The Department of International Affairs was formed in 2001 when the School of Public & International Affairs was founded.  Formerly, the department had been part of the larger Political Science department in Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. We currently offer a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Affairs, two master’s degrees (Master of International Policy and Master of Arts in Political Science and International Affairs), and a Ph.D. in Political Science and International Affairs.

We currently have 24 tenured and tenure-track faculty and lecturers in the department that specialize in a wide array of topics, including international conflict, human rights, political institutions, extremism, political economy, and the environment. Many of our faculty have won prestigious teaching awards at the school and university levels. Our faculty are also world-renowned researchers, often winning research awards and external grants and serving in editorial positions at top peer-reviewed journals.

If you have questions regarding visa and immigration issues, please contact UGA’s Office of Global Engagement.

Degree Programs

Latest News

Thomas P. Lauth, Founding Dean of SPIA, Passes at 85
Thomas P. Lauth, Founding Dean of SPIA, Passes at 85

Thomas P. Lauth, Dean Emeritus of the School of Public and International Affairs and Professor Emeritus of Public Administration and Policy at the University of Georgia, died May 13, 2023.

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SPIA Maintains Top Ten Ranking According to 2023-2024 US News and World Report
SPIA Maintains Top Ten Ranking According to 2023-2024 US News and World Report

The School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) at the University of Georgia once again ranks among the top tier Public Affairs Graduate Schools according to U.S. News & World

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SPIA Students Recognized During Presidential Honors Week Luncheon
SPIA Students Recognized During Presidential Honors Week Luncheon

The tradition of Honors Day was introduced by Chancellor S.V. Sanford in 1930 to give public recognition to students who achieve scholastic honors. In 2011, Honors Week was established to

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Upcoming Events

Drop/Add – Thru Term
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Drop/Add – Thru Term
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Drop/Add – Thru Term
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM

Photo Galleries

2017 Networking Night

On April 21, 2017, the third annual SPIA Networking Night was hosted at the Holiday Inn in Athens, GA. There were over 250 alumni, faculty, students, and organizations in attendance.

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31 Photos
SPIA DC Reception & Program

On November 16, 2016, the School of Public and International Affairs hosted its annual reception and program for alumni and friends in Washington DC. The event’s program featured a post-election

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52 Photos
Oak Ridge National Laboratory Trip

In March 2014, fifteen students from the Masters of International Policy and Doctorate in International Affairs programs, accompanied by the director and staff of the Center for International Trade and

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16 Photos
This is our spring at UGA

Spring arrives early here at UGA. We start wear sandals in January, shorts and t-shirts in February and you can catch us walking barefoot through the grass on North Campus

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9 Photos
It’s pretty quiet here… except on Saturdays

Some would say that fall is the best time of year at UGA. And they’d be 30% right. Spring and summer are great, too. Maybe it’s the smell of coffee

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9 Photos