Established in 1938 as the Graduate School of Public Administration and renamed the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service in 1989, the Wagner School offers graduate degree programs in public and nonprofit management and policy, health policy and management, and urban planning. The one unifying goal and central mission of the school is to prepare leaders for professional careers in public, nonprofit, planning, and health institutions. The school offers a much broader set of academic opportunities than many other traditional schools of public policy, urban planning, or health policy and management, which often exist as separate divisions of a university. [up]
Wagner is among the top ten schools of its kind nationwide. The only public ranking of schools of public administration/affairs/public policy is done by US News and World Report. In the most recent rankings, the 2009 US News and World Report Best Graduate Schools issue reports that NYU Wagner is now ranked:
Note that the methodology for these rankings, however, is not equivalent to that of other professional schools such as law and business. In those rankings, quantitative measures like acceptance rate, average starting salary and alumni giving are taken into consideration. The public affairs rankings were determined solely based on how the school is ranked by 269 peer institutions. NYU Wagner is among the finest schools of its kind in the nation, but that would be the case regardless of these rankings. [up]
Wagner graduates can be found playing significant roles in the redevelopment of communities, advocacy for social justice, and the provision of vital health and human services locally, nationally, and globally. For more details, see the Employment Statistics from the Office of Career Services (OCS). OCS provides support to Wagner students in career planning and job placement. The office has developed a comprehensive career development program, which consists of career related workshops, seminars, special events, and career resources to assist students in their job search. This program enables employers to interview qualified, well-prepared candidates who are available for full-time and part-time positions as well as internships and residencies. [up]
Graduate housing is available in the form of University-owned apartment complexes. Apartments are available only to matriculated, full-time students. Both furnished and unfurnished apartments are available. Generally, university housing for couples is not available unless both will be matriculated at NYU. Housing applications are automatically mailed to all accepted students in March for the fall semester and November for the spring semester.
Another service offered by the University is the Off-campus Housing Office, which lists rentals in Manhattan, the outer boroughs, as well as New Jersey, and hosts information sessions on finding an apartment in New York. [up]
Within the MPA degree tracks, a student may specialize in management of public and nonprofit organizations, financial management and public finance, or public policy analysis. The MPA in Public and Nonprofit Management and Policy with a specialization in policy is generally comparable to a Masters in Public Policy degree taken at another institution. Wagner students have the added option of pursuing much more focused study in finance or management than students pursuing an MPP. [up]
Many programs in health policy and management are housed within schools of public health (awarding the MPH) or schools of business (awarding the MHA or MBA). Basically, the course content for a MPA will be comparable for degrees awarded at business schools, however the Wagner School's focus on nonprofit and public institutions will provide a different grounding from a traditional business perspective. While business programs tend to focus on stock market issues, Wagner's health program focuses on understanding the health care system and how management techniques relate directly to that system.
A traditional MPH curriculum will differ from ours mainly in its primary starting point which is the study of the spread and containment of disease. While epidemiology is the groundwork for the MPH; management, finance, and policy analysis ground Wagner's MPA degree focus. [up]
NYU Wagner offers an international specialization. Within the specialization, students will gain a solid understanding of policy analysis, management, or finance, and may choose to concentrate on one of these areas. A student who wishes to pursue an international career path following graduation will find that these sets of skills will prepare them well for a variety of settings. An international specialization combined with internships and study abroad can provide a healthy international perspective. The international specialization is now offered in all three of our two-year degree programs: MPA in Public and Nonprofit Management and Policy, MPA in Health Policy and Management, and Master of Urban Planning. One of the school's curriculum initiatives involves the creation of new and expanded offerings in the area of international development policy and administration. In addition, NYU Wagner also offers a MS degree focusing on managing international public service organizations. Intended for professionals wishing to hone their skills, this MS program was launched in the spring 2000 semester. Other helpful pages are:
The Wagner School offers the following dual degrees with the noted school at NYU. Generally, in the case of dual degree programs at NYU, an applicant must simultaneously apply to each division with separate applications.
The length of time required to finish a degree is dependent upon how many credits a student takes each semester. The academic year consists of a fall and spring semester. In addition, students, unless required, have the option of taking summer courses. Taking summer courses may speed along the completion of coursework, however, depending on the degree program it may not shorten the length of time necessary to complete the degree. Generally, full-time students take 12-16 credits (3-4 courses) each semester while part-time students take 8 credits (two courses). Below is an estimated time frame for completing the various degree programs offered at NYU Wagner.
| Degree | Full-Time | Part-Time |
|---|---|---|
| MPA or MUP | 2 years | 3-4 years |
| PhD | 4-5 years | 6-7 years |
| MS | 1 year | 2-3 years |
| Advanced Professional Certificate | 1 year | 1+ years |
| BA/MPA or BA/MUP | 5 years (4 undergraduate and 1 graduate) | 6 years (4 undergraduate and 2 graduate) |
| JD/MPA or JD/MUP | 4 years | n/a |
| MBA/MPA | 3 years | n/a |
| MSW/MS | 2 years including summers | 3+ years |
| MD/MPA(MD portion is full-time only) | 5 years including summers | n/a |
| MA/MS | 3-4 years | 5 years [up] |
Credit toward the degree for courses taken at other institutions may be awarded under certain conditions and must be approved by one's faculty advisor and the Office of Academic Services. Decisions regarding transfer credits are not made prior to matriculation. The courses must be considered appropriate to the degree sought, must not be credited toward another degree, and must have been completed with a grade of B or better at an institution of established academic reputation. Coursework must have been taken within the last 5 years (except for doctoral students) in order to be considered for transfer.
A maximum of 28 credits can be transferred toward the MPA and MUP degrees; a maximum of 8 transfer credits toward the MS degree; and a maximum of 40 credits toward the doctoral degree. Transfer credits will not be accepted toward the Advanced Professional Certificate. [up]
It is possible to apply as a non-degree student. Non-degree students are only eligible to register for a maximum of four classes. Non-degree applicants are required to submit all application materials necessary of degree applicants except for letters of recommendation. [up]
Students may apply as either full-time or part-time students. NYU Wagner offers both day and night classes and some classes are offered on Saturdays. The programs are flexible enough that students can easily switch between full-time and part-time status as work commitments require. [up]
