16 Distance learning Master Programmes in Public Policy 2024

American University's online Master of Public Administration and Policy (MPAP) program combines our School of Public Affairs' top-ranked, nationally recognized and NASPAA-accredited MPA and MPP degree programs into one foundational, highly marketable credential.

The Master of Science in Environmental Science and Policy is a springboard to leadership for environmental professionals. The program gives students a powerful understanding of where the sciences overlap and inform policy while providing insight into how policy is implemented and affects environmental outcomes.

The distance master's degree in "European Law and Policies," implemented by the Law Faculty, is to train an interdisciplinary professional profile of an expert in European law and policies and make him acquire operational and professional skills suitable for participating in the various stages of European policy planning and implementation. The transfer of the cognitive tools needed for this aim will be carried out with an interdisciplinary approach.

This online master's is the best choice for students who are interested in learning about societal problems and governance responses in an online community. The participating students’ national and regional contexts in this master's will be utilised for educational purposes.

The world of public service has changed and with it the demand for a whole new set of skills and way of thinking. By introducing you to the latest, pioneering public service practices, strategies, and global perspectives, our 100% Online Masters of Public Administration (MPA) will prepare you for today’s public sector challenges, equipping you with the tools to effect positive change, wherever you are in the world.

The Elliott School’s Master of International Policy and Practice (M.I.P.P.) is an advanced professional degree for mid-career practitioners. Combining rigorous academic training with the development of valuable career-enhancing skills, the program prepares students for leadership roles in international public policy. The program can be completed online or on-campus, and there are short-term study abroad opportunities to enhance the practical real-world application design of this program’s curriculum.

Why choose between policy and administration when you can learn and perfect the core competencies of both disciplines? American Universitys online Master of Public Administration and Policy (MPAP) program combines our School of Public Affairs' top-ranked, nationally recognized and NASPAA-accredited MPA and MPP degree programs into one foundational, highly marketable credential.

The MSc in Digital Policy is designed to prepare graduates for careers in evaluating, implementing, and studying core topical, theoretical, and methodological issues that arise in digital policy today. The course will take a multi-disciplinary approach to investigate the institutional and public policy dimensions of the prevalence of digital technology, as well as the underlying social conditions (economic, political, and cultural) and public/private sector contexts that give rise to such technologies and their governance.

Our MSc Public Policy and Management programme will enable you with the conceptual tools and the practical skills to analyse, understand, and play a role in the policy and administrative process. The modules of the programme will equip students with theoretical knowledge about policy-making, policy implementation, and the management of public sector entities. A variety of modules will provide students the possibility to deepen their understanding of more specific areas such as, for example, the management of human resources in the public sector, the public financial management process, the decentralisation of public functions and the collaboration between public and private entities. Along the way, students will develop capabilities to analyse, critically appraise and communicate which will provide valuable assets for their professional activity and career prospects.

Combine scientific knowledge and policy expertise—and position yourself to be an agent of change—with Johns Hopkins University’s MS in Environmental Sciences and Policy degree, a program designed to empower the next generation of environmental leaders.

The MSc in Global Public Policy provides students with a detailed and systematic understanding of a range of explanations for change and continuity in public policymaking in an interdisciplinary, global context. Merging the study of public policy theory, global governance, global advocacy, international relations, political economy and diplomacy to interrogate policy processes beyond the nation-state.

Our Public Policy & Management degree program for mid-career professionals gives you a highly flexible way to advance or begin a rewarding life in public service through in-person or online study. For acceptance into the program, you must have a minimum of five years of professional experience beyond an entry-level position.

Our public administration degree is unique because we integrate principles of sustainable and equitable solutions into all coursework and empower students to think and act holistically. Whether we’re discussing climate change, racial justice, healthcare, or urban planning, for example, you’ll learn how to apply a powerful systems-thinking lens to understand how to create true, lasting impact. You’ll emerge with the confidence and competencies to transform policy, program implementation, and public service that creates equitable social change.