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School of Public Affairs

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    Preparing leaders for government and nonprofits

    Learn more about our programs

    Lead.Solve.Change. 

    Public affairs topics are at the center of almost every national debate. 

    From education policy to affordable housing, criminal justice reform to energy independence, these issues affect our neighborhoods, our cities and our society as a whole. To move forward and find solutions, the country needs leaders and collaborators with in-depth knowledge and a long-term vision.

    Determined to make a difference in your community? 

    As Colorado’s top school for public affairs, public administration and criminal justice, CU Denver School of Public Affairs is a great place to start.

    Our U.S. News & World Report 2020 Best Graduate Schools rankings:

    #1 Best Public Affairs Program in Colorado (#25 in the nation)
    #1 in Environmental Policy and Management in Colorado (#11 in the nation)
    #1 in Public Finance and Budgeting in Colorado (#17 in the nation)
    #1 in Nonprofit Management in Colorado (#21 in the nation)
    #1 in Public Management and Leadership in Colorado (#23 in the nation)
    #1 Best Online Graduate Criminal Justice Programs in Colorado (#19 in the nation)

     

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    Degree programs

    Apply for fall 2019

    Deadlines: August 16 for freshmen and transfer students; August 1 for graduate and non-degree students.

    Start your admission application

    Schedule a visit

    The best way to learn about the School of Public Affairs is to schedule a personalized tour.

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    Attend our events

    We host more than 100 events each year featuring distinguished practitioners, community leaders and politicians.

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    Support our students

    Help to remove financial barriers for criminal justice and public affairs students.

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    Criminal Justice

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    Defend the innocent, use big data, solve crimes

    Our criminal justice programs prepare students for a changing workforce and continued learning. Some use their degree as a stepping stone to executive positions in law enforcement, crime analysis and human services, while others want to expand their knowledge of criminal justice before law school.

    Browse our criminal justice programs.

    Public Affairs

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    Put good policy ideas into practice

    Our programs in public affairs, public administration and public service prepare leaders for the government and nonprofit sectors. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 25 percent of all jobs are in these sectors, and with 30 percent of government employees eligible to retire in 2016, the demand for public administrators continues to rise.

    Browse our public affairs programs.

    Certificates and professional development

    Certificate programs

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    Focus on your interests and passion

    Our certificate programs provide a great opportunity to add to your skills and knowledge in your particular area of interest, whether you want to advance in your current job or transition into a new one. Credits earned in certificate programs can be applied toward our master’s degree programs.

    Browse our certificate programs.

    Professional & leadership development

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    Strengthen your skills, grow your network

    The School of Public Affairs is home to nationally renowned programs that provide training to current and future leaders. From public managers to education policy experts, our program participants have developed new skills, expanded their networks and recharged their careers.

    Browse our leadership training programs.

    Request information

    Undergraduate programs

    Graduate programs

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    Featured event

    First Friday Breakfast: Homelessness in Metro Denver

    Sep 6, 2019 | 07:30 AM - 09:00 AM
    Cost/fee: Free
    Room Number: Terrace Room (2nd Floor)
    Lawrence Street Center
    1380 Lawrence Street
     Denver, CO
    Despite various policy solutions, from managing day-to-day needs of people experiencing homelessness to long-term prevention efforts, no one solution is adequate to solve this complex issue. We'll look beyond camping bans to talk about a wide array of policies and programs being tested and considered around the region.

    Featured news

    School of Public Affairs rises in national rankings, retains no. 1 spot in Colorado

    Trophy for Top 25 award by Toula Wellbrook | Mar 13, 2019, 07:24 AM School of Public Affairs
    U.S. News & World Report today released its 2020 Best Graduate Schools Rankings, in which University of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs advanced nine places since the 2018 rankings to tie for the number 25 position in the nation for overall public affairs programs. The 2020 ranking sustains the school’s position as the top public affairs school in Colorado.

    Featured research

    A fracking operation with wind turbines in the background.

    A Comparative Diagnosis of Policy Conflicts: Examining Unconventional Oil and Gas Development across the US

    Principal Researchers:

    Professors Tanya Heikkila and Christopher Weible, University of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs

    Student Researchers:

    Jennifer Kagan and Jill Yordy     Examining Unconventional Oil and Gas Development across the United States – Unconventional oil and gas development that uses hydraulic fracturing is one example of a contentious policy issue that is often associated with policy conflict. However, knowledge of the sources, characteristics, and effects of policy conflict around these contentious issues remains underdeveloped. Additionally, while conflicts around oil and gas development appear to be intense and growing, not all oil and gas policy issues are conflictual and not all conflicts are intense or intractable. This project explores differences across state-level policy decisions related to oil and gas development over the past decade, to provide an understanding of how different policy contexts influence the intensity of conflicts and their outcomes. This project is funded by the National Science Foundation and directed by Profs. Tanya Heikkila and Chris Weible (CU Denver) and Profs. Hongtao Yi and Ramiro Berardo (Ohio State University).

    School of Public Affairs

    CU Denver
    Lawrence Street Center

    1380 Lawrence Street

    500

    Denver, CO 80204

    303-315-2228

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