Public Policy

NDSU’s Master of Public Policy (MPP) program provides rigorous training that meets regional, national, and international needs for policy design and program evaluation. The hybrid format means students may attend classes in-person or attend remotely in real time. The program accommodates both traditional students and those who have already begun their careers. Our accelerated master’s program allows undergraduate students to complete both their political science major and MPP in five years.

What is an MPP? 

A Master of Public Policy prepares students to be policymakers. The coursework helps students to identify policy goals, design effective programs, and evaluate policies to determine if they have met their intended goals. Unlike an MPA (Master of Public Administration), which prepares students to carry out policy implementation, an MPP program trains those who will determine “what works” and generate new policy solutions to social problems. 

Why an MPP? 

Individuals with MPPs work in government agencies, non-profits, think tanks, political advocacy organizations, and even the private sector. Professionals with MPPs are attractive candidates for organizations that want to evaluate and improve their policies and approaches. MPPs cultivate strategic thinkers who want to do good, and do it well.

Nationally, the number of open jobs listing an MPP as a qualification is large and growing. Analytics firm Burning Glass reports over 300 jobs per year just in North Dakota and the surrounding states, offering an average salary of over $75,000. Universities in the region currently confer substantially fewer MPP degrees than necessary to meet this demand.

Why North Dakota State University (NDSU)? 

NDSU provides the only MPP program in the Dakotas and is one of the most cost-effective options for earning an MPP nationwide. The program offers a rigorous sequence of core courses that provide skills in policy design and evaluation, complemented by a variety of electives that allow students to build their knowledge in specific policy areas; these courses cover policy areas ranging from education to infrastructure to international development. 

Our faculty have expertise in local, national and international policy. Members of our faculty direct the Upper Midwest Center on Public Policy and Center for Study of Digital Society, and serve as policy consultants with major organizations including USAID and Facebook. Students can also leverage the resources of the newly-created Challey Institute for Global Innovation and Growth.

The NDSU Department of Political Science and Public Policy invites students with a wide array of undergraduate backgrounds to apply for our Masters of Public Policy (MPP). Our program provides students with an in-person and synchronous on-line options for completing degree requirements.

Applicants for the MPP program will complete their application through the Graduate School’s online application. The application requires the following:

1. A statement of purpose – why does the applicant wish to pursue a MPP at NDSU?
2. A current resume or CV
3. An academic writing sample – this writing sample might be a paper written for an undergraduate or graduate-level class or could be written specifically for this application. The writing sample should demonstrate the applicant’s ability to write research or policy-related papers and should be submitted in English.
4. Two letters of recommendation, with at least one preferred to be academic.
5. Transcripts from all institutions the applicant has attended (for undergraduate or graduate study)
6. Optional GRE scores – applicants are not required to complete the GRE, nor will the absence of GRE scores negatively affect the application.
7. Optional statement of extenuating circumstances – if there is anything the applicant would like the admissions committee to know about their circumstances, that is not discussed elsewhere in the application, the applicant may include that here. Applicants are not required to complete a statement of extenuating circumstances, nor will its absence negatively impact the application.
8. International applicants may need to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo scores to demonstrate proficiency in English. See the Graduate School’s page for more information.

The MPP Admissions Committee will review applications on a rolling basis.

Accelerated MPP

The Department of Political Science and Public Policy is also pleased to offer an accelerated MPP option for current NDSU undergraduates, that allows students to complete a BA/BS in Political Science and an MPP in as little as 5 years.

Students interested in an accelerated masters will complete the same application as those applying for the traditional MPP program (see above). Students must have a 3.5 GPA in order to be admitted, and can matriculate in the program once they have completed 60 undergraduate credits. See the NDSU Catalog for more information about this process.

Students are encouraged to talk with their advisers about this option early in their undergraduate careers.

The Master of Public Policy program is 36 credits from the list below.

Accelerated students can take 15 credits towards the MPP in the course of their standard undergraduate career. During the fifth year, students would take the remaining 21 credits from the curriculum above.

Thomas Ambrosio, Ph.D.
University of Virginia, 2000
Research Interests: International Relations, Russian Foreign Policy, Stability of Authoritarian Regimes

Nicholas Bauroth, Ph.D.
Loyola University Chicago, 2003
Research Interests: American Government, State and Local Government and Politics, Public Policy

Ethan Boldt, Ph.D.
University of Georgia, 2019
Research Interests: Law and Courts, the Criminal Justice System, American Political Institutions

Sarah Boonstoppel, Ph.D.
University of Maryland, 2014
Research Interests: Crime Policy, Continuity and Change in Offending Among Parents, the Role of Social Institutions During the Transition to Adulthood

Steven Briggs, Ph.D.
University of Nebraska at Omaha, 2007
Research Interests: Law and Society, Crime and Public Policy, Police Reform and Governance

Elizabeth Carlson, Ph.D.
University of California Los Angeles,  2011
Research Interests: Political Behavior, Public Opinion and Survey Methods, Lab and Field Experimentation, the Political Economy of Development in Africa

Kjersten Nelson, Ph.D.
University of Minnesota, 2009
Research Interests: American Politics, Gender and Politics, US Courts

Daniel Pemstein, Ph.D.
University of Illinois, 2010
Research Interests: Democratic Institutions, Internet Politics and Policy, Comparative Political Economy, Methodology