The Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs (or LBJ School of Public Affairs) is a graduate school at the

University of Texas at Austin The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public research university in Austin, Texas. It was founded in 1883 and is the oldest institution in the University of Texas System. With 40,916 undergraduate students, 11,075 ...

that was founded in 1970 to offer training in public policy analysis and administration for students that are very interested in pursuing careers in government and public affairs-related areas of the private and nonprofit sectors. Degree programs include a Master of Public Affairs (MPAff), a mid-career MPAff sequence, 16 MPAff dual degree programs, a Master of Global Policy Studies (MGPS), eight MGPS dual degree programs, an Executive Master of Public Leadership, and a Ph.D. in public policy. The LBJ School is currently ranked 7th among public affairs programs in 2022 by '' U.S. News & World Report'', up from 8th in 2021.

Overview

The LBJ School offers a Master of Public Affairs program in public policy analysis and administration that prepares graduates to assume leadership positions in government, business, and non-profit organizations. In addition, 16 master's-level dual degree programs blend public affairs study with specialized professions or area studies and are structured so that students can earn the Master of Public Affairs degree and a second degree in less time than it would take to earn them separately." Program offerings include a traditional Master of Public Affairs program, a mid-career master's program, seventeen master's-level programs leading to dual degrees including: Advertising; Asian Studies; Business Administration; Communication Studies; Energy and Earth Resources; Engineering; Information Studies; Journalism; Latin American Studies; Law; Middle Eastern Studies; Public Health; Radio, Television, Film; Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies; Social Work; and Women's and Gender Studies. The school also offers a Ph.D. in public policy. Master's students have the option to specialize in one of seven areas: international affairs; natural resources and the environment; nonprofit and philanthropic studies; public leadership and management; social and economic policy; technology, innovation, and information policy; or urban and state affairs. As of 2011-2012, the LBJ School has graduated 3,508 master's degree students since its first inaugural class of 1972, as well as 56 Ph.D. students from 1992 to August 2013. In 2008, the LBJ School also introduced a Master of Global Policy Studies that offers a multidisciplinary approach to the complex economic, political, technological, and social issues of the 21st century. Program offerings include specializations in the areas of security, law and diplomacy; international trade and finance; development; global governance and international law; energy, environment, and technology; regional international policy, and customized specializations. Program offerings include ten dual degree programs with the following programs: Asian Studies; Business; Energy and Earth Resources; Information Studies; Journalism; Latin American Studies; Law; Middle Eastern Studies; Public Health; and Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies. The school also offers a Portfolio Program in Arts and Cultural Management and Entrepreneurship and a Portfolio Program in Nonprofit Studies. The school also sponsors a variety of non-degree programs for public affairs professionals. In 2013, the LBJ School launched a new Executive Master in Public Leadership for mid-career professionals, the first of its kind in Texas.

Mission

The school's goals are stated as to: Prepare students and professionals, from a variety of backgrounds, for leadership positions in public service by providing educational opportunities grounded in theory, ethics, analytical skills, and practice; Produce interdisciplinary research to advance our understanding of complex problems facing society and to seek creative solutions for addressing them; Promote effective public policy and management practice by maintaining a presence in scholarly and policy communities and in the popular media; and Foster civic engagement by providing a forum for reasoned discussion and debate on issues of public concern.

Centers

The LBJ School of Public Affairs also features five research centers. Many of the School's centers also sponsor a range of other activities, including conferences, workshops, and publications.

Center for Politics and Governance

The Center for Politics and Governance is dedicated to producing leaders and ideas to improve the political process and governance through innovative teaching, research and programming combining academics and the real world.

Ray Marshall Center for the Study of Human Resources

The Ray Marshall Center is a university-based research center. The Center's activities and services include: Program evaluation, including process and implementation, impact and benefit/cost analysis; Survey research;Labor market analysis; Program design and development; Training and technical assistance.

Center for Health and Social Policy (CHASP)

CHASP studies how health and social policy can be improved and designs and conducts research in policymaking and health, economic and social program outcomes.

RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service

The Center's research addresses pressing issues in philanthropy, nonprofit management, social entrepreneurship, and global civil society. The Center trains students through a university-wide graduate program in nonprofit studies.

The Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law

Student initiatives

*The Great Society Fund was created by the class of 2005 to finance innovative social entrepreneurship projects started by LBJ students and alumni. The Baines Report is the officially-sponsored student publication of the LBJ School of Public Affairs. Led by students, the Baines Report publishes student opinion pieces and event coverage for the LBJ School.

Commencement speakers 1972–2014

*1972 Allen E. Pritchard, Jr., incoming Vice President, National League of Cities *1973 J. J. "Jake" Pickle, U.S. Congressman from Texas; member of the House Ways and Means Committee *1974 Richard W. Bolling, U.S. Congressman from Missouri; Chairman of the House Rules Committee *1975 Renell Parkins, Professor of Architecture and Planning, UT Austin *1976 Alice M. Rivlin, Director, Congressional Budget Office *1977 Kenneth E. Boulding, Distinguished Professor of Economics, University of Colorado at Boulder; 1976-77 Distinguished Visiting Tom Slick Professor of World Peace, LBJ School *1978 James C. Wright, Jr., U.S. Congressman from Texas (Majority Leader) *1979 Barbara Jordan, former U.S. Congresswoman from Texas; holder of the Lyndon B. Johnson Public Service Professorship, LBJ School *1980 Joseph Califano, Jr., former U.S. Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, Carter Administration; former Special Assistant to President Lyndon Johnson *1981 Walter E. Mondale, former Vice President of the United States *1982 Robert S. Strauss, former Special U.S. Representative for Trade Negotiations; former Chairman, Democratic National Committee *1983 Henry Cisneros, Mayor of San Antonio *1984 Alexander Heard, Chancellor Emeritus and Professor of Political Science, Vanderbilt University; Chairman of the Board, Ford Foundation *1985 Bill Moyers, editor, correspondent, and news analyst, CBS News; former Special Assistant to the President and Press Secretary to President Lyndon Johnson *1986 Gary Hart, U.S. Senator from Colorado *1987 James C. Wright, Jr., Speaker, U.S. House of Representatives *1988 Yvonne B. Burke, Director, Los Angeles Branch, Federal Reserve Bank; former U.S. Congresswoman from California *1989 Chase Untermeyer, White House Presidential Personnel Director, Bush Administration *1990 Corrado Pirzio-Biroli, Deputy Head of the European Community Delegation, Washington, D.C. *1991 Ann W. Richards, Governor of Texas *1992 William F. Winter, former Governor of Mississippi *1993 Richard D. Lamm, former Governor of Colorado *1994 William Greider, author and journalist *1995 Ellen Malcolm, founder and president, EMILY's List (resource for pro-choice Democratic women candidates) *1996 Ann W. Richards, former Governor of Texas *1997 Jack Rosenthal, Editor, ''New York Times Magazine'' *1998 Paul Begala, Staff Adviser to President Bill Clinton *1999 Kenneth S. Apfel, U.S. Commissioner of Social Security; LBJ School Class of 1978 *2000 Judith A. Winston, Under Secretary and General Counsel, U.S. Department of Education; former Director, President Clinton's initiative on race *2001 James Carville, political strategist and consultant *2002 George H.W. Bush, 41st President of the United States *2003 Gwen Ifill, Moderator and Managing Editor, ''PBS Washington Week'' *2004 Liz Carpenter, Former Press Secretary for Lady Bird Johnson *2005 Don Evans, 34th Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce *2006 William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton, 42nd President of the United States *2007 Bob Schieffer, CBS News Washington *2008 Vernon E. Jordan Jr., former president of the National Urban League *2009 Bill Bradley, former U.S. Senator *2010 James B. Steinberg, Deputy Secretary of State, U.S. Department of State *2011 Kathleen A. Merrigan, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture. U.S. Department of Agriculture *2012 Bill Owens, Former Governor of Colorado *2013 Helene Gayle, CEO of CARE USA *2014 Julian Castro, Mayor of San Antonio *2021 Ibram X. Kendi

Rankings

The LBJ School is currently ranked 7th among public affairs programs in 2022 by '' U.S. News & World Report'', up from 8th in 2021.

List of deans

# John A. Gronouski (September 1969 – September 1974) # William B. Cannon (October 1974 – January 1977) #

Alan K. Campbell Alan Keith Campbell (May 31, 1923 – February 4, 1998) was the first Director of the United States Office of Personnel Management. Career Campbell, affectionately known as Scotty, served as a professor and later the dean (1969-1976) of the Maxwe ...

(February 1977 – April 1977) #

Elspeth Rostow Elspeth Rostow (born Elspeth Vaughan Davies; October 20, 1917 – December 10, 2007) was Dean of the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin from 1977 to 1983. Education Elspeth Vaughan Davies was born October 20, 1917. ...

(April 1977 – May 1983) #

Max Sherman Max Ray Sherman (born January 19, 1935) is a Texas politician and educational administrator who served in the Texas State Senate from Amarillo, Texas, and was president of West Texas A&M University in Canyon, and dean of the Lyndon B. Johnson S ...

(July 1983 – May 1997) #

Edwin Dorn Edwin Dorn (born 26 March 1945) is a political scientist who served as dean of the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs from July 1997 to December 2004. He previously served as Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness from Marc ...

(July 1997 – December 2004) #

Bobby Ray Inman Bobby Ray Inman (born April 4, 1931) is a retired United States Navy admiral who held several influential positions in the United States Intelligence Community. Early years Inman was born and raised in the community of Rhonesboro, Upshur Coun ...

(January 2005 – December 2005) # James B. Steinberg (January 2006 – January 2009) # Bobby Ray Inman (January 2009 – March 2010

# Robert Hutchings (March 2010 – September 2015) # Angela Evans (January 2016 – 2020) # J.R. DeShazo (September 2021 –)

Notable alumni

Stacey Abrams Stacey Yvonne Abrams (; born December 9, 1973) is an American politician, lawyer, voting rights activist, and author who served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 2007 to 2017, serving as minority leader from 2011 to 2017. A member ...

. M.P.Aff. 1998, Minority Leader of the

Georgia House of Representatives The Georgia House of Representatives is the lower house of the Georgia General Assembly (the state legislature) of the U.S. state of Georgia. There are currently 180 elected members. Republicans have had a majority in the chamber since 2005 ...

;2018 Democratic Nominee for

Governor of Georgia The governor of Georgia is the head of government of Georgia and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor also has a duty to enforce state laws, the power to either veto or approve bills passed by the Georgia Legis ...

* Kenneth S. Apfel, M.P.Aff. 1978, Commissioner of the

Social Security Administration The United States Social Security Administration (SSA) is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government that administers Social Security, a social insurance program consisting of retirement, disability and survivor benefits. To qualify f ...

from 1997 until his term ended in January 2001 *

Rodney Ellis Rodney Glenn Ellis (born April 7, 1954) is an American politician. He represented Texas' 13th state senate district in the Texas Senate from 1990 to 2017. The district contains portions of Harris County, including downtown Houston, and Fort B ...

, M.P.Aff. 1977, Texas State Senator. *

Luis Espino Luis Fernando Espino Vazquez (born 4 January 1997) is a Mexican footballer who plays as a midfielder. Career After time in Mexico with Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas and Club Atlas Premier, Espino moved to United Soccer League side Sacrame ...

, M.P.Aff. 2003, Speechwriter for Mexico's President Felipe Calderón * Ruth Hardy, M.P.Aff, 1996, member, Vermont Senate * Bill Owens, M.P.Aff. 1975, Governor of

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the ...

from 1999–2007 * Kathleen Merrigan, M.P.Aff 1987, Deputy Secretary,

USDA The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of comme ...

Sarah Eckhardt Sarah Eckhardt (born 1968) is an American attorney and politician from the state of Texas. She is a member of the Texas Senate and a former county judge for Travis County, Texas. Early life Eckhardt is the daughter of Bob Eckhardt, a Democratic ...

, M.P.Aff. 1998, Texas State Senator in the

Texas Senate The Texas Senate ( es, Senado de Texas) is the upper house of the Texas State Legislature. There are 31 members of the Senate, representing single-member districts across the U.S. state of Texas, with populations of approximately 806,000 per co ...

; former

County Judge The term county judge is applied as a descriptor, sometimes as a title, for a person who presides over a county court. In most cases, such as in Northern Ireland and the Victorian County Courts, a county judge is a judicial officer with civil ...

Travis County Travis County is located in south central Texas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,290,188. It is the fifth-most populous county in Texas. Its county seat is Austin, the capital of Texas. The county was established in 1840 and is n ...

References

External links

LBJ School of Public AffairsLBJ School Austin Alumni Association
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lyndon B. Johnson School Of Public Affairs 1970 establishments in Texas Educational institutions established in 1970 Public administration schools in the United States Public policy schools Schools of international relations in the United States University of Texas at Austin schools, colleges, and departments