Public Policy & Public Affairs
Public Policy & Public Affairs
George Washington University — a recognized leader in the field of social sciences — offers top-ranked advanced degrees in areas that include:
- Public policy and public administration
- Environmental and sustainability policy
- Political science
- Philosophy and social policy
- Women’s, gender and sexuality studies with a focus on policy
Programs at a Glance
Learn more about the program that fits your career goals:
Master's Degrees
- Public Policy, MPP
GW’s master’s program challenges you to dig deep into the data and the details as you explore the theories behind the public policy that shapes our governments and our world. With a hands-on curriculum in your hand-picked field of study, you will not only learn to clearly analyze social and economic problems via public policy but also prepare yourself to lead at all levels of government, private business, research institutes, nonprofit organizations and more.
- Public Administration, MPA
By studying management and policy issues in an intergovernmental and intersectoral context, our master’s program prepares you to lead and manage public service organizations and programs in all sectors. Empowered to choose your specific field of study and design your own capstone project, you will amass expertise and establish yourself as a leader in the issues you are most passionate about.
- Environmental & Sustainability Policy, MA
Gain a multidisciplinary approach to environmental and sustainability studies as you prepare for a policy career in government, nonprofit organizations, the private sector and/or environmental advocacy groups. As you develop your solid grounding in the scientific side of environmental and resource policy, you will collaborate on a capstone project on a pro bono product for a client of your choice.
- Political Science, MA
Geared specifically for those who aspire to careers as political campaign strategists, professors, leaders in government and business and expert contributors at top media outlets, our master’s in political science prepares you with both firsthand knowledge from seasoned faculty experts, as well as numerous opportunities to amass real-world experience. Gain a sophisticated understanding of the political landscape, participate in scholarly debates, and hone your statistical research skills–all while learning your craft in the middle of Washington, D.C.
- Public Policy - Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies, MA
With your Master of Arts in Public Policy with a concentration in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS), you will gain both knowledge in conventional economics, quantitative methods, and policy analysis, as well as the tools to criticize conventional ways of thinking about and analyzing public policy that has traditionally excluded women.
- Philosophy and Social Policy, MA
While most policy programs train students to be quantitative analysts, our program emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach as you address questions of public policy from a humanistic perspective. Learn how to apply the normative, historical and logical tools of philosophical inquiry to today’s policy issues, as well as analyze the underlying concepts and implications of contemporary policies.
Program Certificates
- Budget & Public Finance Graduate Certificate
If you are, or envision becoming, a budget analyst or financial management officer in a public agency at any level of government, this graduate certificate—from the #11 ranked U.S. program in public finance and budgeting—provides you with expertise in budget policy and process, characteristics of public revenue and expenditure, and governmental accounting and financial reporting.
- Environmental Resource Policy Graduate Certificate
Whether entering the field or advancing your career within it, GW’s graduate certificate expands your knowledge of environmental sciences and resources, as well as the policies and laws that govern them. Learn how to design, analyze, implement, and evaluate environmental policy, all while understanding environmental scientific principles and the economic factors that drive the decisions of firms and consumers.
- Nonprofit Management Graduate Certificate
Advance your career in the nonprofit sector by learning all aspects of nonprofit leadership to become a well-rounded professional. Expand your knowledge with practical coursework in fundraising, governance, public-private partnerships, lobbying, social entrepreneurship, leading diverse and inclusive organizations and much more.
- Regulatory Policy & Practice Graduate Certificate
Interested in formulating or influencing regulatory policy, being a government analyst or participating in regulatory matters in the private sector? This certificate program can get you there. Examine the regulatory process, understand the roles and motivations of parties involved, and master the basics you'll need to participate in the process.
Kai K. Martin, MPP ’21
“Great leaders discover their inner tools along the way. This is the best way to describe my experience at TSPPPA [Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration]. The courses selected, the opportunities given, and the people met were all impactful in helping me to discover career and life tools that were hidden inside of me. These tools of course became effective in impacting social change.”
Gabriel Morey, MPA ’22
“I chose the Trachtenberg School [of Public Policy and Public Administration] because I wanted to gain the leadership and analytical skills needed to continue my career in the public transit industry. However I got so much more from TSPPPA: discovering new interests like budgeting and program evaluation, challenging myself by writing for Policy Perspectives, and growing friendships that remain today.”
Ryan Sweeney, MPA ’18; BITS Policy Manager, Bank Policy Institute
“I met with four alumni in one week during my job search, including a 27-minute coffee meeting on the U.S. Capitol’s Speaker’s balcony with an alumnus who worked for the then- Speaker and took the time to answer my questions.”
Andrew Textoris, MA ’22, Environmental Resource Policy
“I wouldn’t be able to break into my career path without this degree. It is instrumental in preparing people to engage in the arduous landscape that is environmental policy.”
Employment Opportunities
Here are just some of the field’s top organizations where our graduates are advancing their exciting careers:
