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Top 10 Reasons to Get Your MPA From Georgia State University

  1. The Public Management & Policy (PMAP) MPA faculty are active in the community, conducting research, serving on boards and commissions, and helping to develop and implement policies and programs. A recent analysis by the Journal of Public Affairs Education also ranked our faculty 5th in the nation in research productivity.
  2. Six programs within the Department of Public Management & Policy received top rankings in 2009 from US News & World Reports:  5th in Public Finance and Budgeting; 12th in City Management & Urban Policy; 12th in Information & Technology Management; 13th in Nonprofit Management; 18th in Public Policy Analysis; and 33rd in Public Management Administration.
  3. The GSU MPA program has an exciting location in the heart of downtown Atlanta. Our new building is close to major federal, state, and local offices and just down the street from CNN Center, the Atlanta Journal and Constitution, and Centennial Olympic Park.  As an example, did you know that the city of Atlanta is nationally the 4th largest employer in terms of federal job opportunities outside of Washington, D.C.?
  4. The GSU MPA program has a number of specialization options in areas such as nonprofit management, management and finance, planning and economic development, public health, policy analysis and criminal justice. 
  5. The cost of an Andrew Young School/Georgia State MPA degree is the least expensive nationally ranked program in the Atlanta area and at least $10,000-$20,000 less expensive than similarly ranked (US News & World Report rankings) national programs. The PMAP department also offers competitive graduate research assistantships.
  6. The PMAP department offers career development resources in areas such employer panels, resume writing, internship prospecting, job search strategies and professional networking.
  7. GSU MPA courses are offered during late afternoon and evening hours (4:30-9:45 p.m. M-F) which are extremely convenient to most working professionals or students seeking flexibility to complete their internship requirements during business hours.
  8. The PMAP department has a strong internship program that offers students the opportunity to gain valuable work experience. The internship program has a high level of faculty involvement and incorporates a field experience with supportive classroom sessions.
  9. The Department of Public Management and Policy is a unit of the Andrew School of Policy Studies, which allows easy access to some of the country's leading applied economists. The economics department at Georgia State University is strong in public finance, and the faculty in this area is an important resource for MPA students.
  10. The Andrew Young School of Policy Studies contains a number of important research centers, in areas like health and environmental policy, that help to strengthen our academic programs. The public administration faculty work very closely with these centers and this provides many opportunities for MPA students.