Lyndon B Johnson School of Public Affairs

I am currently in my second year of a three year dual degree Master’s program; one of my degrees is a Master’s in Public Affairs that I will receive from the LBJ School of Public Affairs in 2009.
I have found that it is easy to be critical of any collegiate institution when you are very stressed out and at the bottom of the totem poll.
THE PROGRAM
The school offers two Master’s degrees: a Master’s of Public Affairs, and a Master’s in Global Public Policy. The latter degree was offered for the first time in the 07 – 08 academic year and has not yet developed its own character. The MPAff is the traditional degree, and requires more quantitative coursework (although some of the ‘quant’ is at an undergraduate level) than most entering students expect. Both programs take two years to complete. The school also has a PhD program.
THE FACULTY
The mostly male professors at the school are almost all very intelligent. Many of the faculty are easy to get along with, very well connected, and prestigious in their disciplines. Unfortunately some of the faculty are stereotypical professors: sloppy offices and appearances, ego-​maniancs, tough to track down, and constantly shirking responsibility. Since there are so many faculty members, it is possible to avoid many of the ones you don’t get along with.
THE STUDENT BODY
The students (~250) are mostly white, women, liberal, and Master’s students. The average age of a student is approximately 27 although there are many recent college graduates. The school has a rumor that incoming classes vary from year-​to-​year between outgoing and introverted students. Students are mostly respective of one another’s opinions, and there is (unfortunately) an almost ubiquitous fear of math.
THE STAFF
The Office of Student and Alumni Programs (OSAP) is centrally located, and has recently expanded to six staff with a friendly graduate student at the front desk. The OSAP staff is very easy to get along with, and is mostly helpful. The school’s librarian is a quirky fellow who can make UT’s library system work for you. The technology office is staffed by a cranky lady who sends snide emails to the students about their disregard for the school’s printers. The Writing Center lady is almost always excited and encouraging the students to publish their work. The business staff in the school almost never interacts with the students. I almost never feel welcome in the Dean’s Office.
THE BUILDING AND LOCATION
The LBJ School is located on the corner of Dean Keaton and Red River, which is convenient for commuters. The school’s location separates it from the University and, subsequently, the undergrad population. The building and surrounding plaza is currently being renovated, and there is no end in sight (or at least there is minimal communication about the status of renovations). The interior of the building is scheduled (?) to be renovated in the 08 – 09 academic year, and the students are still unsure where classes will be held. The future of the building is promising, but students have yet to see any design drawings.
There’s more to the school than this review, but I need to get back to doing actual schoolwork instead of just talking about it.