Degree Requirements
The program is designed to accommodate both full-time and part-time students. To successfully complete the program students must take 4 core courses, 5 electives, and successfully complete a faculty supervised internship (total 30 credits).
Faculty Supervised Internship
After completion of the required courses, EPP students would undertake a semester-long internship course to work with a governmental or non-governmental organization with which the EPP program has established a placement protocol. Interns develop a reading list with a faculty mentor in order to relate practical experience with theoretical reflection.
Thesis Option
Under some circumstances (usually for a student intending to apply to PhD programs), the internship may be replaced by a master’s thesis, provided that a proposal submitted by the student and a faculty advisor is passed by an ad hoc faculty committee chaired by the program director. The thesis option involves the production of a substantial research paper and in most cases would lengthen the time in the program by at least one semester.
Required Core Courses (5 courses, 15 credits)
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PHIL-701 History of Ethics and Political Phil. I
Credits:
3.00
Description:
A survey of major works and themes of moral and political philosophy from ancient Greece to the late medieval period. Topics covered will include the nature of moral duties, the connection between happiness and morality, citizenship and virtue, the meaning of a good life, the attractions and limitations of moral relativism, the foundations of legitimate government, arguments for and against democracy, realism and idealism in statecraft, and the relationship between law and ethics. Authors may include the Pre-Socratic thinkers, Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Augustine, and Aquinas, among others. Normally offered every year in the fall.
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PHIL-702 History of Ethics and Political Phil. II Philosophy Ii: Modern
Prerequisites:
Prerequisite: PHIL 701
Credits:
3.00
Description:
A continuation of PHIL 701, covering the early modern era to the dawn of the 20th century. Authors may include Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Kant, Hegel, Mill, Marx, and Nietzsche, among others. Prerequisite: PHIL 701. Normally offered every year in the spring.
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GVT-724 Politics of Public Policy
Credits:
3.00
Description:
This course examines the politics of making public policy. How is policy made? Who is involved? What kinds of information do policy-makers rely on to make their decisions? How do political opportunities shape potential for policy change, shifts or stasis? We will examine how policy decisions are made and how policy makers cope and adapt to a diverse set of constraints. We will also focus on what political strategies can be used to improve policy-making processes and outcomes. Students will be required to interview policy makers about a specific policy and write a comprehensive policy analysis. The course is intended to have both theoretical and practical value.
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P.AD-712 Information Based Management
Credits:
3.00
Description:
This course demonstrates how issues, problems, and questions surrounding public policies, program operations, and administrative systems can be structured as hypotheses and made amendable to resolution through the application of social science research techniques. The elements of research design such as surveys, true experiments, quasi-experiments, case studies and non-experimental studies are described, as well as sampling techniques and descriptive statistics. Ethical issues related to employment of these methods in the policy making process are also explored. The course content is presented as a way to reduce managerial uncertainty regarding alternative courses of action.
Electives (5 courses, 15 credits)
After fulfilling the required core curriculum students may, with the approval of the program director, chose their electives from the offerings of the Departments of Government, Philosophy and Public Management.
Admission Requirements
Content: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis for admission in the fall. You may study full- or part-time. Merit-based scholarships and other forms of financial aid are available.
Admission requirements
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
- Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT)
- International students: TOEFL (if English is not first language) and a statement of financial resources
For full details, please visit Graduate Admission.
Sample Concentrations
Below are sample tracks of study
that students may pursue, depending on their intellectual and professional
interests. These tracks are meant as suggestions only.
Students
Interested in Ethics/Policy of race relations:
-
P.AD-846 Citizen & Community Engagement
Credits:
3.00
Description:
This course will focus on building powerful community organizations, empowering ordinary citizens, and bringing about change on social and economic issues. What do we mean by community? Why do so many Americans feel that community is lacking in their lives? What role should public managers play in empowering citizens and communities? What would we do differently if we really wanted to bring citizens, elected officials and public managers together to solve problems?
Type:
MBA Public Management
Students interested in Ethical Aspects of Federal/Local Government:
-
P.AD-717 Organizational Change
Credits:
3.00
Description:
Students explore small groups and organization operations, practices, behaviors, and structures. They develop techniques for maximizing efficiency and/or effectiveness; evaluations analysis; concepts and applications of Classicists; leadership; organizational development, and result-oriented management; as well as elements of reorganization, innovation and change.
-
P.AD-811 Politics of Federal Bureaucracy
Credits:
3.00
Description:
Instructors signature required for registration. Students examine the interrelations among the federal executive, Congressional committees, constituency groups, and federal administrative agencies in the formulation and implementation of federal policies. Also discussed are managerial functions (e.g., personnel regulations, program evaluations, and intergovernmental design). This course includes a 3-day travel seminar to Washington D.C.
Type:
MBA Public Management
Students interested in Law School preparation:
-
PHIL-618 Philosophy of Law
Credits:
3.00
Description:
Readings may include a range of classical authors, such as Plato and Aquinas, as well as the works of such 20th century legal philosophers as H.L.A. Hart, Dworkin and Rawls. Also included may be leading jurists such as Oliver Wendell Holmes and Learned Hand. Issues discussed may include the nature of law, its relation to justice, and how the legal system should operate to arrive at just decisions. Normally offered every third year.
-
P.AD-848 Nonprofit Law and Ethics
Credits:
3.00
Description:
This course provides a practical framework for understanding the legal and ethical challenges continually faced by nonprofit human and social service organizations. Students learn about the various levels of legal influence, including federal, state, and city, as well as the internal laws of the corporation, and will explore the impact these laws can have on the day-to-day operation of the nonprofit organization. Students develop a methodology for identifying issues that can trigger a legal response and processes for best protecting their organizations, their clients, and themselves.
Type:
MBA Public Management
Students interested in Ethics of Institution Building/Development:
-
PHIL-619 Topics in Applied Ethics
Credits:
3.00
Description:
This course will address in depth one or more specific issues in applied ethics. Topics will vary and may range from applied issues in political thought, such as just war theory or transitional justice, to specific questions in professional ethics or social policy, such as end-of-life care, economic justice, or the role of technology in the human future. Normally offered every other year.
-
P.AD-846 Citizen & Community Engagement
Credits:
3.00
Description:
This course will focus on building powerful community organizations, empowering ordinary citizens, and bringing about change on social and economic issues. What do we mean by community? Why do so many Americans feel that community is lacking in their lives? What role should public managers play in empowering citizens and communities? What would we do differently if we really wanted to bring citizens, elected officials and public managers together to solve problems?
Type:
MBA Public Management
Students interested in Political Theory:
-
PHIL-618 Philosophy of Law
Credits:
3.00
Description:
Readings may include a range of classical authors, such as Plato and Aquinas, as well as the works of such 20th century legal philosophers as H.L.A. Hart, Dworkin and Rawls. Also included may be leading jurists such as Oliver Wendell Holmes and Learned Hand. Issues discussed may include the nature of law, its relation to justice, and how the legal system should operate to arrive at just decisions. Normally offered every third year.
-
PHIL-609 Philosophy of Freedom
Credits:
3.00
Description:
Focuses on the paradoxical relationship between freedom and responsibility and how that affects our thinking about freedom in the individual, social and political spheres. Both classical and contemporary thinkers will be considered. Normally offered every other year.
Students
interested in Healthcare Ethics:
-
PHIL-663 Bio and Medical Ethics
Credits:
3.00
Description:
An examination of the nature of life and the moral problems facing researchers, health-care practitioners and their patients, and others involved with the practice of medicine in todays society. Issues include euthanasia, the ethics of medical experimentation, the use of reproductive technologies, genetic counseling and genetic engineering, truth-telling and confidentiality in doctor-patient relationships, the cost and availability of medical care, and the possibilities for engineering life and a trans-human nature. Normally offered every third year.
-
P.AD-823 The U.S. Health System
Credits:
3.00
Description:
An introduction to the health system, its origins, its components, and how they are organized and interrelated; determinants of health and disease; the role of professions, institutions, consumers, and government; landmark legislation, and social responses to the system.
Type:
MBA Public Management
-
P.AD-836 Healthcare Economics
Prerequisites:
Take P.AD 823;
Credits:
3.00
Description:
This course integrates essential economic concepts and data analysis techniques managers need to make informed decisions about how to use their constrained resources most efficiently. Economic topics covered include supply and demand, utility, equity, marginal analysis, and cost-effectiveness. Data analysis topics include constructing and using datasets to answer specific management questions and presenting conclusions persuasively.
Type:
MBA Public Management
Students interested in Environmental Ethics:
-
PHIL-662 Environmental Ethics
Credits:
3.00
Description:
An examination of the moral issues involved in the interaction of humans with their natural environment. Topics include: the environmental crises, human-centered vs. nature-centered ethics, intrinsic value in nature, obligations to future generations, the importance of preserving endangered species and wilderness, radical ecology, ecofeminism, and the role of social justice in environmental issues. Normally offered every year.
-
P.AD-829 Environmental Policy & Administration
Credits:
3.00
Description:
Analysis of the formulation and implementation of environmental protection and energy policies. Discussion of the economic, political, and health-related consequences stemming from attempts to achieve a workable balance between energy sufficiency and environmental protection.
Type:
MBA Public Management
Students
interested in Business Ethics might take:
-
PHIL-664 Business Ethics
Credits:
3.00
Description:
An examination of the ethical questions in the working life and policies of the business and professional sectors of society. The focus will vary, but common themes will include: the role of commerce in civil society; the relation of business to conceptions of economic and social justice; the meaning and application of codes of ethics; obligations of corporations and professional organizations to shareholders and stakeholders; responsibilities to clients and colleagues; workplace conduct; the nature of success and conflicts between legal and moral obligations; the impact of globalization. The course will employ a variety of readings, including ethical theory and specific case studies. Normally offered every other year.
-
P.AD-838 Ethics in Public Service
Credits:
3.00
Description:
In this course, students study the ethical, moral, and legal dilemmas in public and private managerial operations. The gray areas of decision-making provide case studies for exploration of effective ethical practices. Management approaches to deter fraud, waste, abuse, and corrupt practices are identified as are the tools and strategies to strengthen the organizational ethic and culture in business and government. Ethical management strategies designed to improve productivity within organizations are explored.
Type:
MBA Public Management
-
P.AD-839 Leadership and Decision Making in Action
Credits:
3.00
Description:
Students learn effective approaches to leadership by examining leadership models, styles, and strategies. Emphasis is placed on the values and ethics of successful managerial leadership in public, private, and nonprofit sectors
Type:
MBA Public Management
Alumni Profile
Bruce Taub ‘10
Doctoral candidate, Philosophy Department, Boston University
After decades as an executive in the banking industry, Bruce decided he wanted to teach. Bruce—who left college for Wall Street at the age of 19—enrolled in an undergraduate degree completion program, where he took his first ethics course. That class inspired him to seek out the Ethics & Public Policy master’s program at Suffolk.
Although he had planned to teach business ethics, he was bitten by the philosophy bug in the very first week of the program. “We started with Antigone,” he says, “and I was done for. The world was a wonderful lab unfolding around us that we analyzed through the lens of ancient, medieval, and later thinkers.”
Bruce found his professors to be “real scholars—intellectually accomplished, energetic, and curious.” He collaborated with Professor Nir Eisikovits to develop a curriculum for a course on conservatism. Professor Gregory Fried provided support and encouragement as Bruce spent months further researching and revising a paper on Heidegger—despite having already earned an A.
The revision served Bruce well. He used the Heidegger essay as his writing sample when applying to PhD programs. Bruce is now a doctoral candidate at Boston University, where he is studying philosophy.
Career Options
Our graduates have gone on to find rewarding work opportunities. While some focus on the non profit, government and corporate sectors, others choose to pursue doctoral studies and academic careers.
Here are a few recent placements:
Graduate Students
Our inaugural class in 2008/2009 academic year consisted of 13 graduate students (7 male and 6 female; 2 international and 11 American). This year 11 more students joined the program. Students hail from a remarkable variety of backgrounds: investment banking, public health administration, education policy, political organizing, business, environmental policy, academic philosophy, state government, criminal justice and other areas. Some of our students are fresh out of college; others have had several (and in some cases many) years of work experience. Their research interests are correspondingly diverse. They include business ethics, political philosophy, government ethics, marine conservation, international human rights, religion, voter education, and education policy reform.Here you may find our students' names, contact information, and research interests:
-
EPP Graduate Students 2010/2011
Evan Feinaur
evan.feinauer@gmail.com
BA, University of Wisconsin
Interests: ethics, political philosophy
Alyssa Haywood
BA, University of Maine, Farmington Honors Program
Interests: education advocacy
Anton Janulius
janulis_ap@yahoo.com
MA, University of Florida
Interests: intellectual history, political philosophy
Joe Nicatra
jrnicatra@gmail.com
BA, Suffolk University
Interests: ethics, political philosophy
Kathleen Rooney
kmrooney2@suffolk.edu
BA, Emanuel College
Interests: environmental policy
Rachel Sledge
rksledge@suffolk.edu
BA, Suffolk University
Interests: ethics, philosophy of law
Avery Struthers
ajstruthers@suffolk.edu
BA, University of South Florida
Interests: political theory, policy reform
Robert Tompkins
rdtompk@gmail.com
BA, San Jose State University
Interests: public policy reform, political theory
Sam Whitney
sewhitney@suffolk.edu
BA, Suffolk University
Interests: politics, driving safety policy
-
EPP Graduate Students 2009/2010
Peter August
pmaugust@suffolk.edu
BA, Boston University
Interests: Political and Applied Philosophy, International Affairs
Hannah Berman
hlberman@suffolk.edu
BA, Indiana University
Interests: Business Ethics, Leadership, Applied Ethics, Human Rights
Jessica Dee Cerullo
jessica.cerullo@gmail.com
BS, Boston University
Interests: Public Policy, Social Justice, Applied Ethics
Melissa Clement
ailurinae84@gmail.com
BA, UMass Amherst
Interests: Public Health, Government
Tobin Williams Curran
twcurran@suffolk.edu
BA, Bridgewater State College
Interests: Political Philosophy, Social Behavior, Photography
Rita DiNunzio
rdinunzio@suffolk.edu
BA, University of New Hampshire
Interests: Political Philosophy, Psychology
Katelyn Kelly
Kekelly2@suffolk.edu
BA, Stonehill College
Interests: Government, Ethics and Public Policy Reform, Business Ethics
Nasuf Restelica
nrestelica@suffolk.edu
BA, St. Anselm College
Interests: Federal Government, Public Policy
Jack Rotondi
jvolpe@mac.com
BA, Cornell University
Interests: Political Philosophy, Mythology, Religion
Brian Smith
bbsmith@suffolk.edu
BA, Asbury College
Interests: Collective Responsibility, Richard Rorty, Political Philosophy
Michael Spiewak
mrspiewak@ccmail.suffolk.edu
BA, CUNY Staten Island
Interests: Community and Business Ethics
-
EPP Graduate Students 2008/2009
Samantha Benton
ben10758@suffolk.edu
BS, Suffolk University
Interests: environmental ethics, marine conservation, sustainable development
Michael Cooper
warlain@yahoo.com
MA, Texas Tech
Interests: political philosophy, libertarianism
Todd Finkelstone
tjfink7711@aol.com
BA, Suffolk University
Interests: political philosophy, continental philosophy
Stephanie Giordano
sgiordano@suffolk.edu
BA, Suffolk University
Interests: criminal justice policy
Daniela (Ydith) Grunfeld
dgrunfeldm@yahoo.com
BA, University of North Carolina
Interests: education policy
Kimberly Lubrano
lub10578@suffolk.edu
BA, Suffolk University
Interests: government ethics and public policy reform
Miguel Pulido
mpulido@hsph.harvard.edu
DMD, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá
Interests: public health administration
Bruce Taub
bdtaub@suffolk.edu
BS (summa cum laude), Northeastern University (Leadership)
Interests: business ethics, political philosophy
Jed Abbott-Washburn
jeddy_aw@yahoo.com
BA (summa cum lauda), Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.
Interests: political philosophy
Heather Woods
heather_woods824@yahoo.com
BA (magna cum laude), Suffolk University.
Interests: applied ethics, international human rights, public policy
Cornell Woolridge
cmwoolridge@gmail.com
BA, Skidmore College.
Interests: civic engagement, education policy, voter education
Financial Aid
Graduate fellowships and assistantships may be available for full and part time students. In order to be considered for these financial aid awards, as well as for grants and loans, candidates should submit their application for fall matriculation to the office of graduate admissions by March 15 and their financial aid application to the
Financial Aid Office by April 1.
Pearl Lectures
The Pearl Lectures in Philosophy and Public Affairs bring distinguished scholars and practitioners to Suffolk to discuss some of the most controversial moral and political questions of the day. We have recently hosted:
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Alice MacLachlan, "The Philosophical Debate about Forgiveness
-
John Baden, "Wildlands and Wounded Warriors"
-
Linda Meyer, Quinnipiac University School of Law, “Is Mercy Unjust?”
-
Joseph Prabhu, Department of Philosophy, Cal State LA, “Gandhi’s Religious Ethics”
-
David Roochnik, Department of Philosophy, Boston University, “In Defense of the Local: Aristotelian Reflections on a Politics of Place”
-
Steven Esposito, Department of Classics, Boston University, “Sophocles and Thucydides on the Limits of the Human City"
-
Nadav Tamir, Consul General of Israel to New England, “Recent Developments in the Middle East – an Israeli Perspective”
-
Eric Blumenson, Suffolk University, "Killing in Good Conscience: What's Wrong with the Lesser Evil Argument for Capital Punishment, Torture, and Other Human Rights Violations?"
-
Igor Ovchinnikov and Ivan Timofeev, Founders of Golubka Conflict Resolution NGO in Moscow, “Training NGOs in Conflict Resolution in Russia and Beyond: Tales from the Front Lines”
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Major (res.) Rami Kaplan, Co-Founder of Courage to Refuse, “ Conscientious Objection in the IDF”
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John McCumber, UCLA, and Joseph Prabhu, Cal State LA, “Philosophy after 9/11”
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Glenn Loury, Brown University, “Are Black Americans A People?”
-
David Lyons, Boston University, “Duty and Disobedience: Thoreau, Gandhi and King"
-
Sally Haslanger, MIT, “Gender and Race: Natural Kinds, Social Categories or Entrenched Illusions?”
-
Thomas Pogge, Columbia University, “Global Poverty”
Advisory Board
The International Advisory Board provides advice about curriculum development, placement and educational policy.
Alfred C. Aman, Jr., Roscoe C. O'Byrne Professor of Law, Indiana University, Bloomington
James Carroll, author and journalist, Boston Globe. Distinguished Scholar in Residence, Suffolk University
Ruth Faden, Philip Franklin Wagley Professor of Biomedical Ethics and Director of the Berman Institute of Bioethics, Johns Hopkins University
David Gebler, President, Skout Group, LLC.
Hillel Levine, Professor of Sociology and Religion, Boston University and President, International Center for Conciliation
Glenn Loury, Merton P. Stoltz Professor of the Social Sciences, Department of Economics, Brown University
David Lyons, Professor of Law and Philosophy, Boston University
Oren Nissim, CEO of Telmap Mobile Mapping Applications
Thomas Pogge, Professor of Philosophy and International Affairs, Yale University
