Indiana University Bloomington - Public Affairs Programs - Overview
SPEA's Masters Programs Considered among the Top in the Nation
At Indiana University's School of Public and Environmental Affairs students are taught to address society's complex economic, political, legal, and social issues that encompass public service. The school's Master of Public Affairs (MPA) and Master of Science in Environmental Science (MSES) are both premier in their fields.
U.S News and World Report has ranked the school's MPA program number two in the nation and identified the program's concentrations in environmental policy and natural resource management and nonprofit management as the best in the country. SPEA's public financial management and public management concentrations are in the top three. The MSES degree was one of the first of its kind to be developed. It is considered to be one of the top environmental science programs in the country by the Council of Environmental Deans and Directors (CEDD).
SPEA's Flagship Program: The Master of Public Affairs (MPA)
In the program, each student completes core coursework in public management, statistics, economics, public finance and budgeting, and law that serves an integral foundation to the SPEA MPA. Next, students may pursue coursework in a concentration area, which provides more in-depth training in a particular area of public affairs. The coursework culminates in a project-oriented course; capstone, which integrates knowledge gained throughout the program and applies it to issues related to the student's concentration.
Areas of concentration include comparative and international affairs, economic development, energy, environmental policy and natural resource management, local government management, nonprofit management, policy analysis, public financial administration, public management, and sustainability and sustainable development.
Integrating Policy and Science: SPEA's Master of Science in Environmental Science (MSES)
The M.S. in Environmental Science bridges the applied disciplines of chemistry, civil engineering, biology, and geology.
The design of SPEA's MSES requires the completion of core competencies in areas like ecology, environmental chemistry, applied math for environmental sciences, environmental engineering, and statistics, with a selection of courses in environmental policy, management, law and/or economics.
A Curriculum Advisory Committee works closely with the students in customizing their academic plans after the core competencies are mastered.
Each student then completes coursework in a concentration area, which provides more in-depth training. The concentration areas are Applied Ecology, Energy, Environmental Chemistry, Toxicology and Risk Assessment, and Water Resources.
Recognizing that some students may have educational and career interests outside of these areas of concentration, the MSES program at Indiana University makes allowances for student-tailored specializations that are developed with one or more faculty advisors.
Distinctive Joint Degree: SPEA's Master of Public Affairs-Masters of Science in Environmental Science (MPA-MSES)
The MPA-MSES degree offers a unique joint degree option within IU's School of Public and Environmental Affairs which combines the two degrees and prepares students with the training they need to address the complex integration of science and policy across the employment sectors.
SPEA also has strong relationships and joint degree programs with schools and programs across the Indiana University campus, most notably the Schools of Law, Journalism, Library and Information Science, Biology, Geology, and IU's nationally recognized area studies.
The MA in Arts Administration prepares cultural sector leaders
The MAAA can be completed in one and one half years, an intensive, comprehensive program of training in arts marketing, fund development, financial management, law, and strategy, with hands-on experience in Bloomington's rich and lively cultural scene. Alumni are found nationally and internationally in music, theater, dance, museums, festivals, performing arts centers, and the public sector.
Leaders in Their Own Areas of Expertise, IU faculty Transform Students into Future Leaders
The talented faculty of SPEA is comprised of lawyers, ecologists, political scientists, chemists, economists, scholars of philanthropy and finance who work alongside each other and in collaboration with their students in classrooms, laboratories, and research centers. Through their teaching, mentoring, and concern, the faculty transforms students into leaders who are fearless about solving the significant problems that beset communities at home and abroad.
Success of Alumni Underscores Claims of Excellence by SPEA
Regardless of the degree or combination of degrees earned, SPEA graduates have been well prepared to meet the challenges of studying the complex problems, which best communicates both home and abroad. SPEA's graduates lead the change necessary to develop solutions and policies to address these societal issues. SPEA alumni are actively engaged in problem solving and policymaking across the United States and around the world in all sectors of society including government at the international, national, state, and local levels; industry and utilities; and nonprofit organizations.
Indiana University-Bloomington: Low Cost of Living, High Quality of Life, and Vibrant Atmosphere
Residents describe Bloomington, Indiana, with words like "progressive," "cultural," "lively," "diverse," "beautiful," and "family-friendly." In brief, Bloomington is a cosmopolitan city with the vibe and energy of an urban neighborhood and the charm and warmth of a college town. National polls consistently rate Bloomington in the top ten U.S. cities for quality of life. Bloomington is also an affordable place to live, with a cost of living significantly lower than many cities with research universities.
A quick glance at a Bloomington events calendar reveals that there is something happening every day and night of the week. Whether it's a rock concert at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, the Bloomington Playwrights Project's latest play, a folk concert in Bryan Park, an art exhibit at the John Waldron Arts Center, a ballet or opera at the Musical Arts Center, a Saturday morning at the City Market, or a free lecture at the IU Auditorium by such luminaries as the Dalai Lama of Tibet or Bill Gates, Bloomington, or "B-town" as students affectionately call it, truly has something for everyone and is the place to "B."