Welcome to the Department of Political Science and Public Administration (PSPA) at UAB. We offer multiple programs, including the undergraduate major and minor in political science, a Master of Public Administration (MPA), and multiple graduate certificate programs. We also offer ways for undergraduate students to work towards a graduate degree with our Accelerated Bachelor/Masters (ABM) program. For graduate students looking for flexible degree options across multiple disciplines, we have an Interdisciplinary Graduate Degree program in conjunction with the UAB Graduate School.
As many of the problems and issues that we face transcend academic disciplines, we also provide opportunities for students to pursue work across multiple departments and disciplines. Our department houses the International Studies major and minor as well as the Women’s and Gender Studies minor. We collaborate extensively with the UAB Institute for Human Rights, as well as the UAB Pre-Law program.
As you will see on our faculty webpage, our faculty are award-winning teachers and active scholars in a variety of areas, including American government, international relations, conflict and peace studies, human trafficking, human rights, public law, nonprofit management, public management, and much more. Our NASPAA-accredited and nationally-ranked MPA Program has an active, engaged alumni board that takes an active role in engaging and mentoring our students, including events as well as the Alumni Mentoring Program for MPA students.
We offer a variety of events and programming for students as well as the broader community. We host a Politics and Policy Lecture Series with highly sought-after guest speakers; a Diversity in Leadership Lunch Series; multiple events with experts in the fields of political science, international studies, and public administration; and other opportunities to hear from experts and network with community leaders. The Department has many internship opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, and receives job opportunities for our students on a regular basis. Check out our Student Resources page for more information on Departmental and UAB-wide services for academic success and career guidance.
We consistently produce some of the most outstanding graduates at the university. Our students have won prestigious scholarships and fellowships such as Critical Language Scholarships, Truman Scholarships, Fulbright Scholarships, ICMA (International City/County Management Association) Fellows, Local Government Management Fellows, and Presidential Management Fellowships (PMF).
In a world that continues to need critically thinking problem solvers, come learn how you can be part of the solution.
Cordially,
Dr. Robert Blanton
Professor and Department Chair