Master of Science in Urban Policy Studies
at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies

“To be effective in leadership requires broad skills in many areas. The greatest leaders use those skills to bring together all people to the same table — to discuss, to debate and to solve problems. Students in the Andrew Young School learn how to sit together, and how they can change the world from the same table.”
– Andrew Young

The Master of Science in Urban Policy Studies (M.S.-UPS) offers an ideal vehicle for studying the important public policy issues facing our urban areas. Graduates of the M.S.-UPS move on to all manner of positions – in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors – focused on urban policy questions.

Georgia State University’s urban policy studies program ranks among the best in the country. Recent national studies have ranked the overall public affairs program of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies among the top 35 programs nationwide and in the top 10 for urban policy. Faculty who teach in the M.S.-UPS program all have national reputations in the area. They also engage in a wide range of scholarly and applied research and community service with the goal of improving government, society, and the quality of life in the Atlanta area, the Southeast region, throughout the United States, and beyond.

The M.S.-UPS offers a distinctive and flexible curriculum designed to meet the needs of a variety of students. All students take a common curriculum that addresses urban policy, planning, local governance, and research methods, before choosing primary and secondary specializations. The choice of specializations includes Nonprofit and Civic Leadership, Planning and Economic Development, Policy Analysis, and Social Policy.

Moving on and moving up

Graduates of our program share a commitment to apply their knowledge and skills to the quality of urban life as they practice their professional careers. Recent graduates have taken jobs with such diverse employers as:

• The State of Georgia, including the Georgia Department of Transportation, the Georgia Office of Planning and Budget, and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources
• Regional planning organizations, including the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority and the Atlanta Regional Commission.
• Private consultants, such as Post, Buckley, Schuh and Jernigan, Inc, and Civic Strategies, Inc.
• Nonprofit agencies, including the National Fair Housing Alliance in Washington, D.C.
• The city governments of Athens, Atlanta, Conyers, and Stockbridge.
• The county governments of Cobb and Forsyth in Georgia and Lee in Florida.

The curriculum

Georgia State’s M.S. in Urban Policy Studies is a two-year interdisciplinary degree program designed to provide students with an understanding of urban issues and urban policies as well as methods of generating new knowledge about the concerns of urban areas. The curriculum consists of 36 hours of graduate coursework, comprised of 18 credit hours of required courses and 18 hours of course work in the two specializations selected. Required core courses include:

PAUS 8011 The Urban Policy Arena
PAUS 8021 Urban Policy Planning
PAUS 8031 Urban Political Economy
PAUS 8121 Applied Research Methods and Statistics I
PAUS 8141 Microeconomics for Public Policy
PAUS 8351 Local Government Management

For a complete listing of course requirements for the M.S. in Urban Policy Studies, go to the Master's Bulletin - M.S. in Urban Policy Studies page.

Specializations within urban policy studies

Students choose a primary and a secondary specialization, completing four classes in the primary specialization and two classes in the secondary specialization. This permits development of additional skills appropriate for positions in the student’s particular area of interest or career track by combining any two of these specializations:

• Nonprofit and Civic Leadership
• Planning and Economic Development
• Policy Analysis
• Social Policy

Students also have an option to develop an individualized specialization in consultation with a faculty adviser.

Nonprofit and Civic Leadership

Students in this specialization learn about the not-for-profit sector of society and its role in cities, as well as how urban policies affect not-for-profit organizations. The program of study – including classes in leadership, fundraising, marketing, and social policy – is appropriate for board members, executives, and others who wish to work in nonprofits within a variety of organizational settings. The curriculum recognizes that many of these individuals will serve as civic leaders in an increasingly complex urban society.

Planning and Economic Development

This specialization introduces the planning process as a systematic, yet creative approach to problem solving. It prepares students to be better decision-makers on planning and economic development issues for public, private, and nonprofit employers, as well as more informed and effective citizens. This track provides background for jobs responsible for selecting locations, planning services and facility investments, providing analysis of policy alternatives, and advocating change and improvement within organizations and society. Classes rely on theory drawn from planning, economics, and other social science literature, and provide a critical view of current practice, including common data sources and methods.

Policy Analysis

This program of study provides students with a foundation in the art and science of policy analysis. Students learn analytical techniques and conceptual frameworks for understanding policy issues and identifying potential solutions to policy problems, then apply these skills to real-world issues. The policy track prepares students for jobs that require individuals to make decisions on recommendations about the design and evaluation of policy.

Social Policy

Specializing in social policy will give the student an understanding of policies addressing such issues as poverty, crime, and education – including how those policies develop, what effects they have, and how they can be assessed. This interdisciplinary specialization provides good preparation for students interested in careers in the analysis of social policies and for those who intend to pursue doctoral work in public policy or a related field.

The Dual Masters Degree in Divinity and Urban Policy Studies

The cooperative dual degree program is part of a unique partnership between the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies and Columbia Theological Seminary and the Interdenominational Theological Center. Students are able to participate in a special joint class and earn the Master of Divinity degree as well as the Master of Science in Urban Policy Studies. The purpose of the program is to train pastors to be more effective leaders in their local communities.

Internships and other research options

Students may complete either an internship, research project, or a thesis as an elective option in any of the specializations. They are encouraged to undertake field instruction and action research with the many public, private, and nonprofit agencies in metro Atlanta. The Department of Public Administration and Urban Studies has an extensive internship program to assist students in finding applied work experiences. Other hands-on experiences and research opportunities are available through the many research centers and community outreach efforts of the Andrew Young School. These opportunities enhance the education students receive, as well as opening doors to attractive jobs.

Financial assistance

A number of graduate research assistantships (GRAs) are available to interested full-time master’s students. To apply, students complete a GRA application. These positions provide a full tuition waiver plus a stipend. Graduate assistants work with a faculty member on research projects in their area of interest, and have opportunities to perform research that is immediately applicable to problems of city, county and state policy makers.

The Andrew Young School of Policy Studies

The M.S. in urban policy studies is offered through the Department of Public Administration and Urban Studies in the Andrew Young School. As one of the six colleges at GSU, the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies is home to two departments, Economics and Public Administration and Urban Studies. Students also have the opportunity to work with several active research centers, whose programs foster excellence in the design, implementation, and evaluation of policy. These centers include the Environmental Policy Program, the Fiscal Research Center, the International Studies Program, and the Georgia Health Policy Center. Faculty in these centers work closely with local, state, national, and international organizations to provide the solid information needed to address today’s complex policy issues. Governments and the private sector now turn regularly to these centers for advice.

Life in Atlanta

The city provides a stimulating environment for students interested in a broad range of issues in public policy and public affairs, and serves as a laboratory for our graduate students in their study of urban problems. Located in the heart of downtown Atlanta, Georgia State University’s campus is within walking distance of the state capitol and many other governmental and nonprofit agencies. Our diverse student body reflects Atlanta’s growing diversity. We tailor our program to take advantage of its location, and to meet the needs of both full-time and part-time students. For the convenience of students who work, most classes are scheduled in the late afternoon and evening.

Admission requirements

A graduate admissions committee determines the eligibility of each applicant to the graduate program. Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university to be considered for admission. Each applicant is required to submit application forms, a $50 application fee, two official transcripts from each institution they have attended, current (no more than five years old) scores on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), three letters of recommendation, and a professional goals statement. International applicants may also be required to submit current TOEFL scores and financial documentation.

Full admission to the M.S.-UPS program generally requires an undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 or higher and a combined verbal and quantitative score of 1000 or higher on the GRE. Work experience and professional objectives are also considered in making the admission decision.

Applications are accepted for fall and spring terms; a file that is not complete at the deadline may be updated for consideration the following semester. The preferred way to apply to our program is the online application, available at the Admissions page.

Questions

For additional information or to request an application, contact the Andrew Young School’s Office of Academic Assistance:

Office of Academic Assistance
Andrew Young School of Policy Studies
Georgia State University
Atlanta, GA 30303-3083

Phone: 404-413-0021
Fax: 404-413-0023
E-mail: ayspsacademicassist@gsu.edu

To learn more about the Department of Public Administration
and Urban Studies, visit the PAUS website.

Photo above: The William R. Gable Award, given in honor of the dean of the College of Urban Life from 1973 to 1975, is presented at Honors Day to an undergraduate student and a graduate student majoring in urban policy studies who have demonstrated high academic standing and professional promise.