University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs
Encyclopedia
The Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA) is one of 17 schools comprising the University of Pittsburgh
. Founded in 1957 to study national and international public administration, GSPIA contains several highly ranked programs. GPSIA is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA)
, and is a member of the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs
. The school is located in Wesley W. Posvar Hall
on the University of Pittsburgh campus in the Oakland
neighborhood of Pittsburgh
. In July 2007, John T. S. Keeler took over as dean, replacing Carolyn Ban, who resigned in August 2006.
and planning and implementing the Works Progress Administration
. He helped draft the United Nations
Charter and his efforts were instrumental in the success of the Marshall Plan
in rebuilding Europe after the Second World War
.
GPSIA has recently added the Peace Corps Master's International (MI) track that enables students to earn a master’s degree in public health and also volunteer with the Peace Corps
. This program blends classroom learning with real-world experience for students interested in a career in global health.
Additionally, GPSIA offers several joint degree programs with other schools within the University of Pittsburgh, as well as with universities within the Pittsburgh Council on Higher Education
. The following are a list of available joint degree programs available to students at GSPIA.
Certificates from the University Center for International Studies (UCIS)
can usually be obtained without requiring additional credit hours, and demonstrate a focus in a particular field of study. The University Center for International Studies at the University of Pittsburgh
is home to four internationally recognized area studies centers. Each one has been designated a National Resource Center by the United States Department of Education
, certifying their status as leading centers of their kind in the United States. The University Center for International Studies offers Area Studies certificates in the following areas:
In a joint partnership between GSPIA and UCIS, students can also obtain a certificate in Global Studies. A certificate in Global Studies provides students with 'global competence.' Global Studies certificate students choose one of the following six global issues concentrations and unite it with the study of a particular region and language:
GSPIA is one of only nine schools to have produced at least two NASPAA presidents. Three GSPIA alumni have served as President of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA)
. Six GSPIA alumni have served as president of the Korean Association for Public Affairs.
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
. Founded in 1957 to study national and international public administration, GSPIA contains several highly ranked programs. GPSIA is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA)
National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration
The National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration is a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit organization. It is an association of schools of public policy schools at universities mostly in the United States and several abroad...
, and is a member of the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs
The Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs
-About APSIA:The Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs is a non-profit educational organization composed of graduate level schools of international affairs. Starting as a network of American graduate schools in the mid-1970s, APSIA was incorporated in 1989 and has since then...
. The school is located in Wesley W. Posvar Hall
Wesley W. Posvar Hall
Wesley W. Posvar Hall , formerly known as Forbes Quadrangle, is a landmark building on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. At it is the largest academic-use building on campus, providing administrative offices, classrooms, lecture halls, a food...
on the University of Pittsburgh campus in the Oakland
Oakland (Pittsburgh)
Oakland is the academic, cultural, and healthcare center of Pittsburgh and is Pennsylvania's third largest "Downtown". Only Center City Philadelphia and Downtown Pittsburgh can claim more economic and social activity than Oakland...
neighborhood of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
. In July 2007, John T. S. Keeler took over as dean, replacing Carolyn Ban, who resigned in August 2006.
History
In 1957, GSPIA was founded by Donald C. Stone in an effort to promote the study of national and international public administration, and to recognize the growing significance of public policy in the global context, and was soon after noted for its breadth and scope. Stone's philosophy included promoting the notion of "citizenship" and encouraged his colleagues, students, and friends to make government better, to make administrations more effective, and to provide responsible leadership and stewardship for future generations. Stone's public service career included developing procedures for the Civil Works AdministrationCivil Works Administration
The Civil Works Administration was established by the New Deal during the Great Depression to create manual labor jobs for millions of unemployed. The jobs were merely temporary, for the duration of the hard winter. Harry L. Hopkins was put in charge of the organization. President Franklin D...
and planning and implementing the Works Progress Administration
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
. He helped draft the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Charter and his efforts were instrumental in the success of the Marshall Plan
Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was the large-scale American program to aid Europe where the United States gave monetary support to help rebuild European economies after the end of World War II in order to combat the spread of Soviet communism. The plan was in operation for four years beginning in April 1948...
in rebuilding Europe after the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Demographics
- GSPIA employs over 35 full-time faculty members, 22 staff members, and has a 14:1 student/faculty ratio. Currently, there are over 6,000 GSPIA alumni, 1,400 of which are in the Greater Pittsburgh Area.
- Entering Class Bio-Demographics (Fall 2007):
- 86% Full time
- 13% Part time
- 58% Female
- 41% Male
- 43% In-state (Pennsylvania)
- 57% Out of state
- 17% International, representing the countries of ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, BangladeshBangladeshBangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
, BelizeBelizeBelize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
, CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Costa RicaCosta RicaCosta Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
, EcuadorEcuadorEcuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
, GhanaGhanaGhana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
, JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, NepalNepalNepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, PakistanPakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, TaiwanTaiwanTaiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, TurkeyTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, VenezuelaVenezuelaVenezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
and ZimbabweZimbabweZimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
.
Degree programs
GSPIA offers several graduate degrees relative to public affairs. Full-time students can complete most masters degree programs within 16 months of study, however, programs can be completed on part-time basis. The MPPM degree is designed for mid-career professionals, and can usually be completed in one year of full-time study. The following is a list of degrees and focuses currently available through GSPIA.- MPA - Master of Public Administration
- Public and Nonprofit Management
- Urban and Regional Affairs
- Policy Research and Analysis
- MPIA - Master of Public & International Affairs
- Security and Intelligence Studies
- Human Security
- Global Political Economy
- MID - Master of International Development
- Nongovernmental Organizations and Civil Society
- Development Planning and Environmental Sustainability
- Human Security
- MPPM - Master of Public Policy & Management (Mid-Career)
- Individualized
- PhD - Doctor of Philosophy
- Development Policy
- Foreign and Security Policy
- International Political Economy
- Public Administration
- Public Policy
GPSIA has recently added the Peace Corps Master's International (MI) track that enables students to earn a master’s degree in public health and also volunteer with the Peace Corps
Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
. This program blends classroom learning with real-world experience for students interested in a career in global health.
Additionally, GPSIA offers several joint degree programs with other schools within the University of Pittsburgh, as well as with universities within the Pittsburgh Council on Higher Education
Pittsburgh Council on Higher Education
The Pittsburgh Council on Higher Education is a consortium of colleges and universities in the Pittsburgh metro area. The organization exists to allow the schools and their students to take advantage of each others resources and to facilitate sharing them....
. The following are a list of available joint degree programs available to students at GSPIA.
- MPA,MPIA,or MID & Master of Public Health (MPH)
- MPIA or MID & Master of Business Administration (MBA)
- MPA,MPIA,or MID & Master of Science in Information Science (MSIS)
- MPA,MPIA,or MID & Juris Doctor (JD)
- MPA,MPIA,or MID & Master of Social Work (MSW)
Certificate programs
University of Pittsburgh Center for International Studies
University Center for International Studies , the first center of its kind when created in 1968, provides a university-wide integration of international scholarship at the University of Pittsburgh. This center provides a university-wide framework for students, faculty, other scholars who have an...
can usually be obtained without requiring additional credit hours, and demonstrate a focus in a particular field of study. The University Center for International Studies at the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
is home to four internationally recognized area studies centers. Each one has been designated a National Resource Center by the United States Department of Education
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
, certifying their status as leading centers of their kind in the United States. The University Center for International Studies offers Area Studies certificates in the following areas:
- East Asia
- Latin America
- Russia and Eastern Europe
- Western Europe
In a joint partnership between GSPIA and UCIS, students can also obtain a certificate in Global Studies. A certificate in Global Studies provides students with 'global competence.' Global Studies certificate students choose one of the following six global issues concentrations and unite it with the study of a particular region and language:
- Changing Identities in a Global World
- Communication, Technology, and Society
- Conflict and Conflict Resolution
- Global Health
- Globalized Economy and Global Governance
- Sustainable Development
Research centers & institutes
The Graduate School of Public & International Affairs is home to several research institutes and centers.- The Ford Institute for Human Security was established at the University of Pittsburgh as a result of an endowment gift from Ford Motor Company. The mission of the Institute is to conduct research that focuses on transnational threats to the human rights of civilian populations, The Institute's function is to generate independent research, disseminate policy papers, and advocate nonpartisan policy proposals to domestic and international policymakers.
- The Matthew B. Ridgway Center for International Security is dedicated to educating the next generation of security analysts and to producing scholarship and impartial analysis that informs the options available to policymakers dealing with international and human security on a global scale. The Ridgway research program analyzes the security dynamics of the 21st century global environment, concentrating on rapidly evolving and emerging threats.
- The GSPIA Nonprofit Clinic provides technical and capacity building assistance to small nonprofits. The clinic is a part of the School's nonprofit management instructional program; it utilizes teams of students and faculty to provide assistance in strategic management, marketing, fund development, board development, human resources planning, and financial analysis.
- The Johnson Institute for Responsible Leadership strives to promote ethical leadership, and provides an institutional platform for launching a program of teaching, research, and public service on ethics and accountability in public life. The Institute works with GSPIA faculty to develop materials for teaching about ethics and accountability and broadening the coverage of these topics in the required courses in the School's core curriculum. It also seeks to recognize outstanding research on ethics and accountability, to advance the state of knowledge on these topics, and to offer practical guidance to public service professionals and citizens. In addition, the Institute facilitates public dialogue and community learning on timely issues related to ethics and accountability.
- The Center for Global Healthoperates in partnership with the six Schools of the Health Sciences and the School of LawUniversity of Pittsburgh School of LawThe University of Pittsburgh School of Law was founded in 1895, and became a charter member of the Association of American Law Schools in 1900...
at the University of Pittsburgh. It strives to foster interdisciplinary global health research, create the next generation of leaders and scholars, facilitate sustained partnerships, and promote translation of research findings into policy and practice.
- Center for Disaster Management provides a school-wide locus to support research, education, and training projects that focus on extreme events. Its goal is to develop a coherent approach for research and analysis on policy issues related to disaster risk reduction and management that cross interorganizational, interdisciplinary, and interjurisdictional boundaries.
Special programs
- The Philanthropy Forum provides a university-based platform for national dialogue with thinkers and practitioners in the field of philanthropy and engages in research on the history and contemporary contributions of philanthropy to local, national, and global communities.
- The International Political Economy Colloquium provides a forum for IPE scholars to present their works in progress.
- The Pittsburgh International Trade and Development Seminar Series is a joint undertaking sponsored by the University of Pittsburgh Department of Economics, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs and Carnegie Mellon UniversityCarnegie Mellon UniversityCarnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
's Heinz College.
Rankings
- #2 in the number of NASPAA dissertation awards won by its doctoral students
- #4 top school for faculty scholarly productivity in the field of International Affairs and Development, (The Chronicle of Higher EducationThe Chronicle of Higher EducationThe Chronicle of Higher Education is a newspaper and website that presents news, information, and jobs for college and university faculty, staff members and administrators....
, 2007) - #11 nationally for Nonprofit Management (U.S. News & World ReportU.S. News & World ReportU.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
, 2004) - #14 city management and urban policy (U.S. News & World Report, 2008)
- #16 top U.S. master's programs for international relations (Foreign Policy, 2009)
- #23 public management administration (U.S. News & World Report, 2008)
- #27 to U.S. Public Policy Programs (U.S. News & World Report, 2008)
GSPIA is one of only nine schools to have produced at least two NASPAA presidents. Three GSPIA alumni have served as President of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA)
International City/County Management Association
ICMA is an association representing professionals in local government management. It is based in Washington, D.C., USA....
. Six GSPIA alumni have served as president of the Korean Association for Public Affairs.
GSPIA student organizations
- GSPIA Student Cabinet
- Nabu - represents the interests of the PhD student community
- AGORA - Professional & Academic Development
- EU and the World
- Pitt Political Review (GSPIA issue)
- International Student Initiative
- RIGHT HERE: A Forum for Volunteer Activities
External links
- Graduate School of Public & International Affairs (GSPIA)
- Ford Institute for Human Security
- Matthew B. Ridgway Center for International Security
- University Center for International Studies
- Global Studies Program
- Asian Studies Center
- Center for Latin American Studies
- Center for Russian & Eastern European Studies
- European Studies Center