Page 8 - VIU Yearbook 2016 - 2017

Dean of the School of Public and International Affairs

The School of Public and International Affairs opened its doors in Fall 2013

with two programs, a Master of Science in International Relations (MIR) and a
Master of Public Administration (MPA). The MIR program offers two

concentrations for students to choose from: International Economic
Development and International Business. The MPA program offers three
concentrations: Public Management, Information Systems, and Health Care

Administration and Public Health. These programs are offered both on-campus
and partially online.

The analysis and practice of governmental and international affairs in the 21st
Century requires a multidisciplinary and complex approach, combining

knowledge from the social sciences, policy studies, business administration,
economics, computing technologies, and the sciences. SPIA programs are
designed to incorporate key elements of these disciplines into a

multidimensional and academically challenging program that prepares
students to be problem-solvers in today’s demanding public arena. Students

will acquire both the scholarly knowledge and the confidence of practical
experience to address and tackle the challenges of the modern workplace.

Dr. Klara Bilgin