Prepare to lead and make a difference in communities around the globe. At Maxwell, you’ll find faculty, students and alumni who are dedicated to the idea that well-trained public service-minded professionals can change the world.
Whether you are just starting out in your career or you are a seasoned professional, you’ll find a Maxwell program designed to help you:
- fill gaps in knowledge,
- build skills and confidence to take on a leadership role in your organization,
- prepare to move across sectors and,
- boost your ability to drive change.
Our Approach
We’ve situated a world-class team of public administration faculty among an equally accomplished faculty of the social sciences. This dynamic mix of educators and scholars creates a one-of-a-kind experience in which students immerse in interdisciplinary coursework and topical research at one of 14 research centers within the school.
You’ll reach your professional ambitions—fast. Our professional degrees provide exceptional preparation to advance your career in as few as 12 months, letting you get back to work more quickly than most other programs. And, if you have seven years of experience, you may qualify for one of our midcareer executive programs—with course options that are even more flexible and efficient.
Follow this link to learn more.
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 EventsSchedule 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 MeetingStudy 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.
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.
Himmelreich Honored with Birkhead-Birkhead Excellence Award
September 27, 2022
Johannes Himmelreich, assistant professor of public administration and international affairs, is the recipient of the Birkhead-Burkhead Teaching Excellence Award and Professorship.
The annual honor recognizes outstanding teaching in the Public Administration and International Affairs (PAIA) Department. Recipients are nominated by current students and selected by a committee comprised of former award winners. Honorees hold the professorship for four years.
The award honors two former Maxwell School PAIA professors: Guthrie Birkhead and Jesse Burkhead. Guthrie Birkhead was a faculty member in the PAIA and Political Science Departments from 1950 until his death in 2013. He was dean of the Maxwell School from 1977 until 1988, and he served as director of the Metropolitan Studies Program (now part of Maxwell’s Center for Policy Research). Jesse Burkhead was a faculty member in the Economics Department from 1949 until his death in 1996. An expert on public budgeting, he retired as Maxwell Professor of Economics. In 1956, he authored the highly acclaimed book, “Government Budgeting.”
Himmelreich’s research focuses on the ethics of autonomous systems such as drones, self-driving cars or artificial intelligence. He has published papers on “Responsibility for Killer Robots,” on the trolley problem and the ethics of self-driving cars, as well as on embodiment in virtual reality. Beyond this interest in ethics and technology, Himmelreich has also published on the commodification of asylum-provision services as well as on the foundations and nature of moral responsibility and blame. He argues that corporations, states and autonomous systems are agents that can be morally responsible for their actions.
He was recently honored with the Camilla Stivers Best Article Award by the Public Management Research Association for a piece he co-authored titled “Artificial Intelligence and Administrative Evil.” The award is for the best article published in Perspectives on Public Management and Governance.
Himmelreich earned a Ph.D. in philosophy in 2016 from the London School of Economics.
Published in the Fall 2022 issue of the Maxwell Perspective
Related News
School News
May 7, 2026
School News
May 5, 2026
School News
Apr 29, 2026
