Starting next year, students under the Global Masters Program (GMP) will have the choice to study at School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA), Rutgers University at Newark. It is a renowned graduate school in public management and administration, and the US News and World Report ranked it one of the top 7 programs in the United States.

The recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the KDI School and SPAA, Rutgers University-Newark was commemorated by the visit of Dean Marc Holzer of SPAA. Students interested in studying at SPAA had an opportunity to get introduced to the school by the Dean himself.

SPAA has over 1,000 students in total who are registered for its degree and certificate programs, 25% of whom are from outside USA. Aside from the renowned public management and administration program, their IT management is ranked 4^th nationally, and the public finance and budgeting comes in 10^th.

Rigorous academic courses at SPAA are taught by over 25 faculty members whose achievements include over 40 published books in the last three years. They also have extensive experience outside academia, having served as presidents of major organizations in the public administration field. This combination of academic and practical knowledge will give students a strong foundation for public service and administration.

Selected students (with a government or private sponsorship) at the KDI School will pursue a one-year MPA program at SPAA. Original course requirements of the MPA are made up of 42 credits, but 12 credits will be waivered for KDI School students, which makes the degree attainable within a year. Those who want to apply for an upcoming spring semester should file their application by October.

SPAA is located in Newark, the largest city in New Jersey and the second largest in the New York metropolitan area. Newark’s Branch Brook Park is the oldest county park in the country and boasts the largest collection of cherry blossom in the United States (even bigger than the famous Washington DC’s). Students who study at SPAA will meet with a canopy of pink and white blossoms which culminate during the Cherry Blossom Festival in April.

By Luka Musicki (2014 MPP, Australia)