Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Joint Program in Public Policy?

The Joint Program in Public Policy is Georgetown’s academic home for all undergraduate degree programs in public policy. It is jointly administered by the College of Arts & Sciences and the McCourt School of Public Policy. It offers undergraduates the opportunity to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (AB) in Public Policy.

What is Public Policy?

Public policy is the set of rules, regulations and programs that local, sub-national and national governments use to address a wide range of real-world problems. For a high-level overview of this interdisciplinary degree, watch our short video What is Public Policy?

Why study public policy?

Choosing to study public policy — and choosing to study public policy at Georgetown’s McCourt School — means choosing an interdisciplinary degree that gives you the analytical and quantitative skills to impact the common good. Between Georgetown’s signature liberal arts education and McCourt’s policy-specific specialized skills, you’ll have the critical, analytical and decision-making skills needed whether you go on to lead in government, non-profits or the private sector.

What can I do after the JPPP?

Graduates of the McCourt School leave prepared to solve critical challenges in their communities in careers within think tanks and research institutes, multilateral and international aid organizations, consulting firms, non-profits and advocacy organizations, congressional offices, federal agencies, state and local government, government affairs offices and many others.

What is the JPPP curriculum?

Like all Georgetown undergraduates, JPPP students are required to complete 120 credits. Students will complete 60 credits in the first two years on the Hilltop campus, including the How Public Policy Works gateway course, core requirements and electives. The second two years consist of an additional 60 credits, including 30 credits in the public policy major and 33 exploratory electives.

To learn more about how the Joint Program in Public Policy prepares students to tackle the complex, interconnected challenges communities around the world are facing today, and will graduate equipped to make change, explore our curriculum.

What are the specific course requirements of the Public Policy major?

Students begin by building a foundational set of analytical skills through a four-course sequence of public policy courses taken on Georgetown’s Capitol Campus. Additionally, students are required to complete five elective courses, including at least two elective courses on methods and three on a specific policy issue area, one of which must be one of McCourt’s signature courses. Finally, students are required to complete an experiential course through either an internship seminar or a policy lab.

How will living and studying across two campuses work?

JPPP students have the unique opportunity to live and study across two campuses, spending their first two years immersed in Georgetown’s liberal arts curriculum on the Hilltop campus. As juniors, students will transition to complete their final two years on the Capitol Campus blocks away from the U.S. Capitol, federal agencies, local government offices, think tanks and countless other opportunities to get experience where world-changing policy is made.

In transitioning to Capitol Campus, students can either live in an apartment-style residential community at 55 H Street NW or off-campus. This flexibility is unique to students studying at Capitol Campus and allows for students to take full advantage of our campus’ downtown location.

To learn more, explore our two campuses.

How will advising work?

In the first two years at Georgetown, students will have a primary academic advisor housed in the College of Arts & Sciences Dean’s Office. Advising deans are responsible for helping declare programs of study and developing roadmaps for complete core program requirements. As students transition from the Hilltop to Capitol Campus, they will be assigned a new advisor based in the McCourt School, who offers specialized support in navigating and completing the JPPP major and getting the most out of time on the Capitol Campus.

Learn more about advising through the College of Arts & Sciences.

What to expect from the Capitol Campus?

The JPPP offers a close-knit cohort of students embedded into McCourt’s already-thriving graduate community. The McCourt School is a dynamic hub on Georgetown’s Capitol Campus, serving as a vibrant home for undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff and community members, hosting a robust schedule of events including guest speakers, student group activities, research seminars and conferences. In addition to joining McCourt’s graduate community, students in the JPPP will be part of a learning community that includes students at the Earth Commons Institute, the Capitol Applied Learning Lab, School of Continued Studies and Georgetown Law Center.

How do I apply to the JPPP?

First-year applicants to Georgetown may affiliate with the Joint Program in Public Policy by selecting the option on the first-year application. Like all of Georgetown’s undergraduate programs, applications are reviewed and admissions decisions made by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, with decisions about scholarship and financial aid being made by the Office of Student Financial Services. Current Georgetown students should speak with their advisor about declaring public policy as their program of study.

If I enter the public policy program, will I still be part of Georgetown’s College of Arts & Sciences?

JPPP is a joint-degree program, and students enrolled within the program receive support and opportunities from both Georgetown’s College of Arts & Sciences and the McCourt School of Public Policy. As a member of JPPP, students will have access to exclusive events, distinctive programming and specialized training offered by the McCourt School and other downtown-based programs. However, students will continue to have access to the wide variety of learning and social opportunities offered to students in the College of Arts & Sciences and at Georgetown more broadly.

What courses are available outside of the McCourt School?

As juniors or seniors, students should expect to take all coursework on the Capitol Campus, choosing from a range of curated electives taught by faculty in the College of Arts & Sciences and offered downtown. For more information, explore Georgetown’s schedule of classes.

Can I minor in public policy?

We do not currently offer the opportunity to minor in public policy, but expect to add a program in the coming years.

As a public policy student, can I double major or minor in another academic program?

JPPP students will likely be unable to pursue a second major offered on the Hilltop. However, a minor may be possible if coursework can be completed between Hilltop and Capitol Campus courses.

Do I have to move to the Capitol Campus to major in public policy?

Yes. Students will be required to move from the Hilltop to the Capitol Campus as part of the JPPP. Explore what studying and living across two campuses will be like.

How can I participate in student clubs or sports teams if I live downtown?

Georgetown provides a free shuttle bus service, the Capitol Campus Shuttle, which regularly runs between Capitol Campus and the Hilltop campus, offering students the ability to participate in their sports teams and student clubs. Additionally, students will have access to a robust offering of downtown-based clubs, including the opportunities to engage with graduate students at McCourt and the Law Center.

Can I study abroad in the JPPP?

Yes. Students enrolled within the JPPP will be able to study aboard. We are currently working to identify suitable summer and semester-based study abroad programs that are compatible with the two-campus degree. Discover Georgetown’s study abroad opportunities.

Is it possible to do an AB/MPP?

The McCourt School does not currently offer an accelerated 4+1 program, but hope to do so eventually. Currently students interested in continuing from the JPPP to a Master in Public Policy (MPP) or other graduate degrees may apply during their senior year for consideration of admission into our graduate programs.

What is the tuition and cost of living difference between the two campuses?

Tuition and fees for students enrolled in the JPPP are the same as those for all Georgetown undergraduate students. For more information, Georgetown’s undergraduate breakdown of tuition and fees.

Can I tour the Capitol Campus?

Yes, the McCourt School welcomes prospective undergraduate students for tours of our building at 125 E Street and the Capitol Campus. Current Georgetown undergraduates are free to visit the McCourt School without needing to schedule a tour. To schedule a tour of the McCourt School and the Capitol Campus, email jph35@georgetown.edu. Tours of the student residences at 55 H St. can be arranged through the Residential living team.

If I am not a JPPP student, can I still attend events at McCourt?

Yes. Unless stated explicitly, all McCourt School events are open to members of the Georgetown community.

How do I switch my major from public policy to another major in the College of Arts & Sciences?

Students can switch from the Joint Program in Public Policy by completing the College’s Academic Program Change form and getting the required approvals from the Director of Undergraduate studies in the new program within the College. Students should contact their Capitol Campus advisor to get additional guidance on relocation to the Hilltop.