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PhD in Education Policy

Become a world-class researcher in equity-driven educational policy.

Our PhD in Education Policy provides you with a deep and nuanced understanding of the education policy process, including policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation, and the methodological approaches used to examine these processes and their effects. As a student, you will also explore how the (re)design of policies and systems create substantive improvements in learning opportunities for learners of all ages.

Through apprenticed research experiences and coursework, students will be prepared to engage in collaborative partnerships with a range of policy stakeholders including educators, leaders, policymakers, students, and communities across local, national, and international contexts

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Program Facts

Degree Type

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Time Commitment

Full-Time or Part-Time

5 years on average

Enrollment Term

Application Deadline

Admissions Requirements

No GRE Exam required

Program Overview

The PhD in Educational Policy is a 90-credit doctoral program. Through apprenticed research experiences, students will gain expertise in policy analysis necessary to prepare them to do independent research and pursue careers in policy research.

Flexible Curriculum

Students have the flexibility to choose courses that match their interests. Many options for customization exist within the curriculum and through the choice between electives or the completion of an optional Area of Concentration (ARCO).

Specialization Option

In place of the elective requirement, students have the option of completing an Area of Concentration (ARCO) as part of the degree. An ARCO is a University of Pittsburgh credential that provides specialization within a specific discipline of education policy. The doctoral ARCO pathway is 18 credits and does not result in any added cost, time, or credit hours.

• Comparative and International Education ARCO

See details about the ARCO courses in the curriculum section below. 

"My classes, professors, and staff have been welcoming and engaged throughout my time in the program. It has inspired me to work for international education, social justice, and social change both in my hometown in Peru and around the world." Jennifer Ponce Cori - Pitt student

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Prerequisites

• Bachelor’s degree in any subject
• Interest in a career related to education policy and in exploring how policy can contribute to more just and equitable education systems

Minimum of 90 credits required

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Education Policy Core (6 credits)

Students are required to complete both courses:

• EFOP 3010 – Educational Systems, Macro Policy, and Politics  (3 credits)
• EFOP 3011 – Education Policy: Students, Families, Educators and Policymakers (3 credits)

Research Methods (21 credits)

A total of 21 credits is required.

Students take the following three schoolwide PhD core research courses (9 credits):  

• EDUC 3100: Intro to Quant Methods: Descriptive and Inferential Statistics (3 credits)
• EDUC 3103: Quantitative Methods 2 (3 credits)
• EDUC 3104: Introduction to Qualitative Methods (3 credits)

12 additional credits should be taken, based on interests. Recommended research methods courses include but are not limited to:

• EDUC 2201 Introduction to Research Methodology
• EDUC 2205 Field Methods
• EDUC 3000 Advanced Applied Statistical Analysis
• EDUC 3106 Advanced Applied Qualitative Analysis
• EDUC 3107 Ways of Knowing
• EDUC 3418 Causal Moderation and Mediation Analysis
• EDUC 3501 Critical Policy Analysis
• EDUC 3503 Historical Research Analysis & Archival Methods
• EDUC 3505 Research-Practice Partnerships
• EDUC 3506 Mixed Methods Research
• EFOP 2018 Statistics 1: Descriptive and Inferential Statistics
• EFOP 2019 Statistics 2: Analysis of Variance
• EFOP 2030 Experimental Design
• EFOP 2353 Applied Anthropology of Education
• EFOP 2410 Applied Regression Analysis
• EFOP 3012 Qualitative Data Management Analysis and Presentation
• EFOP 3201 Introduction to Educational Evaluation
• EFOP 3208 Case Study Methods in Education
• EFOP 3408 Hierarchical Linear Modeling
• EFOP 3471 Constructing Questionnaires and Conducting Surveys
• EFOP 3472 Causal Inference in Educational Research
• TLL 2405 Introduction to Action Research Methods
• TLL 3003 Research Interviewing

Program Electives (18 credits) or Optional Area of Concentration (18 credits)

Students can either take program electives or select from an approved list of courses in the Comparative and International Education ARCO.

Program Electives (18 credits)

Social context

• EFOP 2133 Gender and Education
• EFOP 2305 Sociology of Education
• EFOP 2306 History of Education
• EFOP 2307 Politics and History of Higher Education
• EFOP 2310 Contemporary Philosophy of Education
• EFOP 2343 Education and Culture
• EFOP 2352 Anthropology of Education
• EFOP 2398 Economics of Education
• EFOP 3003 Theories of Educational Inequality
• EFOP 3310 Philosophy of Education, Equity & Justice

Education Policy 

• EDUC 3505 Research-Practice Partnerships 
• EFOP 3141 Policy Studies in Higher Education 
• EFOP 3315 Education Politics: Power & Inequality in K-12 Education Systems
• TLL 3021 Learning Sciences and Educational Change
• TLL 3008 Educational Policy
• TLL 3095 Organizational Perspectives on Education Improvement
• TLL 3540 Design of Educational Systems

Higher Education

• EFOP 2129 Social Justice in Higher Education Settings
• EFOP 3015 Ethical Issues in Higher Education
• EFOP 3131 Student, Campus, & Society
• EFOP 3141 Policy Studies in Higher Education
• EFOP 3150 Foundations for the Study of Higher Education

Special Courses

• EFOP 2096 Internship in EFOP
• EFOP 2089 Special Topics
• EFOP 3089 Special Topics
• EFOP 3098 Directed Study

Area of Concentration (ARCO) Option (18 credits)

Instead of completing program electives, students can opt to add an ARCO in Comparative and International Education Policy.

To meet the criteria for the area of concentration in Comparative & International Education, students complete at least 18 credits from the courses listed below, including 3 required credits of EFOP 3085. 

• EFOP 3085 Comp & Int’l Ed Seminar
• EFOP 2106 International & Global Education
• EFOP 2359 Gender, Education, and International Development
• EFOP 3136 Comparative Higher Education
• EFOP 3301 Social Theories & Education in Global Context
• EFOP 3343 Comparative Education

General Electives (9 credits)

All students are required to take 9 credits of general electives. Students can select from any graduate-level courses relevant to their program of study, with advisor approval.

Supporting Field (9 credits)

As an interdisciplinary program of study, PhD students in the Education Policy program are required to take 9 credits outside of the School of Education representing a coherent disciplinary or thematic focus.

We encourage students to consult with their advisors about selecting courses that best align with their goals. Courses taken at a previous institution may be transferred to meet the Supporting Field requirement, if approved by the advisor.

No modifications to this requirement are permitted, unless approved by a majority of the program faculty.

Other Required Courses (27 credits)

• EDUC 3102: First-Year Seminar (1 credit)
• EDUC 3105: First-Year Seminar (2 credits)
• EFOP 3097: Supervised Research (6 credits)
• Dissertation Credits (18 credits)

Degree Requirements

• Completion of all coursework
• Dissertation defense
• Doctoral comprehensive examination

Career Pathways

Popular pathways include the following:

• Faculty position at a higher education institution
• Senior policy fellow
• Policy researcher for a government agency, non-governmental agency, or nonprofit institution

Program Faculty

Program Coordinator

Hayley R. Weddle

Eleanor Anderson

Josh Bleiberg

Michael Gunzenhauser

Sean Patrick Kelly

Maureen McClure

Maureen K. Porter

M. Najeeb Shafiq

Keith Trahan

Leigh Patel

Mariko Yoshisato Cavey

Program News

PhD Student David Smith Receives NAEd/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship

PhD Student David Smith Receives NAEd/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship - Read more

Prof. Maureen Porter Receives Outstanding International Educator Award

Prof. Maureen Porter Receives Outstanding International Educator Award - Read more

Two Faculty Members Named 2022 AERA Outstanding Reviewers

Two Faculty Members Named 2022 AERA Outstanding Reviewers - Read more

2022 Educational Leadership Series Will Explore Global Freedom Work

2022 Educational Leadership Series Will Explore Global Freedom Work - Read more

Five Questions with Alumna Yidan Wang of the World Bank Group

Five Questions with Alumna Yidan Wang of the World Bank Group - Read more

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• Education Policy

Prepare for Your Future

The Education Policy program at Teachers College, Columbia University prepares graduate students to face policy challenges in education at every level in the United States and around the world.

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Welcome to the Education Policy program

The degree programs in Education Policy examine both formal and informal institutions of schooling and the political, legal, bureaucratic, organizational, economic, and social factors that affect both schools and the broader educational enterprise. Students address critical problems affecting education, develop a broad and inclusive view of the kinds of issues facing policymakers, and are encouraged to study and reflect on the processes by which research becomes linked to policy and practice. Our graduates embark on policy careers in government agencies, national school reform organizations, non-profit groups dedicated to advocacy, private research institutes, and higher education institutions.

Education Policy Virtual Information Session

Premiered on November 27, 2023. If you would like to get the transcript of the EPOL open house webinar 2023, please contact David Estrella at [email protected] at Admissions.

Degree Programs

M.a. in education policy.

Our 33-credit M.A. degree focuses on the preparation of policy analysts, policy advocates, and education researchers. Student become experts in a range of educational policy issues and gain tools for policy analysis.

Ed.M. in Education Policy

The advanced 60-credit Ed.M. is for students who have already acquired an M.A. with at least some coursework with education policy content. Graduate students focus on a policy area relevant to their interests.

Ph.D. in Education Policy

The campus-based Ph.D. degree in Education Policy prepares its graduates to build new knowledge, teach new leaders, and craft new policies. The program may be completed in 75 credits, of which up to 30 credits may be transferred from another graduate institution.

Congratulations Graduates 2024!

EPOL Course Highlights

EDPA 4086, Law and Education: Regulation, Religion, Free Speech, and Safety.

The purpose of the Federal Policy Institute is to examine three themes: the enduring values of American education, contemporary issues in national school reform efforts, and the role of the federal government.

EDPA 6542, Education Policy Foundations Seminar.

EDPA 6002, Quantitative Methods for Evaluating Education Policies and Programs.

Student & Alumni Profiles

B.A., Political Science, University of Rochester 2012

M.A.T, Childhood Education (1-6), Relay Graduate School of Education 2014

M.A., Sociology and Education, Teachers College, Columbia University 2022

Trevor Baisden is a Ph.D. student in Education Policy (K-12) at Teachers College, Columbia University and an associate at Columbia Law School’s Center for Public Research and Leadership, where he supports PK-12 policy and consulting projects. His research addresses the institutional and organizational dynamics of school change and continuous improvement, particularly in charter schools and schools serving sociodemographically diverse learners.

Trevor’s research interests have emerged from over a decade working in and with public schools across the country to improve outcomes and opportunities for historically educationally disenfranchised students and families. Since 2018, Trevor has led consulting engagements with more than 50 district and charter schools and youth-serving organizations in 12 states and Washington, D.C., working directly with system-level leaders to advance a wide range of school design, curriculum development, and instructional improvement projects.

Trevor began his career teaching at elementary and middle schools in Harlem and the South Bronx, where he led his students to achieve reading and math results in the top 3% of schools in the state. He later founded and led the History program at a citywide charter network, leading a team that provided curriculum, training, and instructional support to teachers and leaders across 15 middle schools.

B.A. in Government, Georgetown University. 

Working with Fe y Alegria schools in Peru and Partnership Schools in Harlem, the Bronx and Cleveland, Ohio changed the private school narrative for Ghipsel; the low-income non-public schools sparked Ghipsel’s interest in school choice. Ghipsel is focused on understanding the systems and processes that impact public funding for non-public schools and how these expand or constrict communities' education options.

Ghipsel spent over two and a half years observing classrooms, developing teacher and student workshops, and organizing school community events as part of Fe y Alegria, a non-profit school network in Peru advancing a larger popular education movement in Latin America. The rural communities of Quispicanchi, Peru posed a question for Ghipsel - where are the schools that would serve their community? The constraints on education access for students in Quispicanchi initiated Ghipsel’s commitment to working towards providing for all a quality education of their choice. 

Committed to supporting non-public schools, Ghipsel joined Partnership Schools, a network of independent Catholic schools in New York and Cleveland, Ohio. Ghipsel supported the network’s growth over the course of four years; first when Partnership Schools adopted its seventh school in New York, followed by its growth to a national network by adopting additional schools in Cleveland, Ohio. Ghipsel began to notice the impact of state policies in non-public school funding and how these in turn enable student’s educational opportunities.  Through her experience at Partnership Schools, Ghipsel used data to inform the network’s decision-making process and leaned into school leaders to understand the full story. 

Ghipsel is continuing her education as a Teachers College Education Policy master’s student, pursuing the intersection of non-public schools and how data informs policy and program processes impacting an individuals’ choice on a quality education.

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Admissions Information

Application requirements, fund your degree.

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Box: Box 11

Teachers College, Columbia University Zankel 212

Contact Person: Imani Collins

Phone: (212) 678-3751 Fax: (212) 678-3589

Email: ic2683@tc.columbia.edu

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Education Policy, PhD

Students in the Education Policy Ph.D. program pursue an individualized program of study that reflects their specific interests in education policy at the local, state, national, or international levels.

The Education Policy Ph.D. program equips graduates with the knowledge and methodological tools to use, understand, and conduct research on the pressing educational issues of the day. Students pursue an individualized program of study that reflects their specific interests, and are required to write a significant qualifying paper and complete a dissertation on an issue in education. At the heart of the Ph.D. program is the research apprenticeship, where students work on research projects alongside faculty members. Doctoral students are matched with Education Policy faculty members whose research interests align with their own. Our program prepares students for a variety of careers, including faculty positions at institutions of higher education, and policy research positions at research firms, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies.

For more information: http://www.gse.upenn.edu/ep/phd

View the University’s Academic Rules for PhD Programs .

A total of 16 course units is required for graduation.

Elective courses may be taken at any school at Penn. Courses must be at the 5000 level or above and taken for a letter grade.

Required Milestones

Qualifications evaluation (also known as program candidacy).

A Qualifications Evaluation of each student is conducted after the completion of 6 but not more than 8 course units. The evaluation is designed by the specialization faculty and may be based on an examination or on a review of a student’s overall academic progress.

Preliminary Examination (Also known as Doctoral Candidacy)

A Candidacy Examination on the major subject area is required.  The candidacy examination is a test of knowledge in the student's area of specialization, requiring students to demonstrate knowledge and reasoning in the key content areas in their specialization as defined by their academic division. This examination is normally held after the candidate has completed all required courses.

Oral Proposal

All doctoral candidates must present their dissertation proposals orally and in person to the dissertation committee.

Final Defense of the Dissertation

The final dissertation defense is approximately two hours in length and is based upon the candidate’s dissertation. 

The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2024 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.

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Doctorate in Human Development and Social Policy

• Graduate & Professional
• Human Development and Social Policy
• PhD in Human Development & Social Policy

About the Program

The Human Development and Social Policy (HDSP) doctoral program is grounded in the study of relations between public policy and human development. Faculty and students conduct research on how public policy affects human development and well-being, how research on human development across the life span informs policy, and how people affect policy.

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Core Themes

Positive trajectories and transitions.

• Study of human development and intergenerational issues spanning across children, adolescents, and adults  
• Promote positive developmental trajectories and transitions across the life span.

Inequality Reduction

• Understand and reduce economic, education and health inequalities.
• Recognize and interrogate existing systems of inequality and its impact on communities through our roles and research.

Social Policy Implementation

• Examine how policies are developed, how they change incentives and infrastructures, and how they interact with contextual factors to influence behavior.
• Evaluate how people affect policy through public opinion, civic engagement, political participation, policy implementation and research.

Multidisciplinary Research

• Answer big questions by drawing from multiple disciplines: anthropology, economics, political science, psychology, sociology, and more.
• Employ multiple research methods, combining various quantitative and qualitative approaches to create cutting-edge social science research designs.

Curriculum Overview

Course work in the Human Development and Social Policy (HDSP) doctoral program includes a core curriculum and electives.

View Curriculum

Our Students

HDSP students are prepared through course work, participation in a vibrant community of scholars and active engagement in faculty research to conduct multidisciplinary research that combines cutting-edge empirical research methodologies.

“ Having experience collaborating and communicating across the different traditional disciplines represented within HDSP was also incredibly valuable as I searched for policy jobs after grad school.”

Human Development and Social Policy at Northwestern

Explore the breadth of academic courses offered in the curriculum.

Contact Human Development and Social Policy

Phone Number: 847-491-4329 

Email: [email protected]

Physical Address: Walter Annenberg Hall 2120 Campus Drive Evanston, IL 60208

PhD in Public Policy

In this section.

• Economics Track
• Judgment and Decision Making Track
• Politics and Institutions Track
• Science, Technology and Policy Studies Track
• Current Students
• Doctoral Student Handbook
• Dissertations & Job Placements
• PhD Student Life
• Faculty & Research

As an exceptional scholar, you want an exceptional graduate program.

The PhD in Public Policy (PPOL) program provides the advanced graduate training you need to successfully launch yourself into a research or related position in academia, government, a nongovernmental organization, or the private sector. 

You will get the training you need to conduct analytical research, help shape and execute policy, and teach the next generation of educators, researchers, and practitioners. The program encourages scholarly research that empowers public policy practitioners like you to make informed decisions and be leaders in their fields. 

Finding firm grounding for research in environmental economics

PPOL PhD alumnus Todd Gerarden’s fascination with bike mechanics mingled with his love of cycling and the outdoors; what emerged was a budding interest in energy and environmental policy. An undergraduate professor suggested he read  Economics of the Environment,  a collection of selected readings edited by HKS professor  Robert N. Stavins . That suggestion changed the course of his career.

Todd Gerarden PPOL PhD 2018

The complete phd.

The PPOL admits students to one of four tracks: Economics ; Judgment and Decision Making ; Politics and Institutions ; and Science, Technology and Policy Studies .    

PPOL graduates enter the workplace prepared to teach, carry out research, and make a profound impact in academia, while for others the degree leads to productive careers in think tanks, multinational organizations, NGOs, or the private sector.

"I've joined two research labs at HKS: Jennifer Lerner's and Julia Minson's. The brainstorming, feedback, and mutual pursuit of important research that comes from working in the labs is truly fulfilling."

Brad dewees ppol phd 2019, doctoral program admissions, funding your doctoral education.

Search NYU Steinhardt

Graduate programs, education policy.

NYU Steinhardt offers multiple master’s and doctoral degrees related to education policy across four departments: Administration, Leadership, and Technology ; Applied Psychology ; Applied Statistics, Social Sciences, and Humanities ; and Teaching and Learning . Prospective students may click on the program descriptions to learn more about them, sign up for upcoming information and sessions, and learn what they need to apply to them.

Master's Programs

Master of Arts Education and Social Policy

Rooted in economics and sociology, this master’s teaches you how to use statistics, data sets, and research results to formulate, implement, and evaluate educational policies for grades K-12 and higher education.

Master of Arts Educational Leadership, Politics, and Advocacy

Explore educational politics and policy, the role of educational organizations working with schools and communities, and research and policy analysis.

Master of Arts Human Development Research and Policy

This program will prepare you to understand human development across the lifespan as well as the psychological, cultural, and socio-ecological factors that influence the contexts and systems in which people develop.

How do these programs compare?

Doctoral Programs

Doctor of Philosophy Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

Explore contemporary problems of practice in collaborative study environments and prepare for a career as a professor or researcher.

Doctor of Philosophy Higher Education

Earn your doctorate while addressing issues of access and equity, policy, student development, and institutional development and assessment.

Doctor of Philosophy Developmental Psychology

Gain a strong foundation in developmental theories and cutting-edge research tools and methods for studying development in context.

Doctor of Philosophy Psychology and Social Intervention

Prepare for a career as a social scientist who can understand, transform, and improve the contexts and systems in which humans develop across the lifespan.

Doctor of Philosophy International Education

Prepare for a faculty position in comparative and international education, or for a career as a professional educator in international and multinational settings.

Doctor of Philosophy Sociology of Education

Analyze educational problems and issues using research methods of sociology.

Affiliated Faculty in each PhD Program

Educational Leadership and Policy Studies   Kris DeFilippis and  Luis A. Rodriguez

Higher Education   Erich Dietrich ,  Ann Marcus ,  Teboho Moja ,  Mike Hoa Nguyen ,  George Spencer , and  Liang Zhang

Psychology and Social Intervention   J. Lawrence Aber ,  Alejandro J. Ganimian and  Hirokazu Yoshikawa

International Education   Dana Burde ,  Elisabeth King ,  Carol Anne Spreen , and  Hua-Yu Sebastian Cherng (程華宇）

Sociology of Education   Lisa M. Stulberg and  L'Heureux Lewis-Mccoy

Additional Programs

Three PhD programs in the Department of Teaching and Learning offer opportunities to build knowledge about the intersection of educational policy with instructional issues: the PhD in Bilingual Education ; the PhD in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages ; and the PhD in Teaching and Learning . Examples of areas studied include special education policy, bilingual education and language policy, and issues of equity and access for students of color and multilingual learners. Opportunities to pursue policy-relevant research vary by faculty, so prospective students are encouraged to explore the current research of Teaching and Learning faculty affiliated with the Education Policy Group for more information.

Financial Aid Opportunities

Choosing to study at NYU Steinhardt is a valuable step for your life and career, but it’s also a financial investment. Our goal is to help you make the best choices for your future and understand the resources that can make your Steinhardt education a reality. Please visit NYU Steinhardt’s Paying for Your Education for additional information.

MS in Education Policy : Master's Degree in Education Policy

The Johns Hopkins Master of Science in Education Policy prepares education leaders of the 21st century with the wide-ranging skills necessary to shape effective, evidence-based education policies.

Through this 33- to 36-credit program, students learn to navigate complex federal and state regulations; digest new initiatives; draft policy; and conduct financial analysis. They also are expected to come to a deep understanding of today’s educational inequities and the strongest educational models to correct them.

The program is delivered online, except for the first-semester hybrid course, Introduction to Education Policy, which includes an in-person, five-day residency in Washington, D.C. Students can also opt to include a three-credit experiential learning opportunity. The School of Education is unable to provide F-1 visa sponsorship for this program.

Questions? Please reach out and we’ll be in touch soon.

People of soe, david steiner, phd.

Professor, Executive Director of the Institute for Education Policy, Former Commissioner of Education, New York State

"Education embodies the future of a nation: In the U.S., education outcomes are flat, and the achievement gap between the haves and the have-nots is growing. Study with us and graduate ready to make an immediate difference in the futures of children in this country and beyond."

Professor David Steiner is executive director of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy. In 2020, he finished serving as a member of the Maryland State Department of Education and the Maryland Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education. Most recently, he was appointed to the Practitioner Council at the Hoover Educational Success Initiative, Stanford University. He previously served as commissioner of education for New York State, as dean at the Hunter College School of Education, and as director of education at the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Upcoming Admissions Events

Have questions about our degree programs, the application, or financial aid and costs? Join us for an inside look at a graduate experience defined by innovation and driven by evidence-based research. Learn more about your area of interest or career path, meet some of our faculty, and connect to the Johns Hopkins School of Education community. Check out our admissions events and register for a virtual information session today.

Fall 2024 Semester Classes Begin

Core Faculty

Alanna bjorklund-young, phd.

Assistant Professor

Affiliation

Institute for education policy.

Curriculum Studies, Education Policy & Politics

Rebecca Cruz, PhD

Center for Safe and Healthy Schools, Innovative Teaching & Leadership

Education Policy & Politics, Social Context of Education, Special Education

Christine Eith, PhD

Interim Department Chair, Advanced Studies in Education Assistant Professor

Advanced Studies in Education

Richard Lofton, PhD

Center for Safe and Healthy Schools

Education Policy & Politics, Social Context of Education

Jonathan Plucker, PhD

Research Professor Faculty Lead, Master of Science in Education Policy

Counseling & Educational Studies

Education Policy & Politics, Gifted Education, Learning & Instruction

Henry M. Smith, EdD

Administration, Organization & Leadership, Education Policy & Politics

Professor Executive Director, Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy

Institute for Education Policy, SOE Leadership

Curriculum Studies, Education Policy & Politics, Research, Evaluation & Assessment

Angela R. Watson, PhD

Assistant Research Professor

Education Policy & Politics

Program Overview

This 33-to 36-credit master’s degree program focuses on the changing landscape of education policy in the 21st century. The field needs leaders with sophisticated skill sets who can navigate complex federal and state statutes and regulations, research and report on initiatives, draft policy and regulatory language, conduct financial analysis, and understand the inequities in education. They must combine this knowledge with the strongest educational models to shape effective, evidence-based education policies.

This program comprises 11 or 12 three-credit online courses, except for the first-semester hybrid course: Introduction to Education Policy, which includes an in-person, five-day residency in Washington, D.C. Students can include a three-credit experiential learning internship.

Johns Hopkins prepares exceptional interdisciplinary educational leaders to address pressing policy and practice challenges in America’s schools and contribute effectively to governmental agencies, legislative offices, mayor’s offices, think tanks, and nonprofits.

Careers in Education Policy

• Education Advocate
• Education Policy Adviser
• Educational Nonprofit Director

The Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy is dedicated to integrating research, policy, and practice to achieve educational excellence for America’s educators — and America’s students.

Legal Disclosure

State-specific information for online students.

Students should be aware of additional state-specific information for online programs .

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SOPHAS is the centralized application service for public health programs. It simplifies the application process by allowing you to apply to multiple institutions using a single application.

THE 2024-2025 SOPHAS APPLICATION CYCLE IS OPEN!

If you wish to apply to a program in the 2024-2025 cycle and you created a SOPHAS account previously, you will be able to create an application as a re-applicant. The  re-applicant feature  allows for applicants from the previous cycle to review and select which sections of the application will carry over to the new application.

For any questions, visit the  SOPHAS Applicant Help Center  or contact SOPHAS Customer service at  [email protected]  or (617) 612-2090.

Please Note: Recommendations, program-specific materials, and payments will not carry forward in the SOPHAS 2024-2025 cycle.

What Field of Public Health Interests You?

A degree in public health allows students to concentrate in a variety of different academic and professional areas. Where will you make your impact?

Finance Your Degree

Scholarships are mostly tax-free financial awards given to students with the intention to pursue a specific area of study or research. They are usually awarded based on certain qualifying traits.

STUDENT RECRUITMENT EVENTS

As education in public health continues to evolve well past the classroom and into professional experience, ASPPH has developed learning institutes to train future public health leaders and offers a series of continuing education programs.

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RESEARCH AT THE LEADING EDGE

Where You Get Your Ph.D. Matters. Get Yours at a Global Center of Innovation.

Ph.D. Studies at Heinz College

You have the vision. You have the drive. What you need now is a doctoral program that will challenge and support you on your path to a career as a researcher, educator, and expert.

Heinz College is a graduate school without boundaries.

Distinguished by the interdisciplinary model of Heinz College and Carnegie Mellon University, our Ph.D. programs prepare graduates to lead change in their chosen fields through meaningful collaborations and hands-on work with our renowned and extremely accessible faculty. 

Heinz College features the unique co-location of two schools: The School of Information Systems and Management and The School of Public Policy and Management; however, below that larger structure, we are a college without departments and their characteristic silos. Our faculty, students, and research centers thrive by working together to solve problems across subjects, disciplines, and business verticals.

In the Heinz Ph.D. program, you will conduct innovative research to address increasingly complex challenges facing society, whether those challenges are technical, organizational, political, economic, social, or—as is often the case—some combination thereof.

Heinz College Is The #1 Analytics Education Program And Has Been #1 In Information And Technology Management Since 2001

Decorated faculty & research centers, here, you will work with award-winning thought leaders and boundary-busting research centers.

Truly Interdisciplinary

Matthew Eisenberg chose Heinz College for his research for the promise of interdisciplinary collaboration—like bringing machine learning to health economics.

Recent Best Paper Awards From Our Faculty

Alessandro Acquisti — Management Science, Best Paper

George Chen —  AAAI Workshop on AI for Behavior Change, Best Paper

Akshaya Jha — United States Association for Energy Economics, Young Professional Research Award and Best Paper

Ramayya Krishnan & Beibei Li — Information Systems Research, Best Paper Finalist

Rema Padman — Association of Information Systems, SIGHealth section, Best Paper

Alessandro Acquisti —  Information Systems Research, Best Paper

Leman Akoglu —   SIAM International Conference on Data Mining (SDM), Best Paper

George Chen —  INFORMS Data Mining and Decisions Analytics Workshop, Best paper (theoretical track)

Beibei Li   — International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS), Best Paper

Beibei Li  —  Workshop on Information Technologies and Systems (WITS), Best Paper  

Ananya Sen  —  Workshop on Information Systems and Economics, Best Paper

Zhe Zhang  —  ACM, Best Doctoral Dissertation Runner-Up

Alessandro Acquisti  —  Management Information Systems Quarterly, Best Paper

Leman Akoglu  —  ECML PKDD, Best Paper

Martin Gaynor  —  National Institute of Health Care Management Research, Best Paper

Recent Ph.D. Accolades

David Adler  was selected as the 2019-2020 recipient of the Institute for Regulatory Law & Economics Graduate Fellowship.

Nate Breg was selected to receive one of the Center for Machine Learning and Health 2020 Fellowships in Digital Health .

Maria Caballero  was selected to participate in the Western Economic Association International’s Graduate Student Workshop, held at the association's  95th Annual Conference .

William Herlands  was named a finalist for the  Schmidt Science Fellows .  

Mikaela Meyer has been selected for the American Statistical Association’s 2020 Gertrude Cox Scholarship Award .

Ph.D. in Information Systems & Management

Gain a deep understanding of the technical and organizational aspects of information systems

Key research areas in Information Systems & Management include: Economics of Digitization | Machine Learning & Large-Scale Data Analytics | Information Security & Privacy | Health Care & IT

Ph.D. in Public Policy & Management

Apply a rigorous scientific approach to social, organizational, economic, and management problems in an increasingly connected world

Key research areas in Public Policy & Management include: Crime & Drug Policy | Energy & Environmental Policy | Health Economics & Policy | Labor Economics | Management Science

Joint Ph.D. Programs

Heinz College offers joint Public Policy Ph.D. programs in cooperation with other CMU departments

Explore joint degree programs with CMU’s Tepper School of Business, School of Computer Science, and the College of Engineering

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Department of Geography

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

The Ph.D. is a different kind of degree from the master’s degree. A doctoral candidate in geography must be capable of making original contributions to knowledge and scholarship. For the students to make such contributions, they must concentrate on a narrow and clearly defined field of study. We require, however, that doctoral candidates know more of geography than their particular specialties; thus, any aspirant for a doctorate must obtain master’s training or its equivalent before being admitted to doctoral candidacy. In short, admission to doctoral candidacy is official recognition that a student’s general foundation in the breadth of geography is satisfactory. Students then devote their attention to developing depth in chosen specialties.

The general requirements for a doctoral degree in geography are more rigorous than those for a master’s degree. At the same time, the greater flexibility of the doctoral program allows advanced students to pursue programs of study tailored to their special interests and needs.

Progress through the degree is marked by: 

• Successful performance in a verbal qualifying exam; 
• Four-day written comprehensive exam, with a verbal portion after the written answers have been assessed by the committee;  
• Formal dissertation proposal; and 
• Verbal defense of a completed dissertation.

The four-year Ph.D. program is reserved for students who have a master’s degree from another graduate program. That can be another geography program at another university, a non-geography program at another university, or a non-geography program at Penn State.

Students entering the four-year Ph.D. program must take the doctoral qualifying exam in their first year. A committee from three of the four fields of geography and formally appointed by the Graduate Program Officer will administer the qualifying exam. The qualifying exam can take place any time during the year, but students in the four-year Ph.D. program typically take it during spring semester.

Students in the four-year Ph.D. program complete a comprehensive exam and defend their dissertation proposal in the second year. Depending on the needs of their research, and in agreement with their doctoral committee, students can fulfill these two requirements in either order. Once students have successfully passed their comprehensive exam and defended their proposal, they typically take two years to research, write, and defend their dissertations.

Our online Graduate Student Handbook explains the program requirements for all degrees.

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You are here, penn gse ranks #1 in u.s. news & world report best education schools.

For the first time, Penn’s Graduate School of Education has topped the U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 rankings for graduate schools of education . The school shares the #1 spot with Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, and the ranking marks the sixth consecutive year Penn GSE has been in the top 5.

“We are honored to be ranked in the top position, especially during this difficult year. Credit goes to Penn GSE’s extraordinary faculty, researchers, partners, students, alumni, and staff who work together to further our mission of expanding educational access, especially to those who are underserved or marginalized,” said Penn GSE Dean Pam Grossman .

The U.S. News & World Report  rankings also highlight Penn GSE’s strength across a variety of disciplines. For 14 years running, Penn GSE's leadership in the world of education policy has been reflected with top 10 positions – both the  Education Policy Division  and the Higher Education Division  moved up to the #5 spots in their respective categories.

Penn GSE’s  teacher education programs  have also been recognized among the nation’s best, with Secondary Teacher Education named as a top specialty area. The School’s excellence in preparing students to build creativity in the classroom has been recognized for the third year in a row with a ranking in  Curriculum and Instruction .

For the fourth straight year, Penn GSE’s  Education Administration  programs were highlighted, and the School also ranked highly in Educational Psychology for the second time in three years.

Grounded in a commitment to research backed up by over $60 million in funded work, Penn GSE is an Ivy League school committed to finding solutions to the challenges facing education. World-renowned faculty are among the most accomplished in their fields. 

Students have tremendous opportunities to develop tight-knit relationships with education’s leading scholars and participate in cutting-edge research. With some of the most selective doctoral programs in the country, Penn GSE has approximately two doctoral candidates for every standing faculty member. Master’s students benefit from a rigorous atmosphere that emphasizes real-world applications for every lesson. Penn GSE also offers a range of executive-style degrees that prepare professionals to be thought leaders and innovators in the evolving education landscape.

Current students and graduates have access to career services support through both the University of Pennsylvania and Penn GSE’s own in-house, nationally certified career counselor who specializes in the education marketplace. Graduates join a powerful alumni network that includes teachers and leaders, entrepreneurs, and college presidents.

Penn GSE and its partners continue to provide leadership in the field and work toward making a positive impact through teaching, research, innovation, and transformational approaches to expanding educational opportunity.

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• PhD Funding in the USA – A Guide for 2024

PhD Funding in the USA

Written by Ben Taylor

Many of the world’s top research universities are based in the USA, so it’s no surprise that it’s an extremely popular destination for PhD students.

Although the USA has a reputation for being an expensive place to study, there are also some fantastic opportunities for PhD funding (including many fully-funded PhD programmes for international students).

This page will give you an introduction to the cost of a typical doctorate in the USA, as well as a guide to some of the most generous forms of PhD funding available at American universities.

On this page

American phd funding – what you need to know first.

As we’ve already mentioned, the USA has an expensive reputation – but you shouldn’t let that put you off.

There’s a reason why such a large number of American universities can be found among the top-ranked in the world: many institutions have huge budgets and endowments, allowing them to offer generous fully-funded PhD scholarships to graduate students (regardless of nationality).

These are a few key points to bear in mind when beginning your search for PhD funding in the USA:

• Public universities in the United States differentiate between in-state and out-of-state when it comes to fees, so you won’t necessarily be charged more than an out-of-state domestic student if you’re an international student
• Private universities don’t distinguish between domestic and international students
• It’s common for universities to offer ‘full-ride’ PhD scholarships to talented grad students
• The Fulbright Commission administers several funding schemes for international students to complete their research in the USA
• Federal student loans are available to US nationals

The cost of a PhD in the USA

With a huge range of universities offering PhD programmes in the USA it’s no surprise that American PhD fees vary a lot. They also tend to be exaggerated or otherwise misreported based on very high figures for prestigious Ivy League universities. These aren’t typical.

Actual fees vary between public and private institutions and sometimes depend on a students’ residency status:

• Public institutions charge an average of $12,394 per year for in-state students on graduate programmes. Be aware that fees for out-of-state students (including international students) are higher than this.
• Private institutions charge an average of $26,621 per year for all students on graduate programmes.

These figures are based on data published by the US National Center for Education Statistics . As a general rule, public institutions will be cheaper than private institutions, but will charge a higher out-of-state fee to international students. This can mean that the actual difference in fees is smaller than it seems above. Private institutions, on the other hand, may have more funding available.

The best way to get a sense of the tuition fees you will actually pay for a US PhD is to look up a few programmes in your subject and compare their prices. Just make sure you’re comparing the same thing: some universities will list fees per year, whereas others may list fees per semester or per credit.

In-state vs out-of-state

US universities don’t distinguish between international students and domestic fees in the same way as the UK. But public universities do differentiate between students from inside or outside their state. This is because ‘in-state’ students have their education partly subsidised by their state government. As an international student you’ll pay the same fee as a US student from ‘out-of-state’.

Living costs

The sheer size of the USA makes it almost impossible to offer accurate figures for student living costs across all 50 states. So we haven’t. You should definitely include this in your research and preparation though. Some parts of the USA are much more affordable than others. Your university’s international office may be able to help provide a sense of typical graduate student expenses for rent, groceries and travel.

See our guide to living in the USA during a PhD for more advice.

Other expenses

American universities will usually charge additional fees for processing graduate school applications. You’ll also need to budget for admissions tests, language tests and your visa.

Fulbright Postgraduate Scholarships

The US-UK Fulbright Commission is an organisation dedicated to fostering research connections between the United States and the United Kingdom.

Every year they offer postgraduate scholarships to talented British students to help them study at an American university (and vice versa).

A Fulbright Postgraduate Award offers the following benefits:

• A contribution towards your tuition fees (this could cover the first year of fees or fully-fund the entire degree, depending on the award and institution)
• Health insurance cover
• Visa sponsorship

Fulbright Scholars will also gain valuable networking opportunities through a global alumni organisation, as well as support during their studies from the Institute of International Education (IIE).

There are a range of Fulbright Postgraduate Awards available, with some providing a fully-funded PhD degree and others only offering a one-year tuition fee waiver. You can check out the Fulbright Postgraduate Scholarships on their website.

Eligibility for Fulbright Postgraduate Awards

The main eligibility requirement for a US-UK Fulbright Award is, unsurprisingly, that you must be a British citizen. However, if you’re a foreign national settled in the UK you may also be able to apply.

You’ll also need an undergraduate result of at least a 2.1 (although a 2.2 may be accepted on a case-by-case basis).

As the primary goal of the US-UK Fulbright Commission is to foster new connections between the countries, the ideal candidate won’t have spent more than six months in the United States already.

Applying for a Fulbright Postgraduate Award

The application process for a Fulbright Award usually opens in August, with a deadline in early November.

You’ll need to make an online application with the following documents/details:

• Academic transcripts
• Passport photo
• Personal statement
• Research objectives

You’ll also need to complete a separate application to the university you want to do your PhD at.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend an interview in the following February.

Other Fulbright PhD scholarships

The above information focuses on the US-UK Fulbright Commission, which is part of a much larger network of organisations devoted to helping talented international students attend American universities.

Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Fellowships , for example, offer Indian students the chance to complete a funded research placement (six to nine months) in the USA.

The Fulbright Foreign Student Program provides Nigerian doctoral students with the opportunity to conduct PhD research in the United States.

Fulbright Germany’s Doktorand:innenprogramm (PhD student programme) is a similar scheme to help German researchers complete work in the USA.

You can view Fulbright programmes by country on the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs website.

University PhD scholarships

It’s actually very common for US universities to provide fully-funded PhD programmes for international students, and relatively rare for successful candidates on graduate programmes to be entirely self-funding. The ‘sticker price’ for a US PhD may seem high, but it’s probably not the price you’ll end up paying.

Funding will take various forms. ‘Full-ride’ PhD scholarships will cover fees, living costs and other expenses. Other common options include partial fee discounts or full fee waivers.

In general, private universities will have more funding than public universities (though they will also have higher fees). You can search some of the PhD funding available using an official tool provided by Education USA . These results aren’t exhaustive though: make sure you also check with the university you are considering.

We’ve done some of the leg-work for you and produced a list of international PhD scholarships available at some of the top American universities, which you can check out below.

Assistantships

As well as awarding direct funding, it’s common for US universities to offer assistantship positions to their graduate students. These are effectively a form of employment with the university : you will fulfil a selection of responsibilities in exchange for a stipend or a fee waiver.

Common types of assistantship include:

• Graduate teaching assistantships – These involve teaching and mentoring undergraduate students on courses related to your subject. Responsibilities may include leading discussion groups, supervising essays and helping with course admin. Graduate students doing this kind of work are sometimes referred to as ‘TAs’ (teaching assistants) or ‘adjunct faculty’. Find out more about graduate teaching assistantships .
• Research assistantships – These involve helping faculty with their research. Responsibilities may include collecting and recording routine data, monitoring experiments or helping set up equipment.
• Administrative assistantships – These involve clerical, administrative and secretarial work for the university or graduate programme. Responsibilities may include data entry and management, assisting with meetings and other activities or helping with other routine office tasks.
• Fellowships – These don’t involve additional work but may be conditional on maintaining a certain standard for your academic work or pursuing particular directions with your research.

Graduate teaching assistantships and research assistantships are the most common types of assistantship, but it’s worth checking to see what different universities offer.

Federal grants and aid

National science foundation (nsf) graduate research fellowship program (grfp).

The National Science Foundation’s GRFP is a long-established federal grant scheme for talented STEM graduate students in the USA, providing the opportunity of a fully-funded PhD. Past fellows include over 40 Nobel laureates.

The GRFP offers the following financial benefits over a three-year period:

• $37,000 annual stipend
• Tuition fee allowance of $12,000 (paid directly to the university)

Applicants for the NSF GRFP must be:

• American citizens, permanent residents or nationals
• Graduate students beginning a research-based Masters or PhD degree in a STEM subject
• Embarking on Masters or PhD study for the first time

As you might expect, competition for these prestigious fellowships is high, with around 12,000 applications for 2,000 places.

There are four main elements to an NSF GRFP application:

• Graduate research plan statement
• Two or three reference letters

The deadline for submitting these documents is usually mid to late October, with the results announced at the beginning of April.

You can find out more on the NSF GRFP website .

Federal Student Aid for US students

If you’re a US citizen, you may be able to receive financial aid from the government to help fund your studies. Generally, international students are not eligible to apply except in very specific circumstances .

You’ll also need to have financial need, but there is no income cut-off to qualify for financial aid. Rather, there are several factors considered when assessing your application.

Unlike undergraduate students, Masters and PhD applicants are considered independent for financial aid purposes, meaning only your own income and assets are taken into account, as opposed to your parents’.

The types of federal aid available for postgraduate students include:

#1 Federal loans

Loans available for Masters students include Direct Unsubsidized Loans and Direct PLUS Loans .

For Direct Unsubsidized Loans , your university determines how much money you’re eligible to receive, up to an upper limit that depends on your personal circumstances. Find out more about Direct Unsubsidized Loan limits. Interest rates are currently set at 7.05% for the 2023-24 year.

Direct PLUS Loans don’t award a set amount. Instead, you can borrow up to the full cost of your Masters programme, minus any other forms of financial support you are receiving for it. Interest rates are set at 8.05% for the 2023-24 year.

To apply, you’ll need to be studying a course at 50% intensity or more (part-time programmes are eligible for direct plus loans, provided you study on a ‘half-time’ basis or greater). You’ll also need a good credit history to apply a Direct PLUS loan. You won’t normally be able to receive a Direct PLUS Loan if you have a record of credit default or overdue debt for existing loans. In some cases, a parent or other US citizen may endorse your application as a guarantor.

As a Masters student you won’t repay your loan until six months after you cease to be enrolled on your course. Note that this repayment period will normally still come into effect if you exit your graduate programme early.

Actual repayment plans vary, but you can view a set of guides from the US Department of Education .

#2 Work-study

Federal work study provides part-time jobs for US students who have financial need, to help them cover their living costs and tuition fees.

Roles can be on or off campus, and where possible related to your field of study. Off-campus jobs are generally for nonprofit organisations or public agencies, and must be performed in the public interest.

Postgraduate students may be paid by the hour or by salary, depending on the type of role performed. How many hours you’re allowed to work will be determined by your university’s financial aid office.

Federal work-study is generally not available for international students, but there are other ways to earn money alongside your studies. We cover this in our guide to working in the USA as a student .

Applying for financial aid

To apply for financial aid, you’ll need to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. Filling in the FAFSA involves creating an online account and receiving a unique FSA ID.

You should have access to the following documents and information when filling in the FAFSA:

• Your social security number
• Your driving license number (if you have one)
• Your Alien Registration Number (of you are not a US citizen)
• Tax documents or tax returns for yourself and your spouse (if married)
• Records of any untaxed income, savings, cash or investments

The FAFSA form for becomes available for course starting the following year on 1 October annually. So if you’re planning to study a Masters or PhD starting in Autumn 2024, you’ll be able to fill in the FAFSA from 1 October 2023 .

The FAFSA deadline for 2023-24 is 30 June 2024 .

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Take on Bigger Opportunities with a Graduate Degree that Opens Doors

At St. Edward’s, our graduate programs allow you to fine-tune your professional goals and shore up durable skills that keep you thriving and resilient in a fast-changing job market and economy.

Taught by faculty members who are experts in their fields, our academically challenging programs give you the knowledge, industry insights, global perspective and professional network you need to take your career to a new level.

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The selection of in-person and online programs we offer are convenient for busy lifestyles. In-person courses are held at our main campus near downtown Austin, through online and blended formats, and most include evening and weekend classes.

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St. Edward's University has the highest student satisfaction and the best faculty responsiveness in Texas among online business masters (non-MBA) according to U.S. News and World Report (2024).

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Whether online or in person, St. Edward’s graduate school strives to provide all our students with the same quality education, networking opportunities and skill-building curriculum. The only difference for our online students is that courses are more flexible, making it easy to learn on your schedule without having to sacrifice the things that are important to you.

Courses are a blend of live online sessions and asynchronous coursework, so you have the flexibility to balance life and school without sacrificing your goals.

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Join a dynamic and rapidly evolving industry where you can create an exciting and successful career from one of the few online MSDMA programs. In this top digital marketing program, you’ll use your creativity and analytical skills to address the ever-evolving landscape of marketing. Gain the knowledge you need for business intelligence and analytics, digital and social media analytics, marketing automation systems, user interface design and digital innovations in mobile marketing.

30 Credit Hours | 21 Months

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Learn to assess, analyze and help individuals with a range of abilities that present challenging behaviors, including those with developmental disabilities and autism. Our MEd program will advance your skills and give you clinical experiential feedback in preparation for the Board-Certified Behavior Analyst exam.

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The hybrid and online MBA at St. Edward’s is ethically driven to set you apart as someone who can make a difference. It covers core business topics such as accounting, finance, marketing, big data and data analytics, delivered in small classes with individual attention from expert faculty in a choice of five concentrations.

60 Credit Hours | 39 Months

Online Doctorate (Ed.D.) of Education in Leadership and Higher Education

Evolve your leadership skills into a career with this Doctor of Education degree. Designed for busy working professionals, this fully online EdD program is both flexible and customizable, and it can be completed in as little as 39 months. Gain the knowledge, skills and abilities to identify critical issues challenging all aspects of higher education administration and learn to examine and define approaches to creatively and comprehensively address those challenges. You will also conduct practice-based dissertation research while completing your coursework.

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Earn your MSBA fully online and learn business analysis. Think critically, analyze problems and make responsible and strategic decisions — all through a lens of moral reasoning and ethics unique to St. Edward’s University. Gain the skills needed to be descriptive, diagnostic, predictive and prescriptive through real-world case studies from across several sectors and functional areas of business.

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Acquire the skills to manage positive organizational change in this leadership training program. Earn your online MS in Organizational Leadership at St. Edward’s University and gain an understanding of leadership from the individual, group, organizational and global perspectives and apply them to your career path.

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Degree Overview

The MPP is a two-year, full-time professional degree program. Constructing the scaffolding for policymaking in a global context is the critical component of the program. It prepares students with the skills needed to compare best practices in the U.S., Latin America, Asia and beyond.

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Program Overview

Our faculty are go-to experts for the public, private and intergovernmental sectors, creating design and evaluation methodology of public policy around the globe. The degree combines this social science policy expertise with our campus strengths in STEM and health sciences.

The MPP requires 92 units for completion. All students take eight required core courses in economics, management, political science and quantitative methods training during the first year and a capstone course in the second. Students must choose a minimum of one area of specializations. Although proficiency in a foreign language is not required, 24 units may be counted toward the degree as long as the language matches an elective regional or country specialization .

Core Curriculum

Core Courses All candidates must complete the following courses with a C- or better. The courses listed below are completed in the first year of study.

Policy Making Processes: This course is designed to teach students how to “read” a country’s political and economic system. The course will examine how the evolution of different institutional frameworks in the countries of the Pacific region influences the way in which political choices are made.

Microeconomics for Policy and Management: This course introduces microeconomics, emphasizing applications to public policy. We examine tools such as marginal analysis and game theory to understand markets, the behavior of individuals and firms, and what role policy plays when markets fail to maximize social welfare.

Market Failures and Policy Interventions: Applies economic reasoning to public issues, policies and programs. It considers incentives and organizations; models of economic behavior, including markets, the absence of markets and interventions; the price system; policy objectives and instruments.

Policy Analysis and Public Welfare: The course explores the political and economic foundations of public policymaking, examining both the processes through which preferences of individuals are converted into public welfare policy and the public's response included are an introduction to the concepts of rationality, individual decision-making, cooperation, collective action and market failures. The course is writing-intensive and includes cases on the U.S.

Public Finance: This course introduces principles of taxation and expenditure analysis, public budgeting and assessment of budget priorities.

Policy Analysis and Decision Theory:  This course introduces students to the methods of policy analysis and decision-making theory—methods to assemble panel data to capture the impact of new policy on observable data, decision-making theory, uncertainty, decision criteria, expected utility and risk.

Quantitative Methods I: This course is designed to provide proficiency in quantitative methods that are used for optimization and decision-making. The use of spreadsheets is applied to data analysis and problem-solving. Statistical theory and regression analysis are introduced.

Quantitative Methods II: This course covers elements from statistics that are central to business decision-making under uncertainty. In particular, regression analysis and estimation will be applied to problems of forecasting and optimization.

Public Policy Capstone: The capstone is designed to test the hard skills of policy design and evaluation by using them in the analysis of a real-world policy problem. The course requires a research paper that examines an existing public or nonprofit sector policy or managerial problem.

See the UC San Diego General Catalog. 

Areas of Specialization

Students must complete at least one Area of Specialization of five courses (20 units). Courses taught outside of GPS will require permission for enrollment from the instructor.

American and Comparative Business Regulation

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• Science and Marine Environmental Policy
• Special Topics in Remote Sensing and Data Analytics - Environmental Policy
• Special Topics in Remote Sensing and Data Analytics - Urban Policy
• Sustainable Development
• The Economics of Nonmarket Valuation
• The Politics of Energy and Environmental Regulation

Health Policy

• Comparative Social Welfare Policy
• International Health Economics
• Introduction to Health Policy (approved by MPH program)
• Managing Mission Driven Organizations
• Social Norms Changes and Development
• The Politics of Economic Inequality
• Aging: Social Health and Policy Issues
• Case Studies in Health Care Programs for the Poor and Underserved Populations
• Economics of Health Producers
• Economics of Health Consumers
• Environmental and Preventative Health Issues
• Essentials of Global Health
• Global Health and Diversity
• Global Health Policy
• Immigrant and Refugee Health
• The US Health Care System

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• Economic Development
• Education Policy Around the World
• Human Rights, Public Policy, and International Relations
• Immigration and Immigration Policy

Peace and Security

• Comparative Grand Strategy and Defense Policy
• Corruption and Development
• Counterinsurgency and Counter Terrorism
• Debating US Security Policy
• Foundations of Strategic Studies
• Geopolitics, Insurgency, and Weak States
• Humanitarian Interventions
• International Law and Regulation
• Policy, Politics, and Markets in Modern Financial Crises
• Public Opinion and Foreign Policy
• State Building and Modeling State Capacity
• The New ‘New’ Civil Wars
• The Political Economy of Foreign Aid
• The Political Economy of State Capacity
• U.S. National Security and Decision Making
• Violence in Latin America

Program Design and Evaluation

• Advanced GIS and Remote Sensing
• Applied Data Analysis and Statistical Decision Making - QM III
• Big Data Analytics
• Designing Field Experiments
• Evaluating Social Programs
• Evaluating Technological Innovation
• GIS and Spatial Data Analysis
• Integrated Development Practice
• Making Policy with Data
• Management of Nonprofit Organizations

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ePolicy News August 2024

August 13, 2024

Urge Congress to Fix Medicare Fee Schedules The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposes to cut payment rates for physician services, including pathology services, by almost 3 percent, and additional cuts to hundreds of clinical laboratory services. Also, the Medicare Economic Index, which measures medical practice cost inflation, is expected to increase in 2025. ASCP urges our members to contact Congress and demand that they fix Medicare payment rates.  Read more. Resources for Imminent BD Blood Culture Media Bottle Shortage BD Life Sciences, a leading manufacturer of blood culture media bottles (BD BACTECTM blood culture vials), has notified customers to expect an impending shortage in blood culture media bottles. BD has said the supply disruption associated with BD’s plastic bottle supplier, is more complex than initially predicted and will affect its ability to keep up with global demands. The impact of this shortage is expected to affect patient care and the ability to diagnose and treat bloodstream infections.  Read more. CMS Recognizes Specialist in Cytology Certification as CLIA Compliant The ASCP and ASCP Board of Certification (BOC) are pleased to announce a significant milestone that underscores the value of ASCP BOC credentials in enhancing the professional landscape for laboratory professionals while elevating patient safety. The ASCP BOC developed an eligibility route for the SCT(ASCP) certification exam, specifically for graduates of master's level CAAHEP-accredited Cytology Programs within the past five years. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recognize the ASCP BOC Specialist in Cytology certification, SCT(ASCP), as CLIA compliant.  Read more. ASCP and Board of Certification Urge University of Maryland to Reconsider MLS Program Closure The University of Maryland School of Medicine has announced it will not accept students into its medical laboratory scientist (MLS) training program this fall, and it will cease operations entirely in 2027. ASCP and the ASCP Board of Certification have written to the Dean of the Medical School highlighting the critical importance of the laboratory workforce and urged the school to reconsider its plans.  Read more. ASCP, BOC Support Veterans Affairs Proposal on MLS’s Scope of Practice ASCP and the ASCP Board of Certification (BOC) urged the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to finalize a proposal to adopt the ASCP BOC’s scope of practice for medical laboratory scientists. The VA’s proposal would set a national standard of practice for medical laboratory scientists, which means medical laboratory scientists at VA locations could have the same scope of practice, regardless of state licensure laws.  Read more. Help ASCP Understand the Financial Realities of Laboratory Education. Your Insights Matter! ASCP members are encouraged to participate in a new survey, set to launch on Sept. 9, to study the costs associated with laboratory education and training for professionals in medical and public health laboratories. The study is conducted by ASCP and the ASCP Board of Certification.  Read more. ASCP 2024: Discover How the LDT Ruling May Affect Your Practice The Food and Drug Administration’s claim it has authority to regulate laboratory developed tests has been a hot topic for more than a year. ASCP will devote three hours of education to this topic, and how it may affect laboratory medicine and patient care, during a special three-part series on Sept. 5 and 6 at the ASCP 2024 Annual Meeting in Chicago.   Read more. CDC Virtual Reality Laboratory Expands Access to Training on Biosafety and Preparedness A new Virtuality Reality Laboratory, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s OneLab program, offers access to free training in biosafety, specimen handling, and preparedness.  Read more. ASCP 2024 Policy Session Puts Spotlight on ASCP’s Massive CLIA Win, the LDT Lawsuit, and More Jonathan Genzen, MD, PhD, FASCP, clinical pathology professor at the University of Utah and chief medical officer and senior director of government affairs at ARUP Laboratories, and ASCP President-Elect Gregory N. Sossaman, MD, MASCP, clinical pathologist and service line lead for pathology and laboratory medicine at Ochsner Health, New Orleans, will lead a session, “Public Policies Impacting the Practice of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, on Friday, Sept. 6, at the ASCP 2024 Annual Meeting. The session will be moderated by Greg Davis, MD, FASCP, a member of the ASCP Board of Directors.  Read more. Medical Lab Directors, Residents, Fellows--This Test Utilization Course is Designed for You ASCP’s long involvement and leadership in Effective Test Utilization (ETU) has led to the development of best practices to reduce unnecessary testing and waste, improve cost-effectiveness, and benefit patient outcomes using evidence-based testing. Now ASCP, through a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has developed an eLearning course, “Case-Based Best Practices in Effective Test Utilization for Clinical Laboratories,” freely available through the ASCP Store.  Read more.

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