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    Public and Urban Policy (MS)

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  • Contact Us

    Admission Contact
    Merida Escandon Gasbarro
    72 Fifth Avenue, 1st floor
    New York, NY 10011
    646.909.1108
    [email protected]

    Program Contact
    Lauretha Slaughter
    72 Fifth Avenue, 6th floor
    New York, NY 10011
    [email protected]
    212.229.5400 x1107

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  • The Public and Urban Policy MS program prepares you to go out in the world—and change it. You engage with policymakers through real-world client work, applying a multidisciplinary approach and social justice lens to solve timely and complex policy problems. You develop the skills needed to evaluate critical public policy issues in real time, design creative solutions, and collaborate with a diverse set of stakeholders.

    • Degree Master of Science
    • Credits 42
    • Format Full-time or part-time, on campus
    • Duration 2 years (full-time)
    • Start Term Fall or Spring

    Program Highlights

    • Interdisciplinary and Integrative

      Draw on multiple disciplines and methodologies and link theory to practice to gain practical skills for delivering balanced solutions to complex, messy policy challenges.

    • Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice

      Join a scholarly community united by the belief that public policy should eliminate barriers and advance an equitable, just, and inclusive society.

    • Real-World, Client-Based Projects

      Engage in collaborative, solution-focused, hands-on learning as early as your second semester in our signature Urban Policy Lab.

    • Set Your Own Pace

      Choose between two paths toward your degree: two years ( traditional full-time ) or up to five years ( part-time ).

    Interdisciplinary Perspectives

    The master's in Public and Urban Policy explores multidimensional aspects of design and policy, quantitative methods and data visualization, and equity-focused policy. The breadth of policy-related courses and electives students can take across The New School is exceptional, ranging from classes exploring the latest insights in the social sciences at The New School for Social Research, urban design at Parsons, international affairs, management, and more. Our subject areas encompass emerging and interdisciplinary fields of study. Choosing an area of emphasis deepens your knowledge and develops your skills, preparing you for professional success.  

    Explore the curriculum

    New York City as a Learning Laboratory

    New York embodies the promise and challenges faced by global cities. It is where students get firsthand experience at policymaking in our Urban Policy Laboratory. Working under the supervision of a faculty supervisor, student teams advise clients in government and the nonprofit sector on pressing policy and management issues. Students also have the opportunity to contribute to the work of the Milano School's Center for New York City Affairs, an applied policy research organization focusing on how public policy affects low-income communities and offering analysis and solutions that make the city more just and equitable. Explore the diverse centers and institutes at the Milano School, each of which is dedicated to addressing critical policy and management challenges across New York City and beyond.

    Academic Excellence

    The U.S. News & World Report 2020 Best Graduate Schools ranking named the Milano School of Policy, Management, and Environment to the Top 100 Public Affairs Schools and No. 11 in the Urban Policy specialty area. Small class sizes ensure that you are able to work directly with the engaged world-class faculty who help make our program one of the best in the country. Discover current research and work initiatives led by distinguished faculty and students, highlighting the forefront of policy, management, and urban issues in today’s rapidly evolving landscape.

    Career Paths

    Graduates of the Master of Science in Public and Urban Policy program are employed in all sectors. Our graduates work in government agencies, consulting firms, mission-driven businesses, and nonprofit organizations. They are ready to challenge the status quo wherever they go.

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    Accreditation and Affiliations

    The Public and Urban Policy MS program is accredited by NASPAA, the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration. NASPAA is the global standard in public service education and the recognized global accreditor of master's degree programs in public administration, public policy, public affairs, and nonprofit and related fields. The program is also affiliated with the Association for Public Policy and Management (APPAM), the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP), and the Urban Affairs Association (UAA).

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Submit your application

Undergraduates

To apply to any of our undergraduate programs (except the Bachelor's Program for Adults and Transfer Students and Parsons Associate of Applied Science programs) complete and submit the Common App online.

Undergraduate Adult Learners

To apply to any of our Bachelor's Program for Adults and Transfer Students and Parsons Associate of Applied Science programs, complete and submit the New School Online Application.

Graduates

To apply to any of our Master's, Doctoral, Professional Studies Diploma, and Graduate Certificate programs, complete and submit the New School Online Application.