About Us

The University of Maryland, Baltimore County is a major research university near the federal and state resources of Baltimore, Annapolis and Washington, DC. UMBC is ranked as Doctoral/Research University (High Research Activity) by the Carnegie Foundation, one of the highest classifications for a research university in the country.

UMBC has been a leader in public policy education since establishing the Policy Sciences Graduate Program in 1974. Renamed the Public Policy Graduate Program in 2003, we offer a Master of Public Policy (M.P.P.), and a Ph.D. degree. We are one of the largest graduate programs at UMBC, and one of the largest public policy doctoral programs in the nation.

At the heart of our program is an outstanding and nationally recognized faculty distinguished by their research, publications, and public service, as well as excellence in teaching. Our full-time Public Policy core faculty is joined by faculty from related social science departments on the UMBC campus. Areas of focus include health policy, public management, social policy, urban policy, and program evaluation.

When you study public policy at UMBC, you will learn not only the public policy process, but also the tools and concepts for analyzing public policy. The public sector emphasis and training in evaluation and analytical methods distinguishes our program from others in the region.

Accreditation

The UMBC Department of Public Policy is one of only 158 programs nationwide accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration.

Administration and Staff

Donald F. Norris, Chair
Professor of Public Policy
410-455-3201
norris@umbc.edu

Tim Brennan
Graduate Program Director
Professor of Public Policy
410-455-3229
brennan@umbc.edu

Sally Helms
Administrator of Academic Affairs
410-455-3202
helms@umbc.edu

Anne Roland
Manger of External Relations
410-455-8457
anne@umbc.edu

Pam Mollen
Administrative Assistant
410-455-3201
pmollen@umbc.edu