The #2022APPAM Fall Research Conference will feature some fantastic sponsors from across the policy research spectrum. Today we're shining a spotlight on Georgetown University, McCourt School of Public Policy.
What types of programs does your school offer?
The McCourt School of Public Policy offers master’s degree programs in public policy, international development policy, data science for public policy, policy management, nine dual degrees, global learning opportunities in a range of destinations, and certificate and other executive education programming.
What would you list as your school's greatest accomplishments in the last 5-10 years?
Over the last decade, we have grown into a top-ranked institution, and we have expanded the breadth and depth of our academic programs and boast more research centers and initiatives than ever before. This fall, we welcomed the largest class of new and returning students ever at McCourt — more than 650 scholars representing 35 countries, 33 states and the District of Columbia — and four new full-time faculty members. We have also modernized the core curricula of our master’s degree programs, so that all McCourt students graduate with the same set of foundational skills — and our graduates continue to see impressive employment outcomes.
In 2021, we announced the formation of a new advisory board, including 17 dynamic leaders in politics, policy, business and philanthropy, to offer expertise on strategic priorities, raise the visibility of our school, and support our aspiration to be the most inclusive public policy school in the nation. We are committed to creating new and expanded opportunities for our diverse and growing community, and to removing barriers for tomorrow’s policymakers and public servants.
Why should potential students choose your school or program?
Educating the rigorously-trained, ethically-grounded leaders of tomorrow, and giving them the cutting-edge skills to have a positive impact in the world, is the heart of our work. Our students understand the importance of connecting policy to the people it’s designed to serve, and are prepared for the challenges of working across differences. Our location in Washington, DC, puts our students at the center of the policy world, giving them access to the highest concentration of policy internships and jobs, and allowing us to bring in leading policy practitioners as both teachers and speakers. Our curriculum gives students a strong grounding in the quantitative and analytical tools needed to design and measure the effectiveness of policy solutions, combined with ethics and leadership skills. This rigorous training allows McCourt graduates to have an impact on day one of their careers — in the public, private and nonprofit sectors, in the U.S. and around the world. This is the McCourt difference; it’s what sets us apart from our peers.
If you are hiring, what makes your school a great place to work?
The Georgetown and the McCourt School communities offer rich and engaging intellectual opportunities for faculty and researchers, many of whom are nationally and internationally recognized in their areas of expertise. McCourt School faculty and researchers are distinguished scholars and practitioners deeply committed to student success and effecting change through policy.
What is your teaching/research divide?
The McCourt School includes 15 affiliated research centers, 52 full-time faculty members, 67 research faculty members and fellows, more than 100 affiliated faculty members and approximately 650 enrolled students across the various degree and executive education programs.
What is your undergraduate/graduate divide?
All of the McCourt School’s current programs of study, dual degree programs and global opportunities are available to graduate-level students only. We will start offering an undergraduate program to Georgetown College juniors and seniors beginning in the 2023-2024 academic year.
What advice do you have for prospective students?
Now more than ever, we believe it is an important and exciting time to enter the policy world, whether you’re looking to improve people’s lives in your own backyard or effect change overseas. Here at the McCourt School of Public Policy, we’re training the ethically-grounded leaders of tomorrow and giving them the cutting-edge skills to have a positive impact in the world.
There are a lot of great policy schools out there, but the McCourt School is unique in our ability to leverage our location, network and resources to provide opportunities for our students both inside and outside of the classroom. Whether you are new to the field of public policy or are a seasoned policy professional, the McCourt School has a program that's right for you.
Is there any other information you'd like us to include in your Spotlight?
In the fall of 2021, we broke ground on a new building in downtown Washington, DC, located near Capitol Hill, within walking distance of the U.S. Capitol, the Supreme Court and many federal agencies. The McCourt School’s new home will unite McCourt students, faculty, research centers and staff in the same location for the first time since the School’s founding in 2013, accelerating collaboration and spurring new partnerships. We envision our new home serving as a front door to Georgetown University for the policy, political and local communities, deepening our ties to the people we serve and our impact for the common good.
The McCourt School is excited to welcome students to our new building on Georgetown's Capitol Campus beginning in the summer of 2024. McCourt students will have unparalleled access to the policy, political and local communities in DC, elective coursework and research opportunities at other Capitol Campus-based programs, a new apartment-style residential community, and a state-of-the-art, multi-use educational facility.