Master of Science in Public Policy

Drexel’s MS in Public Policy is similar in its core curriculum to a Master of Public Administration (MPA) and a Master of Public Policy (MPP) program, as it is designed for people who work, or who would like to work, for government or a nonprofit organization. It is innovative and distinct in at least two key respects: focus on case study research and distinct track of specialization. Case Study Research: The program has a required core curriculum of nine courses, specifically designed for students to: Develop an understanding of the social, political and ethical context of policy research, and how this understanding can be applied to an applied practice of policy analysis; Conceptualize, design and conduct social research for policy purposes, as well as comprehensively analyze existing social research data; Recognize the history of public policy institutions in America and the management and governance of nonprofit organizations; and Understand the concept of sustainability as it relates to policy planning, design, and implementation. In addition to the core courses, the program has a focus on case study research as a unifying element of the curriculum. The curriculum reinforces coursework with a series of accompanying 1-credit, online, Case Study Research co-requisites. Students are required to choose a specific case study topic that they will work on for the duration of their time in the program. In each subsequent Case Study Research course, students continue further research and writing on their chosen case study topic. Thus by the end of the program students will have produced a polished, in-depth analysis of a specific case that they can use to demonstrate expertise in a given policy area. Specialization Tracks: With the approval and support of the program director, students can craft a specialized course of study with their three electives, or they can take courses in the following: Economic Policy Education Policy Environmental Policy Information Policy Science and Technology Policy