Skip to content

complete master’s degree options in as few as 12 months

award-winning faculty of national and international renown

global professional network 37,000 strong

Explore Master’s Degrees

Public Administration

Master of Public Administration


Prepare to lead positive change through a rigorous yet efficient array of skills-building courses.

  • On campus, in Syracuse, N.Y.
  • 40 credits plus optional internships
  • Complete full-time in 12 to 18 months

Executive Master of Public Administration—On Campus or Online


Fill gaps in your knowledge with a program tailored to your career goals—five to seven years of experience required. An online option for working professionals provides added flexibility.

  • Online or on campus in Syracuse, N.Y., options (separate programs)
  • 30 credits
  • Complete part- or full-time in as few as 12 to 15 months

International Relations

Master of Arts in International Relations


Satisfy your curiosity about the world, and develop skills and knowledge to change it for the better.

  • On campus, in Syracuse, N.Y.
  • 40 credits with a required global internship
  • Required career track selection to focus your studies
  • Complete full-time in 18 months

Master of Arts in Public Diplomacy and Global Communications


Prepare to drive change in a range of international contexts through effective public and interpersonal communications. One powerful degree, two schools: the Maxwell School and the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.

  • On campus, in Syracuse, N.Y., and Washington, D.C.
  • 43 credits with a required global internship
  • Complete full-time in 18 months

Executive Master's in International Relations


Improve your leadership and management skills and global affairs knowledge—seven years of experience required.

  • On campus, in Syracuse, N.Y.
  • 30 credits
  • Complete on a part- or full-time basis

Doctoral Program

PhD in Public Administration


Educate the next generation of public service leaders and conduct research that moves the field of public administration and policy analysis forward.

  • On campus, in Syracuse, N.Y.
  • 72 credits (36 credits beyond the M.A.)
  • Full-time residential program, typically completed in 4.5 years

Department Admission Events

We offer a range of in-person and virtual opportunities to learn more about the Maxwell School and degree programs offered by the Public Administration and International Affairs Department, answer questions about the application process, and help you work toward your goals.

See All Department Admission Events

Schedule a One-on-One Meeting

to ask more in-depth questions not covered in the group information sessions. These individual meetings are informational in nature and are not admission interviews.

Request a Meeting

Study in Washington, D.C.

Our D.C. headquarters at the Syracuse University Center in DuPont Circle, gives students access to leading minds in the world of policy and international affairs, competitive internships, employment opportunities and a deeply engaged network of D.C.-based alumni.

See Maxwell-in-Washington

Need a midcareer boost? Explore our Certificates of Advanced Study


We offer a variety of regional, topical and skills-based Certificates of Advanced Study (CAS) to help you focus and refine your expertise. Some CAS can be earned as part of a master's program while others can be earned independent of a degree. Learn to use data to formulate and analyze policy, deepen your knowledge of effective public management practices, develop techniques to promote collaboration and resolve conflicts, broaden your expertise in a specific region of the world, and more.

PAIA students gathered in conference room

Childhood injuries and food stamp benefits: an examination of administrative data in one US state

Colleen M. Heflin, Irma Arteaga, Jean Felix Ndashimye & Matthew P. Rabbitt

BMC Pediatrics, September 2020

Colleen Heflin

Colleen Heflin


Background

Currently in the United States, childhood injuries are the leading cause of mortality and morbidity, resulting in an estimated 9.2 million emergency department visits and $17 billion annually in medical costs. For preschoolers, it is also the leading cause of disability.

Methods

The authors use linked administrative data for SNAP and Medicaid in Missouri from January 2010 to December 2013 to explore monthly patterns in the association between SNAP receipt and ER claims due to childhood injury for children age 0–5 and to examine if these patterns are sensitive to the timing of SNAP benefits. We chose the state of Missouri because unlike most states that disburse SNAP benefits within the first 10 days of the calendar month, Missouri pays SNAP benefits between the first twenty-two days of the month, based on the recipient’s birthdate and last name.

Results

SNAP benefits received later in the calendar month are associated with reductions in ER claims for childhood injuries. Furthermore, the final week in the SNAP benefit month is associated with an increase in ER claims for childhood injuries.

Conclusion

In terms of public policy, our results suggest that having SNAP disbursement later in the month may have benefits for households.


Public Administration and International Affairs Department
215 Eggers Hall