Penn GSE's Education Policy program is ranked #6 by U.S. News & World Report among all graduate schools offering similar degrees.

The Education Policy degree programs offer coursework and research training in education policy research and analysis for individuals interested in careers in academic, governmental, and non-governmental research settings. The program prepares students to apply sound analytical techniques to the design and evaluation of education and social policy interventions; to conduct rigorous implementation and process evaluations; and to analyze a wide range of program and policy issues related to the sociology, politics, and economics of education. In addition to the foundational and research methodology courses, students build a program of study that includes courses in education policy evaluation and assessment, the economics of education, school finance, cost-benefit analysis, policymaking, and school organization.

Research training includes multiple methods of inquiry, covers all levels of education from pre-K through higher education, and addresses multiple levels of public policy interests, including state, national and international. Students build their research skills through a combination of research apprenticeships with faculty and courses in quantitative and qualitative research methods. The program covers four essential components associated with effective policy and practice:

• Implementation of a coherent set of policies and practices;
• Inclusion of meaningful incentives for individuals and organizations;
• Development of the capacity of individuals and organizations to institute and sustain necessary changes;
• Evaluation of the effectiveness of education policies.