WHAT PROBLEMS DO YOU WANT TO SOLVE?
Master of Science in Public Policy & Management (MSPPM)
Heinz College is a public policy school like no other. That’s because we're so much more than a policy school.
To tackle society’s most complex problems, you need a firm understanding of policy, but also the technological and analytical foundations to create the right solutions—and the management prowess to deploy those solutions for maximum impact. The Master of Science in Public Policy & Management (MSPPM) program at Heinz College gives you skills that simply cannot be matched by any other school of public policy, school of management, or school offering purely technical training.
Policy. Technology. Management. Heinz College is the only place to get all three.
Heinz skills you in these areas by expanding your education outside the confines of the classroom. Many of our classes feature an experiential component. Team-based Capstone projects challenge you to solve a problem for a real-world client. And only at Heinz can you find opportunities like the Policy Innovation Lab and Hacking for Homeland Security.
The MSPPM program is available in four distinct pathways—our flagship two-year and three-semester programs in Pittsburgh, our award-winning Data Analytics program, and our Washington D.C. option for those seeking an immersion in policy analysis in our nation’s capital. Regardless of the path you choose, our MSPPM program builds well-rounded thinkers prepared to change the world at the nexus of people, policy, and technology. You will emerge a leader with the ability to convert data into evidence-based action for a better world.
Stories of Impact
Read our articles and stories about Heinz College's impact in public policy and policy analytics
Some of the world’s greatest challenges that our faculty and students are working to solve include:
- Modeling routes to place optimal charging stations for an all-electric bus fleet
- Blocking the financing of terrorism and human trafficking
- Removing barriers to employment opportunities for veterans
- Predicting mental-health events before they occur to facilitate early interventions
- Innovating in transportation to help lower-income citizens connect to jobs
- Empowering public-health organizations to prioritize their resources using predictive modeling
- Using large language models to help a policy think tank access Congressional information
- Policing illegal, unreported and unregulated commercial fishing with an interactive, real-time database
- Reducing homicide rates using machine learning
- Measuring the progress of racial justice and gender equity in the local community
- Expanding access to food and breastfeeding support for women, infants and children
- Enabling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to serve 20,000 additional callers
- Analyzing the full scope of emissions to help a global automotive company reduce its carbon footprint
Top-Ranked Programs
Leader in Innovation
A Diverse, Inclusive Community
Incomparable Outcomes
My Story: Maggie
Maggie Harger's Capstone project modeled the optimal placement of charging stations for Pittsburgh's electric buses of the future.
My Story: Stachal
Heinz College stood out to Stachal Harris because of its emphasis on not only social policy, but on data-driven solutions.
My Story: Clarissa
Clarissa Paz fell in love with Geographic Information Systems upon arriving at Heinz College and cherished the opportunity to work with Professor Kristen Kurland, a GIS expert.
Trail-Blazing Faculty
Our faculty are innovators who solve emerging problems at the nexus of technology and society.
Choose the experience to drive your mission:
Frequently Asked Questions
Didn't find what you were looking for on this page? Check out our Admissions Frequently Asked Questions page for additional information on any of the topics or processes outlined above.