Online Master's in Public Policy

Degree Options

100% online, 8-week courses

Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total

Next Start Dates: January 19, 2026 | February 16, 2026 | March 23, 2026

Find the Best Solutions to Society’s Problems with a Public Policy Master’s Online

Public policy issues are of paramount importance in today’s world. Liberty University’s Master of Arts in Public Policy (M.A.P.P.) online degree program is designed to help teach you important concepts in political philosophy that affect how people think.

The critical political issues of today all center around opinions on public policy. Healthcare, taxation, immigration, and international relations are all issues in public policy. This degree can help prepare you for exciting opportunities in many career fields, including public administration, government, and politics.

Our courses can help equip you to serve effectively as an expert in the field of public policy and will emphasize the importance of applying ethics to management practices. Through the master’s in public policy, you can strengthen your critical thinking skills and stretch your comprehension of critical issues facing today’s society.

Your officially conferred degree name will be Master of Arts in Public Policy (M.A.P.P.).

What Will You Study in Our Master’s in Public Policy Online Program?

In our online Master of Arts in Public Policy degree, you can receive balanced training in policy and government designed to help equip you to succeed in many public service roles. You will explore theories and practices that are essential to public administration, including the politics of government bureaucracy, core functions of government, and economic impacts of these practices on communities.

As a student in our program, you can study how to critically analyze how worldviews impact American public policy as well as how legal and contemporary political issues affect those policies. You can also gain practical skills in budgeting, hone your leadership skills for public administration, and learn how relevant theories and practices apply to real-world settings and situations.

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Degree Information

Why Choose Liberty’s Online Master’s in Public Policy Degree?

Liberty’s M.A.P.P. degree online is offered as a joint venture of Liberty University’s School of Law and Helms School of Government. You can complete this degree 100% online, which gives you the flexibility to remain active in your job, family, and community without the need to commute to a residential campus. The master’s in public policy degree provides access to faculty who are political leaders and policymakers and who teach from a biblical worldview.

Completing Liberty’s Master of Arts in Public Policy degree online can help enhance your expertise in political philosophy and key concepts in American governance so you can articulate your ideas in fields such as research and politics. You can gain an understanding of thought patterns from a wide spectrum of political philosophers that continue to affect today’s society. Our M.A.P.P. degree helps train students like you to effectively shape policy in governmental, legislative, political, communications, academic, and international relations areas.

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600+ Online Degrees
No Standardized Testing for Admission
Transfer in up to 75% of an Undergrad Degree
Transfer in up to 50% of a Grad/Doctoral Degree

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Potential Careers for Master’s in Public Policy Graduates

By completing a master’s in public policy, you can pursue a variety of job opportunities in the world of government, politics, and policy creation. Some of the roles you may qualify for include:

Lobbyist
Local, state, or federal government representative
Political leader

Public interest/advocate group leader
Public relations specialist
Researcher

Master’s in Public Policy Degree Options

Within the online master’s in public policy, you will have the opportunity to choose from several areas of study that grant specialized expertise. You can also pursue our general track for the added flexibility of free electives.

No matter which public policy master’s track you choose, you will have the option to either demonstrate your expertise with a thesis project or further explore areas of interest with additional elective courses.

Generalized Track (No Specialization)

Our online Master of Arts in Public Policy – Generalized Track* program is designed to help provide you with the backbone of an excellent public policy program with the flexibility and freedom to select a large number of electives. With no specific specialization, you can mix and match courses and create a personalized degree program that fits your unique passions.

View the Degree Completion Plan.

*Please note that this is not a specialization. Any reference using the term “General” is the main degree and is only used to differentiate from other specializations.

Campaigns and Elections

Chinese Affairs

Our online Master of Arts in Public Policy – Chinese Affairs is designed to help set you on a career path that involves working to understand China’s global presence, ambitions, and the threat they may pose to the free world. You can develop the versatile skills, understanding, and ethics necessary to pursue a career in several areas of government that deal with public policy, national security, or a related field.

View the Degree Completion Plan.

International Affairs

Our online Master of Arts in Public Policy – International Affairs can help prepare you for an exciting career with a global reach. You can become equipped to serve effectively as an expert in the field of international public policy with a specific emphasis on foreign policy, government and non-government agencies, strategic intelligence, and more.

View the Degree Completion Plan.

Leadership

Our online Master of Arts in Public Policy – Leadership is designed to help provide you with the critical thinking and communication skills vital to your success in public policy leadership positions at any level of government. Policy analysis, policy implementation, and decision-making will be highlighted and taught as imperative skills for your future in public policy.

View the Degree Completion Plan.

Middle East Affairs

Policy Studies

Public Administration

Our online Master of Arts in Public Policy – Public Administration is designed to help equip you with the tools and skills to succeed in professional and administrative capacities surrounding public policy. You can learn about government policy and execution, enhance your management and leadership skills, and obtain a greater understanding of social issues.

View the Degree Completion Plan.

Speak to one of our admissions specialists to help you choose the program that best fits your needs.

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Tuition & Aid

At Liberty University, a private Christian education is less expensive than you think. Over the last 10 years, Liberty University’s Online Program has only raised its standard tuition costs by less than 5% – and most of our online tuition rates rank in the top 35% for affordability for 2025 when compared to our leading online competitors.

Graduate Full Time	$580/Credit
Graduate Part Time	$645/Credit
Military Graduate	$290/Credit

These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.

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Admission Information for Liberty’s Public Policy Graduate Program

Admission Requirements

Apply online or over the phone with an admissions counselor by calling (800) 424-9596.
- A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required).
Send official college transcripts (mailed as sealed, unopened copies or sent via a direct electronic transcript system). A regionally or nationally accredited bachelor’s degree with at least a 3.0 GPA is required for admission in good standing. Applicants who have earned a master’s degree or at least 12 graduate credits from an accredited institution will be assessed on the basis of the master’s-level degree work.
- Unofficial transcripts can be used for acceptance purposes with the submission of a Transcript Request Form.
Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy.

Preliminary Acceptance

If you are sending in a preliminary transcript for acceptance, you must:

Be in your final term and planning to start your master’s degree after the last day of class for your bachelor’s degree.
Complete a Bachelor’s Self-Certification Form confirming your completion date. You may download the form from the Forms and Downloads page or contact an admissions counselor to submit the form on your behalf.
Submit an official/unofficial transcript to confirm that you are in your final term. The preliminary transcript must show a minimum of 105 completed credit hours.
If you are a current Liberty University student completing your undergraduate degree, you will need to submit a Degree/Certificate Completion Application.
Send in an additional, final official transcript with a conferral date on it by the end of your first semester of enrollment in the new master’s degree.

Undergraduate Enrollment in Graduate Courses Policy

Transcript Policies

Unofficial College Transcript Policy

Unofficial transcripts combined with a Transcript Request Form can be used for admission. Official transcripts are required within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first, and will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.

Before sending unofficial college transcripts, please make sure they include the following:

Your previous school’s name or logo printed on the document
Cumulative GPA
A list of completed courses and earned credit broken down by semester
Degree and date conferred (if applicable)

Official College Transcript Policy

An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to luoverify@liberty.edu.

If the student uses unofficial transcripts with a Transcript Request Form to gain acceptance, all official transcripts must be received within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first. Failure to send all official transcripts within the 60-day period will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.

Admissions Office Contact Information

Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.

Who May Qualify?

Active Duty
Reserve/National Guard
Veterans/Retirees
Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees
Current Department of Defense Employees

Available Benefits:

Tuition discounts – $290 per credit hour for graduate courses
Additional discount for veterans who serve in a civilian capacity as a First Responder*
8-week courses, 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times (may exclude certain courses such as practicums, internships, or field experiences)

*Not applicable to certificates.

These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.

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*Some restrictions may occur for this promotion to apply. This promotion also excludes active faculty and staff, military, non-degree-seeking, DGIA, Continuing Education, WSB, and certificate students.

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Master of Arts in Public Policy (M.A.P.P.) Learn to Make a Difference

Find the Best Solutions to Society’s Problems with a Public Policy Master’s Online

What Will You Study in Our Master’s in Public Policy Online Program?

Featured Courses

Degree Information

Why Choose Liberty’s Online Master’s in Public Policy Degree?

What Sets Us Apart?

Potential Careers for Master’s in Public Policy Graduates

Master’s in Public Policy Degree Options

Generalized Track (No Specialization)

Campaigns and Elections

Chinese Affairs

International Affairs

Leadership

Middle East Affairs

Policy Studies

Public Administration

Not sure what to choose?

Tuition & Aid

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Admission Information for Liberty’s Public Policy Graduate Program

Admission Requirements

Preliminary Acceptance

Undergraduate Enrollment in Graduate Courses Policy

Transcript Policies

Admissions Office Contact Information

Military

Are you ready to change your future?

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