Public Policy
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The flexible nature of the program allows you to choose your own path in areas that most interest you—from microeconomic research to international development to climate change. Whichever program track you choose—economics, politics and institutions, judgment and decision sciences, and science, technology, and policy—you will have the opportunity to conduct scholarly research using the vast resources of Harvard University.
Students in the program have been involved in many diverse projects such as water research allocation in Zambia, racial disparities in the criminal justice system in Massachusetts, and the politics of the American welfare state.
Graduates of the program have gone on to teach at MIT, Duke, University of Texas, Penn State, and Yale. Others now have influential positions with NGOs like Resources for the Future, private institutions such as JP Morgan and Analysis Group, and multilateral organizations including the World Bank and Global Innovation Fund. Among the many illustrious graduates of the program is Larry Bacow, president of Harvard University.
Additional information on the graduate program is available from the Public Policy Program , and requirements for the degree are detailed in Policies .
Admissions Requirements
Please review the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences admissions requirements and other information before applying. You can find degree program-specific admissions requirements below and access additional guidance on applying from the Public Policy Program .
Academic Background
Applicants are admitted and matriculate into one of the four tracks listed below. Ordinarily, matriculated students cannot change to a different track from the one to which they were admitted. In rare and exceptional circumstances, students can apply to change tracks by submitting an application to the program. Visit the Public Policy program site for more information and to review the track-specific admissions prerequisites.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Politics and Institutions
- Science, Technology and Policy Studies
Writing Sample
A writing sample is required as part of the application and should be no more than 20 pages long. The writing sample must be single-authored and written in English.
Personal Statement
Standardized tests.
GRE General: Required Writing Sample: Required iBT TOEFL minimum score: 103 IELTS minimum score: 7
Theses and Dissertations
Theses & Dissertations for Public Policy
See list of Public Policy faculty
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Questions about the program.
For Prospective Graduate Students
The Department of Government. Calling all researchers, leaders, and changemakers.
When you join Harvard University’s Department of Government, you become part of a highly-recognized intellectual community of scholars, researchers, visionaries, leaders, and changemakers. Our strength in teaching and research in all fields of political science is reflected in both our faculty and our curriculum.
Harvard University’s Department of Government is a world leader in the study and scholarship in political science. Our programs of study include:
- American Government
- Comparative Politics
- International Relations
- Political Methodology/Formal Theory
- Political Philosophy and Its History
Our innovative curriculum reflects a diverse range of fields and methodologies. The vibrant graduate student body receives hands-on training by conducting supervised dissertation research and working with our faculty in research projects and undergraduate teaching.
Here, scholars have access to unparalleled resources. They have the opportunity to define and formulate their own research questions and to apply a variety of research methodologies.
- Graduate students research is greatly facilitated by the exceptional resources offered by the Department of Government and the University.
- Harvard has the largest university library in the world .
- Harvard expansive network of research centers and top international studies centers bring together scholars and researchers from around the globe.
Scholars can also take advantage of Harvard’s generous financial aid program. In addition, there is just no match to the energy and excitement that accompanies student life in the Cambridge/Boston area.
Harvard University does not discriminate against applicants or students on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry or any other protected classificiation.
PhD Requirements
Candidates for the PhD in Government are expected to complete the required coursework during their first two years of graduate study and take the General Examination at the end of the second year. A typical schedule consists of these two years, followed by three or four years of work on a dissertation, combined with supervised teaching.
Admissions
The graduate program of the Department of Government is designed to train students for careers in university teaching and advanced research in political science. The department does not offer an independent master’s program, the master of arts in political science being reserved for PhD candidates on the way to their final degrees. Click here to visit the Graduate School of Arts and Science’s page on admission to the Government Department to learn more about the application process.
Application for Admission
The application for admissions is available at http://www.gsas.harvard.edu/apply .
The application fee is $105. Applicants can determine eligibility for a fee waiver by completing a series of questions in the Application Fee section of the application. Once these questions have been answered, the application system will provide an immediate response regarding fee waiver eligibility.
Application information and instructions are available at www.gsas.harvard.edu . Applicants with admissions questions should call 617-496-6100 from 2-5pm EST or email [email protected] . Applicants with financial aid questions should call 617-495-5396 or email [email protected] .
Financial Aid and Fellowship Opportunities
Financial aid is administered under the direction of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) . The department intends that all graduate students should have support adequate to enable them to complete their studies while enrolled full-time. Prospective students apply for financial aid at the same time they apply for admission and are also required to submit a Statement of Financial Resources. The financial aid package for government students typically includes tuition and fees plus a stipend and a summer research grant for the first two years; tuition and fees plus guaranteed teaching fellowships and a summer research grant for years three and four; tuition and fees in year five; and tuition and fees plus a stipend for the completion year.
In addition to funding from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences , graduate students are encouraged to apply for outside fellowships and grants. Please visit the website of the GSAS Fellowships Office for more information.