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General Information about the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA ) |
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The National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA), founded in 1970 and incorporated in 1977, serves as a national and international resource for the promotion of excellence in education and training for public service. Its institutional membership includes 253 U.S. university programs in public affairs, public policy, public administration, and public management.
Membership Info and Roster
Peer Review and Accreditation
Committees and Sections
Publications
Annual Conference
Student Honor Society
Awards
International Projects
Visit naspaa.orgNASPAA accomplishes its purposes through direct services to its member institutions and by:
- Developing appropriate standards for educational programs through its Commission on Peer Review and Accreditation;
- Representing to governments and other institutions the objectives and needs of education for public affairs and administration;
- Encouraging curriculum development and innovation and providing a forum for publication and discussion of education scholarship, practices, and issues;
- Undertaking surveys that provide members and the public with information on key educational issues;
- Meeting with employers to promote internship opportunities for students and employment for graduates;
- Undertaking joint educational projects with practitioner professional organizations; and
- Collaborating with institutes and schools of public administration in other countries through conferences, consortia, and joint projects.
Membership Information and Roster
Institutional Members
Membership in the Association is open to academic programs within accredited institutions of higher education. These programs must have separately identified curricula leading to a professional graduate or undergraduate degree in public affairs, administration or policy, and have a substantial commitment to the purpose of NASPAA.
Professional Partners
Professional Partners membership is open to all other academic and non-academic organizations that subscribe to the purpose of the Association, including:
- Foreign academic degree-granting institutions
- Government agencies
- Corporations
- Foundations
- Professional associations
- Academic institutions offering non-degree programs or degree programs in other areas
Peer Review and Accreditation
NASPAA’s Commission on Peer Review and Accreditation (COPRA) is the specialized accrediting body for masters degree programs in public affairs, administration, and policy, and is recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). NASPAA members are eligible to participate in an accreditation review of their master’s level programs by COPRA. The review combines a self-study with peer review, including a site visit. The Commission publishes and disseminates a record of its actions, including an annual roster of accredited programs.
Committees and Sections
NASPAA member institutions with common interests or characteristics may group themselves into sections to promote their shared interests. Currently, the following five sections exist:
- Comprehensive Schools
- Political Science Based Programs
- Nonprofit Management Education
- Health Sector Management Education
- Small Programs
The NASPAA bylaws create three committees: Committee on Standards, Commission on Peer Review and Accreditation, and Committee on Finance. Additional NASPAA committees focus on specific program areas of importance to NASPAA members. These areas include: Annual Conference, Diversity, Doctoral Education, International Education, Local Government Management Education, Marketing the MPA, Nominating personnel, Policy, Strategic Planning, Technology, and Undergraduate Education.
Publications
NASPAA publishes the Journal of Public Affairs Education (J-PAE), a quarterly refereed journal that serves to stimulate research and dialogue about issues in public affairs education. NASPAA also produces brochures and other material to promote education and training for public service.
Annual Conference
NASPAA organizes an annual conference to engage members in discussions of challenges and opportunities in public affairs education. For more information, please visit the NASPAA website.
Student Honor Society
In recognition of outstanding student achievement in public affairs programs, NASPAA sponsors Pi Alpha Alpha, an honor society.
Awards
NASPAA sponsors faculty awards, graduate student awards, and Pi Alpha Alpha honor society awards.
International Projects
NASPAA fosters public affairs and administration education and practice internationally, as well as such opportunities for NASPAA members, through its applied policy research, technical assistance, and other partnerships with the Network of Institutes and Schools of Public Administration in Central and Eastern Europe (NISPAcee), the Inter-American Network of Public Administration Education (INPAE), and the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA) in Tbilisi, Georgia.