西北大学

Build the analytical, administrative, and leadership skills needed to make an impact. Northwestern’s MPPA curriculum offers a unique and comprehensive opportunity to delve into both the administrative and analytical sides of policy. This holistic approach is grounded in the perspective that policy challenges are fluid, interconnected, and global. This perspective gives graduates the tools needed to rise in the field and drive change at the local, national, and international levels.

Earn your master's degree from Northwestern — ranked ninth nationally among U.S. universities entirely online or in evening classes in Evanston and Chicago.

Build essential skills for a wide range of fields

As an MPPA student you’ll build skills that are relevant to a variety of fields — public and private. You'll earn your master’s degree in one of the only programs that focuses on both policy and administration and build the leadership, administrative, and analytical expertise needed to drive change at the local, national, and international levels.

Develop the skills needed to drive change in government, education, and nonprofit organizations.
Learn from experienced, engaged faculty who are thought leaders in their fields.
Focus your studies to align with your goals by choosing a specialization in Public Policy, Public Administration, Global Policy, Global Health, or Data Analytics for Public Policy.
Earn your Northwestern master’s degree online or on campus.

Public Administration Specialization

This specialization prepares students to serve as managers on the local, state and federal levels, and in the nongovernmental organization and nonprofit sectors. Graduates leave with an improved ability to deal with the complex challenges and concerns that face public administrators. Our graduates are prepared to lead an increasingly diverse public workforce toward innovative solutions.

Public Policy Specialization

Students in this specialization will be able to understand the factors in public decision-making and policy formulation by honing their analytical skills and increasing their theoretical and practical knowledge in the field.

Global Policy Specialization

This specialization introduces students to key issues addressed by global policy, such as development goals, the environment, financial regulation, nuclear proliferation, democratization and state-building. Graduates build the tools, training and knowledge necessary to lead policy development in an increasingly interdependent world while engaging various governments, private industries, non-governmental organizations and international organizations.

Global Health Specialization

(Courses are only offered online. This specialization is not available in the accelerated degree option.)

Government agencies and major foundations are investing billions to combat largely treatable chronic diseases that claim far too many lives in low- and middle-income countries. This specialization is designed to enable students, such as nonprofit administrators, policy analysts, social entrepreneurs and others, to make a meaningful difference in healthcare access and outcomes. Students will navigate the legal and regulatory aspects of health-related industries around the world and evaluate cultural and ethical considerations inherent in global health contexts.

Data Analytics for Public Policy Specialization

(Courses are only offered online. This specialization is not available in the accelerated degree option.)

The data analytics specialization is intended for students who will use data analytics and statistics to address policy issues. Policy analysts and researchers who can use sophisticated statistical and computational methods can add insight and value to public policy decision-making by using big data.