The core professional degree for a career analyzing complex social, political, and economic issues
The Master of Public Policy (MPP) program will provide you with the analytical skill, decision-making frameworks, and subject matter expertise to address complex policy questions. You will graduate with the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:
- Skills in using economic and statistical analysis to improve public policy
- A deeper understanding of policy development
- The ability to engage stakeholders to affect change
Our location in Illinois' capital city and our Chicago connections will provide you with many opportunities to engage directly with policymakers. These opportunities will expose you to the legal and institutional structures in which policies are developed. You will graduate prepared for leadership, advocacy, and public policy design and evaluation roles in the governmental, nonprofit, and private sectors.
Concentrations
Concentrations under Public policy:
- Health policy MPP - Gain an in-depth understanding of how public policies and other conditions interact with health issues. Choose from a set of courses that focus on policies and issues related to public health, health care outcomes and the financing, organization and delivery of health care.
- Social policy MPP - Focus on the need for supports and services from governments, civil society, private sector entities and non-governmental organizations for all stages of life. These supports and services include schooling and education, housing assistance, crime reduction and poverty reduction among others.
- Child advocacy and policy - Become a child advocate and learn how public policies and other conditions shape the child welfare practice/profession.
- Education policy - Learn the history and institutions of education policy. Students develop the program evaluation and statistical analysis skills to address the critical education policy issues of the day, including those raised by inequality and social injustice.
- Policy Analysis - Pursue a deeper understanding of economic analysis and other applications of quantitative techniques and statistical modeling.
Program Facts
Our MPP Students
Build a strong foundation of knowledge and practices relevant to the public policymaking process, including the ability to speak to current policy debates
Develop expertise in economic analysis and other analytical methods relied upon by government agencies, nonprofits, research institutions, and business
Focus on policy analysis, development, and implementation
Have the opportunity to take a deeper dive into areas of interest with our MPP concentrations
Learn from faculty who are both scholars and practitioners, bringing their real-world experiences and connections into the classroom
MPP CURRICULUM
The MPP includes a core set of courses that emphasize data analysis and other decision-making tools as the foundation for assessing public problems, developing appropriate policy responses, and evaluating program effectiveness.
Students may utilize their elective courses to dive deeper into a particular area of interest by seeking one of five concentrations: Policy Analysis, Child Advocacy & Policy, Education Policy, Social Policy, & Health Policy.