September 23, 2019
At its September 2019 meeting, the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, approved the University of Iowa’s proposal to add a Master of Public Affairs degree to its Graduate College. The new interdisciplinary degree will prepare students to pursue careers in government service, as well as the rapidly growing nonprofit sector.
The new degree also helps the university fulfill its pledge to “Create a university ecosystem that enables UI to be an international leader in confronting the grand challenges of the 21st century.” That includes addressing how society responds to key problems facing communities, the nation, and the world.
“The creation of this new degree is a logical step forward,” says Charles Connerly, professor and director of the UI School of Urban and Regional Planning. “We’re looking forward to training future leaders to systematically and creatively address a number of environmental, social, economic, and political challenges in the coming years.”
Students admitted to the 42-hour degree will begin their studies in Fall 2020. Expected enrollment in the program includes individuals already employed and classes will mostly be offered on campus.
“Students will have the opportunity to learn from faculty across campus with national and international reputations, who already conduct research, teach classes, and perform public service in public affairs,” says Connerly. “In addition, students will benefit from having access to important public affairs centers at the university, including the Public Policy Center, the Larned A. Waterman Iowa Nonprofit Resource Center, and the Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities.”
The Master of Public Affairs program will be administered by the School of Urban and Regional Planning of the Graduate College. The Political Science Department is partnering with Urban and Regional Planning to manage the new program. Other partners include, but are not limited to, degree programs in strategic communications, management and organization, civil and environmental engineering, and health policy.
More information about the degree: https://www.urban.uiowa.edu/mpa/about
Media contact: Professor Charles Connerly, charles-connerly@uiowa.edu, 319-335-0039