The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs is once again ranked #1 in the nation for graduate education in public affairs, according to the latest U.S. News & World Report reputational survey. This year, the Maxwell School shares the #1 ranking with Indiana University Bloomington. Maxwell has consistently ranked among the top schools since the category was created in 1995.
“This is an exciting time to be part of the Maxwell School and Syracuse University,” says Dean David M. Van Slyke. “As a student-centered college of social science and public affairs within a top-tier R1 research university, the school is uniquely positioned to examine and prepare graduates to manage across the spectrum of contemporary and emerging policy issues.”
Among specialty areas, Maxwell remains #1 in public management and leadership, and #2 in the areas of nonprofit management as well as public finance and budgeting. The school also ranked highly in nine other specialties, including excellence in information and technology management (#4), international global policy and administration (#6), public policy analysis (#7) and environmental policy and management (#8), among others.
“The Maxwell School was established nearly a century ago for the express purpose of elevating the professional practice of public administration and empowering individuals with the knowledge and skills to make a difference in their communities and in the world,” says Robert Bifulco, associate dean and chair of public administration and international affairs (PAIA). “We strive continuously to move the discipline forward by reinvesting in our strengths—that is, our teaching and research excellence across the social sciences and public administration, and opportunities for students and faculty to engage in interdisciplinary discovery across policy areas through Maxwell’s ten research centers and institutes.”
New Initiatives
In January, the Maxwell School announced a new campus-wide initiative to support teaching and interdisciplinary research of Autonomous Systems Policy, Law and Governance. The initiative will leverage Syracuse University’s breadth of expertise at the intersection of technology and policymaking, drawing from the fields of public administration, social science, public health, the humanities, law, engineering, business, data science and communications.
“This initiative will give students incredible exposure to, and expertise in, the field and allow faculty to reach across disciplinary lines to conduct much-needed research into the policy implications of our increasing reliance on autonomous technologies,” says Chair and Professor of Geography Jamie Winders, who is leading the effort. On May 6, the school will host the Autonomous Systems Policy Initiative Symposium to convene University faculty and outside experts on autonomous systems to shape and structure the effort.
Earlier this year, Maxwell announced a new data analytics for public policy area of study for master of public administration (M.P.A.) degree candidates, and added an internship option for all M.P.A. candidates. “Maxwell alumni already enjoy meaningful careers in data science and data analysis at institutions like the World Bank, the Government Accountability Office, the NYS Department of Education, in private companies, and in academic research settings,” says Bifulco. “Codifying this as an area of study will allow us to deepen and expand our strong relationships with employers in this area and ensure that Maxwell remains at the leading edge of this rapidly evolving field.”
The school also launched a “fast-track” B.A./M.A.I.R. program, through which any undergraduate at Syracuse University may apply, in their junior year, to prepare for direct matriculation into Maxwell’s highly ranked master’s program in international relations. Students in this four-plus-one program, after completing their bachelor’s degree, immediately begin work on an M.A., which they receive after one full year of graduate study, decreasing the usual timeframe by a full semester.
Also for undergraduates, Maxwell added an integrated learning major in environment, sustainability and policy, a new interdisciplinary double major program for students looking to complement their base major in the social or natural sciences, or one of the professional schools.
About the Rankings
The U.S. News 2020 rankings of public affairs programs, completed in 2019, are based solely on a survey of deans, directors and department chairs representing 285 master’s programs in public affairs and administration. Two surveys were sent to each school. The response rate was 52 percent. Respondents were asked to rate the academic quality of the master’s programs on a scale of 1 (marginal) to 5 (outstanding). The M.P.A. programs at Syracuse University and the University of Indiana Bloomington each earned an average rating of 4.4 out of 5.
