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Graduate Programs

Center for Public Policy

Voters jam first floor of City Hall Annex to register for April 17 special election on proposed Home Rule Charter for Philadelphia. – Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, 1951

Professor Richardson Dilworth's book Reforming Philadelphia 1692-2022 examines the evolving relationship between national and local city politics.

Drexel University’s Center for Public Policy is an interdisciplinary think tank comprised of Drexel faculty experts who work alongside students, policy experts, government officials and nonprofit leaders to explore a broad range of compelling issues: American political development, community violence reduction, drug treatment and use, data infrastructure, economic development, energy literacy and policy, labor and environment – and so much more.

The Center offers two master's degree programs: a Master of Public Policy and a Master of Science in Environmental Policy. In addition, the Center partners with the Drexel University Kline School of Law to offer a Juris Doctorate/Master of Science in Public Policy degree program. Qualified undergraduate environmental science and environmental studies majors can earn an advanced policy degree sooner through our accelerated degree options.

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Degree Programs

Contact

Kate Pelusi, Graduate Program Manager, Center for Public Policy
215.895.6374 | kp475@drexel.edu




Quicklinks



Master of Science in Public Policy

Drexel's Master of Public Policy (MPP) program is innovative and distinct in at least two key respects: Its focus on student-led inquiry and its distinct specialization tracks. Our program –which is offered both in-person and online– focuses on case study research as a unifying curricular element. Students must choose a specific research topic they will work on for their time in the program. In each subsequent Case Study Research course, students continue further research and writing on their chosen case study topic. By the end of the program, students will have produced a polished and in-depth analysis of a specific case that they can use to demonstrate expertise in a policy area.

Students take required courses for the Master of Public Policy from multiple schools within Drexel University, the College of Arts and Sciences, the Bennett S. LeBow College of Business, and the College of Computing and Informatics. Students gain a strong foundation in analysis, economics, research and writing — skills and knowledge that will help them achieve or advance in careers in public service, both in government and the private sector.

Program details


Master of Science in Environmental Policy

The Master of Science in Environmental Policy (MSEP) program equips future policy professionals with the tools they need to understand the complexities of environmental issues and promote policies that improve the environment. Students in this program take core courses in Public Policy, Environmental Policy, and Economics and elective courses in Environmental Science, Environmental and Occupational Health, or Environmental Engineering. Students can conduct real-world research by writing a case study thesis, selecting elective courses tailored to their unique interests, or completing their degree with immersive research experiences. Personalized advising helps students to select classes and take advantage of opportunities that best serve their professional goals.

Faculty members in the program hold expertise spanning law, sociology, engineering, business, public health and other disciplines. They are engaged locally, nationally, and globally to explore and address today’s most pressing environmental concerns: climate change, water policy, energy policy, sustainability operations management and the effect of pollution on public health.

Program details


Accelerated Degrees

The College of Arts and Sciences offers three accelerated degree options that allow qualified undergraduates with majors in environmental science, environmental studies and political science to earn a master's in environmental policy or a master's in public policy much sooner. Undergraduate students should review the “First-Year Application Instructions” for accelerated programs outlined by Drexel University’s Accelerated, Combined, and Bridge Degree Programs.

Questions?

Please contact your undergraduate advisor in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science (BS) / Master of Science in Environmental Policy (MSEP)

The accelerated degree program in Environmental Science and Environmental Policy (BS+MSEP) is appropriate for Environmental Science majors interested in learning about public policy and who desire to work in environmental policy, such as in government, advocacy work, consulting, or the nonprofit sector. Qualified students begin pursuing a graduate degree prior to completion of their bachelor’s degree in the 4+1 co-op program.

Program details

Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and Sustainability (BA) / Master of Science Environmental Policy (MSEP)

The accelerated degree program in Environmental Studies and Sustainability and Environmental Policy (BA+MSEP) builds on undergraduates’ knowledge in the Environmental Studies and Sustainability program and offers advanced education for careers in environmental law, research, advocacy, and more.

Program details

Bachelor of Arts in Political Science (BA) / Master of Public Policy (MPP)

The Political Science program in the Department of Politics helps students cultivate perspective; develop critical thinking, communication, and data analysis skills; and understand the economic, social, and political systems within which we live and work. Our curriculum builds on the department's research focuses and strengths. These include public policy, environmental politics, international organizations, human rights, and law and society. This flexible program allows students to shape a curriculum that meets their needs whether they are preparing for public service, the business world, graduate school in political science, an MBA or other business program, or law school. Drexel’s Master of Public Policy is designed for people who work, or who would like to work, for government or a nonprofit organization. It is innovative and distinct in at least two key respects: Its focus on case study research and its distinct tracks of specialization.

Program details


Graduate Minor in Public Policy

The graduate minor in Public Policy provides students with a foundation in the American policy process, applied practice in policy research, analysis and nonprofit management. The minor consists of four courses for a total of 12.0 credits. Note: This minor is not available to students pursuing or holding an MS in Public Policy or Environmental Policy.

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Center for Public Policy Faculty

Faculty in Drexel's Center for Public Policy are members of a vibrant community of scholars who explore environmental and public policy topics by integrating knowledge across disciplines often in collaboration with policy experts, government officials and nonprofit leaders.

  Faculty Member Expertise
Richardson Dilworth, PhD
Professor of Politics; Department Head, Department of Politics
MacAlister, Room 3025
dilworth@drexel.edu
  • American political development
  • Urban politics
  • Public policy
Christian Hunold
Professor of Politics; Associate Dean for Faculty Advancement
3021-F MacAlister Hall
hunoldc@drexel.edu
  • Environmental Political Theory
  • Deliberative Democracy
  • Human-Animal Studies
  • Multispecies Ethnography
  • Multispecies Urbanism
  • Wild horses and Burros
Jordan Hyatt, PhD, JD, Associate Professor, Drexel University Department of Criminology and Justice Studies
Associate Professor of Criminology and Justice Studies; Director, Center for Public Policy
3401 Market Street, Room 110-B
jmh498@drexel.edu
  • Corrections, Re-entry and Community Supervision
  • Comparative and International Penology
  • Drug Treatment and Drug Use
  • Community Violence Reduction
  • Prison Climate, Oversight and Reform
  • Financial Sanctions
  • Scandinavian Correctional Policy
  • Sentencing
  • Experimental and Field Research
Alison Kenner, PhD, Associate Professor, Drexel University Department of Politics and the Center for Science, Technology and Society
Associate Professor
3101 Market Street, Room 222
amk438@drexel.edu
  • Energy Justice
  • Climate Change
  • Feminist Political Theory
  • Asthma and Air Quality
  • Experimental Ethnography
  • Urban Politics
Gwen Ottinger, PhD
Professor
3101 Market Street, Room 217
ottinger@drexel.edu
  • Environmental justice
  • Political theory
  • Science and technology policy
  • Citizen science
  • Science and engineering ethics
  • Information infrastructures
  • Community-based research
Diane Sicotte, PhD, Drexel University Professor of Sociology
Professor of Sociology
3201 Arch Street, Room 203
dms76@drexel.edu
  • Environmental Sociology
  • Environmental inequality and injustice
  • Political economy of energy and environment
  • Labor and environment
  • Plastics in society

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