Academics

Whether you are preparing to enter the working world for the first time, making a change while balancing a day job or repositioning for new opportunities in your current career, the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration (TSPPPA) has an academic path to get you there.

Choose between our rigorous Master of Public Administration (MPA), Master of Public Policy (MPP), MA in Environmental and Sustainability Policy, PhD in Public Policy and Administration and many graduate certificate programs.
Schedule classes during the day or at night to accommodate a job or internship.
Take advantage of courses not only within TSPPPA but throughout the larger university and throughout our consortium schools.
Work with real-world clients, including federal and local government agencies and nonprofits, through the practical capstone program.

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Attend an Information Session

Join the Graduate Programs Virtual Open House: October 20–30

Registration is open for GW's 2025 Columbian College of Arts and Sciences (CCAS) Graduate Programs Open House! The virtual event features program-specific information sessions and opportunities to interact with students, faculty and our admissions team. Attendees will receive an application fee waiver.

TSPPPA will host two virtual information sessions for prospective graduate students:

Public Policy & Public Administration (PhD): October 22
Environmental & Sustainability Policy (MA); Public Administration (MPA); Public Policy (MPP): October 29

CCAS Graduate Programs Virtual Open House

Registration and Details

Academic Programs

A group of MPA students smiling in University Yard with a statue of George Washington behind them

A woman in braids and a yellow sweater writes on a whiteboard in a small classroom

Two TSPPPA ENRP students and two older adults all wearing hard hats and standing in front of a DC Water sign

Image of a TSPPPA doctoral student with long hair at a desk chair holding a stack of papers and a highlighter

A group of TSPPPA students with books and papers at a shared table in a classroom

Learn About Consortium Courses

Why Choose TSPPPA?

Take advantage of our top-ranked programs and connections in the Washington, D.C. area, or apply TSPPPA's influence and impact to opportunities around the globe.

Our faculty are not only sought-after leaders in the policy field. They are mentors and advocates who care deeply about helping students succeed.

We offer tailored professional advancement programs and lifelong services for students and alumni at all career stages seeking meaningful work.

We are fiercely committed to an equitable, collaborative learning environment, meaning students have a voice in leadership roles and professional development opportunities.

Customize your degree to your life — and your public service aspirations — with part-time options, night or daytime courses and a personalized capstone program.

Accreditation

NASPAA Accredited: The Commission on Peer Review and Education

The GW Trachtenberg School's Master of Public Administration (MPA) and Master of Public Policy (MPP) are accredited through NASPAA, the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration.

Accreditation and Statistics

“As a later-career professional, I chose to pursue an MPA at TSPPPA to hone my skills and prepare me for a new work chapter. The faculty, staff and students exceeded my expectations — I was able to contribute my experiences in class discussions and cultivate new ways of thinking.”

Valerie Singer
MPA '19