Academics

The Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration offers master's degrees in public policy (MPP), public administration (MPA) and environmental resource policy (MA in ENRP) as well as a PhD in Public Policy and Administration and certificates in Nonprofit Management, Environmental Resource Policy and Budget & Public Finance. The programs integrate theory and practice in scholarship, teaching, and service and embrace multiple perspectives for advancing critical analysis and practical knowledge of public policy and public administration.

Full-time and part-time students are welcome in all degree programs at the Trachtenberg School. Most classes take place in the late afternoons and evenings to allow part-time and full-time students to learn together. Classes are held in person on GW's Foggy Bottom campus to encourage you to learn from the faculty and each other.

At the Trachtenberg School, you learn quantitative and qualitative problem-solving skills to ensure you can bring about change in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. You will apply theories to cutting-edge research and real-world problems in each of the degree programs.

The Trachtenberg School's master's programs integrate theory and practice in scholarship, teaching, and service and embrace multiple perspectives for advancing critical analysis and practical knowledge of public policy and public administration.

The Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration offers a rigorous multi-disciplinary curriculum that prepares students for careers in university teaching and research, research institutions, federal, state, and local governments, and international organizations.

The master's programs are strong, valuable, recognized degrees. At GW, the basic structures (and amount of coursework) are virtually identical between the MPA and MPP degrees. However, the degrees do have distinctions in terms of the course emphases and recommended fields of concentration. The MA in ENRP gives students an in-depth focus on environmental resource policy.

The Trachtenberg School is one of only a few universities in the nation to offer both the MPA and MPP degrees with accreditation from NASPAA, the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration.