The Master of Public Policy (M.P.P.) is designed for individuals with at least seven years of significant, relevant professional experience who are interested in expanding their knowledge of public policy within urban, social, and environmental domains -- or across these domains, such as programs and policies related to sustainable communities. This degree program offers students the opportunity to strengthen their critical thinking, policy analysis, and communication skills; improve their professional practice in areas such as mediation, land use planning, or financial management; and establish close professional relationships and networks among faculty, affiliated agencies, and other students.
M.P.P. Degree Curriculum
Full-time students may complete this nine-credit degree in one year; part-time enrollment options are also available. The requirements for the M.P.P. are as follows:
Core Courses
Economics for Planning and Policy Analysis
This course introduces economic concepts and tools of analysis relevant to public policy and planning. Microeconomic and macroeconomic approaches to understanding economic behavior and to generating solutions to economic problems are explored. Applications include policies related to the environment, housing, individual and family income, and community development.
Quantitative Reasoning for Policy and Planning
This course presents basic concepts of statistical analysis and research, and develops related skills that are indispensable to agency directors, policymakers, and advocates alike. Students learn to select among available data sources, measures and indicators, and statistical techniques in order to best answer questions of interest.
Reflections on Public Policy Practice (Fall) and,
Integrative Seminar (Spring)
The M.P.P. Seminar, open only to M.P.P. enrolled students, is comprised of the above two half-credit courses. It helps students examine their own professional experiences in the context of prevailing theories about policy and program development, implementation, and evaluation.
Public Policy Areas
Each student, working closely with his or her academic advisor, identifies an area of public policy interest(s). The student then selects four policy courses that deepen his/her theoretical and practical understanding of policy within their area(s) of interest.
All our courses focus on urban, social and/or environmental policy issues. You can choose from one or more of these areas or you can choose to focus on the intersection(s) between these areas, namely the arena of sustainable development.
Examples of Public Policy Courses
- Social Welfare Policy
- Social Policy for Children and Families
- Race, Class and Public Policy in the United States
- Community Planning and Development
- Community Economic Development
- Real Estate Development and Finance
- Climate Chnage
- Environmental Law
- Chemicals, Health and the Environment
- Methods in Environmental Impact Assessment
- Water Resources Policy and Planning and Watershed Management
- Corporate Management of Environmental Issues
- Environmental Policy Research
- Developing Sustainable Communities
- Environmental Justice, Environmental Security and Sustainability
Professional Practice Electives
Students also have opportunities to enroll in courses that enhance their professional practice skills, such as:
- Leadership and Organizational Development
- Nonprofits, States and Markets
- Financial Analysis and Management
- Philanthropy and Fundraising
- Negotiation, Mediation, and Conflict Resolution
- Program Evaluation
- Geographic Information Systems
Up to two courses may be selected from course offerings in other Tufts departments and schools and, in addition, one class may be taken in the second semester at a consortium school as long as they relate to public policy and are approved by the student's advisor. Transfer credits are not be accepted.
Students with significant background in economics or statistics may, with faculty approval, waive the relevant required courses and substitute electives of their choosing.