• Master in Public Policy
• Master in Public Administration
• Mid-Career Master in Public Administration
• Master in Public Administration/International Development
• PhD in Public Policy
• PhD in Political Economy and Government
• PhD in Social Policy
• PhD in Health Policy

Master in Public Policy

Core Curriculum Required Courses (First Year)

API-101 A, B, C, or D    Markets and Market Failure (1 credit)
API-102 A, B, C, or D    Economic Analysis of Public Policy (1 credit)
API-201 A, B, C, or D    Quantitative Analysis and Empirical Methods (1 credit)
API-202 A, B, C, or D    Empirical Methods II (1 credit)
API-500X   Spring Exercise (0.5 credit)
API-601 A, B, C, or D     The Responsibilities of Public Action (1 credit)
STM-101 A, B, C, or D    The Strategic Management of Public Organizations (1 credit)
PAL-110  A, B, C, or D     Mobilizing for Political Action - American Politics & Comparative Politics (1 credit)

Core Curriculum Choices

First year Master in Public Policy (MPP) students will take 4 core courses in the Fall semester plus 1 elective, and 3.5 core courses in the Spring semester plus the Spring Exercise and 1.5 additional electives. The total number of credits taken during the first year is 10. Students who earn exemptions from core requirements need to replace those courses with an equal number of electives during the first year.

During their two years at HKS, MPP students will need to take a minimum of one module to satisfy each of the MPP Leadership and Financial Management distribution requirements. Please refer to the approved list of courses fulfilling these distribution requirements.

Core Curriculum Required Courses (Second Year):

Policy Analysis Exercise and year long seminar  (1 credit)
2 Policy Area of Concentration electives (2 credits)
5 additional electives (5 credits)

Requirements for MPP/UP Students

Elements of Urban Planning and Design (GSD 1221),a double-credit studio design course at hte Graduate School of Design. In preparation for this course, MPP/UP candidates should also plan to participate in a two-week preparatory module (GSD 6120M) at the GSD at the beginning of September (before classes start) in their second year.

Two courses from a list of restricted electives, including courses such as History and Theory of Urban Planning and Design (GSD 5101), Urban Politics and Land Use Policy (HUT 201), Public and Private Development (HUT 268), and Planning and Environmental Law (HUT 263).

Two or more other courses with special relevance to urban planning.

These courses may also fulfill the Policy Area of Concentration requirement. In addition, MPP/UP candidates write their Policy Analysis Exercise on an urban planning topic.

Minimum Credits Required for Graduation

18 credits to graduate

Grade Requirements

B- or better in all required core courses, including two Policy Area of Concentration (PAC) courses and the Policy Analysis Exercise (PAE) for that PAC.

B average or better for 18 HKS credits. The 18 mst include the required courses, the three PAC courses in the student’s policy area of concentration (PAC), and electives.

Requirements for Joint/Concurrent MPP Students

Joint Harvard Business School MBA Students

• First Year: Follow the MPP core curriculum required courses, plus one elective and the joint degree seminar
• Second Year: Follow the MBA core curriculum required courses, plus the joint degree seminar
• Third Year: Students will take elective courses at both HKS and HBS, including a required integrative Business-Government course, and undertake a significant Capstone Exercise in their final term.

Joint Harvard Law School JD Students
HKS/HLS students complete 13 credits at HKS.  They then complete one full year at HKS and finish their remaining HKS credits during their last two years at HLS.

Concurrent Harvard Medical School MD Students
Concurrent HMS students spend one year as a full-time HKS student and the remaining years of their program at HMS, cross-registering to complete their HKS requirements. Concurrent students are required to be in full-time residence at HKS for three semesters.

Concurrent Harvard Divinity School Students
HKS/HDS program students, however, spend one year at each school and split the third year. Concurrent students are required to be in full-time residence at HKS for three semesters.

Other Concurrent Business School Students
Students enrolled in a concurrent program with an approved business school will be required to complete three semesters at HKS and three semesters at their business school. Concurrent students are required to be in full-time residence at HKS for three semesters.

Other Concurrent Law School Students
Students enrolled in a concurrent program with an approved law school will be required to complete three semesters at HKS and two and a half years at their law school. The duration of the program is four years. Concurrent students are required to be in full-time residence at HKS for three semesters.

Other Concurrent Medical School Students:
Students enrolled in a concurrent program with an approved medical school will be required to complete three semesters at HKS.