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Dec 05, 2025
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American University Catalog 2025-2026
Public Policy (MPP)
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Offered by the Department of Public Administration and Policy , School of Public Affairs , the Master of Public Policy (MPP) degree program prepares students to advance the quality of policy making in a variety of institutional settings in the U.S. and abroad by instilling a blend of analytical, contextual, ethical, and substantive skills and knowledge.
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Admission to the Program
Applicants must meet the minimum university requirements for graduate study. Admission decisions are based on each applicant’s academic record, two letters of recommendation, and an essay written by the applicant on his or her background and career interests. Submission of test scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) are optional, and applicants may substitute test scores from similar tests, such as the GMAT or LSAT, for the GRE where appropriate. We understand that applicants for our MPP program come from a wide variety of backgrounds. Given the quantitative nature of some of the coursework in the MPP program, in evaluating these applications we may consider performance in prior quantitative undergraduate courses such as economics or statistics. Such coursework, however, is not required for admission. Admission decisions are based on each applicant’s total record and not on any single strength or deficiency. Core (18 credit hours)
Note: Students may test out of PUAD-601 and substitute another approved course. Students with completed coursework equivalent to PUAD-670 may substitute another course with approval. Specialization or Track (18 credit hours)
Complete one of the following: Advanced Policy Analytics Specialization
Required (12 credit hours)
Restricted Electives (6 credit hours)
Complete 6 credit hours from the following, or other approved courses: Required (3 credit hours)
Analysis (3 credit hours)
Complete 3 credit hours from the following: Management (3 credit hours)
Complete 3 credit hours from the following: Concentration (9 credit hours)
- 9 credit hours in an area of concentration. Areas include: education policy; social policy; health policy; science, technology, and environmental policy; crime, public law, and policy; public financial management; public management; nonprofit policy, management, and leadership; global governance and management; comparative public policy; advanced policy analysis; race, policy, and administration; and cyber policy and management. Students may create special areas of concentration by consulting their academic counselor
Capstone (3 credit hours)
Internship
- Students without a significant professional work background participate in either a for-credit or non-credit internship. Students taking a for-credit internship complete PUAD-691 Internship (1-6) as part of the concentration; students taking a non-credit internship complete a survey on the experience
Combined Bachelor’s and Public Policy (MPP)
American University offers students the opportunity to earn both undergraduate and graduate degrees through its combined bachelor’s/master’s programs. See Admission to a Combined Bachelor’s / Master’s Program and Combined Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees for more information. In addition to meeting the minimum university requirements for combined bachelor’s/master’s programs: - Admission requires a minimum 3.00 cumulative GPA, a completed application form (available from the Department of Public Administration and Policy (DPAP) and submitted to the BA/MPP advisor), a written faculty recommendation, an essay on the student’s interests and abilities in public policy, and an interview with an academic advisor
- Undergraduate students may apply up to 15 credit hours of approved graduate-level coursework to satisfy the requirements for both degrees. Students take courses in statistics, public policy, economics, and other courses approved by the Associate Chair
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