• WWS 501 Politics of Public Policy
• WWS 502 Psychology for Policy Analysis and Implementation
• WWS 507b, c Quantitative Analysis
• WWS 508a Econometrics: Applied (Sess I - half-term course) OR
             WWS 508c Econometrics and Public Policy: Advanced
• WWS 511b, c, d Microeconomic Analysis
• WWS 512b, c Macroeconomic Analysis
 

Field I: International Relations

• WWS 541 International Politics
• WWS 542 International Economics OR WWS 543 International Trade Policy OR WWS 544 International Macroeconomics 

Field II: Development Studies

•  WWS 561 The Comparative Political Economy of Development
• WWS 562b OR WWS 562c Economic Analysis of Development

Field III: Domestic Policy

• WWS 521 Domestic Politics
• WWS 522 Microeconomic Analysis of Domestic Policy OR WWS 523 Legal and Regulatory Policy Toward Markets OR WWS 525 Microeconomic Analysis of Government Activity

Field IV: Economics and Public Policy

Requires at least five economics courses beyond the core curriculum (which must include WWS 508c. A Gateway course in political analysis (WWS 521/541/561) is strongly recommended.

Administered in May at the end of the first and second years. All first-year students are required to take an end-of-the-year exam (QE1) designed to test the knowledge and skills acquired from the core curriculum with application to a current policy problem. An ungraded practice qualifying exam, called the Integrated Policy Exercise (IPE), is given at the end of the first semester to prepare students for the QE1. All second-year students take the qualifying exam (QE2) in their field of concentration.

See Office of Graduate Career Services, Summer Internships, for more information.

Second-year M.P.A. students are required to take a policy workshop course during the fall semester as part of the degree requirements.   Graduate policy workshops are a unique part of the curriculum of the School's graduate program.  Workshops provide students with an opportunity to use what they have learned from their first year in the program, their summer internship work experience, and other professional experiences to analyze a complex and challenging policy issue.  The workshops emphasis on policy implementation and field research distinguishes workshops from regular graduate courses.  The goal of the workshop is not just to understand a policy issue, but to devise policy recommendations that are practical and realistic for their client.  The field research helps inform their policy recommendations; each policy workshop participates in a  research trip each fall (over fall break) to gather information in the field.  The field research findings are then incorporated into their final recommendations and is a critical element that validates their policy recommendations to the client. Each workshop consists of eight to 10 students who conclude the semester with a final group report and formal presentation to the client and/or other experts in this area.