Study and work in two of the country's cutting-edge cities: Austin and Washington DC
The LBJ School offers two pathways to policy leadership in our nation’s capital: the first is a 15-month DC Concentration within the MPAff and MGPS degree programs, and the second is the option to study foreign policy in DC for one semester. Learn more about opportunities to live, study and work in Washington DC.
15-month DC Concentration for Master’s students
Both the Master of Public Affairs and Master of Global Policy Studies offer an immersive 15-month DC Concentration, a course of accelerated study and work focused on both domestic and international federal policymaking. Offered through the LBJ Washington Center, students take evening classes taught by experts and scholars working in Washington. By day, students work as policy professionals at a required policy apprenticeship. DC students spend their first year in Austin taking foundational coursework before they move to Washington DC for their final summer and fall semesters. The 15-month DC Concentration for MPAff and MGPS students is perfect for the aspiring policy professional who wants a career at the national or global level.
Learn more about the DC Concentration
Foreign Policy Semester
The LBJ School of Public Affairs is proud to host an immersive spring semester program based in Washington, DC and managed by the LBJ Washington Center. The program is designed to provide participating students with an unparalleled exposure to how foreign policy is created and impacted by entities within the federal arena. Open to second and third year LBJ students as well as University of Texas at Austin juniors and seniors, this program is the perfect option for students who want to experience in our nation’s capital for an edge in their job search or to round out their policy experience.
Learn more about the LBJ School’s Foreign Policy Semester in DC
The LBJ Washington Center is excited to celebrate our 10-year anniversary! Over the course of the 2025-2026 academic year we will host events, highlight our alumni, and look forward to new programs and opportunities.
What students say about the LBJ Washington Center
"I'm thriving," says LBJ DC student Da'Shon Carr
Carr isn’t new to Washington, but she’s having a new experience in the city she once called home thanks to a supportive network and courses that offer immediate real-world application.
"LBJ DC has been the best choice for me."
Sarah Morningred has long dreamt of working for the federal government. She says the LBJ Washington Center has been a front door to opportunities in the nation’s capital.
Federal policy immersion at LBJ's Washington Center
After a decade of experience in state and local government, government affairs professional Eric Bustos packed his bags to live, study and work in the nation’s capital.
DC Concentration Alum Selected as 2025 LBJ Rising Leader
As the LBJ Washington Center begins our 10th anniversary celebration, we are excited to announce that Christopher Purdy (MPAff-DC ’19) has been chosen as the recipient of the 2025 LBJ Rising Leader Award, one of the Outstanding Alumni Awards. Purdy’s selection marks the first time the award has been given to an alum of the DC Concentration program, which began in fall 2015.
