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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.

     

    Logo indicating that the School of Public Affairs is accredited by NASPAA

     

    U.S. News & World Report 2021 Best Graduate Schools rankings

    #1 Best Public Affairs Program in Colorado (#25 in the nation)
    #1 in Environmental Policy and Management in Colorado (#10 in the nation)
    #1 in Public Finance and Budgeting in Colorado (#11 in the nation)
    #1 in Nonprofit Management in Colorado (#13 in the nation)
    #1 in Public Management and Leadership in Colorado (#22 in the nation)
    #1 in Public Policy Analysis in Colorado (#25 in the nation)
    #3 Best Online Graduate Criminal Justice Programs in Colorado (#23 in the nation)

    Learn more.

     

    Start your admission application

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    GRE no longer required for admission to master's degree programs

    Application deadlines: bachelor's programs (spring 2021) - Dec 31; master's programs (spring 2021) - Dec 1; certificate programs (spring 2021) - Jan 1; PhD program (fall 2021) - Feb 1.

    Apply to our bachelor's programs

    Apply to our master's or PhD programs

    Apply to our certificate programs
     

    Our response to COVID-19

    Learn more

    Degree Programs in Criminal Justice

    Closeup of the pediment of a building with the words "Equal Justice Under Law" etched in relief

    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.

    Degree Programs in 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.

    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 Programs

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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 about our programs:

    Undergraduate

    Graduate

    Certificates

    Support our students

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

    Give to the School of Public Affairs

    Featured events

    Attend our events

    We host more than 100 events each year featuring distinguished practitioners, community leaders and politicians. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all of our events will be held virtually, unless otherwise indicated.

    Join our events mailing list

    Prospective Graduate Student Info Session (Webinar)
    Nov 4, 2020 | 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
    Cost/fee: Free
    During this one-hour webinar, you will learn about graduate program options, course offerings, admission requirements, and program directors. You will have the opportunity to submit questions throughout the presentation.
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    Prospective Graduate Student Virtual Open House
    Nov 5, 2020 | 05:00 PM - 06:00 PM
    Cost/fee: Free
    During this Open House, we'll provide an overview of graduate options available via the University of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs along with information about the application process and admissions. The latter portion of the Open House will allow students to connect individually with program directors and representatives from admissions and scholarships, financial aid, academic advising and career services.
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    November First Friday: What happened in our elections?
    Nov 6, 2020 | 12:00 PM - 01:15 PM
    Cost/fee: Free
    What happened in our elections? The November 2020 election is poised to be one of the most interesting—and challenging—in our history, taking place amidst a deadly pandemic, with many voters opting for mail-in ballots rather than in-person voting. Additionally, the country is mired in an extremely divisive national context, with fewer undecided voters than usual. The unprecedented spike in mail-in ballots may cause problems and will likely delay the announcement of the official election results for days, and we hope to have the results in time for our First Fridays event. To understand and make better sense of the elections, please join our expert and balanced panel as we discuss and dissect these issues.
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    School of Public Affairs Free GRE Strategy Session (Webinar)
    Nov 10, 2020 | 05:00 PM - 06:00 PM
    Cost/fee: Free
    The GRE is no longer required for admission to the Master of Criminal Justice and Master of Public Administration programs, but it can help your application. The GRE is required for admission to the PhD in Public Affairs program.
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    See all events

    Featured news

     

    • equity-850w

      Equity Task Force Forms to Address Core Challenges at CU Denver

      Oct 19, 2020
      Full story
    • CU-D_2019_Aerials-190606-2-850w

      Winners of Presidential Initiative Grants for Urban and Place-Based Research Named

      Oct 16, 2020
      Full story

    • Leading Toward Equity: Stories of Organizational Change

      Sep 29, 2020 by Emma Martz
      As more organizations increasingly recognize the need to move beyond solidarity statements and into the work of creating more equitable policies and cultures in their workplaces, the CU Denver School of Public Affairs dedicated its inaugural First Fridays event for the 2020-21 academic year to this topic. The virtual event, Leading Towards Equity: Stories of Organizational Change, held on Sept. 11, brought together panelists who have been doing this organizational work for some time.
      Full story
    • solar-panels-850w

      CU Denver Researcher Analyzes the Use of Solar Energy at U.S. Airports

      Sep 18, 2020
      Full story
    • College-Consensus-Online-MCJ-2020-Ranking-850w

      CU Denver School of Public Affairs ranks Fourth in Nation for Online Master of Criminal Justice program

      Sep 8, 2020 by Toula Wellbrook
      The Master of Criminal Justice (MCJ) program at the University of Colorado Denver’s School of Public Affairs has been ranked fourth in the nation, according to College Consensus’ rankings for Best Online Master's in Criminal Justice for 2020.
      Full story
    • Social-Equity-Textbook-850w

      Changing the course of the river: A conversation with Prof. Mary Guy on new social equity textbook

      Sep 3, 2020 by Toula Wellbrook
      This year has been like no other in recent history, and issues of social inequity are front and center in the hearts, minds and consciences of many Americans, amidst a pandemic and protests against police violence toward people of color. The timing of the new textbook, “Achieving Social Equity: From Problems to Solutions,” co-written and edited by Mary Guy, professor of Public Affairs at the CU Denver School of Public Affairs, and alumnus Sean McCandless, assistant professor at the University of Illinois – Springfield, could not be better.
      Full story
    • Youth-Violence-Prevention-850w

      Huss joins efforts to combat youth violence in Denver

      Sep 2, 2020 by Toula Wellbrook
      Youth violence has been on the rise in Denver, and with the help of Dr. Sheila Huss, the City of Denver is on the case. Dr. Sheila Huss is an assistant professor of criminal justice, clinical teaching track, at the CU Denver School of Public Affairs, and she also serves as the program director for the school’s Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice. Since early 2020, she has been performing a needs assessment around youth violence prevention efforts in Denver as part of the Youth Violence Prevention Action Table (YVPAT).
      Full story
    • Ruth-Glenn-850w

      CEO Ruth Glenn Speaks at Democratic National Convention

      Aug 31, 2020
      Full story
    • Durango-Economic-Development-850w

      Economic development class shapes recovery planning in La Plata County

      Aug 11, 2020 by Guest Contributor
      The COVID-19 Pandemic struck the world in early 2020 and resulted in a shutdown of the state of Colorado on March 25, 2020. The stay-at-home order not only impacted the University of Colorado Denver, but dramatically affected retail businesses, restaurants, community events, and other vital main street institutions that drive the economy of our state. A cross-section of these impacts comes into play when Randy Harrison’s ‘Economic Development’ class (PUAD 5630) and its partners Downtown Colorado, Inc. (DCI) shifted their work with five Colorado communities entirely online and helped transition these communities into the recovery process.
      Full story

    See all news

    School of Public Affairs

    CU Denver
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