Master of Public Policy (MPP)

Requirements

Internship

The Master of Public Policy requires an Internship (3 credits) for students with less than two years of substantial and relevant public policy or public management experience. The field work component of the Internship (2 credits) will be waived if an individual has at least two years substantial and relevant work experience in a policy making or appropriate public management position, although all students must enroll in the academic course component (1 credit) of the Internship to graduate. All students will be required to participate in the 1 credit academic seminar component of the Internship for purposes of reviewing the students’ professional portfolios.

Students seeking a waiver should make a formal request in writing to both the Department Chair and Internship Coordinator in the semester prior to when they plan on completing the internship requirement. This written request should include a detailed discussion of the substantive reasons why the applicant’s previous experience and professional background merits a waiver. Waivers are granted at the sole discretion of the Department of Public Policy.

Students will select an internship venue from a pre-approved list of local, state, and federal agencies, non-profit organizations, and private sector businesses. The internship’s objective is to expose students to a policy-related or public management setting that allows them to integrate public policy theory (in their academic course) with the real world of policy making and public management in their area of substantive interest. In the academic seminar, interns will share workplace experiences and analyze these experiences within the framework of public policy and public management theory.

Detailed and updated information about the department and its programs can be found on its home website:  https://www.umassd.edu/cas/public-policy/

Concentration Area

The MPP requires students to declare a policy area concentration at the time of application. The policy area concentration will be fulfilled by taking three or more courses on a related topic(s). Special Topics courses and Independent Study courses may count toward the concentration if they are relevant to the student’s declared area of concentration and are approved in advance by the Program Director.

Available concentration areas include:

• Public Management
• Environmental Policy
• Education Policy

Example course schedule for sequencing courses to complete the program in two years

Total credits: 34 or 36