School of Public Affairs
Why SPA?Advancing excellencein public service . . .
Nationally Ranked for Excellence
• Ranked by U.S. News and World Report among the best 10 public urban universities offering the MPA.
• Ranked in the top 15 percent of programs nationwide.
The only NASPAA accredited school of
public affairs in Colorado
Education Where You Are The SPA delivers programs on two University
of Colorado campuses – Denver and Colorado Springs – as well as in Grand Junction and online.
Unique Programs
Offers the only federally-funded Domestic Violence concentration in the country.
And the nation’s first - and only - federally funded public affairs PhD with a concentration in Homeland Security.
SPA Leadership
Dean Beatty is the President of the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration – the accrediting body for schools of public affairs throughout the US.
Advancing the FieldSPA houses Public Administration Review, one of the country’s top journals in the field with Professor Richard J. Stillman II serving as editor-in-chief.
Internship opportunities are available to all SPA students with political and policy
groups, nonprofit orgs and gov’t. agencies. An internship listserv, faculty contacts and SPA referrals help connect students with
the placement of their choice.
Networking and Real World Experience
Diverse Student Body
There are nearly 500 students in the SPA coming from 18 states and 11 countries.
Student Coordinators Provide you with Personal Service
Antoinette SandovalAssists graduate students whose last names begin with L-Z.
Dawn Savage Assists graduate students whose last names begin with A-K.
National Leadership
Dr. Don KlingnerPresident-elect of ASPA, the American Society of Public Administration, the premier association for generalists in the field of public affairs.
SPA Research Centers• Institute for Policy Research and
Implementation• Center on Domestic Violence• Wirth Chair in Environmental and
Community Development Policy• Center for Education Policy Analysis• Center for Public/Private Sector
Cooperation• Center for the Improvement of Public
Management
Thinking Globally
Retired U.S. Senator Gary HartSen. Hart heads the Presidential Climate Action Project – conducting research that will help the next President of the United States address global warming.
Academic Programs
Bachelor of Arts in
Criminal Justice
Undergraduate Education for a Growing Field
• In Fall 2007 SPA began its first undergraduate degree program – a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice.
• The BA CJ is offered in Denver and Colorado Springs.• Students may concentrate their study in: juvenile justice,
law & society or domestic violence – or create an emphasis in courts, corrections or law enforcement with faculty approval.
Master of Public
Administration (MPA)
Flexible and Comprehensive
Education for Future Leaders• Master of Public Administration (36 credits)
• Five concentrations to choose from – or the option to create your own emphasis.
• Evening & Weekend Classes meet once a week in our traditional format.
• Accelerated option designed for younger students or those switching careers meets during the day. Students earn the MPA in 1 year.
• Executive Option for those with significant management experience.
• Online Option for those who live at a distance.
Meet the SPA Faculty
Dr. Jody Fitzpatrick
• MPA Program Director
• Evaluation expert
MPA Concentrations
• Nonprofit Management
• Domestic Violence
• Environmental Policy, Management and Law
• Local Government
• Emergency Management and Homeland Security
Student Profile:
Aneka PatelMPA student from Texas with an Environmental Policy, Management & Law Concentration. Currently doing an internship with the EPA.
2006-07 Accelerated MPA Class
Student Profile:
Li YuSponsored by the Chinese government to receive training in Western public administration. Yu will return to China with insights about U.S. public policy and management; the MPA will provide him with opportunities for advancement and promotion in China.
Executive Education
Distinguished as one of only two programs nationally to offer the executive MPA in partnership with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
Take SPA classes online!
The flexibility to earn your degree from anywhere in the world – or your living room!
Linking Practice & TheoryAndrew Pattison, MPA 2007
All students in the MPA program end their degree with a client based project that allows them to utilize the skills and knowledge they have gained in the program – while increasing their network with potential employers.
Andy’s project was for the Colorado Municipal League. He developed a best practices guide for municipalities regarding energy conservation. Andy is now in the SPA PhD program studying sustainable infastructure through a university NSF grant.
Master of Criminal
Justice (MCJ)
Small Classes, Personal Attention & Collaboration
with Faculty• Master of Criminal Justice (36 credits)
•Evening Classes meet once a week in our traditional format.
•Executive Option for those with significant professional experience meets on the weekend in a cohort program.
•General MCJ or concentration in domestic violence available in Denver. General or homeland security concentration available in Colorado Springs. Students also have the option to create their own emphasis.
Meet the SPA Faculty
Dr. Mary Dodge
MCJ and BACJ Program Director
PhD in Public Affairs
Research is Key on the Road to the Field’s
Highest Degree• PhD in Public Affairs
•Opportunities to specialize coursework and research in public, nonprofit or criminal justice management and policy
•New concentration in Homeland Security is conducted in a hybrid format combining intensive seminars in Colorado with distance education (start 2008)
•National Science Foundation grant on Sustainable Infastructure allows select students a cross-disciplinary curriculum and $30,000 in funding
Meet the SPA Faculty
Dr. Paul Teske
• PhD Program Director• Director of the Center for
Education Policy Analysis (CEPA)
• Director of the Center for Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) - Denver
• Author of numerous books on education policy & finance
Student Profile:
André d’Almeida
Andre wants to help end extreme poverty in Africa. Before he dies, he hopes to see that no one lives on less than $1/day. He believes policy, research and teaching will help achieve this goal – along with the music he writes and performs!
Alumni Use their Degrees to Lead, Solve and Change the World!
SPA has over 3,000 alumni – many of whom serve as mentors and ambassadors to current students.
Check out our new website!
www.spa.cudenver.edu
Getting in the Door
Annie MacLachlan works with prospective graduate students throughout the application process. Contact her for:
• Program Information• Campus Tours• Faculty Advising• Classroom Visits• Information on relocating to
Denver [email protected] or
303-315-2896
SPA General Contact Info
Phone: (303) 315-2228Fax: (303) 315-2229
Website: www.spa.cudenver.edu
Email: [email protected]
Thank you for considering the School of Public Affairs. Please feel free to
contact us to take the next step towards your public affairs education!
303-315-2228 or [email protected]