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Public Policy (MPP)

Offered by the Department of Public Administration and Policy, School of Public Affairs, the Master of Public Policy (MPP) degree program prepares students to advance the quality of policy making in a variety of institutional settings in the U.S. and abroad by instilling a blend of analytical, contextual, ethical, and substantive skills and knowledge.

Admission to the Program

Applicants must meet the minimum university requirements for graduate study. Admission decisions are based on each applicant's academic record, two letters of recommendation, and an essay written by the applicant on his or her background and career interests. Submission of test scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) are optional, and applicants may substitute test scores from similar tests, such as the GMAT or LSAT, for the GRE where appropriate. We understand that applicants for our MPP program come from a wide variety of backgrounds. Given the quantitative nature of some of the coursework in the MPP program, in evaluating these applications we may consider performance in prior quantitative undergraduate courses such as economics or statistics. Such coursework, however, is not required for admission. Admission decisions are based on each applicant's total record and not on any single strength or deficiency.

Degree Requirements

Course Requirements

Core (18 credit hours)

Note: Students may test out of PUAD-601 and substitute another approved course. Students with completed coursework equivalent to PUAD-670 may substitute another course with approval.

Specialization or Track (18 credit hours)

Complete one of the following:

Advanced Policy Analytics Specialization

Required (12 credit hours)
Restricted Electives (6 credit hours)

Complete 6 credit hours from the following, or other approved courses:

Public Policy Track

Required (3 credit hours)
Analysis (3 credit hours)

Complete 3 credit hours from the following:

Management (3 credit hours)

Complete 3 credit hours from the following:

Concentration (9 credit hours)
  • 9 credit hours in an area of concentration. Areas include: education policy; social policy; health policy; science, technology, and environmental policy; crime, public law, and policy; public financial management; public management; nonprofit policy, management, and leadership; global governance and management; comparative public policy; advanced policy analysis; race, policy, and administration; and cyber policy and management. Students may create special areas of concentration by consulting their academic counselor

Capstone (3 credit hours)

Internship

  • Students without a significant professional work background participate in either a for-credit or non-credit internship. Students taking a for-credit internship complete PUAD-691 Internship (1-6) as part of the concentration; students taking a non-credit internship complete a survey on the experience

Combined Bachelor's and Public Policy (MPP)

American University offers students the opportunity to earn both undergraduate and graduate degrees through its combined bachelor's/master's programs. See Admission to a Combined Bachelor's / Master's Program and Combined Bachelor's and Master's Degrees for more information.

In addition to meeting the minimum university requirements for combined bachelor's/master's programs:

  • Admission requires a minimum 3.00 cumulative GPA, a completed application form (available from the Department of Public Administration and Policy (DPAP) and submitted to the BA/MPP advisor), a written faculty recommendation, an essay on the student's interests and abilities in public policy, and an interview with an academic advisor
  • Undergraduate students may apply up to 15 credit hours of approved graduate-level coursework to satisfy the requirements for both degrees. Students take courses in statistics, public policy, economics, and other courses approved by the Associate Chair

Public Policy (MPP) and Washington College of Law JD or LLM

For approved dual degree programs, see Public Policy (MPP) and Juris Doctor (JD) and Public Policy (MPP) and Master of Laws (LLM).

Public Policy (MPP) and Wesley Theological Seminary MA, MDiv, or MTS

For approved dual degree programs, see Public Policy (MPP) and Master of Arts, Public Policy (MPP) and Master of Divinity, and Public Policy (MPP) and Master of Theological Studies.

Foundations of Policy Analysis
This course introduces students to the scope, methods, issues, and evolution of policy studies. Students learn and apply various frameworks for approaching the enterprise of policy analysis, become familiar with the logic and applicability of analytical techniques, and gain an appreciation for the ethical issue, values, and context of government policy.

Quantitative Methods for Policy Analysis I & II
Quantitative Methods I applies descriptive statistics and statistical inference methods to policy analysis. Includes measures of central tendency and dispersion, hypothesis testing, confidence intervals, and bivariate regression. Quantitative Methods II applies regression analysis techniques to policy analysis. The course focuses on understanding the linear regression model as well as limitations of this model.

Economics for Policy Analysis
This course covers microeconomic tools for policy analysts, including resource scarcity, opportunity cost, theory of the consumer, theory of the firm, consumer, and producer surplus, market equilibrium, allocative and productive efficiency, welfare economics, market failure, intended and unintended consequences of policy interventions, efficiency versus equity, and cost-benefit analysis.

Ethical Issues in Public Policy
Consideration of the ethical issues that arise in the formation and implementation of public policy. Includes the use of ethical standards as a guide to public policy making, how they differ from other approaches to decision making, and analysis of specific ethical controversies and challenges.

Cost Benefit Analysis
Course on the theory and practice of applied welfare economics for evaluating private, nonprofit, and public projects from a public interest standpoint. Development and illustration of cost benefit analysis concepts, techniques, methods, and criteria through applications to a wide range of public policy issues such as economic development, infrastructure, social, and environmental projects. Integrated use of spreadsheet modeling framework to quantify benefits and costs, and to facilitate sensitivity and risk analysis.

Policy Process
An introduction to the policy process, especially as it takes place in the U.S. political system. Various theoretical approaches and models for the study of agenda setting, policy adoption, implementation, and evaluation are reviewed and applied, along with an examination of the legal and constitutional context.

Global Governance and Public Policy
Considers what it means to govern and to create and carry out public policy at the global level. The course examines institutions with international scope such as the World Bank; the UN system and international NGOs; and policy issues with cross-national dimensions such as climate change, trade, and human rights.

Public Program Evaluation
Introduction to the elements of policy and program analysis. Normative criteria for program evaluation; systematic strategies for assessing and measuring the effects of program elements and policy changes; and logic and limitations.