MSPP Degree Programs

The School of Public Policy offers a number of degree programs designed to meet the varied needs of those attracted to the public policy/management fields:

Master of Public Policy (MPP)

The MPP is a 48 credit program designed for early career students who seek to become adept at analyzing, designing, evaluating, and advocating for policies that affect communities, states, the nation, and the world.  MPP students may elect to specialize in:

• Environmental Policy

• Federal Acquisition

• International Development

• International Security & Economic Policy

• Management & Leadership

• Public Sector Financial Management, or

• Social Policy (e.g., education, health poverty)

Dual Degree Programs: Students may pursue pursue a BA, MBA, JD, or Master of Science in Conservation Biology degree at the same time they pursue their MPP degree. These dual programs enable students to earn two degrees in much less time and at far less cost than pursuing them individually.

Master of Public Management (MPM)

Despite its name, the 36 credit MPM program is a shorter version of the MPP program available to students who have at least 5 years of professional policy and/or management experience.  MPM students share core requirements, specializations, and courses with their MPP counterparts.  (Students who seek a more management-oriented curriculum should explore the Executive Masters of Public Management (EMPM) degree program.)

Master of Engineering & Public Policy (MEPP)

The single-degree MEPP program, offered jointly by the School of Public Policy and the A. James Clark School of Engineering, is aimed at students from engineering backgrounds who wish to learn how to use this knowledge to further public goals in such areas as energy, environment, infrastructure, international development, national security, bioengineering, and manufacturing.

Executive Master of Public Management (EMPM)

The 30 credit EXPM program provides students who have at least 5 years of professional management experience a public management-intensive curriculum in a format and location convenient for students working in the Washington, D.C. area or on-site for cohorts of students from the same public organization.

PhD in Policy Studies (POSI)

The School's highly selective PhD program prepares students to conduct leading-edge public policy research in academia, think-tanks, or government institutions.  Students obtain a grounding in the principle policy disciplines, in-depth expertise in two or more policy fields, and sophisticated research and communication skills.