Best Online Master’s in Public Policy (MPP) Programs

University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth

When people apply to the online MPP program at the University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth, they are expected to have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited school and earn a high score on the GRE. During the application process, they should also submit a statement of purpose explaining why they are interested in making a public policy master’s degree, a resume, and two recommendation letters. Once admitted, students begin working through the department’s core curriculum, including coursework in policy analysis, public policy research methods, administrative law, and public policy processes.

Students are also expected to complete classes in an area of concentration. The public management concentration includes courses on program development, public finance on the state and local level, and policy management.

Students interested in gaining expertise in environmental policy can enroll in that concentration and take coursework on environmental law, ocean policy, and globalization’s effect on the environment. Students can also choose to specialize in education policy, including classes about education law, organizational behavior in the education field, and public finance in education.

Additionally, students in the program who do not have at least two years of professional public policy work experience must complete an internship where they apply public policy and public management theory to real-world situations in private businesses, nonprofit organizations, or government agencies.

Oregon State University

Oregon State University’s online master’s in public policy is a 62-credit hour program that takes approximately two years to complete. The program combines several disciplines such as political science, economics, statistics, and sociology to give students a comprehensive look at public policy in action.

To provide this understanding, students take core classes in microeconomics, leadership and public organizations, qualitative and quantitative research methods, and public policy analysis. Also, students choose one of four concentrations: energy policy, rural policy, social policy, or environmental policy.

After completing their classes, students must participate in a capstone course where they work on a project designed to illustrate their understanding of public policy theory. This project involves writing an essay that includes solutions to theoretical public policy issues and arguments made in seminal research studies. To be admitted into the program, students must have a bachelor’s degree and a 3.0 grade point average.

University of California, Berkeley

Offered through the Richard & Rhoda Goldman School of Public Policy, the University of California, Berkeley’s online masters of public policy program is designed to give students a practical look at how policies are made and implemented. Through the program, students can build their understanding of political institutions, the research used to analyze and evaluate public policy programs, and how programs are developed and maintained in bureaucratic systems. To be admitted into the program, prospective students should submit their resume, GRE scores, policy statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, and transcripts from their undergraduate degree program.

During the first year of the program, Berkeley requires that students complete core classes in public policy economics, law, and politics. Students take advanced courses that cover organizational aspects of public policy and public policy analysis during the second year. Also, students must complete an intensive research study where they address a significant public policy issue.

1. Convenience

One thing that may hinder busy professionals when they want to earn a master’s degree is how challenging it can be to fit their education into their lifestyle. By enrolling in an online degree program, they can easily complete their coursework when it’s convenient for them. Students can watch lectures online during evenings or weekends, and in some cases, depending on the school, complete assignments at their own pace.

2. Increase understanding of policy issues

Those who want to advance in their careers or begin a career in public policy need to have a strong sense of the social, economic, legal, political, and technological aspects of public policy. By enrolling in an MPP program, students learn about the complex integration of systems that make up the policy-making process.

3. Affordability

A graduate school education can be pricey, especially if students choose to enroll in a private school. However, enrolling in an online program allows students to save money instead of paying a lump sum for tuition each semester. Students also save money on transportation, which further contributes to the affordability of these programs.

4. Become an expert in a specific area of public policy

Since the public policy field is made up of so many different systems, students have an excellent opportunity to enroll in a specialization that represents the area they want to focus on.

MPP programs offer a number of concentrations, from healthcare policy to public management to environmental policy to arts leadership to emergency management. As a result, students can become experts in their chosen subsection of the field, which will increase your value to a current or potential employer.

Organizational Analysis

This course combines discussions about organizational behavior and organizational theory to give students an understanding of how organizations and the people who work in them, function on a daily basis. Students will explore public administration research and may be required to read case studies to see how these theories are applied in a real-world setting.

Policy Analysis

Students learn about public policy processes in this course and how they are assessed and evaluated. To help students learn how to make these assessments, they are given a comprehensive look at public policy research and the main theories that guide this analysis.

Politics of Public Policy

This course covers the political considerations that influence public policy. Topics may include policy development and implementation, the theories that guide policy creation, and how policies can be interpreted appropriately.

Project Management

This class explores project management in the public sector and nonprofit organization settings. The curriculum may cover project management principles and their applications in workplace settings, contingency planning, and the tools used during the project management process.

Administrative Law

This course teaches students administrative law principles and how these laws influence public policy. Topics covered may include governmental rulemaking, judicial review, and the limits of organizational policies.

Health Policy

Students who are interested in the healthcare system and the nature of how healthcare policies are developed can enroll in this specialization where they learn about healthcare systems, economic and political concerns that influence healthcare, and public health insurance programs. This concentration may also cover the healthcare market, medical devices, and how healthcare is delivered in different countries.

Education Policy

This concentration covers the challenges of education policy in the United States and other countries. Some of these issues include educational inequities, teacher accountability, access to quality education, school finance, and early childhood programs.

Social Policy

Those who enroll in the social policy concentration learn about the social supports provided by government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector to increase the well-being of members of a community. Students learn how social policy addresses issues such as housing, education, poverty, and crime.

Criminal Justice Policy

This specialization addresses the challenges that policymakers face when creating laws that pertain to the criminal justice system. Specific topics may include constitutional law and procedure and how administrative law affects criminal justice matters.

Science and Technology Policy

Students who enroll in this concentration learn how policy affects science and technology and the role that scientists and technology experts play in influencing public policy. Topics studied may include environmental economics, intellectual property, technology assessments, climate change, and environmental law.