Curriculum
The Master of Policy Management (MPM) program at Georgetown is a 36-credit degree program consisting of four summer institutes, core courses, a capstone project and elective courses. Additionally, students complete the non-credit McCourt Foundations courses.
Skill-based learning
The policy management program builds essential management, analytical and policy skills. You’ll strengthen your abilities in collaboration, critical thinking, economic analysis and ethical leadership. Graduates emerge prepared to address real-world policy challenges by integrating analysis, management and advocacy.
Skills you’ll gain
Economic analysis / Mastering the policy process / Decision-making
Course sequences
Full-time sequence
This is the typical course sequence for full-time MPM students. Please note that all MPM students participate in Summer Institute sessions.
| Semester | Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Summer | PPOL 5300/5313 — MPM Public Management or PPOL 5313 — Comparative Public Management | 3 |
| – | PPOL 5301 — The Public Policy Process or PPOL 5314 — Comparative Policy Process | 3 |
| – | PPOL 5305 — Decision Making in Public Policy | 3 |
| – | PPOL 5303 — Ethics & Public Policy | 3 |
| Fall | PPOL 5302 — Research Methods | 3 |
| – | PPOL 5304 — Economic Analysis for Public Policy or Elective | 3 |
| – | Elective | 3 |
| – | Elective | 3 |
| Spring | PPOL 5307 — Advanced Policy Management Project | 3 |
| – | PPOL 5304 — Economic Analysis for Public Policy or Elective | 3 |
| – | Elective | 3 |
| – | Elective | 3 |
Part-time evening course sequence
This is the typical course sequence for part-time MPM students. Please note that all MPM students participate in Summer Institute sessions.
| Semester | Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Summer | PPOL 5300/5313 — MPM Public Management or PPOL 5313 — Comparative Public Management | 3 |
| – | PPOL 5301 — The Public Policy Process or PPOL 5314 — Comparative Policy Process | 3 |
| Fall | PPOL 5304 — Economic Analysis for Public Policy or Elective | 3 |
| – | PPOL 5302 — Research Methods | 3 |
| Spring | PPOL 5304 — Economic Analysis for Public Policy or Elective | 3 |
| – | Elective | 3 |
| Semester | Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Summer | PPOL 5303 — Ethics & Public Policy | 3 |
| – | PPOL 5305 — Decision Making for Public Policy | 3 |
| Fall | Elective | 3 |
| – | Elective | 3 |
| Spring | PPOL 5307 — Advanced Policy Management Project | 3 |
| – | Elective | 3 |
Required courses
Full semester core courses (6 credits)*
In addition to the summer institutes, students enroll in two other core courses. Please note that students follow the regular semester add/drop and refund schedule posted by the Registrar’s office.
- PPOL 5302: Research Methods (Fall only) (3 credits)
- PPOL 5304: Economic Analysis for Public Policy (Fall or Spring) (3 credits)
Summer institutes
Four summer institutes (12 credits), the foundation of the MPM program, are offered in week-long sessions during the summer semester. Please review the Summer 2024 and Summer 2025 MPM academic calendar and refund schedule (PDF).
Summer institute courses
- PPOL 5300: MPM Public Management or PPOL 5313: Comparative Public Management (3 credits)
- PPOL 5301: The Public Policy Process or PPOL 5003: Comparative Policy Process (3 credits)
- PPOL 5303: Ethics & Public Policy (3 credits)
- PPOL 5305: Decision-Making for Public Policy (3 credits)
Capstone project
Each student completes a Capstone Project and the required course PPOL 5307: Capstone: Advanced Policy Management Project. This is a substantial paper that demonstrates the student’s ability to integrate consideration of analytic, management and advocacy issues in the pursuit of solutions to a specific policy problem. This project is completed in the final semester of the policy management program.
Electives
MPM students expand on the analytical skills attained in the core coursework and summer institutes with 15 credits of elective courses. Students have an array of elective course options taught by our expert faculty with the opportunity to align their electives with their interests and career goals. Students can also take electives across other Georgetown graduate programs as well as through the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area . Please contact Director of Academic Affairs, Nirmala Fernandes, for more information.
Please note that this is just a sample of recent elective offerings. This list is not exhaustive and availability of courses varies.
McCourt’s foundational skill set
McCourt’s Curriculum Innovation Committee has developed a set of core competencies based on extensive research and outreach for all of our degree programs. By integrating these core competencies across our academic offerings, all McCourt students graduate with these foundational skills:
- Collaboration
- Critical Thinking
- Economic Analysis
- Engaging with Bias
- Ethical Leadership and Management
- Evaluation
- Policy Analysis
- Political Analysis
- Quantitative Reasoning
- Strategic Communication
Request more information
Join us in the Master of Policy Management program to gain the management and analytical skills to lead policy and solve the most pressing problems we face.
Thank you for your interest in our program. Please complete this form and we‘ll contact you with more information.