Evening Master's Program FAQ

Please see the Office of the Bursar's schedule of tuition rates and fees for the most accurate information. (Note that students in the Evening Master's Program are not charged a student life fee.) Tuition is subject to an estimated 3% - 5% increase per year.

Access to the libraries at the University of Chicago and the career services resources at Harris School of Public Policy, and any of the other services and facilities in the Harris building on the Hyde Park campus are included as part of your tuition.

Students employed in the non-profit and public sectors are eligible for a Non-Profit and Public Sector Employer Match Scholarship. Students receiving employer funding match receive that as part of their overall merit award, which is reflected in the admission letter. Aid will be disbursed over four quarters of study. 

Students with employer financial support, employed in the non-profit and public sectors, receiving the funding match from Harris, must provide documentation from their employers confirming the organizational status and amount of financial support at the offer/deposit deadline in the quarter in which they enroll.  

Students are only eligible for the employer funding match at the time of admission for the quarter in which they enroll.  Students who change employers or separate from their employer during the course of study in the EMP are not eligible for retroactive funding.  

Students who are approved to defer their enrollment to a future term of study will be required to re-confirm their eligibility via documentation from their employer at the start of the new term.

If students receiving the employer funding match from Harris change employment sectors during their course of study, the funding match may be removed. 

The amount of the employer funding match will not exceed $5,000.  If a student’s term of study falls over two calendar years and they receive two annual disbursements of tuition assistance from their employer the amount matched will not exceed $5,000. 

Students eligible for the employer funding match and other match programs, like the Segal award, will not exceed $10,000 in matched funds.  Students cannot exceed $5,000 per match category 

University of Chicago employees are not eligible for the employer funding match.  

We do use the classic cohort model and each cohort is approximately 25-35 students.

We admit one cohort each Fall (September start). The University of Chicago is on the quarter system, and the program takes four quarters to complete. The Evening Master's Program will not offer summer classes.

There will be 1-2 cohorts running depending on the time of year.

You can request information for our upcoming cohorts now, and view the application deadlines here. 

Classes will be held twice a week from 6:00 p.m – 8:50 p.m. during Fall, Winter, and Spring terms. (The University of Chicago is on a quarter system.) There will be one Saturday session per quarter.

Convene is located at 311 West Monroe, between South Franklin and South Wacker Streets in The Loop. Convene is ideal for working professionals downtown. Students are a short walk from Ogilvie and Union Station and the 37 CTA bus, and a few blocks from the Quincy and Washington/Wells CTA “L” station. View more about the transit and parking near Convene on their website.

The Evening Master’s Program is envisioned as a fully in-person degree program. Courses meet at our downtown location two evenings per week, and one Saturday per quarter at the Hyde Park Campus. 

As with any part-time degree program, we recommend that candidates give thought to their work-course balance. The courses in the Evening Master's Program are tailored to working professionals. You should plan to spend 15-20 hours outside of classes each week to meet, study, and engage as needed with students beyond your two classes.

We value the work experience of the candidates for this program and want to reduce barriers for working professionals who want to pursue a degree at Harris Public Policy.

While the GRE is not required, an interview is required. Qualified applicants will be contacted for interviews after they submit their application as part of the review process.

There are no prerequisites for this program. Once you've accepted your admission, you will receive additional information about preparing for the quantitative and analytical elements of the program. We offer customized online math preparation to incoming EMP students.

Yes. The online onboarding process begins weeks prior to the the start of the academic quarter and will help you to integrate into the program smoothly. The onboarding process provides ample opportunity to prepare for quantitative courses and hone graduate-level writing skills. Prior to the start of the academic quarter, evening orientation sessions provide an opportunity to network and bond with your cohort, and learn more about what Harris has to offer. Details are available in the Admitted Students section under Orientation.

There will also be an Admitted Students' Reception so that you can learn more about the program and get answers to any last minute questions. Details and timing will be shared via email.

As a part-time program, this program does not qualify for student visas. The University is only able to sponsor full-time students in F-1 or J-1 status (when eligible).

While we are happy to hear that you are bringing a strong academic background to the program, currently students do not have the option to waive out of coursework.

Students receive a Master of Arts (MA) in public policy and gain a solid foundation in the fundamentals of data analytics, economic analysis, leadership, and the strategic foundations of public policy. The MA is different from the Master of Public Policy (MPP), which requires an additional year of coursework in electives to gain a specialization.

Yes, individuals in this program who are eligible for aid and enrolled in at least 200 units per quarter (the EMP schedule is 225 units per quarter) may apply for federal aid (loans).

Electives are not a required component of this program but some students may choose to take them.  Harris does not offer elective courses downtown in the evening as part of this program. Students who wish to pursue electives may enroll in daytime Harris courses or in evening courses offered by other University divisions.

Yes, you may enroll in courses offered at the University over the summer. Tuition will be at the same rate depending on the number of courses taken. Harris does not offer summer courses, but students may explore other divisions across campus that do host a summer session.