What is Political Science/Public Policy?

Political scientists study the operation of government. Since most programs only award a master`s degree in political science en-route to a PhD, the predominant degree is a Master`s of Public Policy (MPP) or Master`s of Public Administration. An MPP/MPA is an interdisciplinary professional degree that provides training in domestic and international policy analysis and program evaluation. The coursework is generally interdisciplinary drawing from political science, economics, sociology, anthropology, psychology, and urban/regional planning. A core curriculum of an MPP/MPA program includes courses on Politics of Policy Process, Policy Analysis, Program Evaluation, Research Methods, Statistics and Advanced Data Analysis, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Public Finance.

What do Political Scientists do in the Army?

While some political scientists teach at USMA, the Army War College, etc., the majority of political scientists are employed by the Army for their research skills. Many ORSA or FA 59 positions require a strong background in econometrics, thus providing an advantage for those with a political science degree from a quantitative school.

What kinds of Master`s Degrees predominate in the field?

Most graduate students in American Politics pursue a Master in Public Policy (MPP) or a Master`s in Public Administration (MPA). Generally, MPP programs are younger than their MPA counterparts. In practice, the degrees are essentially synonymous. Some programs allow for further concentration in fields ranging from Economic, Social and Family Policy to Non-Profit Organizations.

What kinds of professionals study in a typical program?

In a typical program you will find future policy analysts for Non-profits, NGOs, Congressional Staffs and other Federal Agency.

Top MPP/A Programs for Army Officers

• JFK School of Government, Harvard University
• Woodrow Wilson School of Government, Princeton University
• Georgetown Public Policy Institute, Georgetown University
• School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University

Researching Potential Schools A wealth of information regarding graduate institutions is available online. Click on any of the icons below for more information: