Computational MPP Programs for 2022

[PolicyApplier]

I'm a software engineer that is looking to get into public policy and found that MPP programs with a computational focus would likely be the best way to take advantage of the skills I currently have and the skills I want to acquire. That being said, it's a little difficult to find these programs as the internet is big and contains multitudes. Below are a list of programs I've found that match the criteria I've laid out, but I fear there may be some I'm missing. If y'all know of any that match the criteria, or would be a good spot where I could add some courses to make a general MPP a computation one, I'd greatly appreciate it.

1. UChicago MSCAPP: https://harris.uchicago.edu/academics/degrees/ms-computational-analysis-public-policy-mscapp
2. USC MPPDS: https://priceschool.usc.edu/mppds/
3. CMU MSPPM Data Analytics: https://www.heinz.cmu.edu/programs/public-policy-management-master/data-analytics
4. Georgetown's MS in Data Science for Public Policy: https://mccourt.georgetown.edu/master-of-science-in-data-science-for-public-policy/
5. Georgia Tech's MSPP: https://spp.gatech.edu/masters/mspp
    - I included GT because they are a technical school and I've talked to their advisors and they said you can include a whole lot of computational courses into their curriculum.

[GradSchoolGrad]

2 hours ago, PedroTheNoun said:

I'm a software engineer that is looking to get into public policy and found that MPP programs with a computational focus would likely be the best way to take advantage of the skills I currently have and the skills I want to acquire. That being said, it's a little difficult to find these programs as the internet is big and contains multitudes. Below are a list of programs I've found that match the criteria I've laid out, but I fear there may be some I'm missing. If y'all know of any that match the criteria, or would be a good spot where I could add some courses to make a general MPP a computation one, I'd greatly appreciate it.

1. UChicago MSCAPP: https://harris.uchicago.edu/academics/degrees/ms-computational-analysis-public-policy-mscapp
2. USC MPPDS: https://priceschool.usc.edu/mppds/
3. CMU MSPPM Data Analytics: https://www.heinz.cmu.edu/programs/public-policy-management-master/data-analytics
4. Georgetown's MS in Data Science for Public Policy: https://mccourt.georgetown.edu/master-of-science-in-data-science-for-public-policy/
5. Georgia Tech's MSPP: https://spp.gatech.edu/masters/mspp
    - I included GT because they are a technical school and I've talked to their advisors and they said you can include a whole lot of computational courses into their curriculum.

First of all, I wouldn't call them "Computation MPP Programs" because that implies you actually acquire deep academic competencies in the core curriculum about understanding policy operations and/or policy management activity. I think it is more accurate to refer to them as "Policy Oriented Data Analysis Programs". The reason why this matters is that historically MPPs and MPAs chase after the same jobs, at least as it pertains to management opportunities. Granted the curriculum might be different, the outcomes (compensating for differing student population focus) is broadly the same.

These "Policy Oriented Data Programs" are different because

A. Career outcomes wise, you don't go after the same jobs for the most part. One can make a slight argument you do compete with MPPs for pure analysis jobs, but it is a straight forward link to anything with a management/operations angle.  

B. You interestingly become eligible for ALL data jobs (regardless of grounding). Yes, there are people from these programs that go to Facebook and other private sector companies. This is because at the heart of it (to some level of variation), these are Data Analytics programs. The topics might be policy oriented, but the methods and processes are easily transferable to any non-policy oriented data problem. 

Please also understand unlike well established masters' programs like MBA/MPH and to a much lesser extent MPP that have mostly the same core curriculum, these programs have actually a fair level of difference. 

For example,  U. Chicago's MSCAPP's advanced classes are essentially Comp Sci levels of technical intensity. On the other end, you can graduate CMU MSPPM without getting into the CompSci depths (although there are opportunities to). 

Since you are already a computer software engineer, you should generally be technically in a great place. For you, its best you a. acquire policy environment/operations/management/culture understanding

b. gain a network 

There are two ways to do this:

a. MPP/MPA program

b. Mid-career level policy program (assuming you have at least 7 or more years of career experience)

It doesn't make sense for you to learn stuff you already know / or could easily figure out with one independent study class or so. 

Edited June 14, 2021 by GradSchoolGrad

[PolicyApplier]

Thanks for your input, @GradSchoolGrad!

A little more history about myself. My academic background is a BS in microbiology and an MA in biology with two years of lab experience in bioinformatics, with one published paper. I was able to pivot that into a job as a software engineer about 9 years ago, so I will not be a new college grad at all. That being said, a lot of my knowledge of computation is more on an intuitive level than an academic or textbook level. The goal of this masters for me is to work my way into a policy research analyst role with the hope that I'll be able to institute some large data analysis pipelines as both a software architect and data scientist. Before that happens though, I'd also like to work in a policy research group and contribute to the field if at all possible. I know I'll likely be taking an income hit, but the masters is not only about the result as much as it's about having the ability to contribute at an academic level. I'm not sure if I'll be hunting for the typical MPP/MPA roles, but from what I've seen at Brookings, most of the people in research positions have MPP or economics degrees.

Since I am wanting to get both data science and policy knowledge, with the hope of contributing to a policy research group, these degrees FEEL like the right move, but I am also a little out of my element here. Do you feel like your critiques still stand or am I on the right path given the additional context?

[GradSchoolGrad]

23 hours ago, PedroTheNoun said:

 

Thanks for your input, @GradSchoolGrad!

A little more history about myself. My academic background is a BS in microbiology and an MA in biology with two years of lab experience in bioinformatics, with one published paper. I was able to pivot that into a job as a software engineer about 9 years ago, so I will not be a new college grad at all. That being said, a lot of my knowledge of computation is more on an intuitive level than an academic or textbook level. The goal of this masters for me is to work my way into a policy research analyst role with the hope that I'll be able to institute some large data analysis pipelines as both a software architect and data scientist. Before that happens though, I'd also like to work in a policy research group and contribute to the field if at all possible. I know I'll likely be taking an income hit, but the masters is not only about the result as much as it's about having the ability to contribute at an academic level. I'm not sure if I'll be hunting for the typical MPP/MPA roles, but from what I've seen at Brookings, most of the people in research positions have MPP or economics degrees.

Since I am wanting to get both data science and policy knowledge, with the hope of contributing to a policy research group, these degrees FEEL like the right move, but I am also a little out of my element here. Do you feel like your critiques still stand or am I on the right path given the additional context?

I actually kind of recommend you figure out a way to laterally transfer without grad school - maybe talking something in science or healthcare related. Its actually rather possible as long as you mark out a trajectory. You'll be able to be more influential that way too and start at a higher level. 

If you really want to work at think tank + research center, I will warn you that it is not a fun place. Not the best professional development and its a long road of agony to get promoted. Also, as a researcher, you'll always be a 2nd class citizen without a PhD

If you go to grad school, your prior career experience advantage drastically dissipates because you'll be bucketed as campus recruiting or immediately post grad school (there might be an exception somewhere though). 

If you really want a Master's get a Mid-Career level program and juice out your electives with quant stuff + independent study. 

Edited June 16, 2021 by GradSchoolGrad

[PolicyApplier]

8 minutes ago, GradSchoolGrad said:

If you really want to work at think tank + research center, I will warn you that it is not a fun place. Not the best professional development and its a long road of agony to get promoted. Also, as a researcher, you'll always be a 2nd class citizen without a PhD

Out of grad school I was going to work at a place that heavily served the armed forces and I avoided going there because I thought I'd be handicapped due to lack of service. It would be odd to voluntarily handicap myself later in my career for an entirely different reason.

I appreciate your points and I'll take them into consideration. Thank you very much for your input!

[GradSchoolGrad]

On 6/15/2021 at 10:50 PM, PedroTheNoun said:

Out of grad school I was going to work at a place that heavily served the armed forces and I avoided going there because I thought I'd be handicapped due to lack of service. It would be odd to voluntarily handicap myself later in my career for an entirely different reason.

I appreciate your points and I'll take them into consideration. Thank you very much for your input!

Ya but there are plenty of non-military folks who have really done well in their careers serving the military community at various institutions.

If there is a non-PhD who done well on the research side at a major think tank/research center climbing the professional ladder (and not a transplant after some major government post), I can't think about it off the top of my head.

[2020applicant...]

On 6/13/2021 at 6:10 PM, PedroTheNoun said:

I'm a software engineer that is looking to get into public policy and found that MPP programs with a computational focus would likely be the best way to take advantage of the skills I currently have and the skills I want to acquire. That being said, it's a little difficult to find these programs as the internet is big and contains multitudes. Below are a list of programs I've found that match the criteria I've laid out, but I fear there may be some I'm missing. If y'all know of any that match the criteria, or would be a good spot where I could add some courses to make a general MPP a computation one, I'd greatly appreciate it.

1. UChicago MSCAPP: https://harris.uchicago.edu/academics/degrees/ms-computational-analysis-public-policy-mscapp
2. USC MPPDS: https://priceschool.usc.edu/mppds/
3. CMU MSPPM Data Analytics: https://www.heinz.cmu.edu/programs/public-policy-management-master/data-analytics
4. Georgetown's MS in Data Science for Public Policy: https://mccourt.georgetown.edu/master-of-science-in-data-science-for-public-policy/
5. Georgia Tech's MSPP: https://spp.gatech.edu/masters/mspp
    - I included GT because they are a technical school and I've talked to their advisors and they said you can include a whole lot of computational courses into their curriculum.

Hi, I thought I would give my 2 cents as I was admitted to and did a lot of research into the CMU, U of Chicago, and USC programs you listed.

- MSCAPP: I was really impressed with their events and they seem to probably be the best program for getting computational/engineering opportunities IMO, with solid elective access in the computer science department, a cohort that includes people who go into software engineering and comp-sci phds, and the ability to test out of a lot of the intro classes if you come in with existing computer science skills. But it's an expensive program.

- CMU MSPPM-DA: I think the coursework looked really interesting, but I got the impression that there was more a push to teach data analysis rather than computer science (which seemed to be the focus at MSCAPP). This makes sense, the CMU program is a joint offering between Policy and Information Systems, whereas MSCAPP is between Policy and pure Computer Science. I liked that they also allowed you to test out of intro courses. Pretty generous on aid.

- USC MPPDS: The curriculum looked too rushed/limited to me, and overlaps too much with free MOOCs.

Other things:

- Some of these data science/public policy programs really focus on teaching programming, which is unfortunate if you already have competencies in any Object Oriented language. At the end of the day I ended up electing to go to a well regarded straight MPP program with no direct programming/software engineering coursework written into the program but extensive elective access in comp-sci rather than going with one of the structured data science/public policy degrees.

- There are some cool "applied stats with a focus on social science research" degrees out there that you might also look into, depending on what specific skills you are seeking to build.

Edited June 28, 2021 by 2020applicant...

[PolicyApplier]

Thanks for your feedback, @2020applicant...!

I didn't get accepted on my first attempts at UChicago or CMU and to some degree I'm expected the USC program to be a similar result. 

My end-goal is to have the tools needed to work in policy in some computational sense. That being said, I am battling GPAs that aren't up to par with most of the programs (3.25 in grad school and 2.9 in undergrad). My assumption that is unless I can get a 165-167 on my GRE quant (my last and only try was a 156Q/164V), these programs are all out of reach. That being said, I do appreciate your perspective as someone entering those programs. Hopefully as time goes on more programs will open up with fully-fleshed out mergers of computation and policy.

With that in mind, I'm taking a look at evening MPP programs and information school programs like the Data Analytics and Policy MS at JHU. My hope is that they aren't as competitive and that I can still use them to work my way into data analysis and architecture roles at policy institutes.

[mink2022]

Hi! Good luck to your applications and further studies!

Just wonder what the advisor of GA tech has said about incorporating more data science (or other computational courses) at their MSPP program? Since I was also attracted to its STEM community and look for a 'policy-oriented data analytics/science program'. Does the advisor put it clearly that we may include many other courses? 

Hope this late post didn't bother you!

[PolicyApplier]

Hey @mink2022,

Here's the output of what I got from the GT MPP peeps.

Me:

> From what I can tell, it looks like there is space for 6 electives within the degree program. Are there data science oriented courses available within the policy department or are there courses I could take outside of the policy department in that vein?

Them:

> The answer is yes. We have a strong data science capability in the School, especially with Omar Asensio and economists that specialize in modeling and so forth. Other departments at Ga Tech also offer classes that you could take in this same vein. So you would have plenty of opportunities.

While it doesn't tell you EXACTLY what courses can be taken, if you'll get priority, etc. it does seem that the opportunity to take the classes is there. I hope that helps!

[mink2022]

14 hours ago, PolicyApplier said:

Hey @mink2022,

Here's the output of what I got from the GT MPP peeps.

Me:

> From what I can tell, it looks like there is space for 6 electives within the degree program. Are there data science oriented courses available within the policy department or are there courses I could take outside of the policy department in that vein?

Them:

> The answer is yes. We have a strong data science capability in the School, especially with Omar Asensio and economists that specialize in modeling and so forth. Other departments at Ga Tech also offer classes that you could take in this same vein. So you would have plenty of opportunities.

While it doesn't tell you EXACTLY what courses can be taken, if you'll get priority, etc. it does seem that the opportunity to take the classes is there. I hope that helps!

Thanks for the information!

It seems that the chance to take more ds there is still quite vague for me. After all, it isn't designed as a ds program. 

Anyway, thanks again

[PolicyApplier]

7 hours ago, mink2022 said:

Thanks for the information!

It seems that the chance to take more ds there is still quite vague for me. After all, it isn't designed as a ds program. 

Anyway, thanks again

Yeah, their response was super vague. It seems like you could get some DS work in there, but it'll have to be something you force into the curriculum as opposed to something that blends well into it.