Apply Now 
The Master of Public Policy (MPP) is a full-time two-year degree offered by the College of Public Policy at HBKU. The program features a distinctive combination of interdisciplinarity, strong ethical foundations, entrepreneurship in public management, and innovation in policy-making and design.
The MPP provides training to graduate students from a range of disciplines in the skills needed to understand and enrich policy-making in Qatar and the region. The program will offer world-class academic and professional training in public policy analysis, design, implementation, evaluation, and management; as well as specializations in social policy, and in energy and the environment.
The MPP program builds on the four pillars of public policy: policy analysis, economics, public management ethics, and research methodology. It is designed to integrate analysis, research, and the practical application of knowledge, from an interdisciplinary perspective. Other distinctive features include a strong focus on ethics in the program design and real-world experiences. The specializations will complement and deepen the core training, and encourage students to work with clients in addressing current policy problems. The program’s ambition is to create thinkers who can do, and doers who can think.
Graduates of this program will be equipped to:
- Engage with themes and ideas that cut across disciplines, with an emphasis on the design, implementation, and evaluation of public policy in context, particularly in areas in which there are pressing societal needs.
- Undertake various methods of research; and produce and test case studies at the frontier of public policy and the social sciences.
- Demonstrate expertise in multiple fields within public policy and the social sciences, including the theory, methodology, and understanding of public policy implementation processes.
- Acquire knowledge of the approaches for advancing research towards having a social impact and producing original interdisciplinary research and case studies.
A 36-credit program taught in English over two years that includes:
- 8 core courses (24 credits)
Course Name Policy Analysis and Design Economics for Public Policy Ethics, Law, and Public Policy Research Methods for Public Policy Public Management: Innovations and Challenges Global Political Economy Comparative Public Policy Analytical Methods for Policy Evaluation - Specialization in one of two areas (6 credits)
Course Name Social Policy (Education, Family and Health) Sustainability and Climate Policy - MPP Capstone Project (6 credits)
In consultation with a faculty advisor and a partner organization, students (working in small teams) will be required to develop a capstone project within one of the two designated specializations. The chosen case will be relevant for Qatar, the Middle East, and the world. The capstone project concludes with the formal defence of a policy paper. - Up to five zero-credit courses will allow students to further develop their communication, analytical, and organizational skills in:
- Written and Oral Communication
- Leadership
- Negotiation
- Data Management
Applicants seeking admission to the Master of Public Policy should have a bachelor’s degree with a strong academic record (minimum 3.2 GPA out of 4.0) from a recognized university. Applicants from all fields are welcome to apply, including engineering, natural sciences and humanities, but preference will be given to those with an academic background in political science, public administration, economics, communications, or other social sciences.
Applicants are required to submit an IELTS score of 6.5 or a TOEFL score of 79 to demonstrate their proficiency in English.
Further details about the language proficiency requirement and the process to seek exemption (where this is an option) are available on the website: admissions.hbku.edu.qa
Tuition Fees
| Program | Master of Public Policy |
|---|---|
| Total Program Tuition Fees |
QAR 110,000 |
| Tuition Fees per Credit Hour |
QAR 3,065 |
| Total Program Credit Hours |
36 |
| Program Duration |
2 years |