PUBPO-MPP - Public Policy (MPP)

The mission of the graduate program in Public Policy is to provide students with the advanced skills necessary to assess the performance of alternative approaches to policy making and implementation, evaluate program effectiveness, understand the political constraints faced by policy-makers, and appreciate the conflicts in fundamental human values that often animate policy debate. After completing the graduate core curriculum, students apply these skills by focusing their studies in a two-quarter, 10-unit practicum for the M.P.P. degree. Each student in the M.P.P. program also completes at least one concentration tailored to the student's primary degree program or the student's interests and skills. Current concentrations include:

• Computational Public Policy

• Education Policy

• Health Care Policy

• International and National Security Policy

• Legal and Regulatory Intervention

• Political and Moral Philosophy

• Resources, Environment, and Energy Policy

• Science and Technology Policy

• Self-designed (requires detailed statement of study goals, relationship of each proposed course to those goals, and commitment by a supervising faculty member)

• Urban and Regional Policy

Application and Admissions

Applications for graduate study in Public Policy are only accepted from:

1. Students currently enrolled in any Stanford graduate or undergraduate degree program

2. External applicants seeking a joint degree, or

3. Stanford alumni (who have graduated within the past 5 years).

External applicants for joint degrees must apply to the department or school offering the other graduate degree (i.e. ,Ph.D., M.D., M.A., M.S., M.B.A., or J.D.), indicating an interest in the joint degree program; applicants admitted to the other degree program are then evaluated for admission to the M.P.P. program.

To be considered for matriculation beginning in the Autumn Quarter 2023-24, all application materials must be submitted no later than February 2, 2023. Admission notifications will be sent to applicants by April 1, 2023. Admitted students are required to respond to offers of admission by May 15, 2023.

Stanford Alumni and Current Stanford Seniors

Visit the Stanford Office of Graduate Admissions.  The online application for the M.P.P. is available beginning in mid-September 2022. The application fee is $125. The program is unable to refund an application fee, so prospective applicants are advised to refer to eligibility requirements before submitting an application.    

Only complete applications submitted by the deadline are reviewed. A complete application includes the following:

1. Application.

2. Official transcripts. Copies of student transcripts must bear the official seal of the institution and the signature of the registrar. Upload transcripts to the online application.

3. GRE, GMAT, LSAT or MCAT test scores.

4. Letters of recommendation: Three confidential letters of recommendation from a Stanford faculty member or an employer should be submitted electronically via the online application. See the Stanford Office of Graduate Admissions web site regarding letters of recommendation. At least two letters must be from Stanford faculty members.

5. Statement of purpose (not to exceed two pages; upload to the online application).

6. Resume or curriculum vitae (upload to the online application).

Stanford Current Graduate Students

1. Application for Current Stanford Graduate Students.

2. Two confidential letters of recommendation, one of which must be from a Stanford faculty member familiar with applicant's academic work.

3. Undergraduate and graduate transcripts.

4. GRE, GMAT, LSAT or MCAT test scores.

5. Statement of purpose, not to exceed two pages.

6. Resume or curriculum vitae.

7. Preliminary program proposal.

8. Prerequisite completion statement, demonstrating completion of required prerequisite course work in multivariate calculus and intermediate microeconomics.

Applicants may be interviewed. If admitted, students will submit a Graduate Authorization Petition through Axess. A $125 fee is charged when adding the M.P.P. degree program in Axess.

Per University policy, students enrolled in MA programs may not apply external credits towards their degree requirements. The University's general requirements, applicable to all graduate degrees at Stanford, are listed in the "Graduate Degrees" section of this bulletin. 

The Program in Public Policy is committed to providing academic advising in support of graduate student scholarly and professional development. When most effective, this advising relationship entails collaborative and sustained engagement by both the adviser and the advisee. As a best practice, advising expectations should be periodically discussed and reviewed to ensure mutual understanding. Both the adviser and the advisee are expected to maintain professionalism and integrity.

All graduate students must submit a signed faculty adviser form by the end of their first quarter. The form is available on the Graduate forms website. The adviser need not be affiliated with the Public Policy Program, but does need to be a member of Stanford's Academic Council.  The Director and student services staff can assist by providing individualized support in identifying a faculty adviser, if necessary. 

Faculty advisers guide students in key areas such as selecting courses, designing and conducting research, developing of teaching pedagogy, navigating policies and degree requirements, and exploring academic opportunities and professional pathways.

Graduate students are active contributors to the advising relationship, proactively seeking academic and professional guidance and taking responsibility for informing themselves of policies and degree requirements for their graduate program. Students are encouraged to communicate clearly and frequently with their adviser. 

For a statement of University policy on graduate advising, see the Graduate Advising section of this bulletin.

The purpose of the master's program is to develop knowledge and skills in public policy and to prepare students for a professional career or doctoral studies. This is achieved through completion of courses, in the primary field as well as related areas, and experience with independent work and specialization.