Urban focus

The School of Public Affairs is part of Arizona State University’s Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions, a comprehensive college that is advancing research and discovery of public value, and furthering the economic, social, cultural and overall health of the communities we serve. We benefit from the strong ties to areas of importance in urban policy and governance—crime and policing, social work, parks and recreation, community development, and more. We also have formal partnerships through our Center for Urban Innovation with local government managers through the International City/County Management Association and the Alliance for Innovation. This is a unique structure and array of resources that has added to our core strength in urban innovation and is reflected in our current US News and World Report rankings as the nation’s #1 university for innovation, #2 in city management and urban policy, #10 in environmental policy and management, #15 in nonprofit management, #16 in public finance and management, and #16 in public affairs overall.