The Bush School of Government & Public Service

Public Service is a noble calling.


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Welcome to The Bush School offering public affairs master's programs | Aerial Photo of Campus

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, and Geospatial Intelligence, National Security Affairs. 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.) offers undergraduate students a fundamental understanding of foreign relations with the International Politics and Diplomacy track option. Our department of Public Service and Administration offers a Bachelor’s in Public Service and Administration (B.A./B.S.) as well as several minor degrees.

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. In 2022, the Political Science PhD program was ranked No. 14 in the world in Shanghai Rankings and was ranked No. 21 overall and No. 9 among public universities in American Politics in U.S. News & World Report in 2023.

A rigorous curriculum and internationally acclaimed faculty have propelled the Bush School to rank in the top 10% of graduate schools for public affairs for 2023 in the nation according to U.S. News & World Report. Among public universities, the Bush School ranks 15th. 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.

Learn more about degrees for master's programs | A group of Bush students and faculty are smiling and giving a gig em to the camera
Learn more about our public affairs programs faculty | Dr. Robertson talking to students
Learn more about our research institutes | A photo of President Bush talking to students at a long desk

Rankings & Recognitions

Accreditations

APSIA
AmeriCorps