Graduate Program

Public Policy

By the Numbers

Average Salary

Class of 2023

%

Employed or Pursuing Higher Education

Six months post-graduation
Class of 2023

%

Participating in an Internship

for Applied Field Experiences
Class of 2023

The mission of the public policy program is to further and strengthen innovation, rigor, and justice in the field of public policy through teaching, research, and service. The program prepares students for careers in government, politics, and public affairs within the public, nonprofit, or for-profit sectors. It provides students with conceptual and analytical tools to build their competencies in four areas: public policy, research methods, economics, and politics, as well as training in leadership, values, and ethical behavior that guide the responsible application of these competencies in the field.

A graduate degree in public policy from the Bloustein School prepares students for careers in the exciting field of public policy, whether as a public servant in government, an analyst at a think tank, an advocate at a non-profit, or in a variety of other roles. Students learn to identify public problems, analyze alternatives, and make decisions using tools from many disciplines. When added to the motivation and commitment our students bring to the program, these new skills enable our graduates to make positive and lasting impacts on the world.

— Julia Sass Rubin, Ph.D., Director, Program in Public Policy

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Degree Programs

Master of Public Policy (MPP)

Master of Public Policy (MPP)

Master of Public Affairs & Politics (MPAP)

Master of Public Affairs & Politics (MPAP) Mid-Career Degree

Joint Degree Programs

Joint and Dual Degrees (MCRP, MPI, JD, MBA, MSW, MPH, BA/BS)

Local Government

Certificate in Public Policy for Students not Enrolled in a Public Policy Master Program

Public Policy Student and Alumni Spotlights

Mission

The mission of the Public Policy Program of the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy is to further and strengthen innovation, rigor, and justice in the field of public policy through teaching, research, and service. Specifically, we:

  • Teach undergraduate and graduate students to be engaged change-makers through high-quality instruction and mentorship;
  • Conduct and disseminate high-quality interdisciplinary research that addresses society’s most pressing problems;
  • Serve communities at the local, state, national, and global levels through research, informed practice, and leadership in order to build a more equitable and sustainable world;
  • Foster an environment in which research, teaching, and service come together in the pursuit of equitable and inclusive solutions to public problems.

Learning Goals

Intellectual and Communication Skills
  • Critical Thinking
    Students will demonstrate an ability to think critically about policy formation, implementation, implications, and effectiveness, and the methods underpinning the policy evidence.
  • Communication
    Students will demonstrate a proficiency in written and oral methods of communication in a variety of settings through their applied field and practicum experiences and an ability to adjust method to setting and audience.
  • Mathematical Reasoning and Analysis
    Students will demonstrate an ability to apply economic and/or political perspectives in the analysis and understanding of public policy.
  • Scientific Inquiry
    Students will demonstrate an ability to use the scientific method in the development and implementation of field-based policy analyses as part of the practicum and class-based research projects in the methods courses, and to critique the application of the scientific
    method in the literature.
  • Information and Computer Literacy
    Students will demonstrate proficiency in conducting literature reviews, collecting primary data, retrieving secondary data, analyzing data using a variety of software packages, and reporting the findings in ways that facilitate dissemination.
Professional Development & Ethics

Students will demonstrate an ability to integrate and apply theory, methods, empirical evidence, and conceptual thinking in the development and implementation of policy analysis in program-directed applied field and practicum experiences in which students “work for” clients as part of their applied field experiences and practicum projects. Students are required to write briefing memos, prospectuses, and final reports for clients and to present their analyses in formal presentations. Students will demonstrate competency in professional conduct and ethics in their interactions with faculty, students, and clients, and in their use of data.

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