Policy Research & Analysis Concentration

Today’s policymakers require analytical skills from a variety of disciplines: quantitative, economic, political, and organizational. Students in the policy research & analysis major enjoy access to a rich array of resources to help them prepare for careers in both the public and private sectors. Recent graduates of our program have gone on to work in such careers as budget examiners for the state of New York, analysts for the Government Accountability Office and the U.S. Mint and consultants for the leading firm Booz Allen Hamilton.

Motivated and inquisitive people looking to acquire the technical skills and knowledge to contribute to research and policymaking decisions will appreciate our curriculum. It is infused with a rich variety of interdisciplinary viewpoints to give students a well-informed view of policy analysis that is both national and international in scope.

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GSPIA Core Classes (12 credits)

    Quantitative Methods
    Microeconomics
    Public Policy Analysis
    Capstone Seminar
OR
    Thesis
Internship Requirement: All students must complete an approved internship of at least 300 hours while enrolled at GSPIA. The internship must be approved by the student’s career advisor in advance. Students with at least three years of relevant full‐time work experience may petition their career advisor for a waiver of this requirement during their first semester.

MPA Degree Core (9 credits)

    Administration of Public Affairs
    Program Evaluation
    Financial Management

PRA Major Courses (12 credits)

    Intermediate Quantitative Methods
PIA 2--- PRA Major Course
PIA 2--- PRA Major Course
PIA 2--- PRA Major Course

Free Electives/Minor Courses (15 credits)

PIA 2--- Elective/minor course
PIA 2--- Elective/minor course
PIA 2--- Elective/minor course
PIA 2--- Elective
PIA 2--- Elective