- The Thomas Jefferson Program in Public Policy
The Thomas Jefferson Program in Public Policy is a graduate and undergraduate program at the
College of William and Mary , founded in 1987. [ [http://www.wm.edu/publicpolicy/ The Thomas Jefferson Program in Public Policy | The Jefferson Program ] ] It enrolled its first class of graduate students in 1991. It is among the College's most interdisciplinary and collaborative programs with many students graduating with a joint degree in public policy and another specialty area, such as business (M.P.P./M.B.A.), law (M.P.P./J.D.),marine science (M.P.P./M.S.), oroperations research (M.P.P./M.S. - Computational Operations Research). [ [http://www.wm.edu/economicdevelopment/public_policy.php Economic Development at W&M | Economic Development ] ] Most public policy classes take place in Morton Hall. The College of William and Mary itself was chartered on February 8, 1693, by King William III and Queen Mary II as the second college in the American colonies. [ [http://www.excellenceinaging.org/partners.htm Welcome to the Center for Excellence in Aging and Geriatric Health ] ]Overview
The Thomas Jefferson Program in Public Policy was designed to address what the
National Commission on the Public Service identified as the "quiet crises" in government—the need "to attract, develop, and retain professionals of the highest caliber." Students who graduate from the Thomas Jefferson Program will have a knowledge ofeconomics ,statistics ,politics ,law ,ethics , and substantive policy domains that will equip them to be effective participants in the policy process, whether in government agencies,non-profit organizations , orprivate sector firms. [ [http://www.idealist.org/if/i/en/av/Org/148472-186 idealist.org - College of William and Mary, Thomas Jefferson Master of Public Policy Program ] ]The current Director of the program is Dr. Eric Jensen, who received his Ph.D. in Economics from the
University of Michigan in1982 . He specializes in population economics and appliedeconometrics . The Assistant Director of the program is Dr. Elaine McBeth, who received her Ph.D. from theUniversity of Virginia in1987 . Dr. McBeth has been at the College since1988 and became Associate Director of the Thomas Jefferson Program in Public Policy in1993 . Her teaching interests include monetary theory and policy, financial market regulation, mathematical economics and stabilization policy.Graduate Program
The two-year master’s degree (MPP) program is designed to prepare students for career placement at the strategic levels of public policy, both in the public sector and in private sector firms such as regulated industries and consulting firms with government clients. [ [http://www.wm.edu/publicpolicy/grad.php Graduate Program | The Jefferson Program ] ] It is limited to 25 new students each fall. Four program areas are offered, with a strong overall emphasis on the applied and analytical skills leading to career placement at the strategic levels of public policy. It should be noted that the TJPPP program is heavily quantitative, so well-suited students often hold backgrounds in mathematics, economics or statistics.
Undergraduate Program
Students pursuing the undergraduate major study economics, statistics, politics, law, ethics, and policy domains. This grounding is excellent preparation for further study at the graduate level and for participating effectively in the policy process at government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and private sector firms.
Master's Program Requirements
Required Classes
First year MPP students must take or test out of the following classes:
* Mathematics and Public Policy
* Quantitative Analysis I
* Law and Public Policy
* The Political Environment
* Advanced Microeconomics
* Quantitative Analysis II (Econometrics)
* Benefit-Cost Analysis
* Public ManagementSecond year MPP students must take the following classes:
* Policy Research Seminar
* Ethics and Public Policy
* A law class of the student's choosing, done in conjunction with theMarshall-Wythe School of Law .ummer Internship
During the summer between students' first and second years, they are required to complete a ten week
internship . Students are expected to obtain an internship within their area of interest and gain relevant work experience.Some recent internship placements include:
*
Department of Health and Human Services
*Lockheed Martin
*Deloitte and Touche
*Federal Bureau of Investigation
*James City County
*Project on National Security Reform
*American Association for the Advancement of Science
*Government Accountability Office
*U.S. Coast Guard
*Department of State
*Red Cross Washington Policy Dialogues
Two to three times per semester, a small number of TJPPP students go to Washington, DC to hear a set of speakers arranged by the program. The event lasts one day, usually Fridays, and two to three different speakers are heard; all of whom will be relevant to a single policy area (education, national security, etc.). The meetings are small and give students opportunity to ask questions about the policy area. Students are required to attend one dialogue per year.
Washington Program
During the Fall Semester of the first year, students take a three day long trip to
Washington, DC . Students learn primarily about various professional opportunities that await them upon graduation.Policy Research Seminar
As part of the graduation requirement for master's students, a large project must be completed. Students are placed into groups with similar policy interests. The project is client driven, so students work with an established member of the policy community to draft a relevant report and present it to multiple audiences.
References
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