Public Policy

JD/MPP in Public Policy

In cooperation with the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs, this four-year, interdisciplinary public policy program prepares students for careers in government, nonprofit and legal organizations, and research.

After completing their first year of law school, students take one year of courses for the Master of Public Policy (MPP) and then return to the regular course of law study. Students examine a full range of strategies for creating policy change, including legislation, litigation, the ballot box and civil action. Students engage in policy analysis and applied research that develops real-world solutions to public policy challenges.

Students pursuing dual degrees plan their schedules with the assistance of advisors from the law school and the MPP program. Candidates for the JD/MPP program must independently apply and gain admission to the School of Law and the College of Social Sciences and Humanities. Admission to one school does not ensure admission to the other. Applicants interested in pursuing a concurrent degree do not need to duplicate the School of Law’s request for letters of recommendation, transcripts and standardized test scores. Applicants should complete the law school application and note on it that they are applying to MPP and submit the MPP application form to MPP, noting on it that they are applying to the School of Law.

Ideally, students apply to the JD and the Master in Public Policy (MPP) simultaneously. Those who apply and are admitted complete the MPP after completing the first year in the School of Law. Applicants will also be considered once enrolled in the JD, provided the student applies for entry to the MPP in the fall of year 2 or the fall of year 3 of the JD program. In these cases, permission of the School of Law is required.

Possible Patterns of Attendance

Further details on the MPP curriculum may be obtained by contacting:
Julie Switkes, Academic Coordinator
School of Public Policy & Urban Affairs
Northeastern University
Phone: 617.373.2891
E-mail: SPPUA@northeastern.edu

Further information on how to apply may be obtained by contacting:
Graduate Admissions and Student Services
College of Social Sciences and Humanities
Northeastern University
Phone: 617.373.5990
E-mail: gradcssh@northeastern.edu