Masters Programs
at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies

In This Page

• M.A. in Economics and M.A. in Economics-Policy Track
• M.P.A.
• M.P.A./J.D.
• M.S. in Urban Policy Studies
• M.S. in Human Resource Development

M.A. in Economics and M.A. in Economics-Policy Track

This year saw the first graduates (4) from our innovative Master of Arts in Economics-Policy Track. This degree program is intended to prepare professionals for careers in the formation and/or implementation of economic policy, or for professionals who wish to gain skills in the evaluation and interpretation of policy. The focus of this degree, which exposes students to critical policy issues and equips them to understand and utilize economic data in evaluating outcomes, is distinct from traditional master's degree programs in economics that emphasize analytic skills, micro and macroeconomic theory, and mathematical statistics. As of fall 2000, there were 26 students enrolled in the M.A. in Economics program.

The traditional M.A. in Economics attracts students whose sole objective is a master's degree, as well as students who are in the doctoral program and receive the M.A. degree en route to the Ph.D. in Economics. The program offers both thesis and non-thesis options. Among students in the terminal master's program, all who graduated this year have chosen the non-thesis option. In addition to a comprehensive examination, students who select this option complete a paper examining a particular economic problem.

The year 2000 graduates from the Master of Arts Degree in Economics included students from Russia, the Ukraine, China, Bolivia, Mexico, South Africa, Ghana, Great Britain, and, of course, the United States. This illustrates the international reputation and influence achieved in a very short time by the Economics degree programs of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies.

These graduates have gone on to a variety of new endeavors, including entering Ph.D. programs, both at GSU and elsewhere; taking positions in professional economic policy related consulting; taking governmental policy-related positions, and working in economic and business policy related journalism. Many of these placements are also outside of the United States.

The M.P.A.

The M.P.A. is a 39-hour program comprised of a 24-hour core, a 12-hour specialization, and a three-credit internship. (The internship may be waived by students who have significant prior administrative experience in the public or nonprofit sector.) The M.P.A. has also grown in popularity in recent years with the number of majors increasing by almost 40 percent from fall 1998 to fall 2000. As of fall 2000, there were 92 students enrolled in the M.P.A. program.

M.P.A. students choose from among four specializations: human resources, management and finance, nonprofit management, planning and economic development, and policy analysis. Effective for the 2000-2001 academic year, the number of specializations was streamlined to the current five from a previous eight.

The most popular track in recent years has been nonprofit management, reflecting the growing importance of the nonprofit sector in American society. Students specializing in this area have almost doubled in just the last two years. With these growing student enrollments, the Department of Public Administration and Urban Studies has initiated a variety of outreach efforts, including the creation of a Nonprofit Advisory Committee. This committee, comprised of leaders from the region's nonprofit sector, worked with PAUS faculty in revising the nonprofit curriculum and in new strategies for recruiting students and publicizing the program.

The department also added two new certificate programs, one in Planning and Economic Development, and the other in Disaster Management. These new programs, each of which is 12 credits in length, offer the opportunity for brief intensive study of the topic areas without completion of a full master's degree.

The M.P.A./J.D.

This joint program, implemented in the fall of 1997, is currently providing a select group of students with the opportunity to earn their Master's in Public Administration and their Juris Doctorate simultaneously in less time than it would require to complete both programs separately. Students who elect to complete this rigorous dual-degree program are rewarded with enhanced employment opportunities generated by the growing demands for lawyers with expertise in public management as well as for public administrators with legal expertise. As of fall 2000, there were 35 students enrolled in the M.P.A./J.D. program.

M.S. in Urban Policy Studies

The M.S. in Urban Policy Studies offers students an opportunity to study the operation of urban areas and the role of public policies in that operation. The 36-hour program includes a 15-hour core curriculum, an 18-hour specialization, and the choice of an internship, a practicum (an applied research project in a work setting), or a thesis as a 3-credit "exit" option. Specialization options in the M.S. program include human resources, nonprofit management, planning and economic development, policy analysis, transportation, and local government management. As of fall 2000, there were 23 students enrolled in the M.S. in Urban Policy Studies program.

M.S. in Human Resource Development

The MS HRD program continued its historical pattern of attracting a widely diverse student body in 2000. Students in this program come from virtually all walks of life, and their experience in HRD-related fields ranges from none to over 20 years. With its broad relevance for the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, this degree program has a promising future at Georgia State. As of fall 2000, there were 34 students enrolled in the M.S. in Human Resource Development program.