Program Overview

Introduction to the Public Policy Program

The Public Policy Program at Stanford University is designed to provide students with the analytical tools and frameworks necessary for effective public policy analysis. The program offers a coterminal M.A. in Public Policy, which is available to Stanford undergraduates from diverse backgrounds.

Coterminal Program

The coterminal M.A. in Public Policy is a degree program that responds to the need for an intellectually-rigorous pathway for undergraduates to approach public service. Most students complete their M.A. in a fifth year at Stanford, though it is possible to complete an undergraduate and coterminal program in fewer than fifteen quarters. The program offers three tracks, depending on a student's undergraduate major.

Track Requirements

• Track A for Public Policy Majors: This track allows students to complete an additional, upper-division concentration, or extend their undergraduate concentration. Students must also participate in a colloquium and a graduate-level practicum or write a master's thesis.
  • Concentration: Public Policy Track A coterm students must complete 29 or more units in an area of concentration.
  • Colloquium: All Public Policy graduate students are required to attend and enroll in two quarters of PUBLPOL 311 Public Policy Colloquium.
  • Capstone: Completion of either the Graduate Practicum PUBLPOL 309 for ten units or a Master's Thesis.
  • Decision Making: Completion of one decision-making course.
  • Concentration Courses and Electives: All 45 units must be taken in upper division (100-level) courses, and at least 25 of those units must be taken at the graduate level (200-level and above).
• Track B: Economics Majors: This track is for students whose undergraduate major is Economics. Economics majors typically follow the requirements detailed in Track C; however, many Economics majors take courses for their major that also satisfy the content requirements of the Public Policy coterminal M.A.
  • Core Courses: Students must complete one course from each of the following categories: Politics, Law and Policy, Economic Analysis, Decision Making, Political and Moral Philosophy, Organizations, and Applied Econometrics.
  • Concentration: Complete a concentration of at least 15 units, under the guidance of a faculty adviser and the Public Policy program director.
  • Colloquium: All Public Policy graduate students are required to attend and enroll in two quarters of PUBLPOL 311 Public Policy Colloquium.
  • Electives: Students must petition to count additional advanced policy skills courses (if needed) to meet the 45-unit degree requirement.
• Track C: All Other Majors: This track is for students whose undergraduate major is not Public Policy or Economics. This track gives students from other academic backgrounds exposure to the tools and frameworks of policy analysis through completion of a core of graduate-level public policy courses.
  • Core Courses: Students must complete one course from each of the following categories: Economics and Statistics, Politics, Law and Policy, Economic Analysis, Decision Making, Political and Moral Philosophy, Organizations, and Applied Econometrics.
  • Concentration: Complete a concentration of at least 15 units, under the guidance of a faculty adviser and the Public Policy program director.
  • Colloquium: All Public Policy graduate students are required to attend and enroll in two quarters of PUBLPOL 311 Public Policy Colloquium.
  • Electives: Students must petition to count additional advanced policy skills courses (if needed) to meet the 45-unit degree requirement.

Prerequisites

All applicants should have completed, or be currently enrolled in, required preparatory coursework prior to application. These courses do not count towards the 45-unit M.A. requirement. Courses should be taken for a letter grade.

• ECON 1: Principles of Economics
• MATH 20: Calculus
• PUBLPOL 50 Intermediate Microeconomics for Public Policy (Track A) or ECON 50 Economic Analysis and ECON 51 (Track A and B only)
• ECON 102A: Introduction to Statistical Methods (Track A and B only)
• ECON 102B: Applied Econometrics (Track A and B only)

Graduation Requirements

1. Take all courses for a letter grade.
2. Secure a faculty advisor within the first two quarters enrolled in the coterminal M.A. degree program.
3. Achieve a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (B) or better for all courses taken towards the M.A.
4. If admitted to the MPP, coterminal M.A. students must transfer all applicable units to the MPP degree.
5. Comply with all relevant University and program deadlines and policies.