Master of Science in Public and Urban Policy - Finance

Nearly all government, nonprofit, and public and private enterprises need staff members or managers whose primary responsibilities are to guide investment activities, report on financial conditions, manage internal financial reports, and develop and carry out financial activities that affect the current and future operating plans of their organization or enterprise.

Courses in finance emphasize accountability and the leveraging of private resources for public purposes. Students learn the fundamentals of budgeting and financial management in the public, private, governmental, and nonprofit sectors. Coursework includes introductory accounting and finance, learning the fundamentals of impact investing, the financing of housing and community development projects, and ways to address the entrepreneurial needs of socially responsible business ventures. In more advanced courses, students prepare financial pro formas for affordable housing, evaluate courses of action for economic development organizations, assess and recommend management decisions in the context of microfinance, and learn to identify and secure gap funding for projects. Courses in this area help prepare students for positions in the public, private, governmental, and nonprofit sectors, including careers in banking, community development lending, and municipal finance and at public agencies, NGOs, and community development corporations.

There is also an opportunity for experiential learning through the Community Development Finance Lab Project. Students work as financial consultants to local community-based organizations to provide analysis based on networking with professionals in the field.

Statement of Purpose
Please submit a 750- to 1000-word statement of purpose. Your statement of purpose should convey why you are interested in our program. Please share your academic and professional goals, and areas of specializations within public or urban policy that are of interest to you. The statement of purpose presents you with the opportunity to tell the admission committee about who you are and why you want to pursue a graduate education now. It is also a place to explain or provide context for the rest of your application materials.

Submit Your R'sum or CV
Submit a one to two-page r'sum/curriculum vitae summarizing your academic qualifications, relevant work experience, published writing, volunteer/community work, professional networking, public speaking, and/or any other relevant experiences that may relate to your field of study, including dates and positions held. Please also note any special language or computer skills that you have.
Submit Two Letters of Recommendation
Two letters of recommendation from professional and/or academic references are required. Recommendations must be submitted by recommenders directly via the online application portal. Instructions are included in the online application.
Submit College Transcripts
Applicants must upload an unofficial transcript, mark sheet, or academic record for each institution (even if you didnt receive a degree) in the Academic History section of the online application.

All uploaded transcripts must be accompanied by a key, a legend, or the back copy of the transcript. Non-English transcripts must be accompanied by an English translation. Records from non-U.S. institutions must have grades or marks and contain a copy of diploma if the degree has been conferred. Make sure your name appears on the transcript/record. Scanned documents must be clear and legible.
Minimum required scores are:

TOEFL iBT- 92
IELTS - 7.0