Danielle Allen
Feyaad Allie
Stephen Ansolabehere
Eric Beerbohm
Matthew Blackwell
Peter Buisseret
Melani Cammett
Daniel Carpenter
Stephen Chaudoin
Timothy Colton
Christina Davis
Nara Dillon
Grzegorz Ekiert
Ryan D. Enos
Katrina Forrester
Shterna S. Friedman
Claudine Gay
Frances Hagopian
Peter A. Hall
Chase H. Harrison
Michael J. Hiscox
Jennifer Hochschild
Alisha C. Holland
Kosuke Imai
Torben Iversen
Alastair Iain Johnston
Joshua D. Kertzer
Steven Levitsky
Mashail Malik
Christoph Mikulaschek
Eric Nelson
Elizabeth J. Perry
Paul E. Peterson
Pia Raffler
Marcel Roman
Michael Rosen
Stephen Peter Rosen
Michael Sandel
Theda Skocpol
James M. Snyder, Jr.
Latanya Sweeney
Stephanie Ternullo
Dustin Tingley
Daniel Ziblatt
Public Policy
The Master in Public Policy (MPP) is a two-year program that prepares students to understand complex public policy problems and craft concrete solutions. Through coursework, exercises, and fieldwork, students master concepts and skills that draw on the social sciences but are adapted for action. MPP graduates are versatile—they lead change in the public, nonprofit, and private sectors. Many distinguish themselves in more than one of these sectors during the course of their careers.
The Ph.D. in Public Policy Program provides exceptional scholars with advanced graduate training to prepare them for positions in academia, government, and at research organizations. Candidates are trained to conduct policy analytic research, help shape and execute public policy, and teach the next generation of educators, researchers, and practitioners. The program encourages scholarly research that empowers public policy practitioners to make informed decisions. Coursework reflects this approach by combining core requirements—in theory (economics, politics and management, and normative theory) and methods (advanced methodology, analytical, and quantitative empirical)—with primary and secondary concentrations.
Social Policy
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You will follow a discipline-plus model, where you are integrated into either the government (political science) or sociology departments.
The discipline-plus model provides you with greater exposure to a network of scholars outside your home discipline and to colleagues with applied policy interests that you might not experience in a single disciplinary department.
Students in the program have worked on an array of projects including the ways labor is divided in households; the inequality, fairness, and identity in American politics and US law; and race and social stratification.
Graduates of the program have gone on to positions as a research consultant at Vanderbilt University, deputy of education and workforce development for the Los Angeles County Supervisor, vice president of science at the Center for Policing Equity, and deputy director for the Anti-Recidivism Coalition.
Additional information on the graduate program is available from the PhD Program in Social Policy , and requirements for the degree are detailed in Policies .
Areas of Study
Social Policy and Government | Social Policy and Sociology
Admissions Requirements
Please review the admissions requirements and other information before applying. You can find degree program-specific admissions requirements below and access additional guidance on applying from the PhD Program in Social Policy .
Writing Sample
A writing sample is required as part of the application and should be a research paper approximately 20 pages in length. Additional requirements can be found on the Social Policy website .
Personal Statement
Standardized tests.
GRE General: Required iBT TOEFL minimum score: 103 IELTS minimum score: 7
Theses and Dissertations
Theses & Dissertations for Social Policy
See list of Social Policy faculty
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Questions about the program.
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Phd in political economy & government.
The PhD in Political Economy and Government is designed for students interested in the impact of politics on economic processes and outcomes, and the reciprocal influence of economic conditions on political life. It is appropriate for students whose academic interests are not served by doctoral studies in Economics or Political Science alone.
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Meet the Graduate Student Ambassadors: Yong Zhin Ng MPP 2025
Yong Zhin Ng MPP 2025
Originally from Singapore, Yong Zhin worked in the Singapore government before coming to HKS. He will return to his home country post-graduation to work in land policy. He is primarily trained in sociology and is excited to integrate that knowledge into the civil service long term.
What motivated you to become a Graduate Student Ambassador?
I really enjoyed being an undergraduate student ambassador and being a part of the community. I hope to find that here and to help prospective students make the right choice.
What are you most looking forward to as an inaugural student ambassador?
I’m looking forward to meeting new people! I love meeting new people and providing information to prospective students. As an ambassador, I will have a chance to tell personal stories and experiences, as well.
What advice would you give students interested in HKS?
Think about your why. Why do you want to come to HKS? What do you want to learn here? How can this program fit into your life in a way that further your goals and make you a better person?
Meet the Graduate Student Ambassadors: Javad Mushtaq MC/MPA 2025
BRAIN Initiative researcher Michael Greenberg awarded The Brain Prize 2023
BRAIN-funded researcher, Dr. Michael Greenberg, along with two collaborators, received the Lundbeck Foundation’s 2023 Brain Prize for ground-breaking discoveries on molecular mechanisms of brain development and plasticity.
Michael Greenberg, Ph.D., a BRAIN-funded researcher, was one of three scientists awarded The Brain Prize 2023 . The Brain Prize, awarded each year by the Lundbeck Foundation, is the world’s largest neuroscience research prize. This prestigious award recognizes highly original and influential advances in brain research. Since 2011, The Brain Prize has been awarded to 44 scientists from 9 countries.
Dr. Greenberg and colleagues received this honor for their research on how the synthesis of new proteins is triggered in different parts of the neuron, guiding brain development and plasticity that can impact human behavior. At Harvard University, research in Greenberg’s lab has made considerable strides in developing this work and continues to research how the brain responds to interactions with the outside world to modulate the activity of genes that make proteins essential for brain plasticity (see BRAIN grants 1RF1MH114081 and 1RF1DA048787 ). Dr. Greenberg shares this 1.3 million euro prize with Dr. Christine Holt from the University of Cambridge and Dr. Erin Schuman from the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research.
Their research findings have dramatically transformed brain research by providing new insights into the cellular and molecular mechanisms that guide growing axons during brain development, and that enable the developing and adult brain to be shaped by experience. These fundamental results may provide vital new insight into the causes and mechanisms of major neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases.
Please read the Lundbeck Foundation press release for more details.
Latest from The BRAIN Blog
The BRAIN Blog covers updates and announcements on BRAIN Initiative research, events, and news.
Hear from BRAIN Initiative trainees, learn about new scientific advancements, and find out about recent funding opportunities by visiting The BRAIN Blog.
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The Department of Government at Harvard is a world leader in the study of political science, and the department's faculty covers a wide range of fields and methodologies. The department's breadth and depth allows you to pursue groundbreaking research on a variety of topics. The doctoral program's diversity and flexibility enables scholars ...
Department of Government Harvard University 1737 Cambridge St Cambridge , MA 02138. T: 617.495.2152 E: [email protected] E 2:[email protected]
Graduate students research is greatly facilitated by the exceptional resources offered by the Department of Government and the University. ... Department of Government Harvard University 1737 Cambridge St Cambridge , MA 02138. T: 617.495.2152 E: [email protected] E 2:[email protected]. People. Undergraduate.
The study of International Relations in the Harvard Department of Government examines the sources of conflict and cooperation in world affairs. Through analysis of foreign policy and public opinion, strategic interaction, international law, and the role of transnational actors, scholars of international relations address a wide array of topics including: War Trade International finance Human...
It is home to a vibrant and diverse intellectual community of faculty, graduate and undergraduate students, fellows, and staff. Our community is our greatest strength. Meet the Faculty. ... Department of Government Harvard University 1737 Cambridge St Cambridge , MA 02138. T: 617.495.2152 E: [email protected] E 2:[email protected] ...
The PhD in Public Policy (PPOL) program provides the advanced graduate training you need to successfully launch yourself into a research or related position in academia, government, a nongovernmental organization, or the private sector. You will get the training you need to conduct analytical research, help shape and execute policy, and teach ...
Requirements. Courses — A student must successfully complete at least 12 4-credit courses, of which 8 must be in political science. At least 10 of these 12 4-credit courses and 7 of the 8 4-credit courses in government must be listed in the catalog as 1000- or 2000-level courses. Courses cross-registered with Harvard Divinity School, Harvard ...
PhD in Social Policy. The joint PhD Programs in Social Policy combine the disciplinary depth of a PhD in political science or sociology with multidisciplinary perspectives and problem-driven research on questions of social policy. As a joint venture between the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences' Government and ...
The Public Policy PhD is awarded by the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Harvard Griffin GSAS) but is administered by the Higher Committee on Public Policy. ... The HKS faculty includes practitioners with wide experience at the highest levels of government and industry in science and technology policy. Graduates ...
The PhD in public policy program trains candidates to conduct policy analytic research, help shape and execute public policy, and teach the next generation of educators, researchers, and practitioners. The flexible nature of the program allows you to choose your own path in areas that most interest you—from microeconomic research to ...
Advisor guidelines. This handbook covers the Public Policy (PPOL) doctoral program, which is administered jointly by Harvard Kennedy School and the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. The PPOL Program leads to a Doctor of Philosophy degree awarded by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.
PEG Government Track: Course Requirements. Microeconomic theory (Econ 2020a, Econ 2020b) Macroeconomic theory (Econ 2010c) Econometrics (Gov 2001 or a more advanced course) Two courses in Formal Political Theory or two approved courses in Political Economy. Two courses in a major field of political science.
In collaboration with the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Harvard Griffin GSAS), Harvard Kennedy School immerses you in rigorous learning that bridges academic disciplines and draws from leading faculties across the university's graduate schools. When you pursue a doctoral degree at HKS, you are among ...
History of the PhD in Political Economy and Government. Dating to the 1930s, the PhD Program in Political Economy and Government (PEG) was initiated with the objective of fostering research at the intersection of Economics and Political Science. A collaborative program between Harvard Kennedy School, the Department of Economics, and the ...
Department of Government Harvard University 1737 Cambridge St Cambridge , MA 02138. T: 617.495.2152 E: [email protected] E 2:[email protected]. People. Undergraduate. ... Graduate Toggle "Graduate" submenu. Overview; For Prospective Graduate Students; Programs of Study; For Current Graduate Students;
Department of Government Harvard University 1737 Cambridge St Cambridge , MA 02138. T: 617.495.2152 E: [email protected] E 2:[email protected]. People. Undergraduate. ... Graduate Toggle "Graduate" submenu. Overview; For Prospective Graduate Students; Programs of Study; For Current Graduate Students;
Graduate. Harvard University's Department of Government is dedicated to excellence in all fields of political science and encourages diverse approaches to scholarship. Students in the Department of Government pursue a wide variety of approaches to the study of politics and have the opportunity to define and explore their own questions about ...
Graduate. The Master in Public Policy (MPP) is a two-year program that prepares students to understand complex public policy problems and craft concrete solutions. Through coursework, exercises, and fieldwork, students master concepts and skills that draw on the social sciences but are adapted for action. MPP graduates are versatile—they lead ...
These three advisors must come from within Harvard and must include a member of the PhD committee, a HKS-appointed faculty member, and a Harvard Griffin GSAS-appointed faculty member. ... Note: Members of the Committee on Higher Degrees in Political Economy and Government may represent the Harvard Griffin GSAS at a dissertation defense. Each ...
PhD Program Requirements. African and African American Studies. American Studies. Anthropology. Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Planning. Astronomy. Molecular and Cellular Biology. Organismic and Evolutionary Biology. Biological Sciences in Public Health.
The PhD in social policy program is designed for individuals interested in economic inequality, neighborhood and special segregation, poverty, changing family structures, race and immigration, educational access and quality, political inequalities and participation, and comparative and institutional studies of social policy, particularly in the United States and Western Europe.
The PhD in Political Economy and Government is designed for students interested in the impact of politics on economic processes and outcomes, and the reciprocal influence of economic conditions on political life. It is appropriate for students whose academic interests are not served by doctoral studies in Economics or Political Science alone.
The Master in Public Policy Program provides you with a conceptual toolkit rooted in the social sciences and adapted for action. A defining feature of the Master in Public Policy (MPP) Program is its commitment to practice. Take what you learn here and apply it right away—through capstone exercises, case studies, experiential learning ...
Yong Zhin Ng MPP 2025Originally from Singapore, Yong Zhin worked in the Singapore government before coming to HKS. He will return to his home country post-graduation to work in land policy. He is primarily trained in sociology and is excited to integrate that knowledge into the civil service long term.What motivated you to become a Graduate Student Ambassador?I really enjoyed being an ...
At Harvard University, research in Greenberg's lab has made considerable strides in developing this work and continues to research how the brain responds to interactions with the outside world to modulate the activity of genes that make proteins essential for brain plasticity (see BRAIN grants 1RF1MH114081 and 1RF1DA048787). Dr.