Welcome to the Department of Public Policy at UMBC

UMBC has been in the vanguard of public policy since establishing the department in 1974. Our interdisciplinary program offers a master’s and a Ph.D. degree, as well as advanced graduate certificates.

Our mission is to provide superior education to a diverse range of high quality students with aspirations and career goals related to public policy. Our students are accomplished and committed. Our faculty is comprised of distinguished and nationally recognized experts in public policy and other social science disciplines. Our external partnerships and on-campus research centers connect faculty and students with a vibrant public policy community.

Thank you for your interest in our program.

Donald F. Norris
Chair and Professor of Public Policy
Director, Maryland Institute for Policy Analysis and Research
norris@umbc.edu