The BSPA prepares students to analyze problems and effectively solve issues with the principle goal of enhancing all aspects of public life.
Baruch College emphasizes the importance of civic engagement, community leadership, and the professional development of current and future public service leaders. The college follows the tradition of its namesake, Bernard M. Baruch, a public servant who advised seven U.S. presidents.
Public Affairs is a unique degree within the city that cultivates passion and prepares individuals to tackle social justice issues and uplift our communities both domestically and internationally. The College and School acknowledge its significance. As a result, there has been a commitment to serve more individuals focused on public service.
The program is interdisciplinary, which means that many diverse fields are studied. With this degree students develop a strong, marketable foundation that is flexible across the various sectors – public, nonprofit, and even private.
To become a student at Baruch College requires an application to the City University of New York (CUNY). There are separate applications for freshman and transfers from community colleges. The deadline for entry in the fall semester is February 1 and for the spring semester it is September 15. Connect to Apply to CUNY for the online application.
There is a wide array of financial aid options and programs; including scholarships, grants, and loans to help Baruch College students pay for college.
Students should select public affairs as intended major when applying to Baruch and officially declare after arriving on campus by submitting a BSPA Major Declaration Form [PDF] to MSPIA.BSPA@baruch.cuny.edu or in-person at 135 E. 22nd Street, 4th Floor.
To gain more information about the BSPA program, email MSPIA.BSPA@baruch.cuny.edu, make an appointment to speak with a team member.
Graduate School
BSPA students with excellent academic records are encouraged to pursue post-baccalaureate studies in a master’s program or law school. According to a 2009-2010 survey report from the U.S. Census Bureau, recipients of master’s degrees make approximately $19,000 more than those with bachelor’s degrees. The BSPA degree provides students with the skills and knowledge necessary to be successful in obtaining an advanced degree. A dedicated Austin W. Marxe School of Public and International Affairs staff member helps students to understand graduate school applications, standardized admissions tests, and financial aid opportunities.
For the best in graduate school preparation, BSPA students may apply for the Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Junior Summer Institute. This program helps undergraduates to prepare for graduate education in public policy and public administration. Students attend a summer session at Princeton University, Carnegie-Mellon University, the University of Michigan, or the University of California at Berkeley. The focus is on economics, statistics, leadership principles, communications, and public policy. Applicants must have completed their junior year by the start of the program with at least one full semester of coursework remaining before graduation. Students receive full tuition at the participating university, travel expenses, a $1,500 stipend, and university housing with a meal plan. The application deadline is in November every year with notifications of acceptance made in February.
Public Service Careers
The BSPA philosophy is that civic engagement must be informed by knowledge, rooted in ethical values, connected to democratic aspirations, and embodied through practice. Public servants address real-world policy issues and seek to make democracy effective. Democracy requires an educated population who enjoy discussing shared concerns in the public sphere, speaking confidently to those in authority, and taking responsibility for problems within their reach. Public service offers many career opportunities for those who graduate with the BSPA degree. Graduates work for governments at all levels, in nonprofit organizations, for public schools and colleges, and in private sector companies that work under contract to governments. Public and nonprofit salaries are comparable to the starting level salaries in business. We also encourage students to continue on to graduate and law school.
Public Affairs Learning Goals
Program learning goals are the broad statements that address higher order learning, encompassing the degree’s mission, values, and overall expectations. These goals are addressed at various points throughout the curriculum.
Student completing the Public Affairs program will:
Articulate how public policy is formulated, implemented, and evaluated.
Write documents that articulate purpose, utilize evidence, logic, and apply pertinent values to provide analysis and arguments relevant to the question or issue and appropriate for a chosen audience.
Produce oral presentations that articulate purpose, utilize evidence, logic, and apply pertinent values to provide analysis and arguments relevant to the question or issue and appropriate for a chosen audience.
Analyze data and draw valid conclusions.
Apply research findings to public policy questions or decision making situations.
Demonstrate an understanding of pertinent values, such as diversity, integrity, ethical conduct, and professionalism; and articulate how they can impact public policy and decision making situations.
Public Affairs Courses
Required Courses
Elective Courses
• PAF 3010 Race, Inequality and Public Policy
• PAF 3015 Qualitative Studies of Communities
• PAF 3102 Economic Analysis of Public Policy
• PAF 3108 Strategic Communication for Public Causes
• PAF 3401 Quantitative Methods for Policy and Practice
• PAF 4401 Capstone or PAF 6001H & 6002H Honors Thesis Option
• PAF 3005 Public Service in New York City
• PAF 3018 Immigrant Cities
• PAF 3020 Ethics and Civic Engagement
• PAF 3040 Information and Society
• PAF 3100 Nonprofit Administration
• PAF 3103 Economics of the Public Sector
• PAF 3105 Principles of Survey Research
• PAF 3106 Public Opinion Polling
• PAF 3110 Advocacy and Protest in Social Movements
• PAF 3201 Public Communication and Organizations
• PAF 3301 Models of Service Delivery
• PAF 3343 Building Cities: Markets and Government
• PAF 3375 Housing and Community Development
• PAF 3402 Policy Analysis
• PAF 3403 Advanced Quantitative Analysis
• PAF 3442 Cities and Sustainability
• PAF 3710 Reforming Education
• PAF 3810 Arts and Public Life
• PAF 4199 Selected Topics
• PAF 5000 Independent Study
• PAF 5001 NY State Legislature Internship
• PAF 5452 Public Affairs Internship
Academic Advisement
Comprehensive advisement services are provided to students pursuing the Public Affairs Major and the Survey Research Minor. Please check this webpage for details.
Deciding to attend Baruch College was easily one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Being a Marxe student goes beyond receiving a quality education. It’s an opportunity to foster friendships, gain mentors, and expand professionally. As an undergraduate student, I had the opportunity to learn about policies that affect New York City on a local, state, and even an international level. I did so through hands-on internships with the NYC Council, NYS Senate, and the United Nations; something I was able to achieve through the support Marxe poured into me. These experiences shaped me into the public servant I am today, and have allowed me to confidently enter the workforce as an experienced city employee.”
Arlina Reyes, BSPA 2022
Consulting Analyst, Accenture
Marxe changed my life by showing me that there are many ways to make an impact in my corner of the world. Being here challenged me to think critically and shift my mindset to becoming solution orientated. I was not only exposed to a variety of potential career tracks but also a strong network of classmates, professors, alumni etc. Through this exposure I was able to leave the program with a range of internships including at the United Nations, New York State Senate, Capalino, and the Mayor’s Office. I am now stepping into my role at Accenture hoping to explore how technology can reimagine how we think of public service.”
Maleeka Zainab, BSPA 2022
Intern,Capalino; Incoming Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals 2022-23 cohort
I came to Marxe with the understanding that my degree will not only educate me in the political institutions that drive change but also give me the technical research and data analyzation skills needed to enter the workforce in 2022. What I was pleasantly surprised by was the amount of support I found with the mentors in the alumni community and faculty. Throughout my undergrad, I had many opportunities to intern in the nonprofit sector, state and federal government where I conducted policy research, attending meetings with advocacy groups, and familiarized myself with the policy process overall. Moreover, I got to know local leaders and issues that impact my life directly as a New Yorker.”
