Real-World Policy Work That Matters
Experiential learning is a cornerstone of the School of Public Policy. Through our two-semester project course sequence, Master of Public Policy students step beyond the classroom to tackle real-world policy and management challenges in partnership with external clients.
This year-long experience is the culminating applied project of the MPP program and a defining feature of a School of Public Policy education. Students collaborate with government agencies, nonprofits, international organizations and private-sector partners to produce rigorous analysis and actionable recommendations that inform real decisions, while gaining hands-on professional experience that sets them apart in the policy workforce.
How it Works
The project course sequence spans two consecutive semesters, allowing graduate students to engage deeply with a policy problem and deliver meaningful results for their client.
In this course, students:
- Identify and secure a client partner
- Define a real-world policy or management challenge
- Scope the project and develop a detailed work plan
- Conduct background research and literature reviews
- Design an appropriate research or evaluation methodology
The fall semester emphasizes problem formulation, client engagement and project design, laying the foundation for a successful year-long analysis.
Building on the work completed in PLCY690, students:
- Conduct in-depth qualitative, quantitative or mixed-methods analysis
- Refine findings and develop evidence-based recommendations
- Produce professional-quality written and visual deliverables
- Present results to clients and stakeholders
By the end of the spring semester, students deliver a comprehensive, client-ready project that reflects analytical rigor and practical relevance.
What Students Gain
For students, the project course is a signature experiential learning opportunity that bridges academic training and professional practice. Through sustained client engagement, students learn to:
- Apply policy analysis tools to complex, real-world problems
- Translate research into actionable recommendations
- Communicate effectively with professional audiences
- Manage long-term projects and stakeholder relationships
- Build a portfolio-quality capstone that demonstrates impact
Many students describe the project course as one of the most valuable and transformative experiences of their graduate program.
This is a meaningful experience for our students as they self-select an area of study and engage with a specific client. It involves a focus that, in many cases, is the culmination of their degree and oftentimes serves to refine or even define a career focus.Meg Brindle Assoc. Clinical Professor
What Our Students Can Do
Projects are shaped by client needs and may include:
- Policy analysis and research syntheses
- Program and process evaluations (formative or summative)
- Performance measurement and evaluation design
- Cost-benefit or cost-effectiveness analyses
- Feasibility studies for new or expanded programs
- Strategic planning and organizational assessments
- Governance reviews
- Fundraising and resource analyses
Typical final deliverables include:
- A technical or analytical report
- A policy brief or memo
- A professional slide deck presented to the client
Deliverables can be customized to align with client priorities and timelines.
2025 Featured Projects and Clients
| Client |
Project |
|---|---|
| Global Pathways for Success |
Creation of Financial Literacy Curriculum and Toolkit with Instructor Manual for the Marginalized Aguu Community in Gulu, Uganda |
| World Bank, Pakistan |
Analysis of 400 Pakistani Schools' Non-salary Budgets Focused on Longitudinal Trends and Recommendations |
| Department of Defense, Lt. Colonel Kuzminski |
Assessing PRC Reactions to U.S. Army Activities in the Indo-Pacific Involving Reports Translated from Mandarin with Recommendations Delivered to the DoD/Pentagon, May 2025 |
| Volare |
A Longitudinal and Survey Methodology Assessing Why Victimized Youths Do Not Report Violence, Including Case Studies and Benchmarking of Best Practices with Extensive Recommendations for Reaching Youth Victims of Violence (Philadelphia, Minnesota, Boston and DC) |
| Southern Poverty Law Center |
Elections in the Digital Age: An Analysis of the Usability and Content of Government Election-Related Websites in Maryland’s Counties |
| Council for Court Excellence |
Post-Incarceration Employment: A Framework for Reducing Barriers to Entry for Formerly Incarcerated People and Raising Incentives for Employers |
Past Project Partners by Sector
- Government Accountability Office
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- United States Air Force Medical AgencyUnited States Department of Justice
- United States Department of State
- United States Department of Defense
- Montgomery County Human Trafficking Prevention Committee
- Maryland House of Delegates
- Action Against Hunger
- ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge
- Catholic Relief Services
- Central American Civic Action Platform
- Haiti Policy House
- Life After Hate
- LindaBen Foundation
- Maryland Civic Education Coalition
- National Redistricting Foundation
- New America
- Plastic Free Queen Anne's County
- Rebuild Local News
- Women for Women International
- Inter-American Development Bank
- Organization of American States
- World Bank
Publications Carousel
Becoming a Partner
The project course is where classroom learning meets real-world problem solving. By partnering with MPP students, organizations gain:
- Fresh perspectives grounded in rigorous policy analysis
- In-depth research tailored to organizational needs
- Actionable recommendations to inform strategy and decision-making
- A meaningful role in training the next generation of public policy leaders
Project partners include federal, state and local governments, nonprofits across issue areas, international organizations and private-sector entities.
Once matched, students and partners work collaboratively throughout the academic year. Partners are asked to:
- Designate a primary point of contact
- Participate in scoping and goal-setting in early fall
- Provide periodic feedback as the project progresses
In October, students, faculty and partners formalize a scope of work outlining goals, deliverables and timelines. Regular communication ensures alignment and a strong final product.
We invite alumni and organizations to partner with us in creating learning experiences that matter—for students, for organizations and for the future of public policy.
Potential partners are considered on an ongoing basis to ensure alignment among project needs, student interests and faculty guidance.