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Focus
Knowledge and policy analysis skills related to key areas of environmental, climate, and energy policy.
Requirements
9 credits; no required courses
*Note: this concentration available to students who will graduate in December 2025 or later
Courses
- PUBPOL 563 Politics of Environmental Regulation
- PUBPOL 564 Government Regulation of Industry and the Environment
- PUBPOL 750 Psychology of Climate Change
- PUBPOL 750 / LAW 534 Energy Law
- PUBPOL 750 / LAW 575 Public Lands and Natural Resources Law
- BE 527 Energy Markets and Energy Politics
- EAS 529 Indigenous Sustainability & Environmental Justice
- EAS 558 Water Policy & Politics
- EAS 580 Sustainable Transportation
- EAS 615 Renewable Electricity and the Grid
- EAS 625 Deep Decarbonization
- EAS 575 Climate Economics and Policy
- EAS 677 Economics and Environmental Justice
- EAS 514 Foundations for Sustainability and Development
- EAS 525 Energy Justice
- EAS 582 Program Evaluation for Sustainability and Development
- LAW 661 International Law of Climate Change
- URP 620 Energy Planning
Focus
Applied methods and skills for rigorous policy analysis and research
Requirements
Requirements: PubPol 779 Econometrics (offered in Fall term) or PubPol 774 Data Analysis Practicum (offered in Winter term), plus 6 additional credits
Courses
- PubPol 557 Data Visualization for Public Policy
- PubPol 567 STATA for Public Policy
- PubPol 568 Practicum in Data Analysis Using STATA
- PubPol 577 R for Public Policy
- PubPol 633 Qualitative Methods
- PubPol 647 Excel for Public Policy
- PubPol 712 Causal Inference in Education Policy Research I
- PubPol 713 Causal Inference in Education Policy Research II
- PubPol 715 Public Budgeting & Financial Planning
- PubPol 744 Economics of the Public Sector
- PubPol 750 Applied Methods for Development
- PubPol 770 Policy Analysis
- PubPol 774 Data Analysis Practicum
- PubPol 779 Applied Econometrics (previously listed as PubPol 571)
- BIOS 617 Sampling Theory
- BE 582 Economic Decisions & Games
- EAS 635 Multivariate Statistics for Environmental Justice (listed as EAS 501 prior to F23)
- EAS 506 Introduction to R (1 credit; previously listed as EAS 639)
- Econ 675 Applied Microeconometrics
- Educ 707 Psychometric Theory: Classical and Latent Trait Models
- Educ 737 Experimental Methods in Educational Research
- Educ 771-001 Panel Data and Event History Methods
- Educ 799 Categorical and Limited Dependent Variable Modeling
- Educ 803 Structural Equation Model (SEM)
- ENV 411/EAS 531 Principles of GIS
- HBEHED 638 Qualitative Methods of Public Health
- HMP 610 Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
- PolSci 787 Multivariate Analysis
- SI 618 Data Manipulation and Analysis
- SI 670 Applied Machine Learning
- Soc 542 Quantitative Modeling
- Soc 717 Sampling Theory
- Stat 580 Sampling Theory
- Stats 601 Analysis of Multivariate and Categorical Data
- Stats 642 Linear Statistical Models I
- SurvMeth 600 Fundamentals of Survey Methodology
- SurvMeth 617 Sampling Theory
- SurvMeth 621 Fundamentals of Data Collection
- SurvMeth 630 Questionnaire Design and Evaluation
- SurvMeth 687 Applications of Statistical Modeling
- TO 512 Decision Support with Spreadsheets
- TO 628 Advanced Big Data Analytics
- URP 520 Geographic Information Systems
Focus
Knowledge and skills related to the operation, management and leadership of public and non-profit organizations
Requirements
6 credits beyond 586/587 and/or 582 requirement in the core curriculum
Courses
- EAS 533 Negotiation & Mediation Skills
- PubPol 587 Working in Diverse Organizations
- PubPol 587 Innovation in Government
- PubPol 587 Policy and Management in the Non-Profit Sector
- PubPol 587 Fundraising Strategies for Nonprofits
- PubPol 587 Building Intergovernmental Alliances
- PubPol 587 Organizational Causes of Large Scale Technology Failure
- PubPol 687 Negotiations (Note: this course is NOT the same as PubPol 583 ‘Negotiation Basics for Public Policy’)
- PubPol 715 Budgeting and Financial Planning
- PubPol 750 Budget Literacy for Mission Driven Organizations
- BA 601 Governing Nonprofit Organizations
- EDUC 551 School Organization and the Policy Environment
- EDUC 555 Financial and Legal Policies in Schools
- EDUC 769 Philanthropy & Higher Education
- ENTR 560 Project Management & Consulting
- HMP 604 Organization and Management of Health Advocacy & Community-Based Non-Profits
- HMP 643 Managing People in Health Organizations
- MO 512 Bargaining & Influencing Skills: Negotiations in a Global Economy
- MO 672 Leading Non-Profit Organizations
- SW 560 Introduction to Community Organization, Mgmt and Policy/Evaluation Practice
- SW 652 Organizing for Social and Political Action
- SW 660 Managing Programs and Projects
- SW 663 Fundraising and Grant Writing
- SW 665 Leadership and Organizational Governance
- URP 522 Negotiation, Collaborative, and Equitable Engagement (previous title: Collaborative Planning)
- URP 587 Planning for Organizational and Community Change
- URP 610 Public Private Partnerships: Financing Equitable Development
Note: PubPol 583 Negotiation Basics for Public Policy does not count for the concentration.
Focus
Knowledge and policy analysis skills related to technology, science, public policy, and society
Requirements
PubPol 650 Introduction to Science & Technology Policy Analysis, plus 6 additional credits from the list of approved courses below
*Note: this concentration available to students who will graduate in December 2025 or later
Courses
- AOSS 581 Space Policy and Management
- ARCH 531 American Space
- BA 518 Business of Biology
- BA 605 Green Development
- CEE 564 Greenhouse Gas Control
- EAS 480 Climate Change: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Problem Solving
- EAS 501 Climate Change, Energy, and Social Justice
- EAS 501 Energy Law
- EAS 501 Environmental Law and Policy
- EAS 501 Methods and Approaches for Analyzing Sustainability and Development Problems
- EAS 501 Public Lands and Natural Resources Law
- EAS 512 Strategies for Sustainable Development I: Enterprise Integration
- EAS 513 Strategies for Sustainable Development II: Market Transformation
- EAS 523 Ecological Risk Assessment
- EAS 529 Indigenous Sustainability and Environmental Justice
- EAS 558 Water Policy and Politics
- EAS 562 Environmental Policy, Politics, and Organizations
- EAS 567 Social Vulnerability and Adaptation to Environmental Change
- EAS 572 Environmental Impact Assessment
- EAS 575 Climate Economics and Policy
- EAS 577 Political Ecology I: Environmental Violence
- EAS 677 Resilience Solutions: Climate Adaptation from Global to Local
- EAS 686 Environmental Policy
- EAS 731 Interdisciplinary Problem Solving Initiative: Environmental, Social, and Governance Policies
- EHS 504 Genes and the Environment
- EHS 570 Water Quality Management
- EHS 597 Environmental Health and Policy
- ENSENG 501 Seminars in Energy Systems Technology and Policy
- HBHEQ 662 Risk Communication: Theory, Techniques, and Applications in Health
- HMP 615 Introduction to Public Health Policy
- HMP 624 Health Policy Challenges in Developing Countries
- HMP 625 Comparative Health Policy and Management in High Income Countries
- HMP 653 Law and Public Health
- HMP 685 This Politics of Public Health Policy
- LAW 534 Energy Law
- LAW 634 Water Wars: Law and Policy to Save the Great Lakes
- LAW 679 Environmental Law and Policy
- LAW 684 Health Law
- LAW 761 Water Law
- LAW 883 Introduction to Space Law and Policy
- LAW 897 Artificial Intelligence and the Law
- LAW 898 Mental Health, Law, and Policy
- PubPol 519 Sustainable Energy Systems
- PubPol 563 Politics of Environmental Regulation
- PubPol 564 Government Regulation of Industry and the Environment
- PubPol 587 Public Management: Organizational Causes of Large Scale Technology Failure
- PubPol 688 Intellectual Property and Information Law
- PubPol 710 Interdisciplinary Problem Solving: Defending Against Deepfakes and Disinformation
- PubPol 750 Cybersecurity Threats and Policy Approaches
- PubPol 750 Healthcare Reform
- PubPol 750 Public Policy Approaches to Social Disparities in Health
- PubPol 750 Race, Technology, and Public Policy
- SI 540 Privacy in Information Technology
- SI 549 Transformative Learning and Teaching with Technology
- SI 657 Information Technology and International Development
- URP 560 Transportation and Land Use Planning
- URP 561 Transportation and Public Policy
- URP 573 Infrastructure Planning in the US and Developing CountriesURP 580 Metropolitan Structure
- URP 589 Tech Clusters and Smart Cities
- URP 595 Public Private Partnerships - Financing Equitable Development
- URP 620 Energy Planning
Focus
Knowledge and policy analysis skills related to key areas of social policy.
Requirements
9 credits; no required courses
Courses
- PubPol 611 Higher Education and Public Policy
- PubPol 628 Democracy, Education, & Liberation (cross-listed with Educ 628)
- PubPol 677 Immigration Policy
- PubPol 692 Thinking About Crime
- PubPol 710 Obstacles to Providing Social Services in Michigan
- PubPol 710 Fixing Foster Care
- PubPol 712 Causal Inference in Education Policy Research I: Early Childhood through HS
- PubPol 713 Causal Inference in Education Policy Research II: Postsecondary
- PubPol 727 History, Reparations and Policy
- PubPol 732 Public Policy in Postsecondary Education
- PubPol 736 Poverty and Inequality
- PubPol 744 Economics of the Public Sector
- PubPol 746 Social Welfare Policy
- PubPol 750 Administrative Burdens: How Frictions Affect Access to Public Services
- PubPol 750 Public Policy Approaches to Social Disparities in Health
- PubPol 750 Child and Family Policy
- PubPol 750 Smart Cities and the Future of Mobility
- PubPol 750 Health Economics & U.S. Health Policy
- PubPol 750 Gender, Race & Employment Policy
- PubPol 750 Education Policy and Economic Mobility: Challenges and Promise
- PubPol 750 Diversity Initiatives in Higher Education
- PubPol 750 Criminal Justice Reform
- PubPol 750 Civil Conflict
- PubPol 750 Policy, Politics, and Public Health
- PubPol 750 From Voting Rights to Economic Rights: Increasing Economic Mobility through Community Development in America’s Deep South
- PubPol 750 Race, Place, & Inequality
- PubPol 750 Racial Foundations of Public Policy
- PubPol 750 Politics of Healthcare Reform
- PubPol 750 Political Economy of Inequality and Redistribution
- BE 688 Washington DC Residential on Health Care Policy and Politics
- EAS 501 Indigenous Peoples, Rights, & Environmental Justice
- Educ 547 Workforce Education
- Educ 644 Comparative and International Education
- Educ 672 Power, Privilege, and the Politics of Difference in Higher Education
- Educ 712 Causal Inference in Education Policy Research I: Early Childhood through HS
- Educ 722 Race, Racism, and Anti-Blackness in Higher Education
- Educ 764 Public Policy in Postsecondary Education
- HBHE 640 Community Organization for Health Education
- HMP 617 US Food Policy and Public Health
- HMP 626 Race, Ethnicity, Culture and Policy
- HMP 633 Health Insurance in America (How Did We Get Into This Mess? How Do We Get Out?)
- HMP 653 Law and Public Health
- Law 741 Reducing Firearm Violence in Urban Communities
- Law 741 Addressing the Child Care Crisis
- Law 653 Employment Discrimination
- SW 505 Engaging Social Justice, Diversity and Oppression in Social Work
- SW 530 Introduction to Social Welfare Policy and Services
- SW 623 Child and Family Well-Being - Macro Practice
- SW 638 Theories and Principles of Socially Just Policies
- SW 645 Criminal Justice Policy
- SW 652 Organizing for Social and Political Action
- SW 674 Community-Based Policy Advocacy
- SW 682 Immigration, Forced Migration & Transformative Practice
- SW 784 Understanding & Organizing Against Inhumane Immigration Policy
- URP 534 Crime & Community Development
- URP 560 Transportation & Land Use Planning
- URP 561 Transportation & Public Policy
- URP 572 Global & Comparative Housing Policy
- URP 581 Housing Policy and Economics
- URP 583: Race, Difference, and Social Justice in the American City
Focus
Knowledge and policy analysis skills related to diplomacy, national security, human rights
Requirements
12 credits
Strongly recommended
International affairs or comparative politics section of PubPol 510-Politics of Public Policy
Courses
- PubPol 580 Values, Ethics and Public Policy - international affairs section (recommended and will count toward 12 credits for the concentration)
- PubPol 541 International Trade Policy
- PubPol 542 International Financial Policy
- PubPol 621 Peacebuilding: Law, Diplomacy, and the Transition from Conflict
- PubPol 674 International Economic Development Program (IEDP)
- PubPol 675 Human Rights & International Policy
- PubPol 676 International Politics of Poverty
- PubPol 677 Immigration Policy
- PubPol 710 Law School PSI: Human Rights, Mineral Extraction, and the Global Supply Chain
- PubPol 710 Law School PSI: Designing a New Global Refugee Protection System
- PubPol 716 Introduction to Chinese Policy
- PubPol 717 Social Activism, Democracy & Globalization from Perspective of Global South
- PubPol 750 Global Issues: Drugs, Crime and Terrorism
- PubPol 750 Comparative Law and Policy
- PubPol 750 Role of Courts in Human Rights
- PubPol 750 National Security Council and Counterterrorism
- PubPol 750 Exercising Influence: Corporate, Governmental, and NGO Diplomacy
- PubPol 750 Africa in Context: Diplomacy, Democracy, & Development
- PubPol 750 Diplomacy & Statecraft in an Age of Globalization
- PubPol 750 U.S. Diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific
- PubPol 750 U.S. Diplomacy in Europe
- PubPol 750 Policy Frameworks in National Security/National Security Decision-Making
- PubPol 750 Lessons from the Japanese Economy
- PubPol 750 U.S. Foreign Policy Leadership
- PubPol 750 Cybersecurity Threats and Policy Approaches
- PubPol 750 Immigration and the Reshaping of European/American Politics
- PubPol 750 Political Violence and Social Inequality
- PubPol 750 Great Power Rivalry and the International Order
- PubPol 750 International Security: Enduring Challenges in Global Security
- PubPol 763 Drugs, Crime & Terrorism
- PubPol 766 Issues in National Security
- EAS 501.158 Seminar on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
- EAS 563 International Environmental Policy
- Law 500 Cybersecurity Law & Policy
- Law 630/639 International Law
- Law 695 International Trade Law
- Law 724 International Refugee Law
- PolSci 661 Proseminar in International Political Economy
- PolSci 662 Proseminar in International Security & Conflict
- PolSci 664 The State in Comparative Politics and World Politics
- PolSci 688 Selected Topics in Political Science (international sections)
- Soc 560 Power, History and Social Change
- URP 572 Global & Comparative Housing Policy
Focus
Knowledge and policy analysis skills related to economic and social development
Requirements
PubPol 534 plus 6 additional credits
Courses
- PubPol 534 Economics of Developing Countries (required)
- PubPol 556 Macroeconomics
- PubPol 541 International Trade Policy
- PubPol 542 International Financial Policy
- PubPol 586 International Development Management
- PubPol 587 International Development Management
- PubPol 674 International Economic Development Program (IEDP)
- PubPol 676 International Politics of Poverty
- PubPol 716 Intro to Chinese Policy
- PubPol 741 Principles of Finance & Global Financial Markets
- PubPol 750 Africa in Context: Diplomacy, Democracy, & Development
- PubPol 750 Global Financial Markets, Crises and Policies
- PubPol 750 Applied Methods for Development
- PubPol 750 Challenges to Service Delivery in Developing Countries
- PubPol 750 Exercising Influence: Corporate, Governmental, and NGO Diplomacy
- PubPol 750 Gender, Trade, and the International Division of Labor
- PubPol 750 International Development Management
- PubPol 763 Drugs, Crime & Terrorism
- EAS 501.009 Sustainable International Development
- EAS 501.162 Sustainability for Development
- EAS 501.062 Foundations of Sustainability and Development: Grand Challenges
- EAS 582 Program Evaluation for Sustainability & Development
- Epid 506 Health of Nations: Introduction to International Health
- HMP 624 Health Policy Challenges in Developing Countries
- PolSci 641 State-Making
- PolSci 651 Proseminar in Political Economy (Comparative and International Political Economy; may also be listed under PolSci 662)
- PolSci 688 Political Economy of Development
Policy concentrations
Policy concentrations in the MPP program
The Master of Public Policy (MPP) degree at the Ford School is a generalist degree, through which students gain research, analytic, management and communications skills that are highly transferable across sectors, policy issue areas, and geographic regions. Building upon the foundational knowledge and skills attained in the core curriculum (24 credits), students can tailor their educational experiences through the flexibility of having 24 elective credits.
With this flexibility, Ford School MPP students are able to gain significant depth in an area of great interest and passion through optional policy concentrations and graduate certificate programs. Policy concentrations and graduate certificates are included on students’ transcripts, officially signaling that a student has acquired depth and mastery in a defined area of study. Students cannot elect more than one concentration, and are encouraged to take additional relevant courses beyond the minimum requirements to gain a deeper understanding.
Starting with MPP students who matriculated fall 2018, the Ford School is offering optional policy concentrations (9-12 credits beyond the required courses in the MPP core curriculum) in 7 areas:
- Environmental, Climate, and Energy Policy
- Public Policy Analysis Methods
- Public & Non-Profit Management
- Science, Technology, and Public Policy
- Social Policy
- International Policy
- International Economic Development
If you would like to submit a course for consideration under a particular concentration, please use this form. Faculty Leads will assist in identifying the set of courses that students can take for credit towards each of the concentrations, including any courses that are required. Student and Academic Services staff (primarily the Master Student Academic Advisor and Registrar) will be responsible for assessing whether or not individual students have met the requirement for a concentration, which will be designated as a program of study on students’ transcripts. Student concerns or petitions related to policy concentrations will be reviewed by the Masters Program Committee.