The School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) was approved by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors in 1996 as a collaboration of five departments and programs in two colleges to develop interdisciplinary instruction, research and outreach initiatives related to public policy, planning, and administration and globalization and international development.

SPIA houses three programs: The Center for Public Administration and Policy (CPAP) has three locations in Arlington, Blacksburg, and Richmond, Virginia.

The majority of CPAP students take classes on a part-time basis, while working full-time in government, consulting, and non-profit positions.

[2] The Urban Affairs and Planning program has locations in Arlington and Blacksburg and offers an interdisciplinary, comparative, hands-on approach to instruction and research in two undergraduate degrees (B.A.

[4] Affiliated Departments in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences (CLAHS): In 1969, the university launched new locations within the Virginia Tech National Capital Region (NCR).