Our world needs pioneers, peacemakers and visionaries. The challenges we face – from the threat of terrorism to the

intransigence of poverty and the consequences of climate change – demand new ideas, strong

dialogue and bold action.

The University of Maryland School of Public Policy combines rigorous analytical training

with the relevant application of those skills to prepare policy professionals who are able to ask

the right questions, lead the search for solutions and achieve results to the challenges of this century.

Cover: Top left, Israel/Jordan 2014; Bottom left, Peru 2014

Practice and scholarship go hand in hand

at the School of Public Policy.

We are the only policy school in the D.C. area

embedded within a major research

university.

In the Heart of Policy Creation, Learning from the ExpertsThe University of Maryland School of Public Policy’s location in the Washington, D.C. area puts our students in the center of policy creation locally, nationally and internationally. Situated within one of the nation’s top public research universities, the School allows our students the flexibility to expand their course selection with advanced classes in a variety of disciplines. Students are able to link theory to practice as they avail themselves of the internship and job opportunities presented by our proximity to government at all levels, think tanks and countless nongovernmental and nonprofit organizations.

Our setting in the national capital area is not only a draw for outstanding and engaged students; it is home to an unmatched group of faculty who are both scholars and practitioners, teaching in the classroom while playing key roles in the policymaking process. They include the 2005 Nobel Prize winner in economics; leading experts in the federal budget process and U.S. trade policy; and professors who hold or have held posts such as undersecretary of defense, commissioner of the Social Security Administration and assistant secretary for economic policy in the Department of the Treasury. Enthusiastic teachers and mentors, our faculty members form lasting bonds with students and work diligently to help them build their networks and ultimately their careers.

Integration of Domestic and International PolicyUnlike most universities that house their international and domestic programs under separate roofs, Maryland seamlessly blends them. This permits students and facul-ty alike to explore all dimensions of the numerous policy problems that are blithely unaware of borders, such as trade, development, environmental and social issues. This fusion allows students to prepare for a career in both worlds. Our practical courses teach students public policy on a global level and explore issues on a worldwide scale. Even local or regional issues can be examined through an international lens, which can broaden research implications to maximize a student’s impact on the world.

Indonesia 2015

Learning by DoingRigorous classroom study is only part of the equation. UMD School of Public Policy students have opportunities to apply their coursework and enrich their training through professional relationships, practical experiences, mentorship programs, global opportunities and exciting guest speakers. Most students take advantage of the School’s proximity to the nation’s capital to experience multiple internships before they graduate. Some immerse themselves in international policy by studying for several weeks in locations such as Peru, Indonesia, Morocco, India, Ethiopia, Jordan and Israel. As a capstone to their studies, students learn how to apply their coursework in the real world by engaging in a faculty-supervised policy or management project related to an international, federal, local governmental or nonprofit organization. All of these experiences broaden our students’ perspectives on the impact of policy choices, and many lead directly to job offers upon graduation.

Project course for U.S. Department of Education

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Women’s Voices and Perspectives on the Nile

U.S. Department of State Lawyer Susan Biniaz

Ruby is finishing her first tour as a vice consul at the U.S. Consulate Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. Prior to her work with the U.S. Department of State she

worked with Montgomery County for five years. In Nuevo Laredo, she provides services to U.S. citizens traveling and living on the U.S.-Mexican border and completes visa work to permit legitimate travel to the U.S. The depth and breadth of the ties between the U.S. and Mexico economy is very evident on the border and the consulate plays a critical piece to those ties.

Ruby will be moving on from Mexico and learning Hebrew for her new assignment in Tel Aviv, Israel. She hopes to see a dif-ferent side to U.S. foreign relations with a major security partner in the Middle East.

Stephen had an unpaid internship with the City of Takoma Park’s Public Works Department that was funded by the School of Public Policy Internship

Program. “I am planning to pursue a career evaluating programs and policy, with a focus in fiscal analysis and environmental considerations,” he says. “Working in Takoma Park has exposed me to all of these things. Not only am I gaining practical skills, but I am also creating real deliverables that are having an impact in the city.”

“I know that I am developing skills that can be applied to jobs in program analy-sis and evaluation in any sector. Having real-world experience with implementing and evaluating policy, and deliverables to back it up, will give me invaluable experi-ence and skills I can build on.”

A Flexible Curriculum Students Tailor to their Career GoalsCore courses develop a foundation of skills, knowledge and concepts in economics, statistics, political analysis, ethics, leadership and public management. The coursework is multidisciplinary and geared toward solving problems in the real world—how to analyze data, implement programs, build effective organizations and evaluate results. By selecting pre-designed or self-designed specializations, students have the opportunity to individualize their educational experience to achieve their career goals.

Pathway to Policy JobsThe School is dedicated to fully preparing students to pursue successful careers in public policy and international affairs. Through client-based project courses and internships, students gain real-world policymaking experience before graduation. Additionally, Career Services provides valuable resources such as career counseling and advising, professional development workshops, on-campus recruiting events, career networking and more. Students build their professional networks through faculty and alumni mentoring and are given unparalleled access to the world’s most robust public policy job market.

Ruby Marcelo, MPP ’07 International Security & Economic Policy

Stephen Rabent, MPP ’16 Environmental Policy

NASPAA Student Simulation Competition

Graduate Degree ProgramsMaster of Public Policy (MPP)Graduates of the MPP program are well positioned to climb the ranks of policy/management analysts and become effective policy leaders. Students complete 48 credits of approved courses which include a core curriculum, credits in one or more specializations and elected credits.

Master of Public Management (MPM)Students with at least five years of public management and/or policy-related experience can obtain the MPM degree via one of two paths. The 36-credit, policy-oriented curriculum tracks the MPP curriculum with 12 fewer elective credits. The Executive Master of Public Management (EXPM) follows a prescribed 30-credit, management-oriented curriculum. EXPM students attend weekend classes twice a month. Students move through the program as a cohort and have the opportunity to participate in numerous enrichment activities.

Master of Professional Studies in Public Administration (MPS-PA)Students interested in learning public administration and government management with an international perspective can complete this 12-course (36 credits) professional degree program in 12 months full time or 24 months part time.

Joint Graduate Programs (MPP/MBA and MPP/JD)School of Public Policy MPP students may pursue joint graduate degree programs with the university’s Robert H. Smith School of Business or University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law in Baltimore.

Joint Bachelor/Master of Public Policy (BA/MPP)By dual-purposing up to 18 graduate credits, this program enables Maryland undergraduates majoring in policy-related areas offered by the university’s College of Behavioral and Social Sciences to earn both the Bachelor of Arts and the Master of Public Policy degrees more quickly and at less cost than if earned separately. Students generally apply and are admitted after their sophomore year. They spend their junior year completing undergraduate requirements, begin their graduate policy studies in their senior year and complete the graduate degree in the following year.

PhD ProgramThe PhD program enables strong academic students to be-come leaders in the practice, teaching and research of public policy and management. About seven students are admitted annually out of nearly 150 applicants, and all secure faculty mentors in their chosen field to help them thrive.

Our location in the Washington, D.C. area puts our students

in the center of policy creation

locally, nationally and internationally.

SpecializationsStudents pursuing master’s degrees can choose to specialize in one or more of the following areas:

Environmental PolicyThe environmental policy specializa-tion trains students to find effective ways to promote sustainable social, economic and environmental conditions. Students learn how to encourage human well-being and economic prosperity while enhancing the health and quality of the environ-ment through a deep understanding of the scientific, philosophical, legal, economic and political dimensions of environmental issues.

Energy PolicyStudents in the energy specialization focus on current and future energy systems and how they interact with policy and society. They learn how to blend economic well-being, energy security, environmental protection and energy access into sensible energy policies.

International Development PolicyThe international development policy specialization focuses on the economic, political, demographic, health and ethical dimensions of development. Topics covered include economic stagnation, poverty, happiness, food insecurity, political repression, ethnic/religious conflict, population displacement and health. Students acquire the tools and skills to identify development challenges and to measure the effects of interventions on development outcomes.

International Security and Economic PolicyGlobalization is setting the context and posing the principal problems expected to drive public policy for the foreseeable future. This involves interactions across a range of substan-tive issues in general, and between security and economics in particular. This specialization offers grounding in both spheres, with students addressing challenges ranging from international financial crises and trade conflicts to the rise of endemic conflicts involving terrorism and increasing access to destructive technology.

Management and LeadershipThis specialization prepares students for future leadership and management at the local, state, federal and interna-tional levels. Students study financial mechanisms, management and lead-ership theories and practices, and how government can work effectively with the private and nonprofit sectors.

Nonprofit Management and LeadershipStudents in the nonprofit management and leadership specialization study financial management for nonprofit organizations, strategic management, strategic philanthropy, social entrepre-neurship and nonprofit fundraising.

Public Sector Financial ManagementThe public sector financial manage-ment specialization prepares students to handle federal, state and local government budgeting, financial management and the analysis of fiscal conditions.

Federal AcquisitionThis specialization prepares students to design and manage acquisition processes at all levels of government to support a variety of areas including military operations, homeland secu-rity, health care, responses to natural disasters and energy research and development.

Social PolicyThe social policy specialization provides students with a deep understanding of the key social problems of our time and the programs and institutions built to address them. Program evaluation, analysis of large data sets and moral issues are emphasized.

Education PolicyIn addition to acquiring a solid foundation in social policies generally, students in this specializa-tion focus on the policies, politics and economics of education reform.

Health PolicyAfter learning the basics of social policy, program evaluation and cost and benefit analysis of social programs, students in this special-ization study health policy; health economics; and disease, disasters and development related to health policy.

The School of Public Policy offers exciting short-term study abroad courses around the globe. These international experience courses occur during winter term, spring break and summer. The School also encourages students to learn by doing with client-based project courses throughout the year. During these courses, students work directly with clients to provide solutions for their policy problems. In the study abroad and client-based project courses, students embrace a real-world experience with both domestic and international policy and gain invaluable first-hand knowledge of policymaking while studying energy and environmental policy, sustainable development, social policy, health, security, human rights, philanthropy and more.

Taking the Classroom into the Field

India

Indonesia

Morocco

Peru

Israel and Jordan

China

Ethiopia 2015

Project course for Government Accountability Office

AffordabilityThe exceptional education offered at the School of Public Policy attracts a

vibrant group of academically gifted students. The School is committed to retaining top talent and mitigating financial constraints that might

otherwise deter or delay students’ career goals.

All domestic and international applicants are considered for mer-it-based financial awards, which range from grants and partial or

full assistantships to full fellowships. Forty-five percent of the in-coming class receives awards directly from the School of Public

Policy. Need-based aid can be sought through the UMD Office of Student Financial Aid.

• Robertson Fellows Program: In partnership with the Robertson Foundation for Government, four

students annually receive full tuition, a cost-of-living stipend and summer internship assistance.

Requirements include enrolling in the two-year MPP program and committing to a career in the

federal government in foreign policy, national security or international affairs.

• Philanthropy Fellows Program: This exclusive partnership with the Washington

Regional Association of Grantmakers links students to paid internship

opportunities with local foundations and corporate grantmakers.

• SPP Internship Program: This program provides financial

support to current students for unpaid internships in non-

profit, community and gov-ernmental organizations.

The centers of the UMD School of Public Policy offer students op-portunities to work on research projects with practitioners who make significant contributions to global and domestic policy. They include:

• Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland

• Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership

• Center for Public Policy and Private Enterprise

• National Center for Smart Growth Research and Education

Research and Public Service Centers

Making Connections that Last a LifetimeStudents come to us from all over the world, with diverse social, political and academic back-grounds and an extraordinary array of policy interests. What they share is a common passion for problem solving and a commitment to the public good. Our students are active in student groups within the School of Public Policy and the greater campus community. They lead public service initiatives, host speakers, take advantage of opportunities to hone their leadership skills and form tight bonds with fellow students, faculty, alumni and local policy practitioners that last a lifetime.

Once our students graduate, many continue their involvement in our very active School of Public Policy Alumni Chapter and mentor current students to help build their professional networks and provide job leads. The School is very proud of the ways that our alumni shape and implement policy through influential positions around the world.

“I use the tools that the School provided every day of my

career, from writing policy memos to thinking analytically about pressing policy concerns. I couldn’t be happier with my decision to attend Maryland.”

– Kristina Lilac, MPP ’11

Israel/Jordan 2014

Program Examiner U.S. Office of Management and Budget

University of Maryland 2101 Van Munching Hall College Park, MD 20742

301.405.6331

www.publicpolicy.umd.edu

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