Master of Science in Urban Policy and Leadership (MSUPL)

Program Overview:

The Master of Urban Policy and Leadership program prepares professionals to be leaders in communities, public agencies and non-profit organizations. Strong leaders are those who:

• Have the capacity and skill to identify and assess assets and needs
• Engage, empower and mobilize people and resources
• Navigate complex policy processes and organizational systems
• Craft actionable solutions for complex problems
• Understand urban areas and the problems they face in our rapidly changing world

Through rigorous course work, active research, topical courses on urban policy, and applied experiences in the public and non-profit sectors, students learn to be:

• Critical analysts of urban problems
• Active participants in the design of innovative solutions (policies, programs, and organizations)
• Advocates for communities, organizations, and issues
• Agents of urban social justice

The MSUPL curriculum provides students with theoretical, practical, and technical knowledge to accomplish these things.

Students are trained in the art and science of urban policy analysis, organizational management, strategic planning, and community engagement. MSUPL students are provided tools to address global, national, and local conditions that undermine urban communities; the technical capacities to advocate on behalf of diverse urban populations; and the critical skills necessary to work in complex organizational arenas. Tackling issues of equity, fairness and social justice are at the heart of the MSUPL program. You can click here to read features on recent alumni.

Students work closely with a faculty advisor to design a curriculum plan that suits their interests and needs. Students may concentrate in one of three areas: Public Policy, Non-Profits, or Neighborhood Development, or they may craft their concentration in consultation with a faculty advisor aligning with their unique interests or needs.

Students can attend full-time (9-15 credits per semester) or part-time (3-6 credits), and all required courses are scheduled in the evening (after 5:30) to accommodate students who may be working or have other daytime obligations. For students interested in attending full-time, there are daytime elective courses available.

A mix of full-time faculty and highly qualified part-time instructors teach our classes. With permission from the Program Director, students may also take in-person courses at other CUNY campuses, including Baruch College and The Graduate Center, to help meet their educational and professional goals.

Our students help organize social and educational events for their colleagues at the graduate student association.  Many policy students also contribute to the student-edited and written journal, Urban Review, published each semester.

The MS in Urban Policy and Leadership (MS UPL) program is accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA). In accordance with NASPAA’s guidelines regarding public access to outcomes-related information, please click here for MS UPL Alumni Data and here for MS UPL Program Data regarding the MS UPL program.

Program Director: Jill Simone Gross, PhD

Curriculum/Course Requirements Summary

The Master of Urban Policy and Leadership requires 36 credits of graduate study (9 credits may be taken from other graduate programs within Hunter or the CUNY system). The credit requirements are broken down as follows:

• General Core (12 credits)
• Research Methods and Analysis (6 credits)
• Urban Structure (3 credits)
• Areas of Concentration (9 Credits)
• Unrestricted Electives (6 Credits)