Continuing the Brown School’s longstanding leadership in translating research into action, we equip students with advanced policy skills through transformative research and real-world training.
Cultivate a deep understanding of social issues and research
Develop skills critical for impacting policy
Prepare to influence policy at local, national and global levels
Advance a more equitable world through policy
Our more than 15 faculty-affiliated research centers and institutes span a wide range of disciplines. Many projects and studies within these centers focus on policy—from impact analysis to translating research into action locally, nationally and globally.
The Brown School offers policy students a plethora of learning opportunities inside and outside the classroom. On campus, students take advantage of unique research and advocacy training experiences with the Social Policy Institute and Clark-Fox Policy Institute. For example, the Graduate Policy Scholars program provides a year-long extracurricular opportunity to learn, engage, and create policy content and community. Off-campus, students pursue legislative coursework and internships locally and in Washington, DC.
Throughout the program, students engage with policy-passionate faculty, researchers and community leaders. Bolstering coursework are frequent visits with national leaders. Recent visitors include Jason Green, formerly the associate counsel to President Barack Obama and co-founder of SkillSmart; Julian Castro, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Obama; and Tishaura Jones, Mayor for the City of St. Louis. Collaborations with organizations such as the Brookings Institution, Federal Reserve, and Centene Corporation offer access to current policy research, analysis and implementation.
The Master of Social Policy program prepares students for leadership in a variety of policy-related careers.
Five foundation courses offer essential training in policy analysis, politics, statistics, economics and management.
Students pursue their unique goals and interests through elective and short intensive courses. These courses develop understanding of a variety of policy-related skills and topics, such as: current U.S. and global issues, program and policy innovation, data analysis, and economic and business development. MSP students also can take transdisciplinary elective courses at other WashU schools such as law, business, and Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts.
Unique to the MSP program, short courses supplement foundation and elective coursework and are designed each year by faculty and policy leaders in diverse areas of analysis, research, and practice. Examples of previous short courses include: comparative education policy, disability policy, authentic advocacy, accessible communities for people with disabilities, environmental justice.
Following their coursework, students complete a culminating full-time internship or fellowship. These experiences take place at a variety of leading nonprofit organizations, government agencies, policy think tanks and legislative offices.
The MSP is a yearlong program requiring 31 new credits. Twelve credit hours are recognized from a student’s additional graduate program, for a total of 43 credits.
Social policy translates ideas from across disciplines into sustainable solutions for real-world problems. Social policy practitioners and researchers develop, test, and promote policies grounded in equity and addressing human needs to advance an inclusive society that is socially, racially, and economically just. Equipped with an advanced set of skills and knowledge, social policy professionals are uniquely positioned to create systematic change.
“The world needs policy experts who understand how to advance equity and social justice. The MSP program prepares students to understand, manage and impact policy. The interdisciplinary curriculum and dynamic internship opportunities will develop versatile global leaders who can change our world.”
MICHAL GRINSTEIN-WEISS Shanti K. Khinduka Distinguished Professor, Founding Director, Social Policy Institute
Brown School students selected for the Graduate Policy Scholars program supplement their robust curriculum with experiences outside of the classroom. Participants develop skills in advocacy and electoral activism; build knowledge of government processes and how to effect change; and engage with policymakers, civic leaders and change agents. Most MSP students engage with the Graduate Policy Scholars program before or during their program.
