What are some of your school's core values and how do they come across in the courses and programs that you offer?
No matter how great your passion, policy with real impact doesn’t evolve from ideology or intuition, or even experience. At the Harris School of Public Policy, we believe that developing effective public policy is a science, based on data and measurable impact.
Addressing today’s interconnected, global challenges takes rigorous inquiry. It takes innovative people who can face the facts, gather data, and understand why current policies exist in order to make them better.
For more than thirty years, we have been developing leaders who fearlessly ask the hard questions and follow the evidence to find the answers, leaders who are adept at using the best science of our day to confront the most important problems of our time.
The faculty and students at Harris work at the frontiers of data collection and analysis, using the latest technology and social science methods to design policies that work for society. They create and adopt new methodologies in collaboration with partners across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors to drive better solutions. Harris engages with leaders and policymakers from the city of Chicago, the United States, and the world every day to evaluate and test our ideas.
With passion and precision, we venture toward opportunities to improve policies that address society’s problems, big and small—then bring those solutions to the world.
What types of programs do you offer?
- Master's of Public Policy
- MS in Computational Analysis
- MA in Public Policy with a Certificate in Research Methods
- Part-time MA in Public Policy
- Joint Degree Programs
- Undergraduate Program
- Credential Programs
How are you helping to prepare students for careers in public service?
Harris graduates are passionate, driven, and committed to positive change. Rigorous coursework in microeconomics, statistics, and analytical politics equips students with the quantitative and analytical skills to evaluate and recommend sound policies in a variety of contexts. Paired with real-world, applied learning opportunities, Harris students are poised to create a meaningful impact upon graduation.
What opportunities are available to students to get work experience while learning?
The Harris Career Development office is a lifetime resource to students and alumni from the time they begin matriculating. In 2023, 96 percent of Harris students found summer employment and internships with organizations such as Ballot Ready, The International Monetary Fund, and Deloitte. Learn more about our internship opportunities and current student outcomes here: https://harris.uchicago.edu/about/who-we-are/career-outcomes/internship-outcomes
What is something unique about your institution?
The University of Chicago is one of the country's foremost research institutions. Studying at Harris offers students access to the leading researchers and thought leaders in the field, who are approaching public policy through a quantitative lens. With a location in a large, urban center, opportunities for practical, applied learning abound, creating the perfect environment for students interested in defining their impact with a rigorous academic experience.