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Social Policy Programs

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Social policy analysts and social workers aim to improve the lives of children, the elderly, minority groups, disadvantaged populations and others. These are the top public affairs schools for social policy. Read the methodology »

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Doctor of Philosophy in Social Policy

Knowledge Advancing Social Justice

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The Heller School recognized as a Top 10 Graduate School by U.S. News & World Report

Gain critical skills in core research methods, and enjoy the flexibility to choose your own electives, all in a top-ranked school of social policy and health policy.

Choose a  concentration that aligns with your long-term interests and select courses that will give you  a multifaceted perspective on today's—and tomorrow's—most critical social policy issues. In addition to two years of coursework , PhD students participate in a doctoral seminar , complete a comprehensive exam  and successfully defend a dissertation within four to six years. Every full-time student receives tuition and stipend support.

Doctoral students learn from Heller faculty and researchers in the classroom, through their concentration and in their dissertation committee. Heller PhD students learn to design and conduct policy research in a program with a 100% employment rate at a top-ranked graduate school of social policy, home to 9 renowned research centers and institutes that cover social policy areas ranging from disability policy to economic and racial equity. Discover how to generate knowledge that can improve people’s lives and effect structural change.

Concentrations

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Heller

The Heller School seeks to ensure a safe and inclusive environment in which community members respect and value others. In the pursuit of the Heller motto, “Knowledge Advancing Social Justice,” we are committed to equity, inclusion and diversity in our research institutes, academic programs, policies and community relationships.

EID at Heller

Virtual Visit Options

Student research stories.

Alexandra Kritikos, PhD’21, Health and Behavioral Health Concentration

Giselle Routhier, PhD'21, Economic and Racial Equity Concentration

Diana Serrano, PhD'19, Children, Youth and Families Concentration

Evaluating Waltham’s Two-Way Immersion School

The Heller Social Policy Impact Report showcases a selection of high-impact research, publications, grants, awards, and public engagement from the faculty, researchers, and students of the Heller School from the past year. The report includes features on unequal treatment of WWII veterans under the GI Bill , the “fissured workplace” and child labor , and increasing access to community-based mental health care ; and Q&As on analyzing how hiring algorithms impact people with disabilities and supporting youth and young adult populations .

Alumni Outcomes

Linda Mills, PhD'94

President, New York University (NYU)

"The Heller School sits high amongst my fondest memories of transformative education. Intellectually challenging, politically engaged, my experience at Brandeis was crucial in my career as a scholar and academic administrator."

Sasha Albert, PhD’20

Senior Researcher, Massachusetts Health Policy Commission

“I feel especially grateful to have had the opportunity to work as a graduate research assistant for Heller’s Lurie institute for Disability Policy…I learned so much about the research process and got really great hands-on experience.”

Rajan Sonik, PhD'17

Director of Research, Institute for Health Equity, AltaMed Health Services

“Having the ability to run a regression or pick which econometric model you're going to use is critical, but it's not enough. Social issues are complex and messy and require creative thinking—Heller prepared me for that.”

• What We Look For

In This Section

• Current Students
• PhD Student Life
• Degree Requirements

There are a few things you will need to know ahead of applying to the Social Policy (SPOL) PhD program. 

In addition to submitting your application online, you will also need to send your official test scores, be aware of our in-residence requirements, and provide documents to support your application.

Master's Degree

A master's degree is not required to apply.   

Test Scores

Graduate record examinations (gre).

Official GRE scores are required with your application and test scores must be issued within the past five years, no earlier than September 1, 2017. There is no minimum GRE score requirement. We do not accept the GMAT or LSAT. Plan to take the GRE by mid-November at the latest if you are submitting your application in December, and send your GRE scores to the  Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Harvard Griffin GSAS) Office of Admissions , using ETS code 3451. A department code is not required.

TOEFL IBT AND IELTS

You must submit your TOEFL Internet-based test (iBT) or IELTS scores with your application if you are an international applicant and:

• Have an equivalent of a bachelor’s degree from an institution where the primary language of instruction is not English
• Have a master’s degree from an institution where English is the primary language of instruction

A minimum TOEFL score of 103 OR a minimum IELTS score of 7 is required. Official test scores must be issued within the past two years, no earlier than September 1, 2020. Plan to take the English proficiency tests by mid-November at the latest if you are submitting your application in December. You must send your scores to the  Harvard Griffin GSAS Office of Admissions  and use ETS code 3451. A department code is not required.

Supporting documents for your SPOL application

You will need to prepare and submit the following documents directly to the  Harvard Griffin GSAS Office of Admissions   by the indicated deadline:

• Online application form
• Application fee
• Official GRE scores; GMAT and LSAT are not accepted
• Official TOEFL Internet-based test (iBT) scores, if necessary
• Official academic transcripts
• Statement of purpose
• Three letters of recommendation
• One writing sample

• Social Policy
• Introduction

Harvard Griffin GSAS strives to provide students with timely, accurate, and clear information. If you need help understanding a specific policy, please contact the office that administers that policy.

• Application for Degree
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Questions about these requirements? See the contact info at the bottom of the page. 

PhD Programs in Social Policy

Government and social policy, sociology and social policy, the first two years.

Students are expected to develop a strong disciplinary foundation in government or sociology, as well as multidisciplinary expertise and research in the area of social policy. Students pursue these twin objectives by fulfilling all essential components of the PhD program in government or sociology, plus a complementary program of study in social policy offered in collaboration with the social policy faculty of the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS).

The requirements in each of the two social policy tracks, government or sociology, are summarized below. Students should refer to the relevant entries in the government or sociology sections of this handbook for more detailed guidelines concerning the disciplinary requirements:

Students in the Government disciplinary track must successfully complete twelve four-credit courses, of which eight must be in government. At least ten of these twelve four-credit courses and seven of the eight four-credit courses in government must be 1000-or 2000-level courses.

Students must complete six four-credit courses by the end of their second term in residence and nine by the end of their third.

In the first year, students will complete required courses in the Department of Government. In the second year, students must complete the Proseminar in Inequality and Social Policy I and II, the first two four-credit courses in the three-term social policy sequence. Students should note that while the proseminar in Inequality and Social Policy courses may be used to satisfy the overall twelve four-credit course requirement noted above, they do not count toward the eight four-credit course requirement in government, since the proseminar sequence is meant to be the multidisciplinary complement to the disciplinary foundation in government.

Seminar Papers —Students must complete three seminar-style research papers, one of which should fulfill the social policy program’s requirement to complete a research paper in a topical area with major literatures in government and social policy. This latter paper is ordinarily developed in the course of the Proseminar in Inequality and Social Policy course sequence.

Quantitative methods requirement —Every student must successfully complete, during the first or second year and with a grade of B or better, at least one graduate-level course in quantitative social science methods relevant to political science from a list of appropriate government department and other Harvard/MIT courses regularly updated by the Government Department Graduate Policy Committee.

Political theory requirement —Every student must take a minimum of one graduate-level four-credit course (or section) in political theory, chosen from a list of courses approved by the Government Department Graduate Policy Committee.

Research tools requirement —Every student must submit to the director of graduate studies, by the end of the first year, a written Research Tools Plan outlining intentions to acquire tools and methodological expertise connected to their areas of research interest. In meeting this requirement, each student must complete a minimum of 3.5 four-credit course equivalent units of research tools and methods courses, modules, or workshops by the end of their seventh term in residence (middle of fourth year). Students may also count language training in various formats toward fulfillment of this requirement.

Research workshops —The Government department offers a series of research workshops in the major political science subfields and related areas for graduate students to present and discuss work-in-progress. Every student should attend at least one research workshop, starting in the second or third term in residence. Research workshops do not count toward the requirement to complete twelve four-credit courses.

General examination —Every student will sit for a general examination in May of the second year, with the exam administered orally by three faculty not known in advance. The ninety-minute exam will cover two of the four major substantive fields in political science (American government, international relations, comparative politics, political theory), plus an additional focus field, which will be social policy for students in the Social Policy PhD program. A student may substitute either formal theory or political methodology for one of the two major fields. Students may substitute formal theory or political methodology for one of the two major fields, with a “course out” option in which students may complete an approved set of formal theory or methods courses in lieu of an exam in this area.

Students in the Sociology and Social Policy track must complete fourteen four-credit courses in sociology.

Seven of these four-credit courses will be required methods and theory courses, the first four of which are normally taken in the first year in residence:

• Soc. 2202: Intermediate Quantitative Methods (Students who arrive with sufficient training may waive this course if they can satisfy placement procedures designed by the Soc. 202 instructor.) 
• Soc. 2203a: Advanced Quantitative  Research Methods  
• Soc. 2204: Sociological Theory: Seminar
• Soc. 2205: Sociological Research Design
• Soc. 208: Contemporary Theory and Research: Seminar 
• Soc. 209: Qualitative Social Analysis

In lieu of Soc 310a/b: Qualifying Paper, which is counted as a four-credit course in sociology, social policy students will substitute the Proseminar in Inequality and Social Policy I and II—i.e., the first two four-credit courses in the three-term social policy sequence. These two social policy four-credit courses will thereby satisfy the four-credit course 310a/b requirement and one of the six electives noted below.

Students take six additional four-credit courses in sociology of which up to two may be workshops. Courses from other departments may be counted only if they are cross-listed in the catalog under sociology. Social policy students are encouraged to select electives that will a contribute to development of a field specialization within one or two closely-related research domains of the Social Policy program, which include: (i) work, wages, and markets; (ii) urban poverty and residential segregation; (iii) family structure and parental roles; (iv) race, ethnicity, and immigration; (v) educational access and quality; (vi) crime, criminal justice, and inequality; (vii) political inequalities, participation, and social capital; and (viii) institutions, policy, and comparative welfare state analysis.

Soc. 305: Teaching Practicum, ordinarily taken prior to one’s first assignment as a teaching fellow.

In addition, every first-year social policy student will enroll in Social Policy 303: Introduction to Social Policy research, to be taken SAT/UNS. This course will not count toward the fourteen four-credit courses in Sociology.

Written examination —Every student takes a written general examination in August preceding the second year, which is a four-question essay exam designed to ensure a working knowledge of the range of subfields that comprise the discipline of sociology. Students should be prepared for a broad range of questions; they are given a reading list and sample questions from previous years. The results of the examination will be honors, pass, conditional pass, or fail. The grade of conditional pass is used when one of the four answers is found not acceptable; the student is permitted to rewrite that particular answer under faculty guidance. A student who fails the written examination will be permitted to take it a second time at a later date.

Research paper —A special research paper, sometimes called the Qualifying Paper, is required by the end of the fifth term in residence. This paper is ordinarily developed in the course of the Proseminar in Inequality and Social Policy course sequence, and should be of the same length, quality, and finish of a paper acceptable to the major sociological or social science journals. Once the topic and research design have been agreed upon with a primary advisor, the student should petition the Sociology Committee on Higher Degrees (CHD) for appointment of three readers who ultimately approve the final version.

Master of Arts (AM)

The PhD Programs in Social Policy do not offer a terminal AM degree. Students may apply to receive the AM degree in government or sociology upon completion of the relevant department’s requirements for the master’s degree.

Progress toward the degree after the first two years

All social policy students will complete the third term of the Proseminar in Inequality and Social Policy course sequence during the fall of the third year.

Government and social policy students should normally complete all other requirements pertaining to courses, research papers, languages, quantitative methods, and political theory prior to the General Examination—that is, during the first two years of graduate work. In special circumstances, a student may defer fulfillment of two four-credit courses or two of the following until after the General Examination:

• one seminar paper
• one four-credit course

Within six months of passing the General Examination, the student must have fulfilled one of these deferred requirements. Within twelve months, they must have completed both deferred requirements.

Following completion of the General Exam, each student will engage faculty advisors through a two-stage process of research exploration and prospectus approval, marked by two meetings. (Government and social policy students should consult the Government section of this handbook for further guidelines of these meetings):

• An initial “Research Consultation Meeting” with three to four faculty consultants must convene in the fall term of the third year to discuss an approximately ten-page statement with the student, which, as appropriate, may either present a potential research question for the dissertation, or set forth alternative possible research questions for consideration and development.
• A second “Prospectus Evaluation Meeting”, involving the same three to four faculty or a different set where appropriate, will convene to discuss and approve the student’s written dissertation prospectus. This evaluation meeting will preferable be held in the spring semester of the third year and in no instance later than October 1 of the fourth year. Whenever this meeting is held, there may be a one month follow-up period for final changes in the prospectus. To be in good standing, therefore, all students must have an approved prospectus, with the dissertation title and names of the committee registered with the director of graduate studies by no later than early November of the fourth year.

Special Area Examination —For sociology and social policy students, the final qualifying requirement is an oral examination on a subfield within sociology that represents the student’s special interest, generally in the same area as the likely dissertation topic. The field should be broad enough that it would be possible to teach regularly an upper-level undergraduate class in the area. The student prepares a field statement, not longer than ten double-spaced pages of ten-point type, to define the area in which the examination will be given. When the field statement and bibliography have been prepared, the student submits them to the CHD along with a petition to appointment a Special Area Examination committee. The Special Area Examination is expected to be taken no later than the end of the term following the completion of the research paper.

Dissertation Prospectus —Sociology and social policy students develop a dissertation prospectus of twenty–thirty pages in length, which should state clearly the objectives of the study and specific set of questions to be explored, review the relevant literature, and indicate the ways in which the student intends to make a contribution to existing ideas on the subject. The research methods and design, the data to be employed, and the plan of approach should be included as well. When the final draft of the prospectus has been prepared, the student schedules a prospectus defense. The purpose of this meeting is to ensure that the dissertation project is viable and that the student is prepared to begin their research. The prospectus must be approved before the end of the fall term of the student’s fifth year in residence.

Students are encouraged to serve as teaching fellows in government, sociology, or in the Harvard Kennedy School. Students in the government and sociology program will normally be expected to teach at least one section in a departmental course sometime during the period that they are in residence.

Students in the social policy PhD programs will have two advisors at the beginning of their graduate studies, one from the traditional disciplinary department, government or sociology, and one from the social policy program. The departmental advisor will be assigned according to the prevailing practices of the relevant department. The social policy advisor will generally be the director of graduate study. During the third year, the student will choose an advisor in accordance with their research interests, with an eye toward composing an eventual dissertation committee.

Students in the social policy PhD programs will be reviewed formally by the Committee on Higher Degrees on Social Policy every year at the conclusion of the spring term. This review will require a brief commentary from the advisors indicating the student’s progress and highlighting any special concerns or achievements of which the committee should be aware.

Dissertation

Typically, the dissertation committee shall be comprised of one member from the traditional disciplinary department (government or sociology), one member from the HKS social policy faculty, and a third member who may come from either domain. Two of the members of the committee must be members of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, which includes, for dissertation committee purposes, HKS social policy faculty who serve on the Committee on Higher Degrees in Social Policy.

Contact Info 

Social Policy Website Harvard Kennedy School 79 JFK Street Cambridge, MA 02138 617-495-1190

Nicole Tateosian Send Email

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Doctoral Program (PhD)

Create knowledge to tackle society's most complex problems..

GSPP offers a doctoral degree program for students who seek careers in policy research in academia and/or with governments, non-profits, or research institutes. Usually only two or three Ph.D. applicants are admitted each year.

The Ph.D. program emphasizes the generation of knowledge, theories, methodologies, and applications appropriate to the advancement of public policy analysis and policy-relevant research. Doctoral students pursue highly individualized programs of study and typically work closely with Goldman faculty members who share the student’s subject matter interest. The doctoral program provides enormous flexibility in the topics addressed and the program of study, but is designed mainly to train social science researchers with an interest in applied policy issues.

A thorough preparation in or aptitude for rigorous policy research is a prerequisite for the doctorate. Because there is no core program of study, the PhD committee prefers applicants who can show some clear evidence of sustained interest in (and aptitude for) public policy and applied research.

For more information about the PhD program, please review the Goldman School's 2023-2024 Program Bulletin .

The Brooks PhD Program in Public Policy prepares the next generation of research scholars to address pressing national and international public policy issues.

Brooks School PhD students

Why a Brooks PhD ?

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• Meet Our Faculty
• Meet Our Students

About the PhD Program

Program details.

Each Public Policy PhD student completes a course of study designed to produce cutting-edge social science research on policy-relevant topics.

Areas of Speciality

The graduate faculty have multidisciplinary expertise in a range of policy areas, including data science and technology policy; environmental and sustainability policy; health policy; human security; inequality and social policy; the politics and economics of development; and race, racism and public policy.

Meet our Students

Our students enroll with diverse research and academic experiences. Learn about their research interests here.

I get the opportunity to interact with sociologists and political scientists and economists outside of my field who really give me an understanding and a scope well beyond what I would have gotten if I had gone to a school that didn’t have this interdisciplinary nature. The Brooks School is a perfect place for me. I can craft my research in a way that is valuable in the long term. – Shyam Raman, PhD Student

BENEFITS OF GETTING A PUBLIC POLICY PHD AT CORNELL

A multi-disciplinary phd in public policy.

The PhD in Public Policy offers training in a social science discipline (such as economics, government, and sociology), empirical methods, and a policy area of focus. First year coursework is disciplinary; subsequent coursework and research is guided by student interest and faculty expertise.

Generous support

PhD funding is guaranteed for 6 years, which includes a stipend, tuition, and health insurance. Students are funded through a combination of fellowships, research assistantships, and teaching assistantships .

Public Policy Placements

Policy PhD graduates go on to academic positions in policy schools, disciplinary departments, and interdisciplinary units; others join government agencies, consulting firms, and non-governmental organizations.

An Ivy League degree in public policy with Cornell’s resources and reputation

Cornell University is one of the world’s leading academic and research institutions and has the broadest range of programs in the Ivy League. Cornell attracts some of the world’s best researchers, thinkers, scholars, inventors, scientists, and humanitarians.

A community where you’ll feel at home within a comprehensive, world-class university

The Brooks School is a friendly, caring environment and just one community among many that you will discover. At Cornell, there’s a club, activity or group where you can meet people who share your interests. If you want to enrich your studies by pursuing social change or volunteer to make a difference, you’ll find endless opportunities. 

A vibrant, dynamic college town setting

Ithaca is home to spectacular waterfalls and lakes, organic farms and wineries, a thriving music and arts community, and an invigorating climate year-round. Located at the southern tip of Cayuga Lake, Ithaca is consistently rated among the most livable cities in the United States.

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Have Questions?

Cornell Brooks School

Contact address, contact email.

Joint Degree Program in Social Policy

The Joint Degree Program (JDP) in Social Policy is a collaborative effort of the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs and the Departments of Politics, Psychology, Sociology, and Economics that combines work in a basic social science with a multidisciplinary perspective on the problems of economic insecurity and inequality.

The program follows a “discipline-plus” structure in which all students complete a Ph.D. in a basic social science, and also study economic insecurity and inequality in advanced postindustrial societies and the developing world.

Students are both full members of their disciplinary departments and participants in this interdisciplinary community; students must be admitted by their disciplinary department as well as by the multidisciplinary Social Policy faculty. JDP students receive funding equivalent to that provided by their home departments, consisting of tuition plus a need-based living stipend.

Graduate Program

Jurisprudence & social policy graduate program, april 19, 2024, april 12, 2024, march 8, 2024, march 4, 2024, february 28, 2024.

Berkeley Law offers a unique interdisciplinary program of graduate study in law and society, leading to the Ph.D. degree in Jurisprudence and Social Policy (JSP) . The JSP Program promotes the study of law and legal institutions through the perspectives of several disciplines, including economics, political science, philosophy, sociology, history, psychology, and criminal justice

The Jurisprudence and Social Policy Ph.D. is ideal for students interested in:

The scholarly study of legal ideas and institutions from the standpoint of one or more of the basic disciplines, such as, history, economics, philosophy, sociology, or political science.

Policy analysis and applied research on law-related issues in such fields as criminal justice, poverty and discrimination, human rights, urban planning, and environmental protection.

Preparation for teaching legal studies in graduate and undergraduate curriculums.

Interdisciplinary preparation for teaching law.

A Note from Associate Dean Dylan Penningroth:

Thanks for visiting our website.  The Jurisprudence and Social Policy (JSP) Program is a unique doctoral program focused on the interdisciplinary study of law. JSP is housed within the School of Law at the University of California, Berkeley, but organized under UC Berkeley’s Graduate Division. Established in 1978, JSP was the first law-focused PhD program in the United States and continues to be the leading program of its kind anywhere.

By integrating the study of law with the humanities and social sciences, JSP seeks a broad context for understanding and developing legal policy. While there are many productive ways to link law to the research tools of the disciplines, we are committed to pursuing plural, interdisciplinary scholarship that includes humanistic and social scientific approaches to the study of law. Our students generally specialize in some portion of this spectrum while learning from teachers and peers with diverse research interests. Students take a mix of interdisciplinary courses offered within JSP, as well as classes in the Law School’s traditional JD curriculum. These and other features of our program have become a model for other doctoral programs in interdisciplinary legal studies, many of which have recruited our alumni for their faculties. 

JSP faculty are leading scholars in their field who hail from a variety of disciplines – including political science, sociology, economics, history, philosophy, and psychology. Beginning with the JSP Orientation Seminar and through a range of course offerings in the humanities and social sciences, we offer students training in both empirical and normative analysis of law. Over the past decade, JSP has grown, adding faculty who offer a range of cutting-edge courses in quantitative and qualitative research methods and research design that are specially oriented to the study of law. Our substantive course offerings also have increased in scope, pushing the boundaries of knowledge across multiple fields.

JSP is closely integrated with the Center for the Study of Law and Society (CSLS), which attracts visiting scholars from all over the world, hosts one of the most dynamic speaker series on campus, and provides an intellectual hub for top-notch research on law and legal institutions. CSLS also offers the Berkeley Empirical Legal Studies (BELS) Graduate Fellowship, which brings together doctoral students studying law and social science from JSP and other programs on the Berkeley campus in a year-long research workshop. Berkeley Law is also home to a vibrant array of other research centers dedicated to issues ranging from law, energy, and the environment to reproductive rights and justice; from law and business to law and social justice; from law, morality, and public affairs to law and technology. 

This is an extraordinary time for scholars and students who have interdisciplinary training in law. The collective challenges confronting us today span diverse legal systems, fields of expertise, cultures, and regions of the world. In this context, the training we provide is not only an advantage for a professional career in academia, public service, or policy advocacy, but also urgently needed kindling for innovative theorizing, creative problem-solving, and breakthrough empirical research.

On this website you can get to know our students and our faculty and learn more about the JSP program by viewing recent course offerings and upcoming conferences. I especially urge you to learn more about our advanced graduate students currently on the academic job market, as well as our alumni. Nothing reflects so well on our program as our graduates, and what they are accomplishing with their training here at Berkeley continues to inspire us. 

If you have any questions about the JSP Program, please feel welcome to contact me, our Graduate Advisor, Sarah Song, or our Graduate Student Advisor, Michael Paz.

Dylan C. Penningroth, Associate Dean Jurisprudence and Social Policy

Jurisprudence & Social Policy PhD

Berkeley Law is unique among major US law schools in housing its own interdisciplinary graduate program in the social, philosophical, and humanistic study of law, leading to MA and PhD degrees in Jurisprudence and Social Policy (JSP). The JSP Program promotes the study of law and legal institutions through the perspectives of several disciplines, including history, economics, philosophy, sociology, and political science. The first law and society program of its kind in North America, the JSP Program remains the clear leader of a vibrant and growing body of such programs, because of its deep curricular resources and its scholarly accomplishment.

Members of the Berkeley Law faculty with primary responsibility for the JSP Program are trained in a variety of academic disciplines, and also are affiliated with other Berkeley departments and research centers .

Contact Info

[email protected]

2240 Piedmont Ave. Berkeley, CA 94720

Berkeley, CA 94720

At a Glance

Department(s)

Jurisprudence & Social Policy Graduate Program

Admit Term(s)

Application Deadline

December 15, 2023

Degree Type(s)

Doctoral / PhD

Degree Awarded

GRE Requirements

The Ph.D. program at Harris Public Policy prepares students for careers in academia, industry, and government. It emphasizes a rigorous foundation in microeconomics, econometrics, and political economy, along with in-depth study of particular substantive areas associated with policy and policy-making. The program allows students to develop individualized and innovative courses of study in which they work closely with faculty members of the School and the University.

Consistent with the highly quantitative and analytic nature of the Harris School's Ph.D. degree, Harris has categorized the degree under a code which is currently on the DHS STEM list . Students on F-1 visas who have earned a degree that has been designated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a STEM degree may be eligible to apply for a 24-month extension of their post-completion optional practical training (OPT) so long as they meet all eligibility criteria at the time of application.

Ph.D. Program Requirements

Get information about the curriculum and academic requirements for the Ph.D. in Public Policy Program.

If you have questions about the Harris degree requirements, email the Harris Dean of Students Office at  [email protected] . Policies on the results of not meeting these requirements can be found on the Harris policies page .

Ph.D. Candidates on the Job Market

Meet the Ph.D. program’s current job market candidates.

Ph.D. Placements

See where our graduates go on to make an impact.

Ph.D. Workshop

Engage with our students' research.

Program Details

Director of graduate studies.

Steven Durlauf , Professor ([email protected])

Durlauf's research spans many topics in microeconomics and macroeconomics. His most important substantive contributions involve the areas of poverty, inequality and economic growth. Much of his research has attempted to integrate sociological ideas into economic analysis.

Associate Directors

Yana Gallen , Assistant Professor ([email protected])

Eyal Frank , Assistant Professor  ([email protected] )

Dean of Students

Kate Shannon Biddle ([email protected])

Program Director

Barbara Williams ([email protected])

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SOCIAL Policy

Create policy solutions that increase equality, promote equity, and forge enduring social change.

The Master of Science in Social Policy (MSSP) Program empowers you to evaluate, create, and execute critically oriented, evidence-informed policy solutions in government and non-government settings. You’ll experience an innovative curriculum, gain access to expert faculty , and engage in intensive real-world experiences that will prepare you to drive meaningful change in health, housing, education, immigration, and beyond.

For students interested in enhancing their MSSP with a certificate that prepares them to leverage data analytics to address economic, educational, and health inequities, SP2 also offers the MSSP+Data Analytics (MSSP+DA) program.

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Director’s Welcome

Welcome to the MSSP Program at the University of Pennsylvania!

Are you interested in pursuing a master’s degree in social policy? If so, you have come to the right place. In this program, you will learn from world-class faculty who are experts in their fields and passionate about teaching. You will also learn from your peers who come from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Policy internships and projects will give you the opportunity to apply your skills in real-world settings. As the academic director of the program, I am eager to work with you and help you achieve your academic and professional goals.

I am an economist with U.S. federal policy experience as the principal economist at the Department of Justice Antitrust Division. My research touches on many social policy issues, including low-wage work, the universal basic income, and environmental justice. I am committed to advancing social justice through evidence-based policy solutions. And I hope to share my passion with you!

Our interdisciplinary program provides you with rigorous training in policy analysis, statistical analysis, and critical theory. You will study a wide range of social policy domains, such as social welfare, education, health, technology, and environmental justice, among many others. We will examine social policy from a social justice perspective, challenging assumptions and biases, and seeking effective solutions to promote social justice. As artificial intelligence is able to execute more and more tasks, we need more than ever to develop critical and strategic thinking about policy.

In addition to our rigorous academic training, you will gain real-world experience through a policy internship that will connect you with policy practitioners and organizations in multiple sectors and settings. You will become part of a vibrant and diverse community of scholars who share your passion for social change.

Whether you are a prospective or current student, I hope you are as excited as I am about this program and what it can offer you. I wish you all the best in your studies and look forward to meeting you soon!

Ioana E. Marinescu, PhD Faculty Director, MSSP Program

“You will become part of a vibrant and diverse community of scholars who share your passion for social change.”

World-Class Faculty

The MSSP program faculty are here to help you shape your own area of policy expertise, drawing on decades of scholarship, teaching, and experience in areas including education and social policy, homelessness , integrated database systems , the labor market , and global culture.

The SP2 Difference

Complete your degree full time (11 months) or part time (2.5 years)

Gain hands-on, career-focused experience through a 150-hour policy internship

Tailor your studies through interdisciplinary electives throughout Penn

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Acquire skills in research and evaluation, quantitative and qualitative reasoning, and policy communication

Receive highly individualized advising and attention

Become part of a diverse global alumni network

Through the coursework, you’ll learn a combination of theory, policy analysis, policy research, and evaluation methods using a variety of analytical tools. You’ll also gain real-world, practical experience through a 150-hour policy internship. Through the MSSP Program, you’ll become a socially minded and justice-oriented policy professional able to instill effective, positive change.

You may choose three elective courses to maximize breadth in multiple substantive policy areas or to specialize your degree in an area of social policy analysis and conduct further research. One of your three electives must be an MSSP Theory Elective , which enhances your critical thinking and analysis skills and enables you to apply critical theory within the realm of social policy analysis.

The remaining elective courses may be identified in any of the 12 graduate schools at Penn. For more information on selecting elective courses, please visit the MSSP Resources page .

The course grid reflects the 10 course unit required course of study for MSSP students to ensure on-time graduation. Occasional scheduling alterations may be made on an individual basis with the approval of an academic advisor. Dual degree students should reference the course outline listed on the  dual degree webpage .

1st Semester (Fall)  

• MSSP 6280: Policy: Analysis of Issues, Strategy and Process (1 CU)
• MSSP 6300: Quantitative Reasoning (1 CU)
• MSSP 6680: Economics for Social Policy (1 CU) 

Choose two of the following three options:

• MSSP 6290: Research & Evaluation Design (1 CU)
• MSSP Theory Elective (1 CU) 
• Elective (1 CU) 

5 CU  

2nd Semester (Spring)  

• MSSP 6310: Law and Social Policy (1 CU)
• MSSP 8970: Applied Linear Modeling (1 CU)
• MSSP 6320: Capstone Seminar I : Policy Communications (0.5 CU)
• MSSP Theory Elective (1 CU)

3rd Semester (Summer)  

• MSSP 6330: Capstone Seminar II: Policy Internship (0.5 CU)

Under certain approved circumstances, the Policy Internship may be completed in the spring semester, along with the Capstone I class. Please note that students who utilize federal financial aid should consult with the Office of Financial Aid and the Internship Advisor to discuss the timing of their internship. 

Students are required to take MSSP 6290, one approved MSSP Theory Elective, and two approved elective courses. These courses can be distributed across the fall and spring semesters as noted by the course grid.  

This course grid reflects the 10 course unit required course of study for MSSP students. The part-time configuration can be completed in 2-3 years. Occasional scheduling alterations may be made on an individual basis with the approval of an academic advisor. Dual degree students should reference the course outline listed on the  dual degree webpage .

1st Semester (Fall)  

• MSSP 6280: Policy: Analysis of Issues, Strategy & Process (1 CU) 
• MSSP 6290: Research and Evaluation Design (1 CU) OR MSSP Theory Elective 

2nd Semester (Spring)  

• MSSP  6310: Law and Social Policy (1 CU)
• MSSP 6290: Research and Evaluation Design (1 CU)   OR MSSP Theory Elective (1 CU)

3rd Semester (Summer)  

• Elective (1 CU)

2 CU  

4th Semester (Fall)  

• MSSP 6680: Economics for Social Policy (1 CU) 
• MSSP 6300: Quantitative Reasoning (1 CU) 

5th Semester (Spring)  

• MSSP 6320: Capstone I: Policy Communications (0.5 CU)
• MSSP 8970: Applied Linear Modeling (1 CU)
• MSSP 6330: Capstone II: Policy Internship* (0.5 CU)

1.5 or 2 cu  

6th Semester (Summer)  

0 or 0.5 cu

The Policy Internship may be completed in the spring semester, along with the Capstone I class. OR, the Policy Internship may be done in the summer, upon completion of all course work. 

Social Policy Internship

You’ll hone your policy analysis skills and gain valuable work experience through the required 150-hour policy internship, typically completed the summer after you finish your coursework. This internship is tailored to your interests and past social policy experiences and can be completed anywhere in the world. You may even be able to complete the internship at your current place of employment.

Ready to join the MSSP community?

FEATURED ALUMNI

Alisha martinez, mssp ’07.

“I chose Penn because I was curious about the intersection between policy, practice, and research. I had just left the classroom as a third-grade teacher and wanted to better understand rigorous research, how educational policies were made, and what types of initiatives were implemented at the school and district level to ensure all students have access to a high-quality education. I loved all of the courses I took at SP2 and the full-time faculty I was able to learn from. They were each so passionate, so smart, and so invested in making the world a better place through research, practice, and policymaking.”

Dual Degree Options

Master in Law

Master of Public Administration

Master of Public Health

Master of Science in Nonprofit Leadership

Master of Social Work

Juris Doctor

Bachelor of Arts (submatriculation)

Certificate Options

Certificate for applied data ethics, law, and the social good

Certificate in law

Global Human Rights Certificate

LGBTQ+ CERTIFICATE

Related News

Student Life

SP2 and National Education Equity Lab launch high school course in social work and social policy

This spring, underserved high school students engaged in the National Education Equity Lab will have the opportunity to learn about career paths in social work and social policy from experts at SP2.

Faculty & Research

Working to understand & prevent intimate partner violence: A Q&A with Assistant Professor Millan AbiNader

A long-time advocate for survivors of gender-based violence, Millan AbiNader, MSW, PhD, is a mixed-methods researcher and macro social worker who seeks to understand how systems and communities affect individuals' experiences of gender-based violence. AbiNader began working as a victim services advocate as a college student and aims to stay connected to those roots as she leads research that supports survivor healing and perpetrator change.  

Jessie Harper joins SP2 as director of inclusion education and Social Justice Scholars Program

Dr. Jessie Harper has joined SP2 as the inaugural director of inclusion education and the Social Justice Scholars Program. Dr. Harper comes to SP2 after nearly two decades at Penn’s Graduate School of Education (GSE), where she most recently served as assistant dean of faculty affairs and diversity.

MSSP Program

msspprogram@sp2.upenn.edu

Related Links

MSSP+DA >

HOW TO APPLY >

MSSP RESOURCES >

MSSP SPECIFIC POLICIES >

ACADEMIC RESOURCES >

MASTER’S STUDENT HANDBOOK >

FINANCIAL AID >

TUITION & FEES >