Public Policy, MPP

The master of public policy leads to a degree for aspiring or experienced professionals who seek career advancement through cutting-edge education and training in policy analysis and development in increasingly technical and global environments. The program prepares students to be reflective practitioners who develop, implement, manage, analyze, evaluate, and effect innovative change in the public and private sectors through a course of study that emphasizes the fundamentals of policy development; the role of technology, analytic assessment, and modeling for policy evaluation; and the implications of international and global perspectives on policy formation. Courses are offered primarily in the late afternoon and evening, as well as online, to fit the schedules of busy professionals.

Admissions

Requirements

See Graduate Admission Policies for general information on graduate admission to George Mason University. Specific information on application requirements and deadlines may be found with Schar Admissions. Completed applications for fall and spring semesters are reviewed on a rolling basis, with late applications considered on a space-available basis. Students may be admitted for nondegree study and apply a limited number of credits toward the master's degree should they choose to apply to the degree program later, in accordance with university policy.

Policies

Termination from Program

Students admitted to a Schar program will be terminated from Schar upon receiving one grade of F and are no longer eligible to take courses in Schar. Per university regulation, students are terminated from the university after accumulating grades of F in two courses or 9 credits of unsatisfactory grades in graduate courses. For policies governing all graduate degrees, see Graduate Policies.

Program Requirements

Students must complete 36 to 39 credits of coursework through a combination of core courses, electives, and a professional experience requirement. Appropriate professional experience can be demonstrated through previous employment or a supervised internship. Students will also be exposed to the global nature of public policy activity through the core requirement of international comparative policy assessment. 

Banner Code: PP-MPP-PUBP

Degree Requirements

Total credits: 36-39

Required Public Policy Courses

Students take one required course and one elective in each of the four elements below. 

¹

POGO 750: Topics in Policy and Government, as approved by advisor. 

Electives

Electives are chosen from one of the following policy emphasis areas. One of the courses in the emphasis sequence should have an international focus.

• Economic Policy 
• Education Policy
• Global Medical and Health Policy
• International Governance and Institutions
• National Security and Public Policy
• Public Finance and Budgeting
• Regional Economic Development
• Science and Technology Policy
• Social Policy
• Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption
• Transportation Policy
• Urban Policy and Development
• US Government Institutions and Policy Management

²

Other courses must be approved by the advisor or program director.

Professional Experience Requirement

Certification that the student has experience in the public policy process outside the classroom and is ready to take leadership responsibilities must be exhibited by one of two ways: relevant professional experience, approved by the program director, or an approved internship.

Bachelor's Degree (any)/Public Policy, Accelerated MPP

Overview

Highly-qualified undergraduates in any major may apply to the accelerated Master of Public Policy (MPP) program. If accepted students will be able to earn a bachelor's degree in their chosen major and the Master of Public Policy with a reduced number of overall credits and within a reduced time frame, sometimes within five years. More information on bachelor's/accelerated master's programs may be found in AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degrees.

Students in an accelerated degree program must fulfill all university requirements for the master's degree. See AP.6.9 Requirements for Master's Degrees.

Admission

Please see Graduate Admission Policies for general information on graduate admission to George Mason University. Information specific to the accelerated Master of Public Policy program may be found on the Schar website.

To be considered for this accelerated master's program, applicants must have completed a minimum of 60 credits, including 12 credits of Government and/or Economics courses, and have a minimum GPA of 3.50 in all coursework applied to the degree.

Accelerated Option Requirements

While undergraduate students, accelerated master's students may complete up to fifteen graduate credits of which twelve may be counted toward both the bachelor's and master's degrees. Remaining credits may be held as reserve graduate credit and count only toward the master's degree.. The student must have a minimum GPA of 3.00 in each course. Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.00 in these courses and in coursework applied to their major.

Upon completion and conferral of the undergraduate degree in the semester indicated in the application, students must submit the Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Transition Form to apply credits to the master's degree. Students must begin their master's program the semester immediately following conferral of the undergraduate degree (excluding summer).