Master program in Public Policy

The world faces enormous challenges, such as tackling climate change, improving living conditions for the world’s poor, strengthening international security, and ensuring that new technologies such as AI promote equality and prosperity. SSE's Master program in Public Policy (MPP) is designed for those who want to tackle these and other challenges head on. The program provides the multidisciplinary toolkit and the practical skills you need to design, implement and evaluate policies that address the defining challenges of our time.

The MPP program is the first program of its kind in the Nordics. But there is no better place to study public policy in practice. The Nordic countries have historically demonstrated that economic dynamism and social sustainability are not in tension. Open markets, strong institutions, equality, and high levels of trust reinforce each other. The Nordics is a living laboratory for the study of public policy that works - although it grapples, too, with what does not.  

Stockholm sits at the center of that laboratory. As Sweden’s political and economic capital, the city concentrates government ministries, regulatory agencies, and one of Europe’s most innovative business ecosystems within a few square kilometers. Students do not just study policy here - they encounter it, debate it, and engage with the people who actually make it.   

SSE itself occupies a distinctive position in this landscape. Few institutions in the world combine research excellence with such deep, sustained ties to both the private sector and the public sector. Since its founding, SSE’s mission has been to strengthen Sweden's competitiveness. We believe a country’s competitiveness, properly understood, depends as much on the quality of public institutions as the vitality of its markets.

B eyond  the academic  training,  you   will  work on  real-world policy challenges  through  case studies, assignments,  and projects in close collaboration with external organizations.  Throughout the program, you w ill   also learn from  experienced decision-makers and senior policy experts that  participate  in our fellowship  program.  You  will be encouraged to reflect on your own role in the policy-making process, to develop an understanding of diverse perspectives and contexts, and to act in an entrepreneurial and responsible way.  Over the course of the program,  you will develop the skills needed to shape world-class public policy that  truly   work s  for the communities you aim to serve.      

The first year is built around a set of academic core courses.  These courses are not taught in isolation: running throughout the year, and integrated directly with your coursework, is a hands-on policy project in which you work with a government agency or other organization to tackle a real policy challenge they face. A parallel skills track further develops your abilities in oral communication, AI-assisted  writing  and negotiations.  

In the second year, the focus shifts to your individual professional trajectory. Through a wide range of electives and international exchange opportunities, you can tailor your degree to your goals, and a professional internship provides   hands-on experience to put your learning into practice.