Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
Overview
NYU's Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service prepares public service leaders to translate ideas into actions that have an effective and lasting impact on the public good. Our faculty’s research changes the way people frame, understand, and act on important public issues. We provide our students with critical skills, access to all that New York City has to offer, and a deep understanding of context surrounding public service challenges—which they use to improve cities and communities across the globe.
Since 1938, NYU Wagner has been educating the world’s future public service leaders. We offer a Master of Public Administration in Public & Nonprofit Management & Policy, Master of Public Administration in Health Policy & Management, Master of Urban Planning, Master of Health Administration, Master of Science in Public Policy, Executive Master of Public Administration, and PhD in Public Administration.
NYU Wagner is ranked 12th nationally among all schools of public affairs. We are also ranked:
- #1 in Urban Policy
- #4 in Health Policy & Management
- #7 in Public Finance & Budgeting
- #9 in Social Policy
- #10 in Nonprofit Management
- #12 in Public Policy Analysis
- #15 in Local Government Management
- #15 in Public Management and Leadership
Our History
From the very beginning, NYU’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service has always been about preparing people to serve the needs of others. We trace our roots back to 1938 when NYU—in response to overfilled public service-oriented classes–offered its first Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree.
Even after the US pulled out of the Depression, the demand for an interdisciplinary, skills-based approach to public service education continued to grow. In 1953, NYU created a stand-alone school—the School for Public Service and Social Work—which advanced the careers of public servants by teaching them to apply social science theory to public policy management in an urban setting. At the same time, New York City’s Mayor, Robert F. Wagner, was working tirelessly to improve the lives of New Yorkers. He built public housing and schools. He established the right for city employees to collectively bargain. He made housing discrimination based on race, creed, or color illegal. In 1989, NYU renamed the School in honor of Mayor Wagner.
Today, NYU Wagner is a top-ranked school, providing Master of Urban Planning, Master of Science in Public Policy, and Executive and Doctoral degrees, in addition to our original MPA degree. While our impact has expanded far beyond New York City to cities worldwide, we remain driven by our mission to prepare public service leaders to translate ideas into actions that have an effective and lasting impact on the public good. Our faculty’s research changes the way people frame, understand, and act on important public issues. We provide our students with critical skills, access to all that New York City has to offer, and a deep understanding of context surrounding public service challenges—which they use to improve cities and communities across the globe.
Fast Facts
Students arrive at NYU Wagner from over 30 different countries around the world and bring professional experience from every sector of public service. While here, they explore internships, engage with research centers, and get involved in one of our 24 student groups.