Harvard Kennedy School

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Harvard Kennedy School
admissions_at_hks.harvard.edu

• Ask what you can do.

Matt Clemons Director of Admissions
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MISSION

• Train enlightened public leaders and generate the
  ideas that provide solutions to our most
  challenging public problems.

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We are a professional school

• Professional skills development
• Project and case study focus
• No academic thesis
• Majority do not go on to PhD
• We prefer previous full-time professional work

Negotiate, manage, measure, lead, communicate
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There is not one profile

• We are interested in applicants from a variety of
  majors
• Previous work experience does not have to be
  government related
• Both our students and alumni represent the
  not-for-profit, private, and public sectors

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The Harvard Universe
14 Different schools Graduate training in a
variety of fields Each school runs its own
operations Different admission offices and
policies
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HKS Overview
4 masters degrees
40 international students
900 full time students
80 countries
0-40 years of work experience in the public,
non-profit, and private sectors
500 colleges and universities previously attended
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What are we looking for?

• Commitment to public service and to making a
  difference

Leadership skills Quantitative ability
Strong academics Diverse backgrounds
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Overview of Degree Programs
Degree Details Requirements
Master in Public Policy (MPP) 2-year program Core curriculum analysis, management, and leadership Bachelors degree Work experience none, average is 2-3 years
Two-Year Master in Public Administration (MPA2) 2-year program Flexible curriculum Bachelors degree substantial graduate-level coursework Work experience 3 years
Mid-Career Master in Public Administration (MC/MPA) Mason Program 1-year program Flexible curriculum Bachelors degree Work experience 7 years, average is 14 years
Master in Public Administration/International Development (MPA/ID) 2-year program Core curriculum Economics-centered, multi-disciplinary Bachelors degree quantitative coursework Work experience none, average is 4 years
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PhD Programs

• Public Policy
• Political Economy and Government
• Health Policy
• Social Policy

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Master in Public Policy (MPP)

• Work experience is not required (but the average
  is 2-3 years)
• Two year program
• Core curriculum plus electives
• Average age 26
• Average class size 227

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MPP Curriculum
Core Requirements Policy Area Concentration
Year 1 Year 2
Economics Quantitative Analysis Politics Advocacy Strategic Management Ethics Policy Analysis Leadership Business Government Policy Democracy, Politics, Institutions International Global Affairs International Trade Finance Political Economic Development Social Urban Policy
Spring Exercise Policy Analysis Exercise
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MPP Spring Exercise

• Two-week long simulation that offers students an
  intense challenge of intellectual integration and
  practical application spanning the disciplines
  represented in the MPP core.
• Students practice applying core tools and
  concepts in a setting and at a pace approximating
  professional reality.
• Students attend presentations and write policy
  memos and briefings related to the challenge.
• Past Spring Exercise topics have included
• Sex Trafficking
• Global Warming
• AIDS in Africa
• Rebuilding Afghanistan

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MPP Policy Analysis Exercise

• Capstone of the MPP program - equivalent to a
  thesis.
• Students work with a real world client to
  implement a solution to a public policy problem.
• Recent award winning PAEs include
• 21st Century GDP National Indicators for a New
  Era
• Rail Station Renovation Studies Recommendations
  for the Redevelopment of New Yorks Penn Station
• Reintegration of Former Child Soldiers in the
  Cote dIvorie

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Master in Public Administration (MPA2)

• Prerequisites at least three years full-time
  professional work experience and a masters
  degree or considerable relevant graduate course
  work
• Two-year program
• Average age 30
• Average class size 71

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MPA2 Curriculum

• Two courses from a policy area
• One class from each distribution area
• Economics and Quantitative Analysis
• Sample class Public Sector Economics
• Management and Leadership
• Sample class Judgment Making, Decision Making,
  and Behavior
• Political Thought and Institutions
• Sample class Religion, Politics, and Public
  Policy
• Electives
• ? Flexible curriculum

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Mid-Career MPA

• Minimum of seven years full-time professional
  work experience (average is 14 years)
• Average age 39
• Average class size 196
• One year program
• Developing country citizens apply through the
  Mason Program

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Mid-Career MPA Curriculum

• Summer program
• One class from each distribution area
• Economics and Quantitative Analysis
• Sample class The Political Economy of Trade
• Management and Leadership
• Sample class Decision Making and Leadership in
  the Public Sector
• Political Thought and Institutions
• Sample class Human Rights and International
  Politics
• Electives

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MPA in International Development (MPA/ID)

• Pre-requisites microeconomics, macroeconomics,
  and multivariable calculus. Statistics and linear
  algebra are desirable but not required.
• Work experience is not required, but strongly
  preferred, preferably in a developing country
• Two year program
• Average age 27
• Average class size 70

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MPA/ID Curriculum

• Core courses
• Electives
• Summer internship
• Past internships Turkish Treasury Department, US
  Embassy in Madagascar, Boston Consulting Group,
  and Inter-American Development Bank
• Second Year Policy Analysis (SYPA)
• Capstone paper designed to integrate students
  coursework and skills acquired during the program
  
• Objective is to provide specific policy
  recommendations in the context of a concrete
  developmental problem

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Combined Degree Programs

• Joint Degrees
• Harvard Business School
• Harvard Law School
• Concurrent Degrees
• Business UPenn, Dartmouth, Stanford, MIT
• Law Berkeley, Duke, Georgetown, Michigan, NYU,
  Northwestern, UPenn, Stanford, Yale
• Divinity Harvard (MTS or MDiv)
• Design Harvard (MUP)
• Medicine Case-by-case

Cross registration opportunities are available
within Harvard, MIT Sloan School of Management,
and Tufts Fletcher School.
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Admissions Tips

• Sign up for the admissions blog to stay
  up-to-date on admissions information and
  recruitment activities.
• ? hksadmissionblog.tumblr.com
• Plan Ahead! In the coming months
• Register for the GRE, GMAT, TOEFL, and/or IELTS
  by the end of October/early November.
• Obtain transcripts from all of the schools you
  attended for credit.
• Select your recommenders and ask if they will
  write a letter of recommendation for you.

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Test Information

• GRE and GMAT
• Not cutoffs, we prefer scores in the top 30
• TOEFL
• Minimum iBT score of 100 and we prefer 25 on each
  section
• IELTS
• Minimum score of 7 and prefer score of 7 on each
  section.

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The Cycle

• One application open date September
• One application deadline date - December
• One decision release date March
• One class start date September

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Deadline December 2, 2014

• All required materials must be included with the
  application and submitted by this date.
• Transcript
• 3 letters of recommendation
• Resume/CV
• Essay(s)
• GRE, GMAT, TOEFL, and/or IELTS
• Visit hks.harvard.edu/degrees/admissions/apply to
  learn more.

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HKS Themes

• Service
• Leadership
• Advocacy
• Involvement in community

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Overview of Financial Assistance
Source Admitted Students Fall 2012 Please note
These figures should not be considered predictive
of the likelihood of receiving aid or the amount
received. Amount of aid available and the number
of recipients will vary based upon the
availability of funding.
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Loan Repayment
Harvard Kennedy School

• Borrowing is a reality for many at HKS

However, there are options!

• HKS Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP)
• Helps graduates employed for non-profit and
  government organizations with modest incomes
  repay their loans after graduation.
• Key Features
• Available for both domestic and international
  borrowers
• Eligible for 5 years of participation

• Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness
• Provides loan forgiveness for borrowers who repay
  their loans using an income based repayment plan
  for the amount remaining after 10 years of
  employment for 501C(3) or U.S. based governmental
  position (federal, state, and local).
• Key Features
• For domestic borrowers only

Source Borrowers only, class of 2012
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Office of Career Advancement

• Individual career coaching
• JACK Jobs and Careers for the Kennedy School,
  our dynamic job bank and career management system
• A wide range of job search tools and skill
  development resources
• Employers on Campus program

• Connections to our expansive alumni community
• Networking events with alumni and practitioners
  addressing the professional areas of interest
  most often pursued by our graduates
• Information on career-related programming
  throughout HKS and the Harvard community

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Employment Post-HKS

• The HKS degree remains resilient in a sluggish
  economy.
• By October, 90 of 2013 graduates reporting were
  settled (employed/continuing education). This is
  consistent with previous years.
• Most students will find their post-HKS positions
  through professional networking.
• In 2013, 84 of employers hired a single graduate
  reflecting our diversified hiring base and the
  unique trajectories of HKS graduates.
• 91 of the Class of 2013 reporting

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Employment Post-HKS

• Our graduates work in a multitude of industries
  and fields. Some of our top professional areas of
  interest are international development,
  international security, public finance, urban
  economic development, energy and the environment,
  social policy, and public affairs.
• Our graduates also work in a variety of sectors

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Student Life
Journals and Writing Opportunities
Professional Interest Councils (PIC)
Student Conferences
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John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum

• Premier arena for political speech, discussion,
  and debate.
• Since 1978, The Forum has hosted 1,000 events
  which have been seen by 650,000 people live.
• Heads of state leaders in politics, government,
  business, labor and the media academics
  community organizers and artists visit HKS.
• Forum speakers must agree to answer questions
  from the audience.
• Regularly sponsors television and radio programs,
  film screenings, and debate watch parties.

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John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum
A Conversation with Felipe Calderón
Boston Marathon Tragedy and Aftermath
The Tipping Point Elevating Women for Global
Security
A Decade in Iraq Lessons and the Landscape Ahead
A Public Address by His Excellency Macky Sall,
President of Senegal
Premiere Screening and Discussion of Game Change
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Research Centers

• Main engines of research, covering international,
  national and local issues of public policy and
  management.

Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs Carr Center for Human Rights Policy Center for International Development Center for Public Leadership Edmond J. Safra Foundation for Ethics Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations Institute of Politics Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy Joint Center for Housing Studies Malcolm Wiener Center for Social Policy Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston Taubman Center for State and Local Government The Women and Public Policy Program
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Research Centers

• Opportunities for students include
• Workshops/lectures
• Fellowships
• Funding for summer internships
• Leadership
• Mentoring
• Research projects

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Contact Information

• Phone [phone]
• E-mail admissions_at_hks.harvard.edu