The Public Affairs Program provides students with knowledge and skills in the areas of:
- Organization Behavior
- Public Budgeting and Finance
- Public Management
- Policy Analysis
- Program Evaluation
- Governance
- Data Analysis
Students train for leadership positions in state, local, and national governments as well as for careers in non-profit organizations.
The core curriculum consists of seminars in policy analysis, public administration, budgeting and finance, leadership and ethics, research methods, and data analysis. Students are strongly encouraged to use their electives to pursue a specialization in related areas including public health, non-profit organizations, women’s studies, entrepreneurship, or urban planning.
The Public Affairs specialization requires 39 hours of course work plus the satisfactory completion of a 3-credit supervised internship in a public or non-profit organization.
There is no foreign language requirement unless specializing in international development. Those students choosing this option must have advanced language proficiency.
The Public Affairs program also offers a Joint Degree with the Levin College of Law at the University of Florida. Students admitted to this joint degree program graduate in four years with both a law degree and a Master’s degree in political science. For more information, please visit our page on course requirements.