Master of Science in Public Policy (STEM-Designated)
Gain the skills to create, assess, and implement impactful public policies in just one year.
Program Overview
The Master of Science in Public Policy (MSPP) equips you with the analytical, quantitative, and communication skills essential for shaping effective public policies. This STEM-designated, accelerated one-year program offers comprehensive training in policy analysis, public management, and advanced data techniques, all within the support of a tight-knit cohort. You’ll collaborate with a small group of peers, building lasting connections and benefiting from personalized attention.
Leveraging New York City’s diverse landscape, the MSPP degree prepares you for impactful roles across government, nonprofits, and global public service. Graduates leave with the tools to design and implement policies that create lasting change locally and internationally.
NYU Wagner is ranked #9 on U.S. News and World Report’s list of Best Public Affairs Programs, and holds top positions in several other categories.
Advance Your Career With a Master’s in Public Policy
Our master’s in public policy program will prepare you for roles across a range of fields and sectors, from local housing policy to national health policy and global public service.
Graduates of the program are equipped to work in roles such as:
Policy Analyst
Researcher/Academic
Public Affairs Consultant
Government Affairs Specialist
Legislative Assistant
Public-Sector ConsultantSkills You'll Gain With a Master’s in Public Policy
The MSPP degree focuses on both technical and strategic aspects of public policy, empowering graduates to address real-world challenges with data-driven solutions.
Key skills you’ll develop include:
Evaluating policy challenges and developing well-reasoned solutions.
Applying data analysis to inform decisions and measure policy impact.
Leading and managing policy initiatives in public and nonprofit organizations.
Presenting complex policy ideas clearly to diverse audiences.
Gathering and interpreting data to support informed policy-making.
What Our Graduates Say
“At Wagner, I was able to build analytical skills through courses tailored to my interests and professional goals--specifically, quantitative policy research. It helped me develop new frameworks for thinking about challenging problems that face society and public leaders, and I was able to directly apply these learning opportunities after Wagner, working as a data scientist and now a policy researcher in the think tank space."
—Carolyn Gorman (MSPP 2021), Paulson Policy Analyst at Manhattan Institute
Why Choose NYU Wagner?
Our MS in Public Policy program lays the foundation for a successful career in public policy and analysis. Our interdisciplinary approach, expert faculty, and prime New York City location offer unparalleled learning, growth, and professional development opportunities. Here’s what sets us apart:
Complete your degree in just one year while mastering the skills to analyze, design, and implement impactful public policies.
Study within a collaborative environment that fosters deep, lasting connections with peers, creating a strong support network throughout the program. Additionally, benefit from our New York City location, connecting you with key organizations, influential leaders, and a global alumni network working across various sectors.
Learn from premier scholars in a variety of disciplines, including economics, finance, sociology, political science, law, planning, and healthcare. These highly-accomplished industry leaders will prepare you to effectively address issues across sectors and policy arenas.
The program integrates practical experiences like a spring internship and culminates in the Policy and Data Studio, where students independently design and execute a data-driven policy project.
Graduates of the MSPP program are prepared for high-impact roles in government, nonprofits, international organizations, and the private sector, with alumni at organizations such as the United Nations and leading consulting firms.
Program Requirements
The MSPP program includes an intensive, one-year curriculum requiring full-time enrollment. It runs for 12 calendar months, beginning in mid-August, with an official graduation date in September. As a STEM-designated degree, MSPP alumni with F-1 visas are eligible to apply for an Optional Practical Training (OPT) extension beyond Post-Completion OPT.
Below is an overview of the required coursework for the 42-credit MSPP program. For detailed information, view the program checksheet.
Required Course (3 credits):
MSPP-GP.1000, Methods and Microeconomics Intensive
Required Courses (16.5 credits):
MSPP-GP.1022, Introduction to Public Policy
MSPP-GP.2100, Communication Skills for the Policy Analyst
MSPP-GP.2905, Quantitative Methods for Policy Analysis
MSPP-GP.4021, Financial Management I (first half of semester)
PADM-GP.2140, Public Economics
PADM-GP 2171, Evaluating Programs and Policies, or 3 credits from Topic Electives
Required Courses (13.5 credits):
MSPP-GP.4900, The Practice of Work
PADM-GP 2171, Evaluating Programs and Policies (if not completed in fall), or 3 credits from Topic Electives
Methods Elective (3 credits; strongly recommended: PADM-GP 2505, Advanced Data Analytics for Public Policy)
Topic Elective (3 credits)
Methods Elective or Topic Elective (3 credits)
Required Courses (6 credits):
MSPP-GP.3100, Applied Policy Analysis
MSPP-GP.3101, Policy and Data Studio
Students must complete a combination of methods and topic electives to further develop specialized skills. Options include:
Methods Electives
PADM-GP.2505: Advanced Data Analytics for Public Policy (recommended)
PADM-GP.2875: Estimating Impacts in Policy Research
PADM-GP.4119: Data Visualization and Storytelling
PADM-GP.4147: Large Scale Data Analysis with Machine Learning I
PADM-GP.4148: Large Scale Data Analysis with Machine Learning II
PADM-GP.4503: Introduction to Data Analytics for Public Policy, Administration, and Management
PADM-GP.4504: Introduction to Database Design, Management, and Security
PADM-GP.4506: Python Coding for Public Policy
URPL-GP.4650: Advanced GIS: Interactive Web Mapping and Spatial Data Visualization
Topic Electives
Economic Analysis of Public Policy
PADM-GP.2138, Macroeconomics: Policy Challenges for the US & Global Economy
PADM-GP.2147, Corporate Finance and Public Policy
PADM-GP.2203, Economics of International Development
PADM-GP.2445, Poverty, Inequality, and Policy
PADM-GP.2472, Climate Economics
URPL-GP.2608, Urban Economics
HPAM-GP.4830, Health Economics: Principles
HPAM-GP.4831, Health Economics: Topics in Domestic Health Policy
Education Policy
PADM-GP-4440 Education and Social Policy
PADM-GP.2441 The Economics of Education: Policy and Finance
Environmental Policy
URPL-GP.1605, Land Use Law
PADM-GP.2472, Climate Economics
International Development Policy
PADM-GP.2138, Macroeconomics: Policy Challenges for the US & Global Economy
PADM-GP.2201, Institutions, Governance, and International Development
PADM-GP.2202, Politics of International Development
PADM-GP.2203, Economics of International Development
PADM-GP.2204, Development Assistance, Accountability and Aid Effectiveness
URPL-GP.2665, Decentralized Development Planning and Policy Reform in Developing Countries
PADM-GP.4217, Accountability in Humanitarian Assistance
PADM-GP.4250, Hunger and Food Security in a Global Perspective
Politics & the Policy Process
PADM-GP.2201, Institutions, Governance, and International Development
PADM-GP.2202, Politics of International Development
PADM-GP.2411, Policy Formation and Policy Analysis
PADM-GP.4116, Participatory Policymaking
Race, Class & Diversity Policy
PADM-GP.2445, Poverty, Inequality, and Policy
URPL-GP.2452, Public-Private Partnerships, Public Spaces, Politics, & the Press
PADM-GP.4116, Participatory Policymaking
Social Policy
PADM-GP.2311, Impact Investing
PADM-GP.2445, Poverty, Inequality, and Policy
HPAM-GP.2836, Topics in Health Policy: Policy, Politics, and Power
PADM-GP.4116, Participatory Policymaking
PADM-GP.4313, The Intersection of Finance and Social Justice
Urban Policy
URPL-GP.2452, Public-Private Partnerships, Public Spaces, Politics, & the Press
URPL-GP.2608, Urban Economics
PADM-GP.4250, Hunger and Food Security in a Global Perspective
URPL-GP.4636, Housing Policy I
URPL-GP.4638, Housing Policy II
Meet Our Faculty
How to Apply
Ready to take the next step? Explore the application process for our MS in Public Policy program, including admissions criteria and deadlines.
Submit your online application, including two essays (with an optional video essay), your resume or curriculum vitae, two letters of recommendation from academic or professional sources, transcripts from colleges or universities, and standardized test scores if applicable. You’ll also need to submit the $85 application fee and review any requirements specific to international applicants. To make sure you have everything you need, we created a complete application checklist.
We invite students from all majors and backgrounds to apply who demonstrate strong evidence of quantitative proficiency, especially in undergraduate-level statistics, economics, or calculus courses. The program is ideal for individuals with a passion for solving complex societal issues through policy analysis and data-driven solutions.
This program is designed for those seeking a structured, intensive curriculum that equips them with the essential skills to evaluate, formulate, and implement public policy. The MSPP is perfect for individuals aiming to advance their expertise in policy analysis in just one year.
The MSPP is a full-time, STEM-designated program open to applicants from various academic backgrounds. Due to its quantitative and intensive nature, the program is ideal for students with a strong academic foundation, some background in statistics, and a clear sense of their career goals. While submitting GRE/GMAT scores is optional, it is strongly recommended for applicants who do not have demonstrated quantitative skills on their transcripts.
The MSPP program is ideal for applicants with 2-5 years of professional experience or recent undergraduates with substantial internship experience. As part of the curriculum, all students complete an internship during the Spring semester, called The Practice of Work.
Tuition & Financial Aid
Find out detailed information about the cost of attendance, and access resources to finance your education—including federal loan programs and merit-based fellowships, scholarships, and assistantships.
Tuition is calculated on a per-credit basis. Your tuition costs are customized based on the total number of credits you enroll in each term.
Per-Credit Tuition Costs (2024-2025)
| FALL 2024 | Spring 2025 | Summer 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|
Tuition per point/credit |
$2,395 |
$2,395 |
$2,395 |
PER-SEMESTER TUITION COSTS (2024-2025)
| Credits | Tuition |
|---|---|
6 credits |
$14,370 |
9 credits |
$21,555 |
12 credits |
$28,740 |
View the tuition and fee calculator at the NYU Bursar's website.
*For Executive Masters students, fees also include a one-time $1,758 EMPA program fee. The program fee will be split across two semesters:
- EXEC-GP 100 = $879 (Fall 2024)
- EXEC-GP 101 = $879 (Spring 2025)
**A typical part-time student enrolls in 6 credits per fall and spring semester each academic year. A typical full-time student enrolls in 12 credits per fall and spring semester each academic year.
|
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
Housing |
$23,588 |
||
Food |
$6,450 |
||
Books |
$1,510 |
||
Transportation |
$2,342 |
||
Personal Expenses |
$3,000 |
||
Student Basic Health Insurance** |
$4,346 |
||
ESTIMATED TOTAL |
$41,236 |
*Please note that these expenses, based on 2024-2025 rates, are discretionary for students and are included here to assist you in planning your budget.
**Based on Basic Plan. For more information on student health insurance options, including premiums, enrollment, and waivers, please visit the NYU Student Health Insurance website.
Most NYU Wagner students fund their studies through a variety of means—private or federal student loans, college work-study, or student employment. You can seek out supplementary funding by applying to external merit-based or need-based scholarship programs that award students pursuing a degree program in public service.
Federal Student Loans
Federal student loan programs offer low-interest student loan options for US Citizens and Permanent Residents. International students are not eligible for federal financial aid. Graduate financial aid programs available to students who study in New York State include:
- Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans
- Federal Grad/Professional Plus Loans
- Federal Work Study
Compare the different types of federal loan programs.
How to Apply
If you are a US Citizen or Permanent Resident and you wish to be considered for need-based federal financial aid, you must complete the current Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). List "New York University" as a recipient and include our federal school code number 002785. Deadline: You should submit the FAFSA no later than October 1 for spring-start students or February 1 for fall-start students. While the FAFSA is accepted after these deadlines, late submission will cause a delay in the determination (and notification) of your aid eligibility (but it does not impact the amount of funding for which you are eligibile).
Private Loan Programs
A variety of additional, private (non-federal) alternative loans are also available from individual lending institutions. Please think carefully about your obligations as a borrower before pursuing any educational loan. Consider your educational investment at NYU, as well as your long-term financial commitments when borrowing.
See a reference list of private lenders.
Frequently Asked Questions
A Master’s in Public Policy equips you with the skills to analyze, design, and implement policies that address complex societal challenges. Graduates are prepared for impactful careers in government, nonprofits, international organizations, and consulting, making it a versatile and valuable degree.
The MSPP program is a one-year, intensive, cohort-based program that is STEM-designated, with all students starting in late August and concluding the following August. The quantitative path in the Policy Specialization of the MPA program covers similar content. It differs in that it is a two-year program (with options for part-time study and a January start), includes a required course (as well as optional electives) in management, and allows for many more electives and opportunities for internships. Additionally, if you have a strong focus on international development, the MPA program may be the better choice, as it offers a dedicated specialization, while the MSPP program provides limited elective options.
Graduates with an MSPP can pursue roles such as policy analyst, consultant, public affairs specialist, government relations officer, researcher, and program manager in sectors like government, nonprofits, think tanks, and international organizations.
Public policy is a competitive field, especially for top programs like NYU Wagner. Applicants with strong quantitative skills and a passion for solving societal challenges through policy tend to be the most competitive.