Public Policy for the Common Good
The Catholic University of America’s Master of Public Policy (MPP) program transcends politics, focuses on the common good and the dignity of the human person, and equips you to develop innovative and ethical policies to address major societal challenges.
credits to complete the degree
Per credit hour
Specialties to customize your degree
A More Humanistic Approach to Policy-Making
Unique among public policy programs: Catholic University has designed an MPP that fills a gap in graduate public policy: it is the only graduate public policy program in the Washington, D.C., area that puts human flourishing and the common good at the center of a curriculum that integrates the latest social science research with an ethically and philosophically robust framework.
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Family and Social Policy
Helping the American family flourish is critical to solving the biggest challenges of the 21st century. The Family and Social Policy Specialty prepares you to understand the value of the family unit, the challenges facing the family, and the skills necessary to design, implement, and evaluate policy that influences the family.
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Science and Technology Policy
Channeling science and technology toward prosperity while protecting human values requires policy experts with both humanistic and scientific training. The Science and Technology Specialty trains you to understand the challenges presented by rapidly advancing technology and to think critically about how to design, implement, and evaluate policy in this space.
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Development and Sustainability Policy
The Development and Sustainability Policy Specialty teaches you to understand the challenges and opportunities in economic developments as well as the skills that dominate the field of economic development. The concentration includes courses on ethics, program evaluation, international development policy, and specific field courses such as global health, education, and agriculture.
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National Security and Intelligence Policy
Understanding how to pursue the national interest using all of the instruments of national power without losing our humanity requires a substantive moral and philosophical framework. The National Security and Intelligence Policy Specialty teaches you to understand the challenges nations face in the domain of national security and how to design public policy to effectively address these challenges.
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Advanced Policy Analysis
The Advanced Policy Analysis Specialty is designed to instruct you in the advanced quantitative skills necessary to conduct rigorous policy analysis and impact evaluation. The concentration includes courses in machine learning, regression analysis, impact evaluation, and other data analysis and quantitative methods.
Flexible and Supportive
Catholic University’s MPP program is flexible, allowing admission throughout the academic year. Additionally, the Catholic University and MPP program community support you in myriad ways:
- Career Development Workshops: The MPP program hosts career development workshops including mock interviews, resume building workshops, an etiquette dinner, and professional panels.
- In-Demand Professional Skills: The program integrates in-demand professional skills throughout the curriculum and in specialized 1-credit hour skills training courses. These skills include: technical writing skills (grants writing, white paper writing, speech writing, etc.), public speaking/presentation skills, social media engagement, etc
- Faculty Advising: You will be paired with an academic advisor who will advise you throughout your time as a student in the program.
Scholarships and Financial Aid
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Tuition and Financial Aid
Credit Hours: 36
Cost: $1,350 per credit hour -
Scholarships
Pope Leo XIII Scholarship
Merit scholarship awarded upon acceptance to the program. No additional application is needed.
Submit your scholarship materials to AS-MPP@cua.edu
Froehlich Scholarship
The Froehlich scholarship is funded through an endowment created by donors to help students earn a Master of Public Policy degree. Interested students should submit applications that include
- CV / Resume
- An essay of 500 to 1000 words that discusses the following question: "Discuss how your past work, and the work you hope to do in the future, aligns with the mission and guiding principles of the MPP program at Catholic University of America?"
Submit your scholarship materials to AS-MPP@cua.edu by May 1st.
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Curriculum
Learn more about the core courses and elective curriculum for the Master of Public Policy program.
Learn More
Faculty
The MPP program takes advantage of Catholic University’s Washington, D.C., location and gathers expert faculty and practitioners from a wide range of fields and professions.
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Faculty Profiles
- Richard Gallenstein, Economics (Co-Chair)
- Expertise in development economics and experimental economics
- Jon Askonas, Politics
- Expertise on American foreign policy, Russian foreign policy, and the growing use of technological warfare
- Maryann Cusimano Love, Politics
- Specialization in international relations, peacebuilding, and religious freedom
- Gustavo Santos, Politics
- Specialization in political theory and Latin American politics and public policy
- Martha Cruz Zuniga, Economics
- Specializes in development economics, international economics, and monetary economics with particular focus on migration, remittances, microfinance, poverty, education, and international transmission of shocks
- Michael Kimmage, History
- Specializes in the history of the Cold War, in twentieth-century U.S. diplomatic and intellectual history and in U.S.-Russian relations since 1991
- Bianca Adair, Politics
- More than 16 years of federal government service in leadership positions in Washington, D.C., and foreign field posts. In her nine years at the CIA, Dr. Adair has worked in the Middle East, Europe, and North Africa on security, counterterrorism, and foreign policy, with a special focus on Iran.
- Richard Gallenstein, Economics (Co-Chair)
Admission Requirements
Applications will be accepted up to deadline:
- Fall Admission: July 1, 2024 (International); August 1, 2024 (Domestic)
- Spring Admission: November 1, 2024 (International); December 1, 2024 (Domestic)
Minimum Required Documents for Admission:
- A completed Catholic University online application (No fee is required.)
- Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions (Unofficial transcripts can be used for the admissions review.)
- English proficiency test scores (Internationals students only)
Official transcripts and English proficiency scores must be submitted for full admittance to the University. Your official copies should be sent from the institution to em-operations@cua.edu.
Recommended Documents for Admission:
- 1 recommender, including their contact information
- Statement of purpose
- Resume/CV