Master of Arts in Political Science- Public Policy and Organizations

PUBLIC POLICY AND ORGANIZATIONS is the study of what governments decide to do (or not do) and the organizations that implement government decisions. At UMass our approach seeks understand how and why public policies are created and sustained, and to illuminate the implications and effects of public policies on the state and civil society. Faculty associated with this field study institutions, ideas, and processes for understanding public policy utilizing multiple methodologies and approaches. Our faculty bring diversity in theoretical orientations and empirical foci with strong ties to the UMass School of Public Policy.

UMass Amherst offers PhD and accelerated MA degrees in six fields of political inquiry: American politics, comparative politics, international relations, political theory, public policy, and public law. In addition, while each field is its own thriving research community, your studies can involve multiple research clusters whose work crosses subfields, including conflict, violence and security; political economy; global forces; computational social science; and ambiguities of democracy. You’ll also choose methods training appropriate to the questions you are asking—from statistical modeling and network analysis to ethnography and textual analysis—and enjoy mentorship by scholars across diverse subfields and methodological orientations.

Graduate School application Three letters of recommendation Official transcript(s) Personal Statement of Interest Writing sample GRE requirement is waived for fall 2023 admissions. IELTS - 6.5 TOEFL IBT - 80 Duolingo English Test: Minimum overall score of 115