School of Public Policy
Public Policy, M.P.P.
(703) 993-8200
spp@gmu.edu
The master's program in public policy leads to a degree for aspiring or experienced
professionals who seek career advancement through cutting-edge education and training
in policy analysis and development in increasingly technical and global environments.
The program prepares the students as reflective practitioners to develop, implement,
manage, analyze, evaluate, and affect innovative change in both the public and
private sectors through a course of study emphasizing (1) the fundamentals of
policy development; (2) the role of technology, analytic assessment, and modeling
for policy evaluation; and (3) the implications of international and global perspectives
on policy formation. Courses are offered in late afternoon and in the evening
to fit the schedules of busy professionals.
Admission Requirements
Complete applications for both fall and spring semesters are reviewed on a
rolling basis, with late applications considered on a space-available basis. To
enter the program as a degree candidate, a student must meet the following minimum
requirements:
- Graduate application with application fee (no fee waivers).
- A two-to-three page written statement of student's goals and interest in
the program.
- A current resume.
- A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution with a preferred GPA of
3.00 or better (on a 4.0 scale) in the last 60 semester hours of baccalaureate
study. Submit two official transcripts of all university work completed. International
students are also required to submit an evaluation and/or translation of all foreign-earned
degrees.
- Graduate Record Examination (GRE), GMAT, or MAT scores are optional.
- TOEFL scores (for international applicants) with a minimum score of
575 (paper-based) or 230 (computer-based). Students may also be required to be
tested by the English Language Institute.
- Two letters of recommendation. At least one recommendation should be from
an individual who is qualified to attest to the candidate's academic potential.
Students may be admitted for non-degree study and take individual courses that
satisfy requirements for a certificate. Students may apply courses toward the
master's degree should they choose to apply to the degree program, in accordance
with university policy.
Degree Requirements
To earn a master's degree in public policy, students must complete 39 credit
hours of course work through a combination of core courses, a sequence of courses
in their area of concentration, and a professional experience requirement. Appropriate
professional experience can be demonstrated either through previous employment,
a supervised internship, or an approved policy project activity. A student will
also be exposed to the global nature of public policy activity through the core
requirement of international comparative policy assessment. One of the courses
in the concentration sequence will also have an international focus. The plan
of study includes:
| |
Credits |
| Required Core Courses |
16 |
| PUBP 700 Theory and Practice in Public Policy |
4 |
| PUBP 702 Comparing Political Institutions |
4 |
| PUBP 703 Organizational Informatics in Public Policy |
4 |
| PUBP 704 Statistical Methods in Policy Analysis |
4 |
| Additional Required Public Policy Courses |
12 |
Choose three of the following five courses
(3 credits each):
- PUBP 713 Policy and Program Evaluation
- PUBP 720 Managerial Economics and Policy Analysis
- PUBP 730 U.S. National Policy Systems
- PUBP 731 Macro Economic Policy Assessment
- PUBP 741 Financial Policy Processes and Procedures
And one of the following:
- PUBP 705 Advanced Statistical Methods for Policy Research
- or PUBP 711 Rational Choice and Uncertainty: Modeling Judgment
- or PUBP 712 Policy Analysis and Management Science
|
|
| Substantive Policy Concentrations |
9 |
Electives are selected in one of the following
policy concentrations:
- Transportation Policy, Operations, and Logistics
- Regional Economic Development and Technology Policy
- Governance Systems and Policy Management
- International Governance and Institutions
- Organizational Informatics in the Policy Enterprise
- Collaboration and Learning in Policy Organizations
- Science and Technology Policy
- Culture, Values, and Social Policy
- International E-Commerce and Telecommunications
- National Security and Public Policy
|
|
| Professional Experience Requirement |
0-2 |
Certification that the student has experience in the public
policy process outside of the classroom and is ready to take leadership responsibilities
must be exhibited in one of the following ways:
- Previous professional experience (approved by program director); or
- Internship (minimum three months); or
- Service as a project team leader with an external client for a minimum of
six months half-time employment
|
|
| Total Credits |
39 |
Certificate Programs
Students pursuing the master's degree who complete an additional nine semester
hours in their specified concentration (for a total of 48 hours) will receive
a certificate in addition to their master's degree.
Graduate certificates will be awarded to non-degree students in a substantive
policy sequence upon the completion of at least 15 credit hours, which must include
a three-hour public policy core course and at least 12 hours of a policy concentration
sequence. Certificate programs are offered in transportation policy, operations,
and logistics; regional economic development and technology planning; governance
systems and policy management; international governance and institutions; organizational
informatics and the policy enterprise; collaborations and learning in policy organizations;
science and technology policy; and international e-commerce and telecommunications
policy. The programs are open to those with a bachelor's degree who seek continuing
education and skills to remain competitive in an increasingly complex global economy.
Admission requirements are the same as those for the master's program above. |
