With demand for evidence-based social policy growing rapidly at government and nonprofit organizations alike, Rice University’s Master of Social Policy Evaluation (MSPE) is now accepting applications for its fall 2027 cohort.
Housed in Rice’s School of Social Sciences, the 12-month, 30-credit-hour program offeres an interdisciplinary approach, drawing its course content from the fields of psychology, political science, economics and sociology.
Students learn to conduct independent policy evaluations using various statistical methods. The curriculum gives students the chance to develop and refine their analytical skills by studying different methodological and empirical approaches, while learning the skills they need to design and conduct policy evaluations personalized for specific situations with varying degrees of available data.
“The MSPE is designed to engage students in unparalleled classroom experiences offered by leading experts and to provide the opportunity to put learned skills into practice,” said Abbey Godley, Assistant Dean for Student Programs. “We are confident that our graduates have the skills needed to positively affect how government and nonprofits work through effective program and policy evaluation.”
The program also provides students a unique hands-on experience by drawing upon real-world policy evaluations conducted at the Kinder Institute for Urban Research and the United Way of Greater Houston’s Coffee and Quality programming. Students also pursue Areas of Study that include criminal justice, public health, early childhood development and education, and labor markets, among others.
Starting in fall 2026, incoming MSPE students are eligible for three different fellowship opportunities, made possible by a generous grant from the Houston Endowment.
Applicants for the MSPE program are encouraged to may apply Early Decision by December 15th or Regular Decision by February 15th.
For more information, visit socialpolicy.rice.edu.