About The Bush School
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The Bush School of Government and Public Service was founded in 1997 under President George H. W. Bush’s philosophy that “public service is a noble calling.” Since then, the Bush School has continued to reflect that notion in curriculum, research, and student experience and has become a leading international affairs, political science, and public affairs institution.
Academic Programs
The Bush School offers four graduate programs for students aspiring to careers in public service. Master’s degrees in Public Service and Administration, International Affairs, and International Policy, as well as an online Executive Master in Public Service and Administration, develop principled leaders for professional careers in public service. The Bush School also offers graduate certificates in Advanced International Affairs, Homeland Security, Nonprofit Management, Public Management, Geospatial Intelligence, National Security Affairs, and Cybersecurity Policy. The Bush School has joined with several Texas A&M departments to offer seven Bachelor’s/Master’s 5-Year (3+2) Programs that allow students to enter the Bush School at the beginning of their fourth year and receive both their undergraduate and master’s degrees in five years.
As one of the most impactful and nationally influential academic units at Texas A&M, the Bush School significantly expanded in the fall of 2022, with the addition of both the Department of Political Science and the International Studies program. The major initiative includes the additions of both undergraduate and PhD programs to the Bush School, providing an excellent opportunity to broaden the academic reach of the school.
At the undergraduate level, the Department of Political Science offers a Bachelor’s in Political Science (B.A./B.S.) with courses in all facets of the discipline: American Politics, International Relations, Comparative Politics, Political Theory, Political Methodology, Public Administration and Policy, and Race and Ethnic Politics. The Bachelor’s in International Studies degree (B.A.) is an exciting new addition to the International Affairs Department, offering undergraduate students a fundamental understanding of foreign relations with the International Politics and Diplomacy track option.
At the doctoral level, the PhD in Political Science program emphasizes theoretical and methodological rigor and is designed to train applied social-scientists for careers in research. Major fields of study mirror the disciplinary norm: American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, Political Theory, and Public Administration/Public Policy.
A rigorous curriculum and internationally acclaimed faculty have propelled the Bush School to rank in the top 25 graduate schools for public affairs for 2023, placing it in the top nine percent according to U.S. News & World Report. Among public universities, the Bush School ranks 13th. The school ranks 23rd overall, up from 28th overall for 2022. In 2020, the Bush School was named the no. 1 ranked “best value” in both residential MPA programs and executive online MPA programs by Value College.
Locations
Located in College Station, Texas, Bush School programs are housed in the newly renovated Robert H. and Judy Ley Allen Building, part of the George Bush Presidential Library Center on the campus of Texas A&M University, a top-tier research institution. This location affords students a wealth of resources to access throughout their education, including research opportunities at any of the three research institutions housed within the Allen building, access to the archival holdings of the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum, and invitation to numerous events and prestigious speaking engagements hosted by the George & Barbara Bush Foundation.
The Bush School’s vision to inspire excellence in the noble calling of public service was greatly expanded with the opening of the Washington, DC, Teaching Site in 2021. Located in the heart of the nation’s capital, just two blocks from the White House, Black Lives Matter Plaza, and Freedom Plaza, the Bush School DC offers graduate students from diverse backgrounds a path to a successful career in national security, diplomacy, and foreign policy. Presently, the Bush School DC offers Master of International Policy (MIP) and Master of National Security & Intelligence (NSI) programs. The site also offers a Certificate in Advanced International Affairs (CAIA).
The Bush School prepares students to become principled leaders and to reflect the value of public service throughout their careers.
Rankings & Recognitions
- Top 25 (23rd/top 9% overall) in Public Affairs Programs, U.S. News & World Report, 2023.
- 1st in the nation for the best value for residential MPA, Value Colleges, 2020.
- 1st in the nation for the best value for executive online MPA, Value Colleges, 2020.
- 5th among public universities and 26th in the nation for its International Affairs program, Foreign Policy, 2018.
- 5th among public universities and 6th in the nation for its Homeland Security program, U.S. News & World Report, 2023.
- 7th in the world for Public Administration Research, ShanghaiRanking, 2021.
- 13th among public universities for its Public Management program, U.S. News & World Report, 2023.
- 13th among public universities for its Public Affairs program, U.S. News & World Report, 2023.
- 15th among public universities for its Nonprofit Management program, U.S. News & World Report, 2023.
- 21st among public universities for its Local Government Management program, U.S. News & World Report, 2023.
Accreditations
- The Master of Public Service and Administration program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration.
- The Master of International Affairs program is one of thirty-nine full members of the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs.
