SPA is ranked number 13
among public affairs schools, highest in D.C., by U.S. News & World ReportContact Us
Phone: (202) 885-2940
Graduate programs: spagrad@american.edu
Undergraduate programs: aupublicaffairs@american.edu
Analytics and Management Institute
Created to further prepare SPA graduate students to work in and lead multidisciplinary teams after graduation.
Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies
The Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies provides an integrated teaching, research, and study program focusing on Congress and the presidency and the interactions of these two basic American institutions.
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Center for Data Science
The Center for Data ScienceÌýsupports research in the production, analysis, and storage of 21st Century data types.
Center for Environmental Policy
The Center for Environmental Policy aims to improve the nation's ability to address environmental challenges through effective governance.
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First Ladies Initiative
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Legacies of America's First Ladies initiative and conference series features distinguished guests - first ladies, former presidents, and first families, White House staff, scholars, authors, members of the media - who highlight the significant contributions these women make by using their platform to advocate for issues, promote change, and improve our society.
Justice Initiatives
Our Justice Initiatives support SPA's mission of applying the tools of scholarship and professionalism to the design and management of public programs in law and criminal justice.
Metropolitan Policy Center
MPC's mission is to understand the intersections among various social, economic and political processes, operating at various levels, that influence metropolitan and urban landscapes. MPC employs mixed methods to uncover, explain and propose solutions to important 21st century metropolitan and urban challenges including: affordable housing, economic development, racial and ethnic diversity, social service provision, and urban and regional governance.
Peace & Violence Research Lab
The Peace & Violence Research Lab supports undergraduate and graduate research on topics related to peace and political violence.
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Polarization & Extremism Research & Innovation Lab
The Polarization & Extremism Research & Innovation Lab (PERIL) is an applied research lab created to develop evidence-based initiatives to prevent political polarization and violent extremism. In a field primarily focused on security and law enforcement, we take an upstream, public health approach aiming to prevent extremism using non-carceral solutions.
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Political Theory Institute
The Political Theory Institute encourages the serious study of the great questions of political theory and rings the insights of political theories to bear on current issues and events.
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Project on Civic Dialogue
Student led, student facing
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Washington Institute for Public Affairs Research
The Washington Institute for Public Affairs Research serves as a bridge between the academic and policy worlds, advancing scholarly research that addresses pressing issues and concerns.
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Women & Politics Institute
The Women and Politics Institute provides practical and academic training to women that encourages them to become involved in the political process and facilitates research by faculty and students that enhances our understanding of the challenges and opportunities women face in the political arena.
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