Graduate programs

We prepare our graduate students to find collaborative, creative solutions to complex challenges in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors.

MPP application

Leaders grounded in service

We are America’s first graduate public service training program and among its most prominent—respected for the excellence of our faculty, our grounding in social science research and quantitative analysis, the real-world policy issues woven throughout our curriculum, and the careers of leadership and impact forged by our alumni.

Our curriculum is rigorous, relevant, interdisciplinary, and hands-on. We train students with a broad range of interests for a wide variety of jobs, providing a toolbox of research, analytical, and management skills that are highly transferable across sectors and issue areas.

For prospective students, please use this calendar to schedule appointments with our admissions team or select a time to meet with Tejal, our MPP Graduate Admissions and Office Assistant, or select a time to meet with Sam Owusu, our MPP Graduate Admissions Assistant, and address any questions regarding the Ford School and our masters programs. If these times do not fit your schedule, please feel free to email [email protected] to set up an alternative time with Tejal or Sam.

Quick facts

	MPP	Dual Degree	Joint PhD	MPA
	Learn more	Learn more	Learn more	Learn more
Degree	Two-year Master of Public Policy degree for a professional career in the public, private, and non-profit sectors	Dual-master's degree with other U-M schools and departments including law, business, education, and others	A PhD program that combines public policy studies with disciplinary work in economics, political science, or sociology	9-month, mid-career Master of Public Affairs degree for experienced professionals with at least five years of policy-relevant work experience
Core credits	24	Varies	Varies	17.5
Elective credits	24	Varies	Varies	12.5
Total credits	48	Varies	Varies	30
Applied learning requirement	Required internship, between 1st and 2nd years	Required internship, summer following the first year of MPP coursework	N/A	N/A
Number of students matriculated	110	Varies, but often up to 30% of the MPP cohort	6	Varies, up to 25
	Learn more Download MPP brochure	Learn more Download MPP brochure	Learn more Download PhD brochure	Learn more