Best Public Policy Programs?

[Anonymous]

Duke has the best undergrad PPS program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Duke

Plus one. Frank Bruni teaches there now.

Why is this important ? TIA

He’s a great thinker and writer and would be a good professor. On pulse of what’s going on. Ok?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Duke

Plus one. Frank Bruni teaches there now.

Why is this important ? TIA

He’s a great thinker and writer and would be a good professor. On pulse of what’s going on. Ok?

If the goal is to have famous people at professors, nothing Harvard and Columbia can't do.

[Anonymous]

I went to Michigan/Ford. It was a more math/economics/statistics focused program, which I think is better because policy can be pretty fluffy and interest-specific

I would also look at

Duke (more policy focus)
Harvard (obviously very well known)
American (good internships)
Columbia (international and NYC city government focus)

Have not been impressed with students from Syracuse. Howard has a program that attracts a lot of international students and benefits from its location. William & Mary is also known well if staying in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Duke has the best undergrad PPS program.

Nope. That would be Princeton.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You need a Masters unless you want to be a lobbyist assistant.

This just isn't true.

DP. You're right. As a Hill staffer and lobbyist/policy lawyer, my assistants had master's degrees.

I have hired many college grads over during my career, and I can't add much to the discussion of the "best" public policy programs, because public policy grads from top 20 schools are a dime a dozen. It's fine as a major, if it's what your kid is interested in, and they should certainly go to the best school they can get into, but others here are correct that other degrees (specifically economics and law, or both) are more valuable. The most important things to do are volunteer, get internships, work your connections and don't think you're too good to start out at the bottom. The degree is just checking the box. The stuff you do outside of school is what will build your career.

100%
But the W&M program and the 5 yr undergrad/master’s plan is worth researching

[Anonymous]

I think it's widely understood that Duke has the best undergrad public policy program, not just in terms of ranking (depth/breadth of the department historically) but in terms of actual educational/professor quality.

However, with that said, undergrad public policy at the better institutions is more broadly understood as a liberal arts major closer to political economy or economics with a political tilt, so I would also look closely at institutions with strength in those areas even if they aren't necessarily exactly known for having a "public policy" major as such. Yale, for example, has an "ethics, politics, and economics" major which is virtually identical to what Duke calls public policy, so it might not be a bad idea to take a look at other institutions as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's widely understood that Duke has the best undergrad public policy program, not just in terms of ranking (depth/breadth of the department historically) but in terms of actual educational/professor quality.

However, with that said, undergrad public policy at the better institutions is more broadly understood as a liberal arts major closer to political economy or economics with a political tilt, so I would also look closely at institutions with strength in those areas even if they aren't necessarily exactly known for having a "public policy" major as such. Yale, for example, has an "ethics, politics, and economics" major which is virtually identical to what Duke calls public policy, so it might not be a bad idea to take a look at other institutions as well.

Widely understood by who? I'm baffled by this take and can't tell if you just have children at Duke or attended. I could see Duke as maybe top 5-10 range, but not number 1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's widely understood that Duke has the best undergrad public policy program, not just in terms of ranking (depth/breadth of the department historically) but in terms of actual educational/professor quality.

However, with that said, undergrad public policy at the better institutions is more broadly understood as a liberal arts major closer to political economy or economics with a political tilt, so I would also look closely at institutions with strength in those areas even if they aren't necessarily exactly known for having a "public policy" major as such. Yale, for example, has an "ethics, politics, and economics" major which is virtually identical to what Duke calls public policy, so it might not be a bad idea to take a look at other institutions as well.

Widely understood by who? I'm baffled by this take and can't tell if you just have children at Duke or attended. I could see Duke as maybe top 5-10 range, but not number 1.

+1

[Anonymous]

DC goes to Harvard and has had invites to various evening events with Supreme Court Justices, Congressmen, and Policy officials. If there was a place to go for Public Policy it's Harvard or Princeton, no competition.

[Anonymous]

Also the LBJ school at Texas

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Be in DC and intern. Georgetown, American, GW.

Agree! I am a career director at one of these schools in my " encore career" after working in public affairs/ public policy, lobbying.. DC offers the best internship opportunities in public policy + related fields OP- the Hill, Fed Gov, Think Tanks, non-profit profits, trade associations, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's widely understood that Duke has the best undergrad public policy program, not just in terms of ranking (depth/breadth of the department historically) but in terms of actual educational/professor quality.

However, with that said, undergrad public policy at the better institutions is more broadly understood as a liberal arts major closer to political economy or economics with a political tilt, so I would also look closely at institutions with strength in those areas even if they aren't necessarily exactly known for having a "public policy" major as such. Yale, for example, has an "ethics, politics, and economics" major which is virtually identical to what Duke calls public policy, so it might not be a bad idea to take a look at other institutions as well.

Widely understood by who? I'm baffled by this take and can't tell if you just have children at Duke or attended. I could see Duke as maybe top 5-10 range, but not number 1.

No, but I'm in a related field and have been around enough to know how well their undergrad public policy is regarded relative to other schools (rightly or wrongly). The people in this thread keep listing schools that don't even have a public policy program!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's widely understood that Duke has the best undergrad public policy program, not just in terms of ranking (depth/breadth of the department historically) but in terms of actual educational/professor quality.

However, with that said, undergrad public policy at the better institutions is more broadly understood as a liberal arts major closer to political economy or economics with a political tilt, so I would also look closely at institutions with strength in those areas even if they aren't necessarily exactly known for having a "public policy" major as such. Yale, for example, has an "ethics, politics, and economics" major which is virtually identical to what Duke calls public policy, so it might not be a bad idea to take a look at other institutions as well.

Widely understood by who? I'm baffled by this take and can't tell if you just have children at Duke or attended. I could see Duke as maybe top 5-10 range, but not number 1.

No, but I'm in a related field and have been around enough to know how well their undergrad public policy is regarded relative to other schools (rightly or wrongly). The people in this thread keep listing schools that don't even have a public policy program!

Because at most school you can design a public policy major

[Anonymous]

As a previous poster mentioned Texas, there’s something to be said about going to undergrad in a state Capitol. Lots of internships and not as prestige focused as DC orgs. MSU and Wisconsin could be good alternatives to privates.