jmcomicÂþ»­

The only reason this school ranks so high is it's proximity to the federal job market. The professors here are horrendously unorganized, you get few skills seriously needed in the workplace, and their reaction to the pandemic demonstrated how little they care about student and faculty safety when compared to their bottom line. This is one of the most expensive public service schools in the country and all you are really paying for is terrible experience just to say you went here.

Pros include using the flexibility of learning online allowing me to live anywhere during the program. Cons include not being able to physically meet with my professors and cohort.

American University's School of Public Affairs is a great option for anyone wishing to pursue a career in the federal government. I really enjoy learning from both my professors and from my classmates, many of whom are returning to school after starting their careers. The opportunities to network are unparalleled and the financial aid offers are very generous.

The strengths of the program are the excellent faculty, the other students, and the location in DC. The quality of education is great, I learned a ton from the other students in the program, and DC is a great place to be for internships and job networking. The downsides are the cost of living in DC and the small campus (with limited workspace and resources for students).

The Public Administration graduate program at American University is nationally ranked for the precise fact that the quality of education is among the best. There are no inherent cons with this program other than the workload in some classes is excessive.

An excellent program that teaches both the history of public administration and where it is going in the next several decades.