Founded at Syracuse University in 1924, the Maxwell School:
is renowned for a graduate professional education in public administration and international relations;
grants master's and doctoral degrees in the social sciences (e.g., political science, history, economics); and
teaches the social sciences to undergraduate students of Syracuse University. (Undergraduate social-science degrees are awarded through Syracuse's College of Arts and Sciences.)
The significance of this
three-way overlap can scarcely be expressed without clichés such as "the best of
both worlds," "synergy," and "shared purpose."
At Maxwell, theory and practice are regarded with equal
Students of the professional fields study alongside students of sociology, anthropology, geography and the like. (At other universities, they ordinarily find themselves sequestered in a separate college of public administration.) Practical and philosophical concerns exist side-by-side; in fact, many professional-degree students at Maxwell also pursue a joint degree in an academic discipline.
At the same time, doctoral students in the scholarly fields--many of them future professors of the social sciences--pursue their research with faculty members who conduct research in the school's highly regarded institutes and research centers, usually alongside professors of public administration and international relations. The academic lives of Maxwell's social scientists are intermingled with those of future P.A. and I.R. practitioners.
For undergraduates, the usual advantages or learning from professors who are also leading researchers is augmented by the added enrichment of Maxwell's policy/practice spectrum.
If you are a prospective graduate student, consider reading further about the school's Professional Degree Programs , Graduate Academic Departments, and Programs for Undergraduates. Also available is information about Admissions and Finances.
A graphic version of this site is also available.