Studies & Degrees in Public Policy
Public Policy Study Programs
Public policy is the study of how governments and other public bodies decide what to do about collective problems, and of whether those decisions work. Students learn to define a problem, compare options, estimate costs and effects, and judge results with evidence. The University of Chicago describes its Public Policy major as multidisciplinary and grounded in the social sciences, with substantial inputs from economics, sociology, political science and law, and says the major aims to put analysis before advocacy.
The subject is more quantitative than many applicants expect. Economics and statistics are part of almost every programme, next to courses on politics, institutions and law. Students then specialise in a policy area such as health, education, the environment, social policy, international development or urban affairs. Public administration is a neighbouring field that concentrates on managing public organisations; many schools teach both.
Qualifications and levels
- Bachelor's degree. In the United States, public policy is a major within a four-year bachelor's degree. The BA at the University of Chicago requires two quarters of calculus, one quarter of statistics and five core Public Policy courses, among other components. At William & Mary, coursework is primarily in economics and government, with courses in psychology, sociology, law and philosophy.
- Master's degree. The Master of Public Policy (MPP) is the standard professional qualification and usually takes two years. At Duke University, 51 credit hours are required for the two-year MPP, every student completes an internship, and applicants must have taken one course in microeconomics and one in statistics. The University of Chicago's two-year MPP requires 18 graduate-level courses and a practical experience. Carnegie Mellon University offers a Master of Science in Public Policy and Management in several tracks, including a two-year track taught in Pittsburgh and one whose second year is a full-time fellowship in Washington, DC.
- Europe. Master's programmes are often shorter. The Department of Public Policy of Central European University (CEU), located in Vienna, lists an MA in Public Policy and a Master of Public Administration among its graduate programmes, which it states are accredited in the US and Austria. In Spain, official master's degrees have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. The Máster en Democracia y Gobierno of the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid lasts 1 year (60 ECTS), is taught in English and includes a track in public administration and public policy.
- Doctorate. A PhD is the route into university teaching and research positions.
In Spain there are few bachelor's degrees with public policy in the title. The subject is usually studied within a bachelor's degree (grado) of 240 ECTS credits in political science and public administration, followed by a master's degree.
Where to study it
SpainExchange lists 48 active schools for public policy. Thirty-one are in the United States, three in Spain and three in the United Kingdom, with one each in Nigeria, Australia, Hungary, South Korea, Austria, Finland, China, the Netherlands and Brazil. Examples are the University of Michigan, Duke University, the University of Chicago and Carnegie Mellon University in the United States, Lancaster University in the United Kingdom, the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid in Spain, the KDI School of Public Policy and Management in South Korea and the University of Jyväskylä in Finland.
Teaching is in English in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. CEU describes its department as an English-language institution with students from nearly 50 countries. Elsewhere, check the language of each programme with the school.
When comparing programmes, look at the amount of economics and statistics required, whether an internship or client project is part of the degree, which policy areas the school covers, and how close the school is to the governments or organisations where you want to work.
Careers
Graduates work as policy analysts and advisers in national, regional and local government, in international organisations, in think tanks and research institutes, in non-profit organisations and in consultancies and companies that deal with regulation.
Official statistics do not treat public policy graduates as one occupation. The closest category of the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is political scientists, whose duties include evaluating the effects of policies and laws on government, businesses and people. The BLS names public policy among the relevant master's degrees for this occupation. It is a small group: political scientists held about 6,100 jobs in the United States in 2025, 68% of them in the federal government, and employment is projected to decline 2 percent from 2025 to 2035. Most public policy graduates work under other job titles, so these figures describe only a small part of the field.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between public policy and public administration?
Public policy concentrates on analysing problems and designing and evaluating policies. Public administration concentrates on managing public organisations and services. Many schools offer both, for example an MA in Public Policy and a Master of Public Administration at CEU.
Do I need mathematics to study public policy?
Yes, at a moderate level. The University of Chicago's BA requires two quarters of calculus and one of statistics, and Duke University asks MPP applicants for a course in microeconomics and one in statistics.
How long does a Master of Public Policy take?
Usually two years in the United States, as at Duke University and the University of Chicago. In Europe there are one-year programmes: the Máster en Democracia y Gobierno of the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid has 60 ECTS credits.