Andrew Young School of Policy Studies

Georgia State University

Motto	Veritas Valet Et Vincet (Latin: Truth is Valuable and Shall Overcome)
Type	Public
Established	1913
President	Carl V. Patton
Students	27,134
Undergraduates	19,889
Postgraduates	7,245
Location	Atlanta , Georgia , USA
Campus	Urban
Endowment	$60 million
Colors	Blue and White
Mascot	Pounce, the blue panther
Website	www.gsu.edu

The Andrew Young School of Policy Studies is located within Georgia State University. The school houses the Economics and Public Administration divisions of the second largest school in the state of Georgia. US News and World Reports in 2005 listed the school as 5th in the country in public finance and budgeting, 12th in city management/urban policy, 16th in public management administration, 21st in public policy analysis.

The Graduate School program was 26th among the top 250 schools in public affairs in 2005 as well.

The school is named after Andrew Young, a civil rights leader from Atlanta that served as mayor of Atlanta, United Nations Ambassador, and was instrumental in bringing the Olympics to the city in 1996.

Student Body and Degree Programs

Approximately 4,500 students are currently enrolled in the school.

Joint Ph.D. in public policy with the Georgia Institute of Technology, the only program of its kind in the U.S.
Degrees offered include:
Bachelor's in economics
Bachelor's in international economics & modern languages
Bachelor's in public policy
Master's in economics
Master's in public administration
Master's in public administration / Juris Doctor
Master's in urban policy studies
Ph.D. in economics
Ph.D. in public policy (with Georgia Tech)
Certificate programs include:
Graduate certificate programs in Disaster Management, Nonprofit Management, and Planning and Economic Development

The Facility

The current home of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies has a varied past, as the building is 101 years old. The Fourth National Bank opened the building on the corner of Marietta and Peachtree streets in 1905. Several floors were added in 1928. In 1966, the bank built a 41-story tower adjacent to its home, reducing the height of the original building by half and resurfacing it in the white marble that covers it today. The original architect was Cecil A. Alexander.

Master of Science in Urban Policy Studies

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.

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 & 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 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.

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.

References

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