Department website: https://lbj.utexas.edu/

This degree program aims to provide students with the skills and understanding required for effective professional leadership in developing and implementing public policies. Students may elect to organize their studies around certain areas of concentration. Depending on their qualifications, students can pursue the degree through the regular program or through a dual degree program arrangement.

The curriculum combines courses in politics and the policy process, economic analysis, empirical methods, and management with a practical applications sequence that includes a client-oriented policy research project.  

Austin and Washington, DC concentration

The DC program option offers a student enrolled in the master's program a unique two-semester curriculum in federal policy which facilitates entry into federal careers. Students attend The University of Texas at Austin their first two semesters. After the first year, students will spend the summer and fall in Washington, DC. Coursework will include a unique apprenticeship opportunity in a public or non-profit agency based on the student’s area of policy. 

Graduate Handbook

Graduate handbook information is updated and maintained by each program. Graduate handbooks are available within each program's office and online. Please contact the program with concerns or questions.

Admission 

Admission decisions are made by the Admissions Committee. The committee considers applicants' academic and employment records, three letters of recommendation from professors or employers, and a statement of purpose addressing the applicant’s background and interest in public policy. A résumé and transcripts for all college coursework are also required. 

While there are no prescribed course prerequisites, students entering the program are expected to have completed coursework in three areas: mathematics and statistics, economics, and American government. Many students find it useful to take a review course in college algebra, calculus, and statistics the summer before entering the program. 

Admission on a Part-Time Basis

Most students are admitted to the full-time program, which they are generally expected to complete in two years of full-time study. A student who cannot attend full time may choose to complete the degree program on a part-time basis; the applicant must submit a written request for admission on a part-time basis when applying for admission to the program. 

Additional information on degree requirements and the application process is available from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs website.

Total Hours Required: 48

Austin-only: 48

Austin and Washington, DC: 45

Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Degree
Hours chosen from: Program curriculum		24
Policy research project		3
Internship (12 weeks; generally completed between the first and second years)
Hours chosen from: Electives		18
Professional report (optional)		3
All students in this program must also follow these requirements and policies:
Graduate Public Affairs Requirements
Graduate University Requirements
Total Hours		48

Additional Requirements and Policy

• The student must fulfill all academic requirements within six years of entering the program.
• Dual degree programs require additional coursework. 
• Up to nine hours may be waived and substituted with approved electives if a student demonstrates prior training and proficiency substantially equivalent to core courses in introductory quantitative methods, microeconomics, and public financial management. 
• A public service internship is required in the absence of relevant prior public service experience. 
• A student enrolled in the full-time program may be allowed, for good reason, to change to part-time status.

Austin and Washington, DC concentration

The DC program option requires 45 hours. Students take 24 hours at The University of Texas at Austin. After the first year, students will complete remaining hours in Washington, DC, including a unique apprenticeship.