PhD in Public Policy at University of Massachusetts Boston

06/01/2026

A big congratulations to our UMass Boston Class of 2026 Graduate and Doctoral students at last week's commencement! This marks the beginning of an exciting new milestone/chapter in your lives. We wish you all the best to the amazing adventures ahead! UMass Boston Alumni John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy & Global Studies

05/15/2026

An incredible day at the 2026 MGS Graduation Awards Ceremony!

We are proud of the many DPPPA students, faculty, and staff who were recognized for their outstanding achievements and contributions. Congratulations to all of this year’s award recipients!

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UMass Boston John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy & Global Studies

05/08/2026

We’re thrilled to share that our very own Beth McHugh, an MPA candidate, won the Richard Beinecke Best Capstone Competition! This annual event, sponsored by the NNE Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration, brings together top capstone students from MPA and MPP programs across the region. This year, six programs participated: Brandeis, Northeastern, Suffolk, UMass Amherst, UMass Boston, and Westfield State University.

Beth’s capstone focused on improving early childhood literacy, and she impressed the faculty panel with her mastery of research design, methodology, and professional presentation. Congratulations, Beth, on a well-deserved Best Capstone title!

We’re proud to see our MPA program continue to shine among our peers in research rigor and capstone quality. Thanks to everyone who supports our students and their remarkable work.

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UMass Boston John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy & Global Studies

05/07/2026

A full house for an inspiring evening! Last week, the DPPPA hosted the MPA Alumni Careers and Pi Alpha Alpha Induction Event, to celebrate the accomplishments of the Classes of 2024 and 2025 through their induction into Pi Alpha Alpha. This alumni event welcomed four MPA alumni back to share their career journeys and reflect on how the MPA program has shaped their professional paths.

The event was a wonderful opportunity to connect, celebrate, and highlight the impact of our student, faculty, and alumni community.

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UMass Boston John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy & Global Studies

05/05/2026

Congratulations to Jack Li, Graduate Program Administrator, on his nomination for the UMass Boston Chancellor’s Staff Achievement Award!

The award recognizes two UMB staff members who have demonstrated exceptional performance in one or more of the following categories — innovation, initiative, service, and excellence in contributing to a culture of inclusive excellence and belonging.

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UMass Boston John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy & Global Studies

04/21/2026

We’re proud to share that Afsana Alam has been selected as a 2026 Founders’ Fellow by the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) National!

A few weeks ago in Los Angeles, she participated in the ASPA Annual Conference, where she presented her research on pay equity in the care economy. Through the fellowship, Afsana engaged in mentorship, professional development, and meaningful conversations with scholars and practitioners working across public policy and administration.

This recognition highlights her important contributions to advancing equity in public service. Check out photos from the event below!

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UMass Boston John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy & Global Studies Afsana Preeti

04/14/2026

Our PhD Student, Afsana Alam, will be organizing the 'Career Navigation & Mentorship Workshop for Women of Color' THIS FRIDAY, Apr 17 (12–2 PM).

This event is part of the Transformative Equity Grant project, Listening to Heal, focused on supporting women of color students at UMass Boston, in collaboration with Academic and Career Engagement and Success (ACES).

The session will bring together panelists and interactive discussions to support students as they navigate career pathways.

Feel free to join the workshop if you're interested! *Lunch will also be served!

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UMass Boston John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy & Global Studies

04/08/2026

Proud moment for our Masters in Public Administration (MPA) Program! 🎉 We’ve once again ranked in the Top 100 for 2026's Best Graduate Schools rankings — coming in at #64 (tie)!

Thank you to our faculty, students, and partners who make this possible. UMass Boston | UMass Boston John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy & Global Studies

04/01/2026

Congratulations to our doctoral candidates—Abra Berkowitz, Asad Butt, and Terrien Thompson—on reaching this incredible milestone!

We were proud to celebrate their achievements at the 3rd Annual Doctoral Candidacy Ceremony on March 31st at the UMass Boston Campus Center Ballroom. This moment marks the culmination of hard work, dedication, and perseverance as they advance to the next stage of their doctoral journeys.

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UMass Boston John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy & Global Studies

03/27/2026

We’re excited to highlight a new publication from Asad Ejaz Butt in the Library of Economics and Liberty (Econlib)!

“The Sacrifice Ratio Puzzle” examines why inflation declined after its 2022 peak without the expected rise in unemployment—challenging traditional economic assumptions. The piece also explores how supply shocks, tariffs, and anchored expectations are reshaping today’s policy landscape.

Read it here:

Inflation began rising in 2021 due to pandemic-related supply chain disruptions and reopening dynamics. The Russia-Ukraine war that started in February 2022 intensified these pressures through a commodity super cycle (a broad and sustained surge in energy and raw material prices) that sent inflation...