Online Public Policy Degree Programs

For candidates who want to complete an online public policy degree, there are various career paths that are appealing, such as becoming a politician, college professor, government diplomat, or administrator. The online public policy degree at the bachelors level, the master degree in public policy, and the PhD in public policy programs are aimed at analyzing how our society is governed, leadership and management works, and how political operations work.

Concentrations in public policy and administration include justice and law, world or global politics, enhancing our national security, international relations, and comparative politics. This is the focus in graduate school public policy studies. Students who graduate from accredited online public policy degree programs are equally prepared for careers in foreign affairs, international service, multinational corporations. Other graduates chose to work in the political process management, political consulting, campaign management, and polling.

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Selected Online Public Policy Degree Programs

George Washington University

• Master of Professional Studies in Strategic Public Relations
• Master’s Degree in Political Management

• Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) - General Program
• Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) - Health Policy
• Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) - Homeland Security Policy
• Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) - Interdisciplinary Policy Studies
• Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) - Law and Public Policy
• Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) - Local Government Management for Sustainable Communities
• Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) - Nonprofit Management and Leadership
• Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) - Policy Analysis
• Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) - Public Management and Leadership
• Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) - Terrorism, Mediation and Peace
• Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Criminal Justice
• Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - General Program
• Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Health Services
• Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Homeland Security Policy and Coordination
• Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - International Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs)
• Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Knowledge Management
• Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Nonprofit Management and Leadership
• Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Public Management and Leadership
• Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Public Policy
• Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Public Safety Management

• Masters in Public Administration

• Master of Arts in Public Policy

• Certificate in Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation
• Master of Arts in Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation

• Master of Public Administration - Public Policy

• BA / Public Administration

Public Policy Education and Training

Public administration and policy studies programs are mainly offered at the Masters in public policy or PhD in policy studies level. Other areas of study in a public policy degree or public management degrees are designed for professional development in local, national, county, state, and international public policy and governance. An accredited degree in public policy also gives candidates a background to for other graduate programs such as political science, economics, public administration, Master of Business Administration (MBA), and law school.

An online degree in public policy is designed to enhance your analytical skills, your understand of macroeconomic and microeconomics theories, social issues, and cultural issues that affect policy and decision-making. Courses is also aimed at legal analysis, program monitoring and evaluation, statistical analysis, bureaucratic structure analysis, and administrative and civil law.

Public Policy Careers

In a public policy career, you would be working on evaluating, developing, and implementing public policies and governmental actions. This can include public works projects such as transportation networks, education policy programs, or health care policy programs. This requires analytical skills and understanding of complex social, economic, and cultural factors which influence policies and their outcomes.

Career is public policy also require professionals to be well versed in political elements of decision-making, legal analysis. They are also responsible for program needs assessments and program evaluation. The job description may also require knowledge of macroeconomic theory and microeconomic theory, statistical modeling, bureaucratic structure analysis, civil and administrative law, and financial management.

Expected Salary

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that with a public policy degree salaries currently range from about $54,000 to $93,000 a year depending ones the area of focus and where they live. Those with graduate degrees tend to make more a income a year.

The field of public policy is varied and the overall employment of economists is expected to increase by 7% to 13% in the next several years according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Other public policy and administration careers should experience moderate employment growth for those with public policy degrees and related areas like political science.