University of Maryland - College Park - School of Public Policy

About this program

At the University of Maryland School of Public Policy, public service is our calling. Finding real solutions for real problems means thinking differently, collaborating across disciplines, working at the intersection of theory and practice, and having an impact at the local, state, national, and global levels. We seek clever and passionate students who want to develop the analytical aptitude and practical skills to be visionary leaders in public service.

The MPP program recruits potential policy leaders from across the country and world into public service, and prepares them for careers fostering more effective and cross-sector global, national, and local policies and governance processes, through:

Careful analysis of evidence using sophisticated interdisciplinary lenses;
Practical experience leveraging our unique location;
Exposure to best practices and top policy leaders;
Development of professional, leadership, and innovation skills; and
Appreciation for democratic and inclusive ideals in a multicultural world.

We aim for all graduates to be capable generalists and, when desired, to have a grounding in specific topic areas. Program specializations include:

Education Policy
Environmental Policy
Energy Policy
Health Policy
International Development
International Security and Economic Policy
Nonprofit Management & Leadership
Public Management & Leadership
Public Sector Financial Management
Science & Technology Policy
Social Policy

The MPP is 48 credits.

The MPM program is a mid-career version of the MPP. Applicants with five or more years of leadership or policy experience after earning their bachelors’ degrees are eligible. The MPM is 36 credits.

Year partnership began: 2008
Fellowships awarded per year (average): 5

Application requirements

Transcripts, GRE or GMAT (for MPP, not required for MPM), three letters of recommendation, Personal statement, resume, $75 application fee (may be paid by department on behalf of actively serving Peace Corps volunteers)

Admissions process

Degrees awarded

Master of Public Policy, Master of Public Management

Benefits and opportunities

	In-state	Out-of-state
Tuition and fees	$43,374	$90,900
Value of fellowship	$31,792	$78,976
Net cost	$11,582	$11,924

Net cost is equal to tuition/fees minus fellowship value. For some universities, the fellowship value includes non-tuition/fee benefits such as health insurance or housing. See cost savings details for more.

Estimated annual cost of living: $14,120

Cost savings details

10 hour-per-week graduate assistantship that includes a stipend, tuition remission and health benefits.

Internship

Coverdell Fellows are connected to the University of Maryland's Do Good Institute, the iGive program, or the Public Leadership program, which conducts a variety of programs that serve up to 100 local organizations.

Coverdell Fellows participate as leaders for the undergraduate Community-Based Learning program in which they engage with an organization in the wider community to design and implement a project of their choice. The projects give students the opportunity to use their leadership training outside of the classroom, thus helping them become more thoughtful and experienced leaders, while also providing a service to the community. A few examples are: