complete master’s degree options in as few as 12 months
award-winning faculty of national and international renown
global professional network 37,000 strong
Explore Master’s Degrees
Public Administration
Master of Public Administration
Prepare to lead positive change through a rigorous yet efficient array of skills-building courses.
- On campus, in Syracuse, N.Y.
- 40 credits plus optional internships
- Complete full-time in 12 to 18 months
Executive Master of Public Administration—On Campus or Online
Fill gaps in your knowledge with a program tailored to your career goals—five to seven years of experience required. An online option for working professionals provides added flexibility.
- Online or on campus in Syracuse, N.Y., options (separate programs)
- 30 credits
- Complete part- or full-time in as few as 12 to 15 months
International Relations
Master of Arts in International Relations
Satisfy your curiosity about the world, and develop skills and knowledge to change it for the better.
- On campus, in Syracuse, N.Y.
- 40 credits with a required global internship
- Required career track selection to focus your studies
- Complete full-time in 18 months
Master of Arts in Public Diplomacy and Global Communications
Prepare to drive change in a range of international contexts through effective public and interpersonal communications. One powerful degree, two schools: the Maxwell School and the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.
- On campus, in Syracuse, N.Y., and Washington, D.C.
- 43 credits with a required global internship
- Complete full-time in 18 months
Executive Master's in International Relations
Improve your leadership and management skills and global affairs knowledge—seven years of experience required.
- On campus, in Syracuse, N.Y.
- 30 credits
- Complete on a part- or full-time basis
Executive Master’s in International Relations in D.C.
Leverage the combined experience, knowledge and networks of two top-ranked institutions—the Maxwell School and the Center for Strategic and International Studies—and earn your degree while you work in D.C. Seven years of experience required.
- On campus, in Washington, D.C.
- 30 credits
- Complete part-time in as few as 18 to 20 months
![](/lib\assets\icons\icon-aserik.png)
Doctoral Program
PhD in Public Administration
Educate the next generation of public service leaders and conduct research that moves the field of public administration and policy analysis forward.
- On campus, in Syracuse, N.Y.
- 72 credits (36 credits beyond the M.A.)
- Full-time residential program, typically completed in 4.5 years
Department Admission Events
We offer a range of in-person and virtual opportunities to learn more about the Maxwell School and degree programs offered by the Public Administration and International Affairs Department, answer questions about the application process, and help you work toward your goals.
See All Department Admission EventsSchedule a One-on-One Meeting
to ask more in-depth questions not covered in the group information sessions. These individual meetings are informational in nature and are not admission interviews.
Request a MeetingStudy in Washington, D.C.
Our D.C. headquarters at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, top-ranked by the Global Go To Think Tank Index, gives students access to leading minds in the world of policy and international affairs, competitive internships, employment opportunities and a deeply engaged network of D.C.-based alumni.
Need a midcareer boost? Explore our Certificates of Advanced Study
We offer a variety of regional, topical and skills-based Certificates of Advanced Study (CAS) to help you focus and refine your expertise. Some CAS can be earned as part of a master's program while others can be earned independent of a degree. Learn to use data to formulate and analyze policy, deepen your knowledge of effective public management practices, develop techniques to promote collaboration and resolve conflicts, broaden your expertise in a specific region of the world, and more.
![PAIA students gathered in conference room](/images/default-source/callouts-1-1/cas-students-library560.jpg?Status=Master&sfvrsn=7a7cc755_3)
![2024 Rankings Article Hero](https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/images/default-source/article-hero/2024-rankings-article-hero.jpg?sfvrsn=f22ee683_1)
Maxwell School Ranks #1 for Public Affairs in 2024
April 25, 2023
Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs is ranked #1 overall in a survey of its peers and is highly ranked in ten subspecialties, according to the 2024 U.S. News & World Report Best Public Affairs School rankings. The school has received the top honor in 12 of the 13 years in which the peer surveys have been conducted; this year, the honor is shared with Indiana University’s O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs.
“The challenges facing communities across the globe are increasingly complex and interconnected. We see this in the economic and educational aftershocks of the pandemic and the threats to infrastructure, security and climate justice created by a warming planet,” says David M. Van Slyke, dean of the Maxwell School. “Now more than ever the world needs adaptable leaders who are engaged across diverse people, issue areas and interests. We know that no ranking provides a complete picture of performance; but we are proud to be among the schools being recognized by our peers for this work, and we look forward to our continued good work together.”
The Best Public Affairs Schools rankings are based solely on surveys of deans, directors and department chairs representing 269 master’s programs in public affairs and administration. Each school is numerically ranked by peer school leadership on a 5-point scale, with the average score determining the school’s overall rank. Additionally, survey respondents can nominate up to 15 schools for excellence in 12 subspecialties, with the number of nominations determining each school’s position in the ranking. Unlike rankings for other disciplines, the public affairs ranking does not look at performance indicator inputs (such as test scores) or outputs (such as hiring salaries).
This year, the Maxwell School is highly ranked across ten subspecialty categories, including:
- Public Management and Leadership
- Nonprofit Management
- Public Finance and Budgeting
- Public Policy Analysis
- Local Government Management
- International Global Policy and Administration
- Environmental Policy and Management
- Social Policy
- Urban Policy
- Information and Technology Management
“For anyone looking to make a difference in the community—locally, regionally, domestically or internationally—there’s a Maxwell program to fuel your passion and develop your effectiveness,” says Colleen Heflin, associate dean, chair and professor of public administration and international affairs. “We measure our success by the important work our graduates do as leaders in the fields of public policy, public administration and international affairs; the recognition and renown of our faculty members in their fields of expertise; and the vibrancy of our academic environment, including our students, who come from a wide variety of backgrounds, cultures and areas of interest.”
Central to the school’s growth is its continued investment in diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility—in both its learning and research environments and in its public impact. The Maxwell School is home to 15 research centers and institutes that work to shed light on a range of issues, including environmental sustainability; autonomous systems policy; population health and aging; law and security; conflict resolution; democracy and journalism; global affairs; regional studies; and more.
Among Maxwell’s newest research centers is Syracuse University’s Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship in Washington, D.C., a joint effort with the S.I. Newhouse School for Public Communications to promote nonpartisan, evidence-based research and to convene civic dialogue around polarizing issues. The institute is led by veteran journalist Margaret Talev, who joined the University as Kramer Director in January 2023.
Also joining the Maxwell community this semester as director of the Autonomous Systems Policy Institute is computer and cognitive sciences expert Hamid Ekbia, who has been appointed University Professor in the Maxwell School. Ekbia will engage researchers across campus to better understand the societal impacts of emerging technologies and to help shape the policy, legal and ethical frameworks guiding their proliferation.
Meanwhile, the Center for Policy Design and Governance, home to the new Policy Design Studio, launched last year under the leadership of its founding director Saba Siddiki, associate professor of public administration and international affairs. The center helps public service leaders evaluate the effectiveness of their policies and promotes stakeholder engagement in the policy design process.
“The Maxwell community strives every day to make a public impact with our teaching, research and applied work. The school’s excellence is fueled by the creativity and talent of its faculty, students and staff, as well as the continued support of its global alumni,” says Van Slyke. “They are what has made it such a special place to work, learn and study for 99 years, and what propels us into the future.”
About the Maxwell School
The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University is the nation’s top-ranked school for public affairs, having earned the #1 spot in the U.S. News ranking in every survey year except one. The school offers highly regarded professional programs in public administration and international affairs as well as undergraduate and graduate degrees across the social sciences, and signature interdisciplinary undergraduate programs in policy, civic engagement, environmental sustainability and international relations. It is home to 15 interdisciplinary research centers focused on topical areas within public affairs. With campuses in Syracuse, New York, and Washington, D.C., and academic partnerships around the globe, the Maxwell network provides access to a world of opportunity.
About Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors close the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.
Related News
School News
![Kamile Kralikaite](/images/default-source/people-listings/kamile-kralikaite-374px.tmb-newsfeat.jpg?Culture=en&sfvrsn=ee1a981b_1)
Jul 30, 2024
School News
![Prema Kurien](/images/default-source/people-listings/prema-kurien.tmb-peoplehead.jpg?Culture=en&sfvrsn=e205e926_6)
Jul 29, 2024
School News
![Pia Rogers](/images/default-source/people-listings/pia-civilian-cropped-feed.tmb-newsfeat.jpg?Culture=en&sfvrsn=3af2e22e_1)
Jun 20, 2024
![U.S. News and World Report Badge 2024](/images/default-source/banner-callouts/banner-callout.png?Status=Master&sfvrsn=2e5bb4f2_3)