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Home > Degree Programs > Master's Degrees > Master in Public Policy
Master in Public Policy
The two-year Master in Public Policy (MPP) program provides future public leaders with the conceptual framework and practical skills necessary to succeed in public service.
The MPP core requirements are built upon strong foundations in three methodological areas: analysis, management, and leadership. These requirements are designed to help students solve complicated and unfamiliar challenges — by asking the right questions, determining the nature and dimensions of the problem at hand, exploring the range of possible solutions, and assessing the capacity of public institutions to implement one or more of these solutions.
Through the MPP core, students sharpen their powers of analysis and their knowledge base. They build the confidence and judgment needed to weigh competing demands and choose the most appropriate action. They become skilled at shaping effective and practical solutions and building consensus and ownership in support of those solutions. They learn to marshal resources within and outside of an organization, monitor and fine tune innovative policy solutions, and provide the transformational leadership that generates success.
Master in Public Policy/Urban Planning
The Master in Public Policy and Urban Planning (MPP/UP), offered in cooperation with Harvard University Graduate School of Design (GSD), combines a public policy background with skills in urban planning and design.
In addition to the MPP core requirements, MPP/UP candidates complete a two-week, preparatory module on basic concepts and techniques of urban design, take GSD courses in urban planning and design, and focus on HKS courses that deal with urban policy issues. All of this culminates in a Policy Analysis Exercise on an urban planning topic.
Prospective students interested in the MPP or MPP/UP program are encouraged to review the prerequisites for academic and work experience prior to applying.
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