Preparing leaders for government and nonprofits

Lead. Solve. Change.

Public affairs topics are at the center of almost every national debate.

From education policy to affordable housing, criminal justice reform to energy independence, these issues affect our neighborhoods, our cities and our society as a whole. To move forward and find solutions, the country needs leaders and collaborators with in-depth knowledge and a long-term vision.

Determined to make a difference in your community?

As Colorado’s top school for public affairs, public administration and criminal justice, CU Denver School of Public Affairs is a great place to start.

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Learn more about our Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration programs.

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Learn more about our Master of Criminal Justice, Master of Public Administration, and Master of Public Policy programs.

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Learn more about our Doctor of Philosophy in Public Affairs program.

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Learn more about our non-degree, graduate certificate programs.

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NEW: U.S. News & World Report
2024-2025 Best Graduate Schools rankings

#1 - Best Public Affairs Program in Colorado (#26 in USA)
#1 - Environmental Policy & Management in Colorado (#10 in USA)
#1 - Nonprofit Management in Colorado (#18 in USA)
#1 - Public Finance & Budgeting in Colorado (#19 in USA)
#1 - Public Management & Leadership in Colorado (#19 in USA)
#2 - Online Graduate Criminal Justice Programs in Colorado (#19 in USA)

Application Deadlines

Bachelor's programs: July 31

Master's programs: August 1*

Doctoral program: February 1*

Certificate programs: August 21

*Applications are accepted for the fall term only for the accelerated Master of Public Administration and PhD in Public Affairs programs.

View admission requirements and application instructions

Bachelor's programs: December 31

Master's programs: December 1*

Certificate programs: January 22

*Applications are accepted for the fall term only for the accelerated Master of Public Administration program.

View admission requirements and application instructions

Bachelor's programs: May 27

Master's programs: May 1*

Certificate programs: June 11

*Applications are accepted for the fall term only for the accelerated Master of Public Administration program.

View admission requirements and application instructions

Featured Events

SPA Masters of Public Administration Overview Webinar

Apr 16, 2024 | 05:00 PM - 06:00 PM

Cost/fee: Free

During this one-hour webinar, you will learn about the three different versions of the Master of Public Administration program (i.e. traditional, executive, accelerated). We will discuss course offerings, admission requirements, and how we prepare you to advance public service in Colorado and beyond. You will have the opportunity to submit questions throughout the presentation.

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SPA Masters of Criminal Justice Overview Webinar

Apr 17, 2024 | 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM

Cost/fee: Free

During this one-hour webinar, you will learn about our Masters of Criminal Justice Program. We will discuss course offerings, admission requirements, and how we prepare you to be a leader and change-maker in your field. You will have the opportunity to submit questions throughout the presentation.

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SPA Master of Public Policy Overview Webinar

Apr 18, 2024 | 05:00 PM - 06:00 PM

Cost/fee: Free

During this one-hour webinar, you will learn about our Masters of Public Policy Program. We will discuss course offerings, admission requirements, and how we prepare you to design, analyze, influence, and implement policy in your field. You will have the opportunity to submit questions throughout the presentation.

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SPA Graduate Programs Overview Webinar

Apr 24, 2024 | 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM

Cost/fee: Free

During this one-hour webinar, you will learn about graduate program options, admission requirements, program directors, and how we prepare you to lead, solve, and make change in your field. You will have the opportunity to submit questions throughout the presentation.

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Featured News

CU Denver Graduate Programs Gain in Rankings in Latest U.S. News and World ReportOpens in a new window

Apr 9, 2024

The School of Public Affairs graduate program continues to shine and ranks #1 in Colorado as well as the Rocky Mountain Region, and is one of the top 30 in the nation. Each of these specializations also earned top rankings in the state: Environmental Policy and Management, Non-Profit Management, Public Management and Leadership, and Public Finance and Budgeting.
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Six Questions for BACJ ’20 and MCJ ’23 Alum Maria Diaz Mize, Pretrial Services Officer at City and County of Denver

Apr 2, 2024 by Ellen Patterson

Maria Diaz Mize is Dominican-American and has lived in New York City, Ohio, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Maria is currently on her fourth year of working for City and County of Denver as a Pretrial Services Officer and is getting ready to pursue a doctoral degree in Criminology at Florida State University.
Full story
Six Questions for MPA ’22 Alum Yazmin Castillo, Development Coordinator at Girls Inc. of Metro Denver

Feb 14, 2024 by Ellen Patterson

Yazmin Castillo currently works on the development team at Girls Inc. of Metro Denver, where she has had the privilege of contributing to impactful projects aimed at inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. Her journey with Girls Inc. began nearly 8 years ago as a work-study student through CU Denver, and since then, Yazmin has worn many hats within the organization.
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Online MCJ Program Ranked Among Top 20 Programs in Nation for Online Graduate Criminal Justice

Feb 7, 2024 by Toula Wellbrook

The Master of Criminal Justice (MCJ) program at the University of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs is ranked among the top 20 programs in the nation according to U.S. News & World Report’s Best Online Master’s in Criminal Justice Programs rankings for 2024.
Full story
Six Questions for MPA ’09 Alum Melanie Lewis Dickerson, Director at Community Solutions

Jan 31, 2024 by Ellen Patterson

As a Director at Community Solutions, Melanie works directly with communities and partners to build and improve systems to end homelessness using data, quality improvement and problem-solving tools from multiple sectors. She is a leader on the Built for Zero team, where she oversees a portfolio of large-scale change partnerships and social impact investments in the United States and abroad. Prior to joining Community Solutions in 2014, Melanie spent six years with the City and County of Denver where she served as the Partnerships Manager for Denver’s Road Home, focusing on policy development, regional collaboration and strategic partnerships.
Full story
Six Questions for MPA ’22 Alum Deena Duwaik, Language Access Planner at the Agency for Human Rights and Community Partnerships, City and County of Denver

Jan 24, 2024 by Ellen Patterson

Over the past decade, Deena Duwaik’s unwavering commitment has been directed towards serving diverse communities, spanning regions across the globe – Jordan, Morocco, Thailand, and Kenya. Coming from a family of Palestinian refugees, Deena has a special place in her heart for immigrant and refugee communities that feeds her passion for this work. In her current role with the Human Rights and Community Partnerships Agency at the City and County of Denver, Deena is dedicated to supporting government entities in cultivating the most inclusive and accessible processes for their programs. This involves navigating the intricate web of policies to ensure that services effectively reach and serve diverse community members.
Full story

School of Public Affairs

CU Denver

Lawrence Street Center

1380 Lawrence Street

500

Denver, CO 80204

303-315-2228

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School of Public Affairs

Preparing leaders for government and nonprofits

Lead. Solve. Change.

Public affairs topics are at the center of almost every national debate.

Determined to make a difference in your community?

Request Program Information

Request information

Request information

Request information

Request information

NEW: U.S. News & World Report
2024-2025 Best Graduate Schools rankings

Application Deadlines

View admission requirements and application instructions

View admission requirements and application instructions

View admission requirements and application instructions

Featured Events

Attend our events

SPA Masters of Public Administration Overview Webinar

SPA Masters of Criminal Justice Overview Webinar

SPA Master of Public Policy Overview Webinar

SPA Graduate Programs Overview Webinar

Featured News

School of Public Affairs

Preparing leaders for government and nonprofits

Lead. Solve. Change.

Public affairs topics are at the center of almost every national debate.

Determined to make a difference in your community?

Request Program Information

Request information

Request information

Request information

Request information

NEW: U.S. News & World Report 2024-2025 Best Graduate Schools rankings

Application Deadlines

View admission requirements and application instructions

View admission requirements and application instructions

View admission requirements and application instructions

Featured Events

Attend our events

SPA Masters of Public Administration Overview Webinar

SPA Masters of Criminal Justice Overview Webinar

SPA Master of Public Policy Overview Webinar

SPA Graduate Programs Overview Webinar

Featured News

School of Public Affairs

NEW: U.S. News & World Report
2024-2025 Best Graduate Schools rankings