KAPSARC School of Public Policy (KSPP)

Program overview

The KSPP’s Master of Public Policy is a two-year, full-time program that aims to enable and empower future policy leaders and professionals within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and globally by equipping them with the analytical and leadership skills needed to address the most pressing domestic and international public policy challenges.

The program comprises 13 courses totaling 42 credit hours. The core courses combine full-semester courses, application-based short courses, and a policy practicum. Students have the opportunity to choose one of three concentration areas and two elective courses or a thesis seminar.

Mode of Learning

In-person

Language

English

Duration

2 years

Class Schedule

Evenings

Location

KSPP Building

Program Fees

SAR 150,000 (scholarships for accepted students in 2025)

Application Opens

January 1, 2025

Application Close

May 15, 2025

Admission Details

Scholarship Available

Your journey begins here!

The Master of Public Policy aims to equip public policy professionals and leaders with the analytical and leadership skills to tackle complex policy challenges.

Curriculum

Explore our meticulously crafted curriculum and gain a comprehensive understanding of our Master of Public Policy program.

YEAR 1
YEAR 2

SEMESTER 1 (SEPTEMBER- DECEMBER)

Economic Foundations for Public Policy

Core course | 3 credits

The course will provide the economic framework for understanding public policies, the basic principles of economics as a discipline and they will develop a basic understanding of the application of economic tools to public policy issues.

Policy Design and Monitoring

Core course | 3 credits

The course will analyze the consequences of different policy designs on public welfare and well-being and will describe strategies for designing policies including implementing pilot programs, techniques for scaling programs from pilots, and how to iterate and innovate policies that already exist.

Law and Governance for Policy Professionals

Core course | 3 credits

The course will provide an introduction to legal terminology and decision making, the formal process of adjudication and the role of law and the courts in policy making and implementation. The course will develop core legal skills such as legal argumentation and interpretation and will emphasize international constraints and norms as they impact local laws and governance.

Fundamentals for Effective Public Policy 1

Core course | 1 credit

A required series of 4 short courses intended to provide an introduction to applied skills necessary for professional policy makers.

SEMESTER 2 (JANUARY - MAY)

Methods and Tools for Policy Analysis and Evaluation

Core course | 3 credits

The course will provide a working knowledge of key terms and concepts associated with econometric models, enabling students to interpret and analyze different types of policy-relevant data and appraise the strengths and weaknesses of different quantitative and qualitative approaches to data.

Concentration Course 1

Core course | 3 credits

Elective Course 1

Elective course | 3 credits

Fundamentals for Effective Public Policy 2

Core course | 1 credit

A required series of 4 short courses intended to provide an introduction to applied skills necessary for professional policy makers.

INTERNSHIP

Internship

Internship non-credit, but mandatory for students with no prior work experience

SEMESTER 3 (SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER)

Economics and Politics of Public Policy Making and Implementation

Core course | 3 credits

The course will convey theoretical and empirical background on the connections between economics and politics. It will introduce game theory, as a tool for predicting and understanding how people and organizations respond to changes in the policy environment considering the importance of the local institutional and cultural context and for strategizing predicted responses to interactions in negotiations and other interpersonal circumstances.

Navigating Government Finances

Core course | 3 credits

The course will provide an introduction to financial management within the government. It will focus on how governments generate revenue and spend the revenue on public goods and services including the distributional issues related to public tax and spending and introducing theories and empirical research on how government generated revenue and expenditures influence the overall economy.

Concentration Course 2

Concentration course | 3 credits

Fundamentals for Effective Public Policy 3

Core course | 1 credit

A required series of 4 short courses intended to provide an introduction to applied skills necessary for professional policy makers.

SEMESTER 4 (JANUARY - MAY)

Capstone Project: Working with a Client

Core course | 5 credits

In this course students will work in groups under the supervision of a faculty member with a client organization to develop solutions for a public policy problem or a management issue defined by the client. Students work together to clarify the problem, develop research strategies, collect data, formulate, and evaluate options, and make actionable recommendations.

Concentration Course 3

Concentration course | 3 credits

Elective Course 2

Elective course | 3 credits

Fundamentals for Effective Public Policy 4

Core course | 1 credit

A required series of 4 short courses intended to provide an introduction to applied skills necessary for professional policy makers.

Program concentrations

Students have the opportunity to choose one of the following three concentration areas.

Data analytics

Public Sector Management and Leadership
Data Analytics
Energy and Climate Policy

Public Sector Management and Leadership

This concentration will enhance students’ skills in leading public organizations in a fast-paced and challenging policy environment. Through theory and application, students will master skills in strategic leadership and effective management to shape policies and promote social change.

Frequently asked questions

Find answers to commonly asked questions about our Master of Public Policy program.

What is the duration of the MPP program?

The KSPP Master of Public Policy program is a two-year, full-time program that comprises 13 courses (42 credit hours).

What concentrations are available?

Students have to choose one of the following three concentration areas:

Public Sector Management and Leadership

Data Analytics
Energy and Climate Policy

Is an internship required for graduation?

Internships are non-credit and mandatory for students with no prior work experience.

Is there a capstone project?

Yes, students will work in groups under the supervision of a faculty member with a client organization to develop solutions for a public policy problem or a management issue defined by the client.

Do you offer online/hybrid classes?

All classes are in-person.