UMass Boston

Public Policy MPP

Help create the policies that shape people’s lives.

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About the Program

Don’t just study public policy. Learn to analyze data, evaluate programs, use simulation tools, and design policies that improve communities with UMass Boston's Master's in Public Policy (MPP) program. Through practical training in data analytics, program evaluation, and policy simulation, you’ll develop the skills to solve complex public policy challenges in areas like housing, healthcare, education, and economic development. Apply those skills across government, nonprofit, and private sector organizations or pursue a specialized concentration aligned with your interests.

Here’s your chance to:

  • Specialize your studies by choosing from concentrations in Data Analytics and Policy Simulation, Social Policy and Racial Equity, or Nonprofit Organization Policy and Management to tailor your degree to your career goals.
  • Explore how policy decisions affect communities through coursework focused on equity analysis and racial justice.
  • Apply what you've learned by tackling a real policy challenge in a six-credit capstone that showcases your analytical and problem-solving skills.
  • Join a collaborative cohort of students from diverse academic and professional backgrounds while building a network that supports your career long after graduation.
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median annual salary for political scientists
Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024
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concentrations available to customize your degree
University Survey, 2026
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years, full-time, to complete the program
University Survey, 2026

Graduate student speaking at open house.

Career Possibilities

Take advantage of Greater Boston’s dynamic public policy community while receiving personalized career support from faculty mentors and university career services. Through networking, internships, and career-focused projects, you’ll build the experience and professional network to pursue opportunities across government, nonprofit, healthcare, and other public service sectors.

Here’s where this degree can take you:

  • Policy Analyst
  • Political Scientist
  • Legislative Analyst
  • Legislative Aide
  • Program Manager
  • Government Relations Specialist
  • Public Affairs Manager
  • Research Analyst
  • Budget and Financial Analyst
  • Community Development Manager
  • Policy Consultant
  • Evaluation and Impact Analyst

Plan Your Education

How to Apply

Deadlines: 

  • Fall Priority Deadline: April 1
  • Fall Final Deadline: June 15

Application Fee: The nonrefundable application fee is $75. UMass Boston alumni and current students that plan to complete degree requirements prior to graduate enrollment can submit the application without paying the application fee.

Applicants must meet general graduate admission requirements in addition to the program-specific requirements.

Apply as a Graduate Student

Financing Your Education

Estimate Your Program Cost: Get a feel for your expected program costs using the Graduate Program Cost Calculator.

Program Cost Information: Significant on-campus tuition discounts are available to residents of Massachusetts, the other New England states, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. For more detailed information on costs, visit the Bursar's website to learn more about Regular Session Tuition & Fees for in person courses and Special Price Tuition & Fees for online courses. Please refer to Financial Aid for more information.

Apply for Financial Aid

Graduate Scholarships

Program Details

Public Policy MPP Application Requirements

Statement of Purpose
Write a 500-word essay on your reasons for considering the UMass Boston MPP program in relation to your academic background, professional work experience, and career goals, and a 1,000-word essay describing your personal qualities and development and how they have influenced your career choice.

Résumé or CV
Add a current résumé or CV noting your previous educational (a bachelor's degree is required) and working experience.

Official Transcripts
Submit official copies of all undergraduate and graduate transcripts from all colleges attended.

Writing Sample
Submit a writing sample consisting of 3-5 pages. It might be from your previous academic or professional work.

GRE Scores
The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is not required for the MPP program. If you wish to submit GRE scores that are less than five years old, please use the UMass Boston GRE code: 3924.

Letters of Recommendation
Please include three letters of recommendation. We prefer that one letter be from a former professor or individual who can address your intellectual aptitude for graduate study; others can be from a supervisor or other professional reference.

Curriculum

Year 1 - Fall (9 credits)

  • PPOL-G 611 Public Policy Processes: Environmental Power and Outcomes
  • PUBPOL 620 Analytic Methods for Public Policy
  • PPOL-G 621 Microeconomics

Year 1 - Spring (9 credits)

  • PUBPOL 610 Policy and Program Evaluation
  • PPOL-G 602 Political Economy of Class, Race and Gender
  • PPOL-G 622 Public Finance and Budgeting

Year 1 - Summer (3 credits)

  • PUBPOL 699 Internship (can substitute with elective)

Year 2 - Fall (9 credits)

  • Concentration I: Elective I
  • Concentration I: Elective II
  • Concentration II: Elective I

Year 2 - Spring (9 credits)

  • Concentration II: Elective II
  • PUBPOL 698 Capstone

The program curriculum requires completion of at least four elective courses. At least two courses should be drawn from one concentration area, and at least two other courses should be drawn from another concentration area. In addition, students are required to complete an internship (after the first year of coursework) and a capstone research project (during the second year of study).

Students can choose two from three possible concentrations: Nonprofit Organization Policy and Management; Social Policy and Racial Equity; and Data Analytics and Policy Simulation.

For more information on curriculum, including course descriptions and degree requirements, visit the Academic Catalog.

Learning Outcomes

  • Learn how to shape policy across the public, nonprofit, and private sectors.
  • Enhance skills in policy design, analysis, and the execution of impactful interventions.
  • Acquire expertise in Data Analytics and Policy Simulation, Social Policy and Racial Equity, and Nonprofit Organization Policy and Management.
  • Study the integration of public policy with cutting-edge information systems and technology.
  • Gain a deep understanding of various application areas, including service delivery, nonprofit management, urban planning, community development, conflict resolution, and applied social sciences.

Graduation Criteria

Program Requirements

The program requires 39 credits of coursework including:

  • Six semester‐length courses for the core curriculum (18 credits)
  • Four semester‐length concentration courses in 2 different concentration areas (12 credits)
  • Internship [can be replaced by elective] (3 credits)
  • Capstone project (6 credits)

Students are expected to complete the 39-credit coursework, which includes ten three-credit courses, a three-credit internship (an elective can replace that), and a six-credit capstone project, within two years. All courses will be delivered in a synchronous format to foster real-time engagement and learning.

Capstone: Completion of a written paper and oral presentation.

Internship: There are multiple ways to satisfy the internship requirement. One is to complete the three-credit course PUBPOL 699 Internship in the summer after the first year. This will require students to coordinate with the Internship course instructor during the spring semester of the first year to choose an internship, to complete the internship during the summer after the first year, to attend PUBPOL 699 class sessions during the first summer session and to make a final internship presentation at the end of the second summer session. Alternatively, if students have sufficient and appropriate recent and/or current professional experience, they can request the MPP program director to waive this internship requirement. Finally, students may choose to take an additional three‐credit elective in place of internship.

Contact

Program Director Heather MacIndoe
Graduate Program Administrator, Outreach and Recruitment Jack Li
public.affairs@umb.edu
(617)287-6905

Graduate student networking.

Connect with the People Shaping Public Policy

Expand your impact beyond the classroom. Build experience through the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy and the Center for Social Policy, where research, leadership development, mentorship, and community partnerships connect classroom learning to real policy challenges. Full- and part-time options make it easier to balance graduate study with your professional goals.

Program Faculty

Amy E Smith, Associate Professor, Public Policy & Public Affairs

Amy Smith

Graduate Program Director/Associate Professor

Christian Weller, Department Chairman, Public Policy & Public Affairs

Christian Weller

Department Chair

Heather MacIndoe, Associate Professor, Public Policy & Public Affairs

Heather MacIndoe

Graduate Program Director/Associate Professor

Michael Johnson, Graduate Program Director/Professor, Public Policy & Public Affairs

Michael Johnson

Professor

Trevor Memmott, Assistant Professor, Public Policy & Public Affairs

Trevor Memmott

Assistant Professor

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Academic Community

Explore the department and college that supports your journey in Public Policy.

Related Programs

Next Steps

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