Social policy can transform lives. We explore the impact of laws, regulations, and data on social outcomes. We hope to improve the lives of citizens by supporting their education, work, health, and well-being. We also identify and address inequalities in access to support and services for individuals and communities.
Academic Overview
Professor Lisa Gennetian uses the tools of economics to get at the thorny policy questions about poverty, inequality, and the well-being of children.
Related Programs & Courses
- Public Policy Studies major
- Child Policy Research Certificate (open to all Duke majors)
- Master of International Development Policy (MIDP) (Social Welfare Policy area of focus available)
- Master of Public Policy (MPP) (Social Policy Concentration available) - View concentration requirements
PhD in Public Policy
- Center for Child and Family Policy
- Family Connects
- Hart Leadership Program
- North Carolina Education Research Data Center
- Samuel Dubois Cook Center on Social Equity
- Social Science Research Institute
Highlights & Stories
Research Spotlight
Launched in 2008, Parenting Across Cultures (PAC) examines how biological, cultural and familial processes impact child development, self-regulation and risk-taking. The Duke-led longitudinal study follows a culturally diverse cohort of 1,417 8-year-old boys and girls and their parents across nine countries: China, Colombia, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Philippines, Sweden, Thailand, and the United States. The researchers aim to understand how risk-taking develops across adolescence as a function of biological maturation (puberty and age) and socialization (parenting and culture).
Student Spotlight
Duke Sanford students worked on a visionary mission: to make North Carolina’s public schools the nation’s best by 2030. Professor Jenni Owen’s public policy students collaborated with NC Superintendent of Public Instruction Maurice “Mo” Green, his team, and other partners to advance the NC Department of Public Instruction’s strategic plan. Students solicited input, conducted policy analysis, and generated recommendations for the state government agency.
Faculty Profile
CJ Appleton is eager to bridge the gap between criminology scholarship and US policy. His focus is on desistance, the process of ending a criminal career. One of his key findings: participants who could integrate their trauma into a coherent, redemptive life story were more likely to sustain desistance.
Research Highlight
When Americans discuss the concept of "wealthy," the policy conversation often focuses on the ultra-rich. Far less attention is given to the children who have no wealth at all, the children who are growing up in what researchers call “net worth poverty.” Two new studies explore the issue.
What can you do with a focus on social policy?
John-Paul Smith MPP'20
alumni story
As executive director of North Carolina Education Corps, John-Paul Smith is leading a statewide effort to ensure every child has the support they need to learn to read and thrive. The work of North Carolina Education Corps builds directly on values shaped at Sanford: inspire excellence, value relationships, and work smart with the conviction that people and purpose belong at the center of policy.
Key Partnerships
Center for Child and Family Policy
The Center for Child and Family Policy is dedicated to improving the well-being of children and families through research, education, and engagement. They study factors influencing child outcomes, develop and test promising interventions, and advance evidence-based practices and policies to inform change and unlock opportunities for all children and their families.
Family Connects International
Recently launched as a 501c3 nonprofit, Family Connects offers an evidence-based nurse home visiting program for newborns and their families. It's also one example of CCFP’s success in developing research-based strategies for reducing inequities and promoting positive outcomes for all children.
Hart Leadership Program
The Hart Leadership Program challenges students to practice the art of leadership in public life. Through academic courses, experiential learning programs, community-based research, and co-curricular initiatives, students develop their frameworks for leadership and work alongside others toward a common purpose.
NC Education Research Data Center
The North Carolina Education Research Data Center (NCERDC) was established in 2001 through a partnership with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to store and manage a publicly accessible dataset to provide researchers and the broader policy community ready access to the data on the state's public schools, school districts, students and teachers.
Cook Center on Social Equity
The Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity is a scholarly collaborative that studies the causes and consequences of inequality and develops remedies for these disparities and their adverse effects.
Social Science Research Institute
The Social Science Research Institute brings together researchers interested in problems that cross the various social and behavioral sciences, including issues that connect with the humanities and natural sciences. They promote multidisciplinary collaboration among such scholars as they work on critical social issues that are challenging to address fully within any discipline.
Let's Connect!
Interested in pursuing a degree with a focus on social policy? Great! The admissions page for each program has detailed guidelines, including our contact info. Please reach out!