The Bush School of Government and Public Service is the public policy school of Texas A&M University founded in 1997.
The Bush School is located in the Robert H. '50 and Judy Ley Allen Building adjacent to the George Bush Presidential Library on the West Campus of Texas A&M University. The George Bush Presidential Library opened its doors in 1997 on of land donated by Texas A&M at the western edge of the campus. In 1995, Dr. Charles F. Hermann was hired as the Founding Director to build the Bush School; the first students started taking classes in Fall 1997. The school was initially a department inside the College of Liberal Arts but became an independent college within Texas A&M University in 2000.
The Bush School was named in honor of former United States president George H. W. Bush. He was involved in providing direction in the organization by helping bring noted professors and other individuals from the public and private sec to the campus. Visitors have included Ban Ki-moon, Mikhail Gorbachev, Ted Kennedy, Barack Obama, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Helmut Kohl, Peter Orszag, Mitt Romney, Mike Krzyzewski, Dick Cheney, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, Karl Rove, Andrew Card, Dan Quayle, Antonin Scalia, Ryan Crocker, Michael Mullen, Sean Hannity, Jeb Bush, Jiang Zemin, John Major, and François Hollande.
The Robertson Foundation selected the Bush School for the prestigious Robertson Fellowship Scholarship, a full-ride scholarship for students dedicated to government service.
Academic programs
Overview The Bush School offers four graduate programs for students aspiring to careers in public service: Public Service and Administration, International Affairs, and International Policy, as well as an online Executive Public Service and Administration. The Bush School also offers graduate certificates in Advanced International Affairs, Homeland Security, Nonprofit Management, Public Management, Geospatial Intelligence, 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.
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 a 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 research careers. 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. 28 overall and No. 21 in American Politics in U.S. News & World Report.
International Affairs The Department of International Affairs combines theoretical and practical instruction in the fields of international relations, international economics, security, international development, intelligence, diplomacy, and regional studies.
Undergraduate programs The Bachelor's in International Studies (B.A.), International Politics and Diplomacy track is an interdisciplinary degree. The International Politics and Diplomacy track offers students a fundamental understanding of foreign relations. Students learn about the workings of governments and civil societies in a global framework.
Graduate programs Master of International Affairs The Master of International Affairs (MIA) contains tracks of study in either International Development and Economic policy (IDEP) or National Security and Diplomacy (NSD), with several options for concentrations within each track. Study abroad courses, language immersion, and leadership and exchange programs supplement the curriculum.
Master of International Policy The department also offers the Master of International Policy, a one-year program for students who have had at least six years of practical experience in the field of international affairs.
Combined programs The Bush School of Government and Public Service and Texas A&M University's Departments of Economics and International Studies (in the politics/diplomacy track) offer two joint-degree programs that allow qualified majors to enter the Bush School at the beginning of their fourth year of study at Texas A&M University. The two joint-degree programs offered by the Department of International Affairs are the following: Economics – MIA International Studies – MIA
Joint degree programs The Bush School and the School of Public Health combined to offer students the ability to receive both a Master of International Affairs degree and a Master of Public Health degree in a three-year period. Students can pursue one of two majors within the School of Public Health as part of this combined degree program: Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management and Master of Public Health in Health Promotion and Community Health Science.
Political Science The Department of Political Science offers a Bachelor's in Political Science (BA or BS) as well as a doctorate in political science.
Undergraduate programs At the undergraduate level, the Department of Political Science offers a Bachelor's in Political Science (BA or BS) 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 department also participates actively in the university honors program. Honors courses are available in all areas of political science. In addition, students may graduate with honors distinction in political science.
Doctoral program The Department of Political Science offers graduate study leading to the degree of the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). The PhD in Political Science is appropriate for those who wish to pursue careers as research scholars in institutions of higher education. Students typically choose a Major from among the following sub-fields: American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, Political Theory, and Public Policy/Public Administration.
Combined programs The Department of Political Science joined the Department of Public Service & Administration to offer a combined degree program that allows qualified majors to enter the MPSA program at the beginning of their fourth year of study at Texas A&M University. The five joint-degree programs offered by the Department of Political Science are the following: Political Science – MPSA
Public Service & Administration The Department of Public Service & Administration offers two master's degree options as well as joint and collaborative degree programs with other Texas A&M University schools and colleges.
Graduate Program The Master of Public Service & Administration degree provides students with general knowledge and analytical skills in management, leadership, policy analysis, and research methods, with tracks in Nonprofit Management, Public Management, and Public Policy Analysis. Students can choose from a number of concentrations to focus their studies, including analytical methods; cybersecurity policy; education policy and management; energy, environment, and technology policy and management; health policy and management; international nongovernmental organizations, security policy and management; state and local government policy and management; and individually designed concentrations. MPSA students are also required to engage in public service through interaction with high-level public leaders, real-world consulting projects, student organizations, and the School's Public Service Leadership Program.
Executive Program The Executive Master of Public Service & Administration (EMPSA) is aimed at allowing mid-career professionals to pursue their full-time professional careers while earning their degrees. EMPSA students select a track area of Homeland Security, Nonprofit Management, or Public Management, culminating in a final, required capstone project.
Combined programs The Department of Public Service and Administration joined with Texas A&M University's Departments of Political Science, Economics, Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences to offer joint-degree programs that allow qualified majors to enter the MPSA program at the beginning of their fourth year of study at Texas A&M University. The five joint-degree programs offered by the Department of Public Service and Administration are the following:
Economics – MPSA Political Science – MPSA Sociology – MPSA Agricultural Economics – MPSA Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences – MPSA
Joint degree programs The PSAA and EAHR Collaborative Degrees Program (CDP) is a collaboration of the Bush School and the College of Education and Human Development designed for those individuals who intend to build an academic career focused on conducting research in the multidisciplinary field of education policy. This academic program will prepare individuals for careers in research universities and teaching colleges as well as for careers in consultancies or educational agencies of all types (private, non-profit, local, state, federal or international). Students who successfully complete all program requirements receive both a Master of Public Service and Administration (MPSA) degree from the Bush School of Government and Public Service and a Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Administration (PhD) from the Department of Educational Administration and Human Resource Development, in the College of Education and Human Development.
The Bush School also offers a PSAA and HPM Collaborative Degree Program (CDP) designed to prepare individuals for careers in research universities and teaching colleges as well as for careers in consultancies or research agencies. Students who successfully complete all program requirements will receive both a Master of Public Service and Administration (MPSA) degree from the Bush School of Government and Public Service and a Doctor of Philosophy in Health Services Research (Ph.D.) from the Department of Health Policy and Management in the School of Public Health.
Graduate certificates The Bush School offers graduate certificate programs online, in-residence, or in a combined format. Certificate programs include the Certificate in Advanced International Affairs, Certificate in Homeland Security, Certificate in Nonprofit Management, Certificate in Public Management, Certificate in National Security Affairs, and Certificate in Cybersecurity Policy. The Bush School partnered with the College of Geosciences to offer the joint Certificate in Geospatial Intelligence.
Bush School Online
The Bush School offers educational opportunities to students and working professionals in various fields of state, local, and federal government; international affairs; law enforcement; military; homeland security; nonprofit; the private sector; and more. The Online Executive Master of Public Service and Administration and the online graduate Certificates in Advanced International Affairs, Homeland Security, Nonprofit Management, Public Management, and Geospatial Intelligence provide alternative options for professionals wishing to pursue graduate studies concurrent with their career obligations.
Research