead of schedule.
Make Yourself at Home within a Welcoming Community
Your college experience is about community. You’ll have opportunities to meet other students in the program and connect with your professors in the Political Science Department, where the MA in Public Affairs program is based. Here, you’ll find a warm and friendly environment that gives you a powerful sense of community.
At least twice a month, the Political Science Department hosts coffee breaks as opportunities for you to get to know your professors and for them to get to know you.
As a student, you are always welcome to spend time in the department offices, studying or connecting with friends between classes.