Master of Public Policy at Pennsylvania State University

The Master of Public Policy (M.P.P.) degree program is designed to provide professional training in public policy for those seeking careers in the design, adoption, implementation, and evaluation of public policies. The professional careers students should be prepared for include the full range of careers for which public policy expertise would be valued: national, state, and local government agencies, think tanks and consulting firms, non-profit organizations, and lobby firms and private sector organizations engaged in public affairs representation. The core of the M.P.P. degree curriculum will provide students with a strong knowledge base relevant to public policy rooted in the social science disciplines of economics, political science, sociology, and industrial psychology housed in the College of the Liberal Arts along with training in quantitative policy analysis and evaluation. And through its specialization course requirements, it will provide students with public policy relevant training across a wide spectrum of substantive public policy areas drawing on expertise found on the University Park campus. Students will work closely with faculty to design a specialization curriculum around their core course work.

1. Students will be able to lead and manage in public organizations.
2. Students will be able to participate in and contribute to the policy process.
3. Students will be able to analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems and make decisions.
4. Students will articulate and apply a public service perspective.
5. Students will be able to communicate and interact productively with a diverse and changing workforce and citizenry.