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MASTER'S PROGRAMS ADMISSIONS ASK WHAT YOU CAN DO
Harvard Kennedy School attracts a diverse group
of candidates. This snapshot shows our degree
programs based on a five-year average.
MPP MPA/ID MPA MC/MPA
ENTERING CLASS SIZE 238 69 82 212
AVERAGE AGE 26 27 28 37
Every generation faces an opportunity and a AVERAGE YEARS WORKED 3 4 5 13
responsibility to meet the great challenges of its era.
FEMALE 50% 45% 41% 41%
Today’s most compelling global issues — entrenched
poverty to climate change to security threats — are MALE 50% 55% 59% 59%
complex, interrelated, and urgent. They require bold
thinking and passionate leaders with the courage and INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS* 29% 77% 53% 56%
the tools to turn ideas into action.
U.S. STUDENTS OF COLOR** 37% 46% 44% 56%
Joint and Concurrent Programs
Students may pursue joint or concurrent programs with other professional schools at Harvard or with selected
At Harvard Kennedy School, our mission This unique learning environment professional schools outside Harvard. Joint degree programs feature integrated coursework developed by faculty
is to educate exceptional public leaders stimulates the development of principled members to provide a holistic learning experience. Coursework for concurrent degree programs is not as closely
and generate ideas that help solve and effective public leaders and integrated—students weave together the two halves of their learning experience independently.
public problems. Through our rigorous innovative solutions that can influence
HARVARD CONCURRENT CONCURRENT CONCURRENT
educational programs and cutting- societies and improve lives. At Harvard JOINT DEGREES LAW DEGREES MEDICAL DEGREES BUSINESS DEGREES
edge research initiatives, we seek to Kennedy School, we take great pride in MPP, MPA/ID MPP, MPA/ID, MPA MPP, MPA/ID, MPA MPP, MPA/ID, MPA
influence and improve governance and the international connections we make, • Harvard Business School • Berkeley Law, • University of California, • MIT Sloan School
• Harvard Law School University of California San Francisco of Management
the development of effective public the professional networks we facilitate, School of Medicine
• Columbia Law School • Stanford Graduate
policy at all levels. Harvard Kennedy and the inspiration we evoke. If you are HARVARD • Duke University • Other schools on a School of Business
CONCURRENT DEGREES case-by-case basis
School brings together from across prepared to engage and be engaged — School of Law • Tuck School
• MPP, MPA/ID, MPA of Business at Dartmouth
continents and sectors a diverse group if you care deeply about the world • Georgetown Law
DUAL DEGREE
• Harvard Divinity School • New York University • Wharton School at the
of individuals who are committed and are committed to helping lead the • Harvard Graduate School of Law
MC/MPA University of Pennsylvania
to the public interest. Scholars and way toward a better future — Harvard School of Design • The Graduate
• Northwestern Pritzker
Institute, Geneva
practitioners, public officials and social Kennedy School presents an opportunity • Harvard Medical School School of Law
(MPP only) • Stanford Law School
innovators, educators and students, like no other. We invite you to…
• Harvard School • University of
teach and learn from one another in a of Dental Medicine Michigan Law School
vibrant atmosphere of intense inquiry • University of
Pennsylvania
and open dialogue.
Law School
Ask What You Can Do. • Yale Law School
* Defined as those who do not hold U.S. citizenship. HKS students come from approximately 100 countries and
territories outside the United States.
** Represents the percentage of U.S. citizens and permanent residents who identify as students of color 1
MPP
The two-year Master in Public Policy (MPP) is a rigorous program that prepares students SPRING EXERCISE
to understand complex policy problems and to craft concrete solutions. Through courses, Spring Exercise is a two-week simulation that
challenges students to intellectually integrate and
exercises, and fieldwork, students master a conceptual tool kit that draws on the social
practically apply the disciplines taught in the MPP
sciences but is adapted for action. MPP candidates arrive at Harvard Kennedy School core. The exercise gives students the opportunity
committed to improving the world, and they equip themselves to do so by developing to apply core tools and concepts to a complex policy
broad-spectrum analytic competency. This defining feature of the MPP translates into problem in a setting and at a pace similar to those of
a professional environment. It serves as a capstone
intellectual honesty, a hunger for evidence, and the capacity to extract answerable questions
to the first-year core and a bridge to the second year
from the messy clutter of real-world public problems. Students develop familiarity with a PAE and subsequent professional work.
wide range of analytic methods and the habit of picking the right tool to fit the task.
Past Spring Exercise projects have included:
—
• Anti-microbial Resistance
Curriculum Policy Areas • Autonomous Vehicles
MPP candidates are arranged in cohorts of roughly As a complement to the MPP core curriculum,
• Iceland’s Energy Future MPP Class of 2019
60 students for a first-year core curriculum featuring students are required to specialize in a policy area of Employment Overview
policy analysis, economics, management and concentration (PAC) or a concentration. MPP candidates • The Opioid Crisis
leadership, empirical analysis, negotiation, ethics, and develop expertise in their areas through required and MPP graduates apply their core training, policy
—
politics. The first year culminates in a Spring Exercise, elective courses and a policy-oriented seminar, which interests, and functional skills to roles and
and most students spend the summer in a policy- culminates in the generation of the PAE. organizations across employment sectors.
oriented internship. The Policy Analysis Exercise The majority of MPPs find positions in the public and
POLICY ANALYSIS EXERCISE (PAE)
(PAE)—a client-driven, often team-based practicum— Students choose from the following policy areas: nonprofit sectors following graduation. However,
The PAE is an analytic and consultative professional
caps the second-year curriculum. each graduating class demonstrates a wide diversity
• Business and Government Policy product, typically about 40 pages, in which students
of employment preferences.
— examine an existing public or nonprofit policy or
• Democracy, Politics, and Institutions
management issue presented by a client. An applied
• International and Global Affairs thesis, the PAE allows students to integrate and apply
• Political and Economic Development the technical skills and specialized knowledge
they have gained through their coursework. MPP
• Social and Urban Policy graduates often point to the PAE as a highlight of
their HKS education.
Past PAE projects have included:
Employment
• Policy recommendations to an international Sector Breakdown
nonprofit organization for promoting human —
rights best practices in the energy industry 39% Private
“HKS offered me the chance to find • Social media strategy for a major U.S. city police 32% Nonprofit/Nongovernmental Organization
a community, to help improve a department 26% Public
17% National/Federal Government
community, and therefore to better • High-tech growth plan for the president’s office
3% Intergovernmental Organization
myself as a public servant.” of a developing country 3% City/Local/Regional Government
• Analysis for a U.S. federal government agency of 3% State/Provincial Government
JONATHAN MCMASTER MPP 2013
United States the impact of educational technology programs 3% Unspecified
U.S. Diplomat, Department of State on learning outcomes for migrant students
LEFT An MPP student presents her PAE work at the annual PAE showcase event.
TOP MPP Faculty Chair John Donahue's teaching focuses on public sector reform
2 hks.harvard.edu/mpp and distribution of public responsibilities across government. 3
MPA/ID
The two-year Master in Public Administration in International Development (MPA/ID) SUMMER INTERNSHIP
is designed to prepare the next generation of leaders in international development. MPA/ID students spend the summer between their
first and second years working on development
It is an economics-centered, multidisciplinary program that combines rigorous
projects, usually in developing countries. These
training in analytic and quantitative methods with an emphasis on policy and internships are hands-on opportunities for students
practice. Applicants must demonstrate competence in economics and quantitative to put the skills they have learned in their first year to
analysis as well as leadership potential in international development. Most admitted the test, and to gain additional real-world experience
candidates have at least three years of development-related work experience, and guidance as they think about the careers they will
pursue after HKS. Students with substantial previous
typically in developing or transitional economy countries. work experience use their internships to explore
— new organizations, areas of interest, or regions of
the world. Some students choose to build on their
Curriculum Core courses include: internship experience when they write their Second
Year Policy Analysis.
As part of a multidisciplinary core curriculum, • Advanced Macroeconomics
MPA/ID students take microeconomics, —
• Advanced Microeconomics
macroeconomics, and econometrics sequences.
These courses are taught at the level of a first-year • Advanced Statistics and Econometrics SECOND YEAR POLICY ANALYSIS (SYPA)
course in a top PhD program in economics, but with • Applications and Cases in International The Second Year Policy Analysis is an integral part of MPA/ID Class of 2019
an emphasis on policy applications to development Development the MPA/ID Program. Designed to serve as a capstone Employment Overview
rather than pure economic theory. experience, the second year paper offers students
• Economic Development: Theory and Evidence Through the MPA/ID Program, students share a
an opportunity to deploy the skills they acquired curriculum and training in the field of international
— • Good Governance during the program, integrate their coursework, and development. Although the sector, geography, and focus will
• Management in a Development Context design and present policy recommendations for a vary, there is more predictability in the types of positions
concrete development problem. In the SYPA, students MPA/IDs secure compared to other HKS programs.
• Normative Principles, Political Institutions,
pose a policy question and draw on their economics,
and Development
management, and institutional analysis training to
• Second Year Policy Analysis (SYPA) Seminar develop convincing recommendations.
Past SYPA projects have included:
• Examining why women entrepreneurs in
Uganda tend to enter low-wage,
low value-added sectors
Employment Sector
“To understand the most • Promoting manufacturing foreign investment Breakdown
pressing international from China to Ethiopia
—
development challenges and, • Improving targeted outcomes in social 34% Public
importantly, to thrive as a programs in Peru 20% National/Federal Government
12% Intergovernmental Organization
professional seeking to address • Assessing potential demand for financial
2% State/Provincial Government
these problems, a rigorous services in remote regions of East Malaysia
33% Nonprofit/Nongovernmental Organization
understanding of economics is • Evaluating a microsavings intervention in 33% Private
absolutely essential.” rural Mexico
MOLLY KINDER MPA/ID 2008
United States
Consultant, Global Development
Innovation Ventures
TOP MPA/ID students are trained to be the next generation of leaders in international development.
LEFT MPA/ID Faculty Chair Dani Rodrik has published widely in the areas of economic development,
4 hks.harvard.edu/mpa-id international economics, and political economy. 5
MPA
The two-year Master in Public Administration (MPA) prepares established professionals
and concurrent degree students for positions of significant responsibility in the public,
nonprofit, and private sectors. The program is designed for students with a record of high
academic distinction and exceptional professional accomplishment and promise. Applicants
are expected to have substantial graduate-level training and at least three years of work
experience. MPA students have significant latitude in selecting courses and designing
their field of study. They may choose courses from a range of disciplines and study under
virtually any HKS faculty member. The program fosters a strong sense of community
through student-organized seminars, informal weekly gatherings with classmates, small-
group dinners, and other social events. Students also work closely with faculty members on
developing leadership skills and networks to prepare for their post-HKS careers.
—
MPA Students Pursuing MPA Class of 2019
Concurrent Degrees Employment Overview
Curriculum MPA students often come to HKS with existing
A significant number of MPA students pursue
The MPA curriculum offers extraordinary flexibility. concurrent degrees with one of our partner advanced degrees and solid professional experience
“HKS provided the cross-sector
Students are invited, in consultation with their institutions (see page 1) by completing a reduced or as students in a concurrent MBA or JD program.
advisors and mentors, to design an individual study competency that has made it possible credit study plan over three semesters. They benefit from a flexible curriculum that they
plan over four semesters. However, they are required for me to pursue new social ventures.” can tailor to their unique interests.
to take two elective courses in an HKS policy area— —
FELIPE VALDEZ MPA/MBA 2013
Business and Government Policy; Democracy, Politics, The number of private sector jobs secured at
United States
and Institutions; International and Global Affairs; graduation is, in large part, a reflection of our
Social Entrepreneur
Political and Economic Development; or Social and many concurrent degree graduates.
Urban Policy. Students are also required to earn four
credits in each of the following areas:
• Economics and Quantitative Analysis
• Management and Leadership
• Public Ethics and Political Institutions
Employment Sector
Breakdown
Students select their remaining credits to support
—
their unique intellectual and professional skills
78% Private
and objectives.
13% Public
—
7% National/Federal Government
3% Intergovernmental Organization
3% State/Provincial Government
5% Nonprofit/Nongovernmental Organization
4% Unspecified
LEFT Many MPA students pursue concurrent degrees with partner institutions.
6 hks.harvard.edu/mpa TOP MPA Programs Faculty Chair Kessely Hong teaches negotiation and decision making. 7
MC/MPA
The Mid-Career Master in Public Administration (MC/MPA) is the longest-running MC/MPA Class of 2019
program at Harvard Kennedy School. This intensive one-year program offers a flexible
Employment Overview
curriculum to allow highly accomplished mid-career leaders and professionals to MC/MPA graduates build on their proven
professional experience with a flexible curriculum
hone their skills, redefine their career goals, or pursue specialized interests through
that they can tailor to their interests and goals.
coursework at HKS. MC/MPA students represent a range of professions from the Whether transitioning to new careers or deepening
public, nonprofit, and private sectors and come from more than 60 countries to study knowledge and skills in their existing ones,
innovative ways to tackle the world’s most complex public challenges. Graduates MC/MPAs gain a rich education from the
classroom and their mid-career colleagues.
have gone on to become heads of state, cabinet ministers, military officers, diplomats,
journalists, chief executives, and nongovernmental organization directors. Positions secured by MC/MPAs
— following graduation include:
• Commissioner for a state-level
government agency
• Communications and public affairs specialist
at a media outlet
• Counterterrorism expert at a
Curriculum MC/MPA Mason Program Fellows
government agency
The MC/MPA Program begins with the required The Edward S. Mason Fellows are a cohort of
• Executive leadership in human rights, global
Mid-Career MPA Summer Program, an intensive five- approximately 85 students within the MC/MPA
poverty alleviation, or advocacy NGOs
week course for students to study applied economics, Program who are from developing, newly
quantitative analysis, political institutions, and industrialized, and transitional economy countries. • Policy officer at an intergovernmental
globalization in preparation for the academic year. In addition to fulfilling the MC/MPA Program organization
During the fall and spring semesters, students are requirements, Mason Fellows attend required
responsible for choosing courses that align with their co-curricular seminars throughout the year that
individual goals. In addition, they are required to feature topics in international development and
complete at least four credits in three fundamental global leadership.
skill areas:
—
• Economics and Quantitative Analysis
• Management and Leadership
“HKS sharpened my managerial Employment Sector
• Public Ethics and Political Institutions Breakdown
skills, provided global perspectives,
—
and updated my understanding of
Students select their remaining credits 49% Public
technology and social media trends. 28% National/Federal Government
to support their unique intellectual and
professional talents and objectives.
These are invaluable in leading two 11% Intergovernmental Organization
— Philippine nonprofits I cofounded.” 6% State/Provincial Government
4% City/Local/Regional Government
GIANNA MONTINOLA MC/MPA 2013 MASON FELLOW 24% Nonprofit/Nongovernmental Organization
Philippines
21% Private
Cofounder and Director, Hands On Manila Foundation, Inc.
6% Unspecified
and Cofounder and President, PeaceTech Foundation, Inc.
LEFT MC/MPA students focus on honing their skills, redefining their career goals, and pursuing new interests.
TOP Professor Cornell Brooks is Professor of the Practice of Public Leadership and Social Justice and Director of
8 hks.harvard.edu/mc-mpa The William Monroe Trotter Collaborative for Social Justice at the School’s Center for Public LEADERSHIP. 9
Financial Assistance
Student Loans
Financial assistance at Harvard Kennedy School is a partnership. As a partner, Loan Repayment Assistance and
we assist as many students as we can with our limited scholarship and fellowship Forgiveness Programs
resources. The students’ role in the partnership is to reduce consumer debt, maintain The HKS Loan Repayment Assistance
Program (LRAP) assists graduates working
realistic expectations for standard of living, investigate all possible sources of outside
with modest salaries in the nonprofit and
funding, and save as much as possible. Nevertheless, attending HKS may require public sectors by providing assistance with
significant borrowing. Advance planning is a crucial part of making enrollment possible. educational loan repayment. Applicants
— must be employed in qualified public service
positions and have a household income within
the LRAP income scale. Funding is limited
and eligibility is restricted to no more than five
years of participation. Federal Loans
U.S. citizens and permanent residents who
Through the Federal Public Service Loan
Fellowships and Scholarships have completed a Free Application for Federal
Forgiveness Program (PSLF), federal
HKS offers competitive fellowships and scholarships based on merit and need. Completing the financial Student Aid (FAFSA) are eligible for federal
loan borrowers going into public service
aid application (available online shortly after submission of the admission application) allows applicants loans (i.e., Stafford and Graduate PLUS).
may qualify to have 100 percent of their
to be considered for scholarships and fellowships. Applicants must apply for financial assistance before remaining federal loans forgiven after 10 Supplemental Loans
learning whether they have been admitted. Opportunities to apply for funding (other than loans) after years. To qualify, they must be employed by Supplemental loans are also available to bridge
admission are minimal. a federal, state, local, or tribal government the gap between a student’s cost of attendance
— or by a 501c(3) nonprofit — and be repaying and other aid received. Terms of these loans
their loans on an income-based repayment vary. Although international students are not
plan. For information on the PSLF, visit eligible for federal student loans, they may
Harvard and studentaid.ed.gov/repay-loans/forgiveness- apply for private educational loans, typically
MPP MPA/ID MPA MC/MPA cancellation/public-service .
Partnership Assistance with a co-signer who is a U.S. citizen.
DOMESTIC
31% 24% 30% 30%
Percentage of admitted
applicants who are awarded
assistance by degree type
INTERNATIONAL
(three-year average)
29% 39% 34% 29% Expenses
2020–2021 TUITION + FEES OTHER EXPENSES
Academic Year Tuition $52,872 Estimated cost of books
DOMESTIC
Course Materials $575 and supplies for the year $1,548–$1,820
$47,136 $51,429 $33,489 $49,997 HKS Activity Fee $220
Annual amount of assistance
awarded to admitted Mid-Career MPA Summer Program $8,302 Estimated living and
MC/MPA Mason Fellows Seminar $3,832 personal expenses (9 months) $21,258
applicants by degree type
INTERNATIONAL
(three-year average) Estimated living and
$48,269 $53,739 $47,944 $77,145 MANDATORY HEALTH INSURANCE
personal expenses (10 months) $23,620
HUHS Student Health Fee $1,206
Student Health Insurance Plan* $3,922
* May be waived if student is enrolled
in a comparable health insurance plan.
10 11
Life at HKS
Harvard Kennedy School offers a stimulating, challenging, and positive learning
environment where student-driven initiatives play a large role. Our students are
deeply engaged in activities beyond the classroom, participating in more than 80
clubs that range from the Student Public Service Collaborative to the Soccer Club.
They lead conferences and caucuses, write and edit for journals, and are committed to
serving in their community. Many students participate in the annual HKS Serves day at
the start of the fall semester.
—
Centers & Initiatives Student Journals
HKS is home to world-class research centers, • Africa Policy Journal
programs, and initiatives, including:
• Asian American Policy Review
• sh Center for Democratic Governance and
A • The Citizen, a student-run newspaper
Innovation
• arvard Kennedy School Journal of African
H
• Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs American Public Policy
• Carr Center for Human Rights Policy • Human Rights Policy Journal
• Center for International Development • Journal of Hispanic Policy
• Center for Public Leadership • Journal of Middle Eastern Politics and Policy
• Institute of Politics • Kennedy School Review
• Malcolm Wiener Center for Social Policy • Latin America Policy Journal
• ossavar-Rahmani Center for Business
M • LGBTQ Policy Journal
and Government
• Singapore Policy Journal
• horenstein Center on Media, Politics and
S
• Women's Policy Journal
Public Policy
• Taubman Center for State and Local Government
Sampling of Student-Led Conferences
• Women and Public Policy Program
• Africa Development Conference
• Black Policy Conference
For a complete list, visit: • Conference on Poverty and Inequality
www.hks.harvard.edu/centers-initiatives.
• European Conference
• German American Conference
• India Conference
• Latin American Conference
• Social Enterprise Conference
• Women in Power Conference
12 hks.harvard.edu/student-life 13
HKS BY THE NUMBERS:
CLASS OF 2019
HIGHLIGHTS
569
GRADUATES ARE
WORKING IN 55
COUNTRIES AND
TERRITORIES,
24 U.S. STATES,
WASHINGTON, DC.,
AND PUERTO RICO.
From 2012 Brazil Ghana Lithuania Palestine, Syrian Arab
Bulgaria Greece Macedonia, State of Republic
to 2018,
The Power of
students
have come to
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Haiti
Honduras
Hong Kong SAR,
Republic of
North
Madagascar
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania the Alumni Network
92
COUNTRIES/
Harvard Chile China Malawi Philippines Thailand, United TERRITORIES WERE
Kennedy China Hungary Malaysia Poland Republic of REPRESENTED IN
Harvard Kennedy School students agree that the connections they make
School from: Colombia Iceland Maldives Portugal Timor-Leste
with their classmates are one of the most valuable parts of their education. THIS CLASS.
Congo, India Mauritius Qatar Trinidad and
Afghanistan After graduation, our alumni become part of an active global community of
Democratic Indonesia Mexico Romania Tobago
Albania individuals who generate positive change in the world — a robust network that
Algeria
Argentina
Republic of the
Costa Rica
Côte d’Ivoire
Iran, Islamic
Republic of
Iraq
Moldova,
Republic of
Mongolia
Russian
Federation
Rwanda
Tunisia
Turkey
Uganda
alumni use to further their careers, gain professional advice, and continue to
experience the power of a Harvard Kennedy School education. 85%
OF EMPLOYERS
Armenia
Croatia Ireland Montenegro Saudi Arabia Ukraine ENGAGED ONLY
Australia
Austria
Cyprus Israel Morocco Senegal United Arab Our alumni can be found in more than 200 ONE GRADUATE,
REFLECTING A
Azerbaijan
Denmark Italy Myanmar Serbia Emirates countries and territories. CONTINUED TREND
Dominican Jamaica Nambia Seychelles United Kingdom
Bahrain — HIGHLIGHTING THE
Republic Japan Nepal Sierra Leone United States
Bangladesh UNIQUE CAREER
Barbados
Ecuador Jordan Netherlands Singapore Uruguay 22,000+ HKS degree program alumni TRAJECTORIES
Egypt Kazakhstan New Zealand Slovakia Uzbekistan —
Belgium OF OUR ALUMNI.
El Salvador Kenya Nicaragua Somalia Vanuatu
Benin
Ethiopia Korea, Niger South Africa Venezuela 55,000+ HKS Executive Education participants
Bhutan
94%
Fiji Republic of Nigeria South Sudan Viet Nam
Bolivia,
Plurinational
Finland Kosovo North Macedonia, Spain Yemen hks.harvard.edu/more/alumni
France Kuwait Republic of Sri Lanka Zambia
State of OF OUR GRADUATES
Gambia Kyrgyzstan Norway Sudan Zimbabwe
Bosnia and WERE EMPLOYED,
Georgia Lebanon Oman Sweden
Herzegovina RUNNING FOR ELECTED
Germany Liberia Pakistan Switzerland OFFICE, LAUNCHING
A NEW VENTURE, OR
CONTINUING THEIR
SOURCES FOR COUNTRY LIST: UNTERM, United Nations Multilingual Terminology Database and Ash Center for
EDUCATION.
Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard Kennedy School
14 15
Questions about Admissions
How do I apply? Do I need a certain kind of the transcript from the school where during and after college. Our May I take classes at other
We accept all necessary documents academic major or work you graduated. If you are currently curriculum is demanding, and schools or departments
through our website at experience? enrolled in a degree program, we do we look for applicants with the at Harvard?
hks.harvard.edu/apply. HKS students come from a variety not need to wait for fall grades. We skills needed to manage rigorous You may cross-register at the
of academic and professional require proof of enrollment from the coursework. Course requirements other Harvard schools, or at the
What is the application backgrounds. We do not look for a registrar’s office that lists the courses vary by program. However, Fletcher School at Tufts University
deadline and when are particular major or type of work you are currently taking. Do not send quantitative coursework is part of or select departments at MIT.
decisions released? experience. Rather, we evaluate transcripts from high school, lycée, etc. the curriculum for all programs. Typically, students are permitted
The application deadline typically each applicant’s potential to work Previous coursework in micro- and to take one course per semester
falls in early December, and for the public good. If your academic How do I apply for financial
macroeconomics and multivariable at another school.
decisions are released in mid-March. and/or professional background
assistance to attend HKS?
calculus is required for the
You will receive an email after
Refer to our website for specific varies from the proposed course of MPA/ID Program. Coursework Is student housing available?
submitting your application with
dates. There is no spring admission. study at HKS, you should ensure related to quantitative methods Harvard University Housing is
instructions on how to use our
that your application addresses how (e.g. economics, statistics, and an option for students. For more
May I apply to more than online system to apply for financial
an HKS education will allow you to mathematics) is recommended information, visit
one master’s degree assistance.
make a transition. for the other degree programs. huhousing.harvard.edu.
program at HKS?
What other resources are Applicants lacking previous
You may apply to only one master’s May I submit additional May I study part-time or in
available to help fund my HKS quantitative coursework are
the evening only?
degree program at a time. materials to supplement my
education? strongly encouraged to take such
HKS does not offer part-time degree
application?
Does HKS accept We encourage you to closely courses prior to applying. Successful
You should submit only the required program options. Degree program
transfer students? review the Funding Your Education candidates also demonstrate strong
documents. Additional writing students must be enrolled full time
HKS does not accept transfer section of the HKS website to writing and communication skills.
samples, links to outside sources, each term of study. In addition,
students. learn about external funding Work experience is preferred, and
and newspaper articles will not be degree program students may not
opportunities. some programs have specific work
considered. complete their degree through
Who should write my letters experience requirements. See the
May I reapply if I was not evening classes only.
of recommendation? I’ve taken undergraduate and degree program descriptions in this
They should be written and admitted previously or if I brochure for more information.
graduate courses at a number
submitted by academic or declined my admission offer?
of schools. Which transcripts
professional references; we must I submit?
We keep application materials for Which standardized tests
discourage letters from friends, all programs on file for three years. are required?
You are required to submit
co-workers, etc. Avoid submitting To reapply, you must submit a new We developed a revised
transcripts from any college or
all three letters from academic application; however, you may reuse standardized test score policy for
university you attended, even if the
references. HKS requires three test scores, transcripts, and letters applications to the 2021–2022
coursework was not part of a degree
recommendation letters for all of recommendation. Instructions academic year due to the COVID-19
program. Credits, grades, courses,
applications. Please do not submit regarding the reapplication process pandemic. Our standardized
and the grading scale must be
more than three. We prefer to are on our website. testing requirements vary by degree
included in the transcript. Unofficial
receive letters that are addressed program. Visit www.hks.harvard.
transcript copies may be uploaded What do you look for
specifically to HKS rather than edu/admissions-aid/masters-
through our admissions website for in an applicant?
generic letters. program-admissions/how-apply/
consideration. Official copies are HKS is a school of leadership and standardized-test-scores to learn
required for individuals who are public service. Successful
Is an interview required to be about the testing policy for the
admitted and accept our offer. HKS candidates typically demonstrate
considered for admission? degree program you are considering.
requires you to submit transcripts leadership experience and
Interviews are not a required part
from schools from which you commitment to the public good. Must I be fluent in a language
of the admission process.
transferred, took summer courses, or These characteristics are often other than English to apply?
studied abroad unless those credits, displayed through professional We have no additional language
grades, and courses are included in experience and volunteer work requirement.
16 17HKS and Your Career
Pursuing a degree at Harvard Kennedy School is about professional development.
While engaged in a unique academic and personal experience, students begin early —
in partnership with faculty and program staff members, research center affiliates, fellow
students, alumni, and the Office of Career Advancement (OCA) team — the process of
clarifying their professional paths after HKS.
—
What can I expect when it comes to What resources are available for finding jobs
professional development at HKS? and internships?
Everything at HKS supports our students' professional The OCA team provides individual and small-group
development, from time spent at events to conversations support to help polish job search skills. The online job
over lunch. Given the diversity of interests and experience bank and career management system JACK (Jobs and
among HKS students, the process of taking your next Careers for the Kennedy School) is a powerful tool
career step will be a unique journey. Your HKS network for identifying unique opportunities and potential
of faculty members, research center and program staff, employers. OCA screens and posts approximately 4,000
alumni, and classmates will be a priceless resource. targeted jobs and internships annually. The HKS Alumni
The OCA team provides career development resources Directory and LinkedIn Group (open to students, alumni,
in the form of individual coaching, access to potential faculty and staff members, and Executive Education
employers, job search skill development, and guidance on participants) represent our dynamic professional
building a strong network to support your career interests. network and avenues to internships, Policy Analysis
Exercise (PAE) clients, and employment.
How are graduates faring in this economy?
Our graduates consistently do well after HKS. By
Do employers come to campus?
October of their graduation year, close to 95 percent are OCA brings nearly 100 employers to campus for career
settled. They are either employed, running for office, or fairs and information sessions each year. In addition,
continuing their education. valuable connections develop with alumni who return to
HKS to share their expertise or who attend our regional
What is career coaching? networking events off-campus. Students also benefit
Students will find informal career coaches throughout from the many practitioners and alumni speaking at
HKS. In OCA, the career coaching team is available research center seminars every day, who are eager to
for individual meetings. Each coach has focus areas share career advice.
that align with the specific professional interests of
HKS students. Students are encouraged to meet with a
Is funding available for internships?
career coach early in their program to design a career HKS, through a general summer internship fund and the
development strategy. Alumni also consult with OCA generous support of its research centers, provides funding
coaches as their careers progress. for unpaid or minimally paid internships, primarily in
the public or nonprofit sector. Funding is competitive and
requires an application.
hks.harvard.edu/career
18 19Contact Us
Master’s Programs Admissions Doctoral Programs
Questions about admission and application requirements PhD Admissions
should be directed to the Office of Admissions. Contact Four PhD programs are administered jointly with
the Office of Student Financial Services with questions Harvard’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
about funding your degree. Direct questions about the (GSAS). It is important to note that GSAS, not HKS,
curriculum and academic program requirements to the administers the admission application and deadline.
degree program offices. Questions regarding the PhD Program may be directed
to the Doctoral Degree Programs office.
Office of Admissions
617-495-1155 | admissions@hks.harvard.edu DOCTORAL DEGREE PROGRAMS
hksadmissionblog.tumblr.com Academic questions: phd@hks.harvard.edu
Admissions questions: admiss@fas.harvard.edu
Office of Student Financial Services
www.hks.harvard.edu/phd
617-495-1155 | financial_aid@hks.harvard.edu
PhD in Public Policy
Master’s Degree Programs
The PhD in Public Policy prepares qualified candidates
MPP PROGRAM | mpp_program@hks.harvard.edu
to shape the direction of public policy research and
MPA/ID PROGRAM | mpaid_program@hks.harvard.edu
to train the next generation of leaders, teachers, and
MPA PROGRAM | mpa_program@hks.harvard.edu
researchers for programs in public policy and the social
MC/MPA PROGRAM | mpa_program@hks.harvard.edu
sciences. It qualifies individuals to perform high-level
MC/MPA MASON PROGRAM
policy analysis and to lead in the public sector.
mason_program@hks.harvard.edu
PhD in Political Economy and Government
Joint and Concurrent Programs
The PhD in Political Economy and Government
jointconcurrentdegrees@hks.harvard.edu
is intended for students interested in academic or
policymaking careers that require an advanced
knowledge of economics and political science. It is
Executive Education designed for the small number of students whose needs
HKS can transform your capabilities in just a few are not met by studying economics, political science, or
extraordinary days. Experienced professionals, a world-class public policy alone.
faculty, and a dynamic curriculum are brought together in
a setting where the common denominator is a commitment PhD in Health Policy
to public service. With more than 35 programs — addressing The PhD in Health Policy is designed for students
critical subjects from economic development and decision seeking teaching careers in institutions of higher
making to infrastructure and national security — HKS learning and/or research careers in health policy. It is a
offers the most comprehensive range of executive education collaborative program offered by HKS, Faculty of Arts
programs in public leadership available anywhere in the world. and Sciences (FAS), Harvard School of Public Health,
Harvard Medical School, and Harvard Business School.
617-496-9000 | exed@hks.harvard.edu
hks.harvard.edu/executive-education PhD in Social Policy
The PhD programs in Social Policy award a PhD in
either Government and Social Policy or in Sociology
Public Policy Leadership and Social Policy. This is a joint PhD program for
© 2019 THE PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE
students who wish to combine the disciplinary depth of
Conference (PPLC)
a doctoral degree in political science or sociology with a
PHOTOS BY MARTHA STEWART, JESSICA SCRANTON,
RAYCHEL CASEY, BENN CRAIG, TOM FITZSIMMONS,
PPLC is held at Harvard Kennedy School each February to
multidisciplinary study of social policy issues.
inspire talented, driven, and diverse first- and second-year
RICHARD HOWARD, NATALIE MONTANER
undergraduate students enrolled at U.S. institutions from
historically underrepresented and underserved communities
to pursue careers in public service. Students are introduced to
a graduate school environment focusing on public policy and
international affairs, and learn about fellowship opportunities
that may help fund their graduate studies.
Ask What You Can Do. hks.harvard.edu
This booklet was updated in October 2020. Information, policies,
dates, and fees are subject to change.
hks.harvard.edu/pplc
2079 JOHN F. KENNEDY STREET | CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS 02138 | 617-495-1155 | ADMISSIONS@HKS.HARVARD.EDU
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