harvard kennedy school ask what you can do. [email protected] matt clemons – director of...
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MISSION
Train enlightened public leaders and generate the ideas that provide solutions to our most challenging public problems.
We are a professional school
• Professional skills development• Project and case study focus• No academic thesis• Majority do not go on to PhD• We prefer previous full-time
professional work
Negotiate, manage, measure, lead, communicate
There is not one profile
• We are interested in applicants from a variety of majors
• Previous work experience does not have to be government related
• Both our students and alumni represent the not-for-profit, private, and public sectors
The Harvard Universe
14 Different schools
Graduate training in a variety of fields
Each school runs its own operations
Different admission offices and policies
HKS Overview
What are we looking for?
Commitment to public service and to making a difference
Leadership skills
Quantitative ability
Strong academics
Diverse backgrounds
Overview of Degree Programs
Degree Details RequirementsMaster in Public Policy (MPP) 2-year program
Core curriculum: analysis, management, and leadership
Bachelor’s degree
Work experience: none, average is 2-3 years
Two-Year Master in Public Administration (MPA2)
2-year program
Flexible curriculum
Bachelor’s degree & substantial graduate-level coursework
Work experience: 3 years
Mid-Career Master in Public Administration (MC/MPA) & Mason Program
1-year program
Flexible curriculum
Bachelor’s degree
Work experience: 7 years, average is 14 years
Master in Public Administration/International Development (MPA/ID)
2-year program
Core curriculum: Economics-centered, multi-disciplinary
Bachelor’s degree & quantitative coursework
Work experience: none, average is 4 years
PhD Programs
• Public Policy
• Political Economy and Government
• Health Policy
• Social Policy
Master in Public Policy (MPP)
• Work experience is not required (but the average is 2-3 years)
• Two year program
• Core curriculum plus electives
• Average age: 26
• Average class size: 227
MPP Curriculum
Core Requirements Policy Area Concentration
Year 1 Year 2
□ Economics
□ Quantitative Analysis
□ Politics & Advocacy
□ Strategic Management
□ Ethics
□ Policy Analysis
□ Leadership
□ Business & Government Policy
□ Democracy, Politics, & Institutions
□ International & Global Affairs
□ International Trade & Finance
□ Political & Economic Development
□ Social & Urban Policy
Spring Exercise Policy Analysis Exercise
•Two-week long simulation that offers students an intense challenge of intellectual integration and practical application spanning the disciplines represented in the MPP core.
•Students practice applying core tools and concepts in a setting and at a pace approximating professional reality.
•Students attend presentations and write policy memos and briefings related to the challenge.
•Past Spring Exercise topics have included:• Sex Trafficking
• Global Warming
• AIDS in Africa
• Rebuilding Afghanistan
MPP Spring Exercise
MPP Policy Analysis Exercise
•Capstone of the MPP program - equivalent to a thesis.
•Students work with a real world client to implement a solution to a public policy problem.
•Recent award winning PAEs include:
• 21st Century GDP: National Indicators for a New Era
• Rail Station Renovation Studies: Recommendations for the
Redevelopment of New York’s Penn Station
• Reintegration of Former Child Soldiers in the Cote d’Ivorie
Master in Public Administration (MPA2)
•Prerequisites: at least three years full-time professional work experience and a master’s degree or considerable relevant graduate course work
•Two-year program
•Average age: 30
•Average class size: 71
MPA2 Curriculum
•Two courses from a policy area
•One class from each distribution area□Economics and Quantitative Analysis
Sample class: Public Sector Economics
□Management and LeadershipSample class: Judgment Making, Decision Making, and Behavior
□Political Thought and InstitutionsSample class: Religion, Politics, and Public Policy
• Electives
Flexible curriculum
•Minimum of seven years full-time professional work experience (average is 14 years)
•Average age: 39
•Average class size: 196
•One year program
•Developing country citizens apply through the Mason Program
Mid-Career MPA
Mid-Career MPA Curriculum
• Summer program
• One class from each distribution area□ Economics and Quantitative Analysis
Sample class: The Political Economy of Trade
□ Management and LeadershipSample class: Decision Making and Leadership in the Public Sector
□ Political Thought and InstitutionsSample class: Human Rights and International Politics
• Electives
MPA in International Development (MPA/ID)• Pre-requisites: microeconomics, macroeconomics, and multivariable calculus. Statistics and linear algebra are desirable but not required.
• Work experience is not required, but strongly preferred, preferably in a developing country
• Two year program
• Average age: 27
• Average class size: 70
MPA/ID Curriculum
• Core courses
• Electives
• Summer internship
• Past internships: Turkish Treasury Department, US Embassy in Madagascar, Boston Consulting Group, and Inter-American Development Bank
• Second Year Policy Analysis (SYPA)
• Capstone paper designed to integrate students’ coursework and skills acquired during the program
• Objective is to provide specific policy recommendations in the context of a concrete developmental problem
Combined Degree ProgramsJoint Degrees•Harvard Business School
•Harvard Law School
Concurrent Degrees
•Business: UPenn, Dartmouth, Stanford, MIT
•Law: Berkeley, Duke, Georgetown, Michigan, NYU, Northwestern, UPenn, Stanford, Yale
•Divinity: Harvard (MTS or MDiv)
•Design: Harvard (MUP)
•Medicine: Case-by-case
Cross registration opportunities are available within Harvard, MIT Sloan School of Management, and Tufts Fletcher School.
Admissions Tips
Sign up for the admissions blog to stay up-to-date on admissions information and recruitment activities. hksadmissionblog.tumblr.com
Plan Ahead! In the coming months:
• Register for the GRE, GMAT, TOEFL, and/or IELTS by the end of October/early November.
• Obtain transcripts from all of the schools you attended for credit.
• Select your recommenders and ask if they will write a letter of recommendation for you.
Test Information
• GRE and GMAT• Not cutoffs, we prefer scores in the top 30%
• TOEFL• Minimum iBT score of 100 and we prefer 25
on each section
• IELTS• Minimum score of 7 and prefer score of 7 on
each section.
The Cycle
One application open date – September
One application deadline date - December
One decision release date – March
One class start date – September
Deadline: December 2, 2014
All required materials must be included with the application and submitted by this date.Transcript3 letters of recommendationResume/CVEssay(s)GRE, GMAT, TOEFL, and/or IELTS
Visit hks.harvard.edu/degrees/admissions/apply to learn more.
HKS Themes
ServiceLeadershipAdvocacyInvolvement in community
Overview of Financial Assistance
*Source: Admitted Students Fall 2012Please note: These figures should not be considered predictive of the
likelihood of receiving aid or the amount received. Amount of aid available and the number of recipients will vary based upon the availability of funding.
Borrowing is a reality for many at HKS…
HKS Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP)
Helps graduates employed for non-profit and government organizations with modest incomes repay their loans after graduation.
Key Features:•Available for both domestic and international borrowers•Eligible for 5 years of participation
Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Provides loan forgiveness for borrowers who repay their loans using an income based repayment plan for the amount remaining after 10 years of employment for 501C(3) or U.S. based governmental position (federal, state, and local).
Key Features:•For domestic borrowers only
However, there are options!
*Source: Borrowers only, class of 2012
Harvard Kennedy SchoolLoan Repayment
Office of Career Advancement
• Connections to our expansive alumni community
• Networking events with alumni and practitioners addressing the professional areas of interest most often pursued by our graduates
• Information on career-related programming throughout HKS and the Harvard community
• Individual career coaching
• JACK: Jobs and Careers for the Kennedy School, our dynamic job bank and career management system
• A wide range of job search tools and skill development resources
• Employers on Campus program
Employment Post-HKS
•The HKS degree remains resilient in a sluggish economy.
•By October, 90% of 2013 graduates reporting* were settled (employed/continuing education). This is consistent with previous years.
•Most students will find their post-HKS positions through professional networking.
•In 2013, 84% of employers hired a single graduate reflecting our diversified hiring base and the unique trajectories of HKS graduates.
*91% of the Class of 2013 reporting
Employment Post-HKS
Our graduates work in a multitude of industries and fields. Some of our top professional areas of interest are international development, international security, public finance, urban economic development, energy and the environment, social policy, and public affairs.
Our graduates also work in a variety of sectors:
Student Life
Professional Interest Councils (PIC)
Student Conferences
Journals and Writing Opportunities
John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum
•Premier arena for political speech, discussion, and debate.
•Since 1978, The Forum has hosted 1,000 events which have been seen by 650,000 people live.
•Heads of state; leaders in politics, government, business, labor and the media; academics; community organizers; and artists visit HKS.
•Forum speakers must agree to answer questions from the audience.
•Regularly sponsors television and radio programs, film screenings, and debate watch parties.
John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum
A Conversation with Felipe Calderón
Boston Marathon Tragedy and Aftermath
A Decade in Iraq: Lessons and the Landscape Ahead
A Public Address by His Excellency Macky Sall, President of Senegal
Premiere Screening and Discussion of Game Change
The Tipping Point: Elevating Women for Global Security
Research Centers
Main engines of research, covering international, national and local issues of public policy and management.
Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation
Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
Carr Center for Human Rights Policy
Center for International Development
Center for Public Leadership
Edmond J. Safra Foundation for Ethics
Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations
Institute of Politics
Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy
Joint Center for Housing Studies
Malcolm Wiener Center for Social Policy
Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government
Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston
Taubman Center for State and Local Government
The Women and Public Policy Program
Research Centers
Opportunities for students include:•Workshops/lectures
•Fellowships
•Funding for summer internships
•Leadership
•Mentoring •Research projects
