Dr. Nicholas Swartz received his undergraduate degree in political science from UNC Wilmington in 2001. He also received his master’s degree in public administration from UNC Wilmington in 2003. He received his doctorate in Public Policy from UNC Charlotte in 2008. His dissertation was entitled "An Assessment of the Assessment: The Need for and Development of a New Approach to Estimating the Economic Impact an Airport Has on Its Regional Economy." His area of specialization is urban policy. More particularly, his interests are in regionalism (how local governments within a region can solve problems together on a metropolitan scale), public budgeting, and urban policy.

Dr. Swartz’s current research projects include a variety of public policy issues: the impacts of light rail systems throughout the United States, quality of life frameworks and issues, the pros and cons of municipal incorporation, city-county consolidation, airport economic impacts and succession planning for city and county managers.

Dr. Swartz teaches in the MPA program and in the department’s undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree in public policy and administration. Since 2014, Dr. Swartz is the director of the Madison Center for Community Development.