Design your path at Harris to acquire the knowledge you need to succeed in the policy arena.

To produce positive social impact takes serious work, rigorous science, and the courage to find the most effective solutions—whether they feel good or not. Whether you choose to enter the public, private, or nonprofit sector, Harris Public Policy’s degrees, courses, and career support will help you achieve success on your terms.

Harris Programs

Choose a full-time or part-time degree program that's right for you. Whether your passion is tackling climate change at the systemic level, applying the most cutting-edge computer science to analyze how policies impact lives, or anything in between, you'll find a Harris program that fits your goals.

Core

In the core curriculum, gain the analytical foundation that prepares you to make data-driven decisions now and throughout your career.

Faculty

Learn the latest data modeling technology and social science methods from an international faculty—including Nobel laureates—who are conducting innovative research across the policy spectrum, from education to energy and the environment, from global security to urban policy around the world.

Community

Join a diverse community of students from around the globe who will challenge you and cheer you on, and participate in more than 20 student organizations, from the Asian Policy Forum to Women in Public Policy.

Electives

Broaden your perspectives through elective courses at Harris and in other schools and divisions, including the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Law School, and Social Sciences Division. All of our full-time programs offer the opportunity to add specializations in areas such as economic policy, health policy, international development, political campaigns, and others.

Immersion

Confront issues in Chicago and around the world through internships and other practical experience opportunities, from Harris Policy Labs, which develops solutions for client organizations, to one-on-one mentoring with top policy practitioners.

Part-time students wrestle with real-world policy issues in four seminar-style classes focused on different policy areas. Topics change from year-to-year depending on instructor and current events.

Careers

Prepare for your career through individual career counseling, employer and alumni networking, and on-campus recruiting.

Alumni Network

When you graduate, join a worldwide network of alumni who are leading across fields and nations, creating positive change as economists and analysts, diplomats and CEOs.

Bruce Meyer

McCormick Foundation Professor

Bruce D. Meyer

Bruce D. Meyer, the McCormick Foundation Professor at Harris, studies poverty and inequality, tax policy, government safety net programs such as unemployment insurance, workers' compensation, food stamps, and Medicaid, and the accuracy of household surveys.