NASPAA Code of Good Practice

Print Code of Good Practice

A program holding membership in NASPAA:

• Pursues excellence and quality in its provision of public affairs education. 

• Continuously operationalizes the commitment to public service among students, faculty, alumni, and other constituencies, and holds the profession of public service in the highest esteem.

• Recognizes its responsibility to the community of public affairs institutions by participating in developmental activities to help other NASPAA schools and by providing enrollment and faculty data. 

• Posts a link on the program’s website to the NASPAA web site discussion of quality in public affairs education: https://www.naspaa.org/membership/join-naspaa/naspaa-code-good-practice

• Pursues diversity in student body, faculty, and curriculum.

• Integrates ethics into the curriculum and all aspects of program operation, and expects students and faculty to exhibit the highest ethical standards in their teaching, research, and service.

• Focuses on the preparation of students for professional careers in public service, emphasizing both the values and ethics of public service, and the development of professional skills and knowledge.

• Recognizes the importance of contributions of students, faculty, alumni, and employers to improving the relevance and quality of the program. 

• Uses student learning outcomes and other outcome measures to help improve program effectiveness.

• Is committed to the holistic development of the individual student as a professional—including admission advisement; support of student learning, research, and service; summative learning experiences, and career placement and advisement. 

• Offers a multi-disciplinary curriculum that includes coverage of management, organization, policy, human resources, political institutions, economics, quantitative methods, and IT management.

• Honestly represents the meaning of NASPAA membership without implying accreditation.