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Fall 2025 Graduate Catalog

Public Policy, MA

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Department of Political Science, College of Arts and Sciences
Degree Awarded: Master of Arts in Public Policy
 
Chairperson: Leonie Huddy, Ward Melville Social and Behavioral Sciences Building S-711
Graduate Program Director: Ryan Vander Wielen, Ward Melville Social and Behavioral Sciences Building S-727 (631) 632-9021
Graduate Program Coordinator: Carri Horner, Ward Melville Social and Behavioral Sciences Building S-707 (631) 632-7667
 

Stony Brook University’s Master of Arts in Public Policy prepares students to take a wide variety of rewarding careers in the growing field of public policy.

Graduates of the MAPP program will gain the skills and experience to achieve success working in government or in organizations affected by government - local, state, national and international. They may find employment as policy analysts and executives in government agencies, or in private, non-profit and advocacy organizations. They may enter the front lines of politics as elected officials or members of their staffs. They may influence public policy as journalists or leaders of civic organizations. Those with an international background or an interest in global affairs may enter careers abroad or in international affairs. For those looking to continue their professional or graduate studies, the MAPP provides a rigorous academic platform.

For students entering the public policy field for the first time, the program offers training and credentials to launch their careers; for those already working in the field, the program will enhance their skills and credentials. Graduates of the program will be joining a growing roster of alumni successfully working in public, private and non-profit organizations. With our flourishing alumni organization, MAPP alumni will be available to assist graduates with employment and career counseling.

Course of Study

The MPP program combines rigorous instruction in key components of public policy development with detailed analysis of specific public policy issues and fieldwork. After introducing students to the foundations of government action in philosophy, law and economics, the MAPP curriculum develops skills in political, economic, quantitative and organizational analysis, with a practical focus on solutions to complex public policy problems. With this foundation, students take one or more courses in a specialized concentration and a related internship or research assignment. The entire program of 31 credit hours can be completed in one calendar year by full-time students, and within two years by those attending part-time.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must have an earned baccalaureate degree with a grade point average of 3.0 or better (on a 4.0 scale), have taken the Graduate Record Examination or equivalent, and submit three  letters of recommendation from instructors, academic advisors or employers.  Consideration will also be given to relevant work experience.

Joint Degree Programs

Combined MAPP/MPH

With additional coursework, students interested in pursuing a career in the increasingly important field of health policy may elect to earn a Master of Public Health degree along with their MAPP in a combined and accelerated MAPP/MPH sequence.

Combined MAPP/MBA

With additional coursework, students interested in applying public policy concepts to the world of business may elect to earn a Master of Business Administration degree along with their MAPP in a combined and accelerated MAPP/MBA sequence.

Accelerated BA/MAPP Program

Stony Brook University undergraduates currently majoring in Political Science with a GPA of 3.0 or better are eligible to enroll in the five-year Accelerated BA/MAPP program, by taking up to six graduate credits while they fulfill the upper-level undergraduate elective requirements and completing the remaining graduate requirements in the fifth year of full-time study.

Degree Requirements

In addition to the minimum Graduate School requirements , this degree requires the successful completion of:

Notes

  • POL 530 - Topics in Public Affairs  may be repeated for credit as the topic changes.
  • With advanced approval from the Program Director, students may take one course outside of the Department of Political Science in place of one of the restricted POL courses.

BA/MA Track

In the accelerated B.A./M.A. in Public Policy, students complete the B.A. in Political Science and the M.A. in Public Policy in five years. To be eligible for admission, students must be:
  • A major in political science at Stony Brook
  • have completed 60 credits toward their degree
  • have a minimum GPA of 3.0
  • have two courses (six credits) remaining in the Study Within the Area of the Major, Political Science electives during their senior year.
In the program, students take up to two graduate courses (six credits) during their senior year which also count towards the POL major’s Political Science elective requirement. 500-level POL courses may be applied to:
  • The Political Science elective program of study requirement, and will count under the American Government, Law, and Public Policy program, and/or,
  • The Political Science elective open credit requirement (not confined to a program of study).
Upon admission to the program, the student takes two courses in their senior year, one each semester. Generally, students should begin with fundamental courses such as policy analysis (POL 535 ) but with approval from the MA in Public Policy program director they can choose any master’s courses in public policy (POL 500 - POL 559). Students then complete the remaining graduate courses during the fifth year.

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