The 4+1 Accelerated Master of Public Policy track is an opportunity for current Duke undergraduate students to complete both their undergraduate and master’s degrees in five years.
How it Works
Over the course of their senior year and their fifth year at Duke, 4+1 students will complete the entire 51 graduate credits required for the traditional two-year MPP degree.
Special Note
This is a continuous enrollment program; students may not take a leave of absence between the undergraduate and graduate portions of their degrees.
- Must be a current Duke undergrad
- Must have an overall 3.5 GPA, maintained through junior year
- Must have completed all Trinity College requirements*
- Must have completed all required courses for their major*
- Must meet with MPP leadership. Email us: mppadmit@duke.edu
*Note: Applicants are not expected to have completed all 34 class credits as required for an undergraduate degree by the end of their junior year. Rather, students must have completed all specific Trinity College requirements and major requirements. The graduate MPP courses taken during senior year count towards the 34 classes needed to complete a Duke bachelor’s degree.
Depending on exemplary performance in specific Duke undergraduate coursework, 4+1 students may qualify for waivers within the MPP core curriculum. These waivers exempt students from specific courses within the curriculum, not credit hours. Examples can include:
| Undergrad Performance | MPP curriculum waiver |
|---|---|
| Statistics: Grade of A or higher | PubPol 812/813/822: Statistics core |
| Microeconomics: Grade of A or higher | PubPol 810/811: Microeconomics core |
| Applied/policy-centric ethics: Grade of A or higher | PubPol 816: Ethics |
To apply for the 4+1 Accelerated Master of Public Policy, students must submit an MPP Application by April 20th during their Junior year. All standard application materials are required of 4+1 applicants, with the following exceptions:
- One of the 3 recommendations must come from the applicant's major/academic advisor, attesting that the applicant has completed (or is on track to complete) all specific Trinity College requirements and major requirements by the end of their Junior year, with only credit hours remaining (which will be satisfied by graduate MPP courses taken during senior year).
- 4+1 applicants are not required to submit an application fee.
- April 20 (of junior year): Application deadline
- May 1: Notification of admission decision by MPP admissions
- May 15: Deadline to accept/commit to 4+1 program
Undergrad Senior Year (MPP First Year)
4+1 students will continue in their status as an undergraduate student through their Senior year (while completing Sanford's graduate MPP core courses). During their Senior year, 4+1 student's will pay the undergraduate tuition rate, while maintaining their undergraduate financial aid package.
+1 Year (MPP Second Year)
In their post-baccalaureate 5th year of study, 4+1 students will be charged the MPP tuition/fees, and become eligible for graduate loans. MPP scholarships will not be awarded to 4+1 students by Duke Sanford during either year of the 4+1 program.
Begin the Process Sophomore Year
Given the amount of proactive planning needed to complete the requirements, interested students should begin exploring the viability of the 4+1 MPP program during their sophomore year of study at Duke.
Good Financial Sense
Laila Dames chose the 4+1 program because she appreciates the opportunity to learn from "amazing professors and peers who have a similar goal of wanting to change the world." She says the program "makes a lot of financial sense" because her undergraduate financial package covers the first year of the graduate program. "I get the benefits of being a graduate student while still completing my undergraduate degree," she says. - Laila Dames PPS'26/MPP'27
It's Worth It
Kathryn Anderson learned about the 4+1 program during her freshman spring. Her TA was in the program and recommended it. Planning it out took some foresight, she says, but it's worth it. "Now, what is technically my senior year of undergrad, I’m taking first-year courses for an MPP degree. Taking master’s level classes is exciting. It is enriching to have people in the classroom who can draw on their own experiences actually working in the policy field." - Kathryn Anderson PPS’24 MPP’25
Details
- Download document with requirements and course information.
- The 4+1 program is now open to all majors. Read the announcement.