Master's Project Requirements

The Master's Project (MP) is a 20 - 30 page single-spaced (40 - 60 page double-spaced) paper required of all master's students in public policy. Two types of projects are possible: the standard form for an actual client or a quantitative form that may or may not have an actual client. Students are encouraged to link their projects to their summer internships, and to gain further background by taking appropriate elective courses.

Standard MP Form

A Master’s Project of this type helps a client decide what to do about a policy problem. Its purpose is to recommend and defend a specific course of action. Hence, a client with an interesting problem is a key starting point for the MP. A project must also measure up to the standards of good analysis, including precise definition of the problem, careful evaluation of the evidence, identification of important trade-offs, and clear presentation of the conclusions and recommendations.

Finding a client and a policy problem is a challenging, but essential, first step in the writing of the MP. Two approaches are possible: the student can find an appropriate client first (e.g., someone connected with the summer internship, a client from the PPS 304 Spring Consulting Project, someone the student would like to work with in the future, or someone working on problems in the student's area of expertise) and then work with the client to define a suitable and manageable policy problem. Or the student can do some initial research into a general policy problem and then look for an appropriate client who can help narrow the topic and define a more specific policy problem.

The main criteria for approving a topic are: 1) that the client have a significant policy problem, and 2) that the policy problem be posed in the form of a "should" question, e.g., “What should the client do?” or “How should the client do X?” The goal of the MP is to develop policy recommendations, not simply to describe or measure impacts of a particular policy.

Alternative Quantitative MP Form

Alternatively, students may write a quantitative MP with or without an actual client. Students choosing this option would work closely with a faculty member and would write the project either for a real client or for a “shadow client,” a policy organization for which the project would be of use. The main difference is that such a project puts more emphasis on the quality and interpretation of the data analysis than on the broader range of political and ethical issues that arise in making specific policy recommendations.

The criteria for approving such a proposal are that appropriate data are available, that the project is doable within the appropriate time period, and that the topic be of clear policy relevance.

Process for Completing the Project

All regular two-year students should enroll in PUBPOL 307 in the fall term and PUBPOL 308 in the spring term. The fall term course meets in sections for about half the term and is designed to help each student get started on his/her project and to write a prospectus that will be defended by the end of fall semester before a committee of faculty members. Those writing quantitative projects will all be assigned to the same 307 section. Joint-degree students who are in their final year, or who are planning to write their MP during the current academic year, are strongly encouraged to audit PUBPOL 307. They, like the regular two-year students, are expected to defend their prospectus during the fall term, ideally before mid-November.

The first step in the process is to identify a client (or shadow client, if appropriate), a policy problem, and an MP Advisor from the approved list of faculty advisors. It is best to initiate the MP process and cultivate advisor and client relationships prior to the beginning of the second-year fall term. The MPP program supports these efforts by giving students the opportunity to meet potential MP Advisors during the spring of their first year. Additionally, before and during their required summer internships, students should determine if their summer placements can yield MP client relationships and/or policy problems. Early in the fall, the student writes a one-page document describing topic, client, and MP Advisor, and submits this document to the 307 instructor, DGS, and Program Coordinator for approval.

The MP Advisor will be the chair of the MP Committee and will work with the student throughout the year. Early in the fall, in consultation with the MP Advisor, the student will select two other people to serve on the MP Committee. Normally, at least one of these should be an Institute faculty member, but students are free to include faculty members from other departments or schools who are familiar with the subject area of the policy problem, but only with the approval of their MP Advisor. The student is responsible for making sure any non-Institute faculty are familiar with the goals of the MP and also with their responsibilities as a committee member. (We recommend you distribute to them the memo that describes the purpose and structure of the MP Committee.) Only in unusual situations should the client be a member of the committee. The prospectus, its development, and the oral defense will form the basis for the grade in PUBPOL 307. Joint-degree students must meet the same requirements and are expected to do so on approximately the same time line as the two year students.

In the first six weeks of the fall semester, with feedback from the 307 instructor, peers, and the MP Advisor, the student writes a 7 - 10 page, double-spaced prospectus describing the client's problem, the background, and how the student intends to proceed to develop a recommended course of action. If the student is writing a quantitative project, the prospectus should include the specific policy relevant questions to be addressed, a description of the data, and the proposed methodology. Ideally, the prospectus would include some initial descriptive statistics related to the project.

Once the MP Advisor has reviewed drafts of the prospectus and feels that the student is ready to present it to the MP Committee for approval, the student will schedule a formal prospectus presentation meeting during the fall semester. Although the prospectus must be passed by all members of the MP Committee, the MP Advisor is solely responsible for reading, approving, and grading the final project.

After the prospectus is approved, the student begins the research, data analysis, and writing necessary to flesh out the MP. Regular meetings should be scheduled between the MP Advisor and student to set interim goals and evaluate progress. A complete draft of the project is due to the MP Advisor in March.

All students will make oral presentations followed by a Q & A discussion in April. These presentations are attended by the MP Advisor, available members of the MP Committee, first-year MPP students, and guests invited at the student’s discretion. The use of visual aids, such as PowerPoint or handouts, is encouraged. These presentations are not graded; however, they provide students with the opportunity to receive valuable constructive feedback about their work.

The final version of the MP is due in late April, with the date specified early in the fall based upon deadlines posted by The Graduate School. The final report should include appendices, supporting materials, formal cover page, 2 - 3 page executive summary, table of contents, complete footnotes, and a bibliography. The final version must be of at least A- quality. This grade requirement reflects the belief that the final product should be of professional quality as well as useful to the client and, in the case of a quantitative project, meet high standards of analysis. Should the project initially not meet this grade standard, the MP Advisor will insist that it be revised until it does. The DGS will confer with the MP Advisors to identify outstanding MP’s deserving of A grades.

All students are required to provide the MPP office with both a professionally bound copy and an electronic version (PDF) of their project by a date to be specified in order to graduate. Formatting and binding instructions are described in the Master’s Project Preparation guide sheet.