Program Overview

Master of Public Affairs and Politics (MPAP)

The Program in Public Policy offers the Master of Public Affairs and Politics (M.P.A.P.) degree to help students develop or refine analytic and quantitative skills and to form a more thorough understanding of the political institutions and processes through which public policies are implemented and formulated. The M.P.A.P. may be completed in one-year if pursued on a full-time basis, and students also may pursue it part-time. Students must have completed five or more years of work experience in politics or public policy to qualify for the M.P.A.P. degree.

Core Curriculum

The core curriculum for the M.P.A.P. program consists of the following courses:

• Public Policy Formation 34:833:510 (3 credits): Formulation and implementation of public policy, with emphasis on federal policymaking, models for policy choice, and intergovernmental policy problems. Analysis of the formulation and implementation of a governmental program.
• Research Design 34:833:530 (3 credits): Covers both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, the processes of conceptualization and measurement, “experimental design,” and how social programs are structured so they may be effectively studied. Provides a firm foundation for additional methods and substantive policy courses.
• Basic Quantitative Methods 34:833:521 (3 credits): Covers descriptive and inferential statistics with a strong focus on bivariate hypothesis tests including t-test, Chi-square, and ANOVA, and ends with an introduction to the basics of linear regression.
• Economics and Public Policy 34:833:543 (3 credits): Basic microeconomic analysis with applications to current policy issues. Models of consumer and firm behavior applied to issues such as assistance programs for low-income individuals, tax incentives for firms and workers, and environmental regulation. Public goods, externalities, and the role of government in economic markets.

Elective Courses

Students may choose from a wide array of courses offered by faculty and practitioners in the Public Policy Program or in other programs at the Bloustein School. Students also may take up to six credits elsewhere at Rutgers University or (by special arrangement) at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University.

Program Requirements

The M.P.A.P. consists of 30 credits (10 courses), including 12 required credits in policy formation, research methods, economics, and quantitative methods. There is no thesis requirement. A student must maintain an overall grade-point average of 3.0 to graduate.

Faculty

The program faculty includes:

• Julia Sass Rubin, Ph.D., Program Director
• Joel Cantor, Sc.D.
• Jocelyn Elise Crowley, Ph.D.
• Derek DeLia, Ph.D.
• Irina Grafova, Ph.D.
• Andrea Hetling, Ph.D.
• Emily Parker, Ph.D.
• Mark Paul, Ph.D.
• Ronald Quincy, Ph.D.
• Stuart Shapiro, Ph.D.
• Jermaine Toney, Ph.D.
• Carl E. Van Horn, Ph.D.
• Shar Williams, Ph.D.
• Ruth Winecoff, Ph.D.

Senior Policy Fellows

The program also includes Senior Policy Fellows:

• Adriana Abizadeh
• Henry Coleman
• Bob Gordon
• Richard Keevey
• Brandon McKoy

Lecturers

The program features lecturers:

• Leah Apgar
• Rich Bagger
• Josie Faass, Ph.D.
• Marie Mascherin
• Angie McGuire, Ph.D.
• Derek Roseman
• Sean Simone, Ph.D.
• Bob Sommer
• Greg Stankiewicz, Ph.D.
• Marleina Ubel
• Stephanie Walsh, Ph.D.
• Brielle Winslow-Majette

Student and Academic Services

The program offers student and academic services, including:

• Steve Weston, Assistant Dean of Academic Administration
• Courtney Culler, Associate Director for Graduate Student Services
• Greg Marrero, Senior Counselor, Graduate Student Services
• Andrea Garrido, Assistant Director for Career Management for Planning, Policy, and Informatics Masters Students
• Cheryl Egan, Assistant Director for Career Management for Health Administration Masters Students

Degree Programs

The Bloustein School offers various degree programs, including:

• Master of Public Policy (MPP)
• Master of Public Affairs and Politics (MPAP)
• Public Policy Joint and Dual Degrees
• Public Policy Certificate