The curriculum is a two-year course of study of 39 hours of graduate coursework, comprised of 21 credit hours of required core courses, 3-6 credit hours of coursework in analytical and financial methods, and 12-15 credit hours in a defined concentration or an individualized concentration that must be approved by the program director.

DISCLAIMER

The information listed here is taken from the University Catalog, but may not be 100% up-to-date. For the most accurate curriculum information, visit the University Catalog and scroll to find your program: 2050.60 – Master of Public Policy

1.REQUIRED CORE COURSES (21):

• PMAP 8011 Politics and Policy
• PMAP 8010 Social Policy or GLOS 6400 International Governance & Policy (Global Affairs concentration students)
• PMAP 8121 Applied Research Methods and Statistics I
• PMAP 8131 Applied Research Methods and Statistics II
• PMAP 8141 Microeconomics for Public Policy*
• PMAP 8531 Policy Analysis
• PMAP 8900 Public Service Capstone**

*Students may substitute ECON 8100 for PMAP 8141 if they plan to take ECON 8110, ECON 8180, or ECON 8740 in the analytical sequence.

**Students may substitute PMAP 8991 for PMAP 8900 if they plan to write a thesis.

2. Analytical or Financial Methods Elective(s) (3-6):

• PMAP 8161 Public Budgeting and Finance or PMAP 8261 Nonprofit Financial Management
• PMAP 8521 Evaluation Research: Design and Practice
• PMAP 8561 GIS Applications
• ECON 8110 Macroeconomic Analysis
• ECON 8180 Applied Economic Analysis
• ECON 8740 Applied Statistics and Econometrics
• PH 7345 Introduction to Risk Assessment
• PH 7522 Qualitative Research or SOCI 8342 Qualitative Methods in Sociology

2. CONCENTRATION COURSES(12-15):

Every student chooses a concentration from one of the following approved options: Education Policy, Environmental Policy, Global Affairs, Health Policy, Nonprofit Policy, Public Finance Policy, Social Policy, and Urban Planning and Policy. Students also have the option of developing an individualized concentration in consultation with the Master’s Faculty Program Director. Approval of individual concentrations is required. Students must complete the online graduate petition found here: aysps.wufoo.com/forms/graduate-petition/ to request approval from the department.

3. INTERNSHIP OR THESIS OPTION (3 CREDITS):

PMAP 8941 Internship: Internships provide students the opportunity to apply concepts and skills gained from their graduate curriculum and are optional for all M.P.P. students who lack significant prior administrative experience in a public or nonprofit agency or a related organization. The department’s faculty internship coordinators assist in the search for an appropriate internship opportunity, but students are expected to take the lead. An internship requires enrollment in three hours of PMAP 8941 and the completion of 300 hours of work in the intern position. Students are free to work full-time or part-time, according to their needs and those of their internship sponsor. Many students find paid internships, but unpaid internships can also be very rewarding. Students should consider the value of the experience that an internship provides, in addition to the pay. Internship information and applications are available from the Department of Public Management and Policy. Students with substantial prior administrative experience may petition to waive the internship requirement by completing the online Graduate Internship Waiver Petition form: aysps.wufoo.com/forms/graduate-internship-waiver-petition/.

PMAP 8991 Thesis: Candidates for the Master’s degree in Public Policy have the option to submit an approved thesis to complete the requirements for the degree. A thesis replaces the requirement for PMAP 8900: Public Service Capstone, the option most students are encouraged to pursue. A thesis may be more appropriate for a student who expects to pursue a doctoral degree, although other students may also pursue this option. The decision to write a thesis is made by the student in consultation with and with the approval of the department’s Faculty Program Director for the Department of Public Management and Policy (PMAP). Before approval is given, the student must demonstrate that an appropriate member of the faculty of PMAP is willing to chair the thesis committee, and that two other appropriate faculty members are willing to serve on the committee. A student must have completed at least 18 hours of graduate credit in the M.P.P., including PMAP 8010, PMAP 8011, and PMAP 8121, before registering for thesis hours.

Application Deadlines*

*Online applications must be submitted and all materials received by the deadline to be reviewed for admission.

Application Submission Instructions

• Create an account.
• Start a new application.
  • Select application type: “Graduate Programs”
  • Click “Create application”
  • Click “Open Application” to begin your application
• On the “Program Selection” page:
  • Select College: “Andrew Young School of Policy Studies”
  • Select Program: “Public Policy; Master of Public Policy”

Application Requirements

A completed application includes:

1. Submitted Online Application. All online applications must be submitted by the deadline. Paper applications are not available.
2. Application fee: A nonrefundable fee of $50 is required for each application. This fee must be paid online by credit card.
3. Goal statement: The goal statement is your means of presenting yourself to the Graduate Admissions Committee. You should submit a short typed statement of personal and professional goals as they relate to the certificate or degree program you are seeking. Most applicants write approximately two typed pages, summarizing their work experience, the reasons they have chosen the program, why they want to attend Georgia State, and how the degree fits in with their career goals.
4. Official GRE (Graduate Record Examination) scores: Official scores must be reported to institution code 5251 and received by GA State by the application deadline. More information can be found at our Admissions FAQ page or, to schedule the test, at www.gre.org.  Want to be considered for a GRE waiver? Review eligibility and apply here.
5. TOEFL or IELTS Academic scores (International applicants only): All international applicants are required to submit official TOEFL or IELTS Academic scores.
6. Three letters of recommendation: All letters should be submitted through the online application.
7. Upload Transcripts from each post-secondary college/university attended:
   • Upload each transcript to the Academic History section of the online application before submitting your application -or- upload to your application status page under the Upload Materials section if your application has been submitted.
   • Review all requirements for submitting transcripts here.
   • Failure to follow these requirements will delay your application processing.

If you need assistance with the application process, please contact the Office of Admissions – Graduate Programs.

If you want to learn more about our programs, please contact the Office of Academic Assistance for the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at [email protected].

Master of Public Administration (MPA)

If you are looking for a professional degree that includes policy but also focuses on managing and leading a public or nonprofit organization, the MPA degree offers courses in organizational behavior, human resources management, public budgeting, and management systems.

CONCENTRATIONS

• Criminal Justice
• Management and Finance
• Nonprofit Management
• Policy Analysis and Evaluation
• Public Management Health
• Urban Planning and Economic Development

CAREER PATHS

• Directors
• Program Managers
• City Managers
• Executive Directors
• Chief Financial Officers
• Volunteer Management
• Human Resources
• Development Directors

Master of Public Policy (MPP)

The MPP is focused on policy analysis, advocacy and evaluation, and the core for this program includes courses in statistics, evaluation research, politics and policy, and policy analysis. Some students use the MPP as preparation for entering a doctoral program in public policy.

CONCENTRATIONS

• Education Policy
• Environmental Policy
• Global Affairs
• Health Policy
• Nonprofit Policy
• Public Finance Policy
• Social Policy
• Urban Planning and Policy

CAREER PATHS

• Policy analysts
• Consultants
• Advocacy
• Evaluation

Choosing Classes

• Student Planning Resources
• Course Syllabi

Careers

For help with your career direction, contact AYSPS Career Services. Attend our frequent workshops or work one-on-one with a career counselor to optimize your job search.

Talk to an Advisor:

Office of Academic Assistance
Telephone: 404-413-0021
[email protected]