Coursework emphasizes the applied and interdisciplinary fields of empirical methods and statistics, economics, information systems and technology, operations research, and organizational behavior.

In 1967, Carnegie Mellon President H. Guyford Stever, Richard M. Cyert, Dean of the Tepper School of Business, and Professors William W. Cooper and Otto Davis met and formed a university-wide committee to discuss creating a school that would train leaders to address complex problems in American urban communities.

In 1968, William Cooper and Otto Davis presented the final proposal for the School of Urban and Public Affairs (SUPA) to the Richard King Mellon Foundation.

[6] Heinz College is headquartered in Hamburg Hall, a building listed on the National Register of Historic Places and designed by noted Beaux-Arts architect Henry Hornbostel.

[7] The Heinz College also has a branch campus in Adelaide, South Australia, which offers master's degrees in Public Policy and Management and Information Technology.

Heinz College also maintains a North Hollywood center in Los Angeles as part of the jointly administered master's degree program in Entertainment Industry Management, and a center in Washington, DC on Capitol Hill for students in the Public Policy and Management masters program.

[8] A December 2013 gift from The Heinz Endowments combined with gift commitments from other donors enabled the Heinz College to expedite the final architectural design of Phase II elements, finalize necessary construction planning, commence renovations and expansion, and complete a structure that will add additional value to the college.

[2][9][10][11] During Phase III the addition to Hamburg Hall, including a glass roof, end walls, café, and study space, will be constructed.

Fire protection and elevator improvements will also be addressed as well as the addition of new classrooms (including designated executive education rooms).

[18] The Heinz College was awarded the 2016 UPS George D. Smith Prize by the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS).