Master’s of Public Policy or Public Affairs:

A typical graduate program in public policy includes coursework in economics, statistics, political analysis, and public management.  Students will often specialize in a particular area of public policy.  These programs prepare students for careers in government, nonprofits or the private sectors, as consultants, analysts or managers.  Some schools offer training in urban planning as well.

MPP and MPA programs usually require the GRE and a strong undergraduate GPA.   Graduate programs in Public Policy or Public Affairs are ranked by US News and World Reports—but you should investigate the program carefully, going beyond the rankings.   Indiana University, Syracuse, Duke, University of Washington, UC-Berkeley and University of Michigan are usually ranked at the top for environmental policy.  But also look for job placement statistics and consider the cost of the degree.  A master’s degree can be valuable, but it will not increase your earning capacity as much as, for example, a JD.  So you will want to avoid going too deeply into debt relative to your future expected earnings.  Many graduate programs offer fellowships or teaching or research assistantships, and these can dramatically decrease the cost of the program—but remember, you will also be losing a couple years of earnings while in school.