Learn to drive change at the local, national and international levels.
Build the analytical, administrative, and leadership skills needed to make an impact. Northwestern’s MPPA curriculum offers a unique and comprehensive opportunity to delve into both the administrative and analytical sides of policy. This holistic approach is grounded in the perspective that policy challenges are fluid, interconnected and global. This perspective gives graduates the tools needed to rise in the field and drive change at the local, national and international levels.
CONTACT AN ADVISERATTEND AN INFORMATION SESSIONAs an MPPA student you’ll build skills that are relevant to a variety of fields — public and private. You’ll be prepared for leadership roles in government at the local, state and federal levels, in nonprofit organizations, as well as rewarding careers in health service, community service, consulting, finance, social service, urban and regional planning, political science research, and foreign affairs.
Choose from five specializations offering a wide range of electives and create the course of study you need to meet your career goals. You can complete your degree through part-time study or the one-year accelerated option. Whatever you choose, you will learn from experienced, engaged faculty who are thought leaders in their fields.
Earn your degree at a pace that works with your life. Take any combination of online and evening on-campus courses to complete your degree. You'll learn and network with classmates who are experienced professionals from a wide range of fields.
Choose from five specializations — Public Policy, Public Administration, Global Policy, Global Health, or Data Analytics.
Immerse yourself in the program by taking three courses per quarter. With two on-campus courses (evening and daytime) and one online course each term, you'll have the flexibility to pursue additional outside activities during the day. Benefit from strong relationships built in a cohort and from learning with diverse groups of professionals — many who are highly-placed in their fields. Choose from specializations in Public Policy, Public Administration, or Global Policy.
For MPPA accelerated option applicants, the fall 2019 application deadline is April 15, 2019.
Find out more about the differences between the accelerated and part-time options.
Not only was [behavioral economics] interesting to me academically, but those ideas have helped inform my professional work. In the world of politics, a lot of the questions are about how people are going to react to situations.”
— JC Kibbey (MPPA '14), Outreach and Policy Advocate at Union of Concerned Scientists
An interdisciplinary professional program, MPPA graduates will possess the knowledge, skills and aptitude to:
Review curriculum details and elective choices while you consider applying to this program. The MPPA program requires the successful completion of 13 courses. The curriculum covers nine core courses, three elective courses corresponding to a declared specialization, and a capstone (498) or thesis (590) project.
Students can focus on a particular area of interest by selecting one of the MA in Public Policy and Administration Specializations as part of the application process. Students can also choose the "generalist" designation, which allows them to take their electives from different specializations.
Explore the Public Policy and Administration course schedule. You can narrow your course search by day, location or instructor.
A variety of factors are considered when your application is reviewed. Background and experience vary from student to student. For a complete list of requirements, see the Master's in Public Policy & Administration Admission page.
Tuition for the Master's in Public Policy and Administration program at Northwestern is comparable to similar US programs. Financial aid opportunities exist for students at Northwestern. Complete details can be found on the MPPA Tuition and Financial Aid pages.
Already accepted into the Master's in Public Policy and Administration program? Get ahead and register for your classes as soon as possible.
Professional opportunities for graduates of Northwestern's MPPA program are as broad and varied as the field of public policy and administration itself. With five concentrations to choose from, MPPA graduates set their sights on leadership roles in government at the local, regional and federal levels, in nonprofit organizations or in private enterprise. For details visit the Public Policy and Administration Career Options page.
Instructors in the Master's in Public Policy and Administration program at Northwestern are leading scholars and practitioners in their field. They bring real-world experiences to the classroom and engage with students on a personal level. Get to know the instructors on our Public Policy and Administration Faculty page.
Learn about the MPPA Student Leadership Council and their efforts to create and host network events for the program.
Both options offer the deep and broad MPPA curriculum with courses led by experienced professionals. Use the comparison below to decide which option suits your needs.
