By pursuing a degree in Public Management and Policy students will acquire skills in professional writing, evidence-based critical thinking and policy analysis in the policy core coursework and in elective concentrations.  Students can choose from three distinct concentrations:  Nonprofit Leadership, Planning and Economics Development, and Public Management and Governance.  Students also will gain valuable skills during the internship course portion of their program.  This program prepares students for a leadership or management career in public services.

The B.I.S. in Social Entrepreneurship prepares students to become agents and leaders of social change who will transform communities through innovative startups and existing social enterprises. The program was created not only to tackle the most complex problems, but to help students become better employees, entrepreneurs, and leaders. Students in the program are involved in co-curricular activities and internships that will give them experience working in and interacting with social enterprises, gaining practical knowledge of the field and exposure to the diverse employment opportunities within the discipline. Students will leave this program with the business formation knowledge needed to start a social enterprise at any point in their career.

The Master of Interdisciplinary Studies program in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) prepares students for a range of careers in government, public service, entrepreneurship and the corporate world. Georgia State’s program helps students become familiar with, and capable of contributing to, ongoing debates about the nature of good political and economic institutions, as well as the policies and practices best suited for creating and sustaining them. Students develop the intellectual skills of the social scientist who seeks to understand how social, political and economic institutions operate and are interrelated, and the moral philosopher who seeks to critically evaluate these institutions and the social world more generally, in relation to how they ought to operate. Historically, philosophy, political science and economics were deeply connected.  The intellectual father of modern economics, Adam Smith, was a philosopher concerned with moral and political philosophy.  PPE, as a contemporary academic field of study, began at Oxford University in 1920 and has spread across the English-speaking world.

The Georgia State Master of Public Administration (MPA) is the degree of choice for individuals with an interest in public affairs and professional management in the public and nonprofit sectors. Whether you’re seeking a first job in government or with a nonprofit organization, or are interested in advancing in an existing career, Georgia State’s MPA program provides the skills and knowledge government and nonprofit agencies seek. Join us as we explore new ideas and perspectives on public and nonprofit administration, policy and governance in the 21st century. Our MPA program is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA). Read the NASPAA Code of Good Practice. The college is also a member of the Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management. Recent national studies have ranked our overall public affairs curriculum among the top 21 programs nationwide, and among the top 10 for public finance and budgeting, urban policy, nonprofit management and local government management. Our Department of Public Management and Policy provides access to a community of research and teaching scholars with national and international reputations for their expertise and contributions to knowledge and practice across a broad range of administrative processes and policy concerns. For answers to frequently asked questions about the MPP program (and its sibling MPA program), check here.

The College of Law and the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies offer a joint Master of Public Administration/Juris Doctor degree. This joint program provides an opportunity to pursue studies in law and public affairs and public management concurrently. Students in the program use credit hours earned in one program to satisfy some or all of the elective course requirements for the other program, earning both degrees one to two terms earlier than would be required to earn each separately.

The Georgia State Master of Public Policy (M.P.P.) is an interdisciplinary degree program that prepares students for work in the analysis, development and evaluation of public policies. In all levels of government and on a global scale, public needs and limited resources require public policy choices that are economically efficient, socially and technically effective, and politically responsive. Such choices confront policymakers in a broad range of critical issues, including health, education, economic development, public finance, social policy, nonprofit policy and disaster policy. The Andrew Young School is a member of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, the principal professional organization for scholars and practitioners in the field of public policy. Our public policy and public affairs programs were recently ranked #19 among all programs nationwide, and among the top 10 for public finance and budgeting, urban policy, nonprofit management and local government management. Our Department of Public Management and Policy provides access to a community of research and teaching scholars with national and international reputations for their expertise and contributions to knowledge and practice across a broad range of administrative processes and policy concerns in the arena of public service. For answers to frequently asked questions about the MPP program (and its sibling MPA program), check here.

Societal needs—for economic growth, better health care, environmental protection, etc.—and resource limitations challenge policymakers to make difficult public policy choices. The doctoral program in public policy prepares its graduates to conduct original research to help scholars and policymakers understand the trade-offs involved in such choices across a broad range of critical issues. Students can focus on:

• Policy analysis and program evaluation: How can we predict the consequences of our policy choices? What values should drive those choices? How can we determine which government and nonprofit programs work – producing benefits that exceed their costs?
• Public budgeting and finance: How can governments raise the funds necessary to provide public services in as equitable a manner as possible without impeding economic growth? How should and do governments decide which services and programs to fund? How can taxes achieve socially desirable goals?
• Public and nonprofit management: How should functions be divided among the governmental, nonprofit and for-profit sectors? How should managers allocate financial and human resources to meet public needs? How should managers balance equity and efficiency claims?
• Urban and regional planning and development: How can we assess and evaluate the complex and dynamic context and forces that shape the growth of cities, communities and regions? What strategies can be employed to promote equitable and sustainable development? What roles do systems (for example, transportation, housing) play in creating the environments and communities we desire?

The joint doctoral program in public policy combines the strengths of Georgia State’s Andrew Young School of Policy Studies and the Georgia Institute of Technology’s School of Public Policy. The Andrew Young School ranked 19th overall among graduate programs in public affairs in a recent U.S. News & World Report ranking, as well as No. 8 in local government management, No. 5 in public finance and budgeting, No. 4 in urban policy, No. 8 in nonprofit management, No. 16 in public management and leadership, and No. 17 in public policy analysis. Our faculty was the 5th most prolific in public administration journals over the past decade. U.S. News & World Report has ranked Georgia Tech’s School of Public Policy No. 4 in information and technology management and No. 11 in environmental policy and management.

The certificate program in Nonprofit Management and Social Enterprise has two focuses. First, it will cover the skills in management, economic decision-making, marketing, fundraising and financial management that graduates can use (but which they are unlikely to get on the job) in any part of the nonprofit sector: social service provision, education, health, the arts, the environment, international relief or religion. Second, while most nonprofit management certificates have an exclusively practitioner focus, the Andrew Young School program will prepare students interested in pursuing nonprofit studies in graduate programs in public administration, policy analysis or economics. This certificate will serve two main groups of professionals: those in the nonprofit sector who want to acquire new skills or need a credential to advance professionally, and those outside the sector wishing to enter.

The certificate program in Planning and Economic Development provides a credential for students preparing for careers in the public, private or nonprofit sectors that require familiarity with planning and economic development concepts and methods. This certificate is not intended as a substitute for a professional degree in planning, but as an opportunity to supplement another graduate degree.

The Graduate Certificate program in Policy Analytics provides students with state-of-the-art data analytics skills applied specifically to questions and issues in the public and nonprofit sectors. Policy analytics examines large, structured and unstructured data for insights, prediction, and evaluation of individual and organizational behavior, spatial forms, public and nonprofit programs. Students who pursue a certificate in Public Analytics benefit in several ways:

• Enhanced Analytical Skills: Specialized training in techniques and tools for decision-making in the public sector. The ability to effectively collect, interpret, and analyze data to derive valuable insights is highly sought after in today’s data-driven world.
• Competitive Advantage: Demonstration of professional development and commitment to contemporary methodologies. Employers value candidates with confidence in using data and evidence to drive decision-making.
• Career Opportunities: Roles such as data analyst, policy analyst, program evaluator, or strategic planner. Public analytics is a rapidly growing field with a wide range of career opportunities in government agencies, nonprofit organizations, consulting firms, and research institutions.
• Professional Networking: Valuable connections, mentorship opportunities, and access to job openings. Building a strong professional network enhances career prospects and provides ongoing support for personal and professional growth.

The Graduate Certificate program in Public Management and Leadership provides basic preparation for students seeking a role as a leader at a government agency or a nonprofit organization. Students who pursue a certificate in Public Management and Leadership benefit in several ways:

• Enhanced Management and Leadership Skills: Specialized training in management and leadership principles specifically tailored for the public sector. The knowledge and skills necessary to lead teams effectively, manage resources, make strategic decisions, and navigate complex organizational challenges.
• Competitive Advantage: Demonstration of professional development and commitment to contemporary methodologies. Employers value candidates with a strong foundation in leadership and management practices.
• Career Advancement: Certification can serve as a catalyst for career advancement within the public sector. Students become better equipped to tackle complex challenges and drive organizational change.
• Understanding of Public Sector Dynamics: Insights into the political, social, and economic contexts in which public organizations operate enabling students to navigate the intricacies of public policy, stakeholder engagement, budgeting, and public service delivery.
• Professional Networking: Valuable connections, mentorship opportunities, and access to job openings. Building a strong professional network enhances career prospects and provides ongoing support for personal and professional growth.
• Effective Public Service Delivery: Crucial skills for ensuring the effective delivery of public services. Students are equipped with the knowledge and tools to improve organizational performance, implement innovative strategies, and enhance public services.