A two-year MPP program for students interested in developing the analytical skills needed to take on today's pressing policy challenges.

Across the public and private sectors, a new generation of data-minded leaders is needed to bring fresh thinking and different approaches to the world's most pressing policy challenges.

The two-year MPP is a professional degree program designed to develop leaders who put evidence first. In course work, you'll build critical thinking and analytical skills in the core curriculum and learn to make data-driven decisions. Through applied experiences in Chicago and beyond, you’ll meet face-to-face with professionals in the field to analyze urgent policy problems and design solutions that work, using the latest science and technology.

The core curriculum draws on a variety of disciplines and fields, including economics, sociology, political science, statistics, econometrics, political economy, organizational theory, and program evaluation, an ideal fit for students seeking a multidisciplinary approach to the study of public policy.

Consistent with the highly quantitative and analytic nature of the Harris School's MPP degree, Harris has categorized the MPP under a code which is currently on the DHS STEM list. Students on F-1 visas who have earned a degree that has been designated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a STEM degree may be eligible to apply for a 24-month extension of their post-completion optional practical training (OPT) so long as they meet all eligibility criteria at the time of application.

Program Contacts

Current students with questions about program requirements may contact their assigned academic advisor or the Harris Dean of Students, Kate Shannon Biddle (kbiddle@uchicago.edu).  Your contact at UChicagoGRAD is Amanda Young, Associate Director, Graduate Student Affairs (amanday@uchicago.edu).

Prospective and admitted students should contact Harris Admissions (harrisadmissions@uchicago.edu).

Program Details

Curriculum

  • 18 graduate-level courses (1800 units of credit) with at least 12 Public Policy (PPHA) courses

  • 6 core courses that provide a foundation in critical analysis, reflecting Harris's belief that mastering quantitative and analytical skills prepares students to be effective public policy leaders

    • PPHA 30800 Analytical Politics I: Strategic Foundations

    • PPHA 31610 Analytical Politics II: Political Institutions 

    • Statistics Sequence I:

      • PPHA 31002 Statistics for Data Analysis I, or

      • PPHA 31202 Advanced Statistics for Data Analysis I

    • Statistics Sequence II: 

      • PPHA 31102 Statistics for Data Analysis II: Regressions, or

      • PPHA 31302 Advanced Statistics for Data Analysis II

    • Microeconomics Sequence I:

      • PPHA 32300 Principles of Microeconomics for Public Policy I, or

      • PPHA 32310 Advanced Microeconomics for Public Policy I

    • Microeconomics Sequence II:

      • PPHA 32400 Principles of Microeconomics for Public Policy II, or

      • PPHA 32410 Advanced Microeconomics for Public Policy II

  • Elective Options

    • MPP students can explore special academic interests and fields as well as participate in internships and independent research complementing required course work.

    • Students may choose to focus on an area of public policy, register for courses in departments and schools across the University, and take advantage of experiential opportunities to apply what they learn in the classroom to real-world problems.

Other Requirements

  • A cumulative GPA of 2.7 for all courses, based on a 4.0 scale

  • A grade of C- or better for the 6 core courses

  • Completion of the math requirement (support available)

  • Completion of a practical experience requirement (more information)

  • No more than 2 reading/research, independent study, or internship courses

  • No more than 2 courses taken Pass/Fail (core courses cannot be taken pass/fail)

  • Courses with grades of F, I, W, or with no reported grade do not apply toward the 18-course requirement for the program.

  • Policies on the the results of not meeting these requirements can be found on the Harris policies page.

  • Any questions about these requirements can be sent to the Harris Dean of Students Office at harrisdeanofstudents@uchicago.edu.

Sample Schedule

Year 1

Autumn

  • Microeconomics I (PPHA 32300)
  • Statistics for Data Analysis I (PPHA 31002)
  • Analytical Politics I: Strategic Foundations (PPHA 30800)

Winter

  • Microeconomics II (PPHA 32400)
  • Statistics for Data Analysis II: Regressions (PPHA 31102)
  • Analytical Politics II: Political Institutions (PPHA 31610)

Spring

  • Elective
  • Elective
  • Elective
Hilarie Koplow-McAdams, AM'87
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