Sanford School of Public Policy

Sanford School of Public Policy At the Duke Sanford School of Public Policy, we prepare bold leaders and innovative thinkers to take on the world’s most pressing challenges.

Improving lives and communities by researching the most pressing public policy issues and preparing students for leadership, civic engagement and public service. Among the nation’s leading public policy schools, we offer undergraduate, master’s and doctoral-level degrees in public policy, international development policy, public affairs, and national security policy.

09/03/2026

"The current trade war brewing between Canada and the United States risks upending and transforming the relationship between the two countries and tells us something about where U.S. foreign policy might be going next.”
–Dr. Susan Colbourn, Associate Research Professor at the Duke Sanford School of Public Policy and Associate Director of the Duke Program in American Grand Strategy

Dr. Colbourn shares her expertise as a diplomatic and international historian and answers questions of U.S.-Canada trade, history, and political strategy.

What it's like to sharpen your policy writing skills at Duke Sanford? How can a strong statement of purpose help your gr...
08/29/2026

What it's like to sharpen your policy writing skills at Duke Sanford? How can a strong statement of purpose help your graduate school application stand out?

Join our upcoming interactive webinar on writing for public policy audiences and learn how effective policy writing differs from academic and professional writing. We'll also go over how to write a compelling statement of purpose for your application to our Master of Public Policy (MPP) or Master of International Development Policy (MIDP) programs that connects and highlights your goals, experiences and potential for impact.

💻 MIDP & MPP: Public Policy Writing and Graduate Admissions Essay Tips
🗓️ Tuesday, Sept. 1, 8:30–9:30 a.m. EDT
🔗 Register for the link: https://applygp.duke.edu/register/pubpolwritingwebinar

Fall 2026 Master of Public Affairs residency ✔️ Our newest MPA cohort experienced a Duke Sanford residency in person fo...
08/27/2026

Fall 2026 Master of Public Affairs residency ✔️

Our newest MPA cohort experienced a Duke Sanford residency in person for the first time, while members of the inaugural cohort returned to campus for their final residency before they graduate.

From coursework and an offsite day at Durham City Hall to a keynote conversation with former U.S. Rep. David Price, the week connected students with faculty, local government leaders and one another.

Thank you to the faculty, staff, speakers and community partners who helped make our students’ residency experience a memorable one!

Read about the residency: https://sanford.duke.edu/story/two-mpa-cohorts-come-together-week-learning-connection-and-public-service/

08/26/2026

Duke Sanford School of Public Policy’s new dean JR DeShazo launches a new project - 250 days and an exploration of what makes Sanford special.

recently partnered with the Duke Nashville alumni chapter to volunteer at PENCIL's school supply store. Duke alumni an...
08/26/2026

recently partnered with the Duke Nashville alumni chapter to volunteer at PENCIL's school supply store. Duke alumni and friends stocked shelves, counted donated school supplies, and organized supplies for teachers to use in their classrooms. To all those who joined us, thank you!

08/25/2026

What makes the Duke Sanford Master of Public Policy experience stand out? Rigorous policy training, opportunities to explore what you care about, and a community of people who help expand your perspective, challenge your thinking, and prepare you to make a bigger impact.

At Sanford, you'll build the quantitative and analytical skills employers demand while learning from faculty across disciplines, exploring courses throughout Duke, and connecting with a community that supports you long after graduation.

Hear directly from MPP students and faculty about what makes the Sanford experience unique.

Wishing all of our students a great FDOC!
08/24/2026

Wishing all of our students a great FDOC!

That’s a wrap on orientation at Duke Sanford! 💙 Our newest students spent the week getting to know their programs, one a...
08/22/2026

That’s a wrap on orientation at Duke Sanford! 💙 Our newest students spent the week getting to know their programs, one another and the Sanford community. Along the way, MPP students packaged 10,000 meals for Rise Against Hunger, MIDP fellows took on Duke Recreation & Physical Education's new indoor bouldering wall, and students across our graduate programs connected with faculty and President Price over lunch. They also heard from Dean JR DeShazo during a welcome and Q&A session.

With orientation complete, we’re looking forward to the start of a new academic year together.

The Duke Sanford 2026 Master of Public Affairs (MPA) cohort is back together for their second residency – and this time,...
08/21/2026

The Duke Sanford 2026 Master of Public Affairs (MPA) cohort is back together for their second residency – and this time, they’re in Durham!

For the cohort’s first residency on Duke’s campus, students are spending the week connecting with faculty and classmates, diving into coursework, and getting to know the Duke and Durham communities.

Yesterday, they took their learning beyond the classroom with an offsite day at Durham City Hall, where they heard directly from local government practitioners working on some of the city’s most important public policy challenges.

The day included:
· A welcome from Durham Mayor Leonardo Williams
· An executive briefing on the City of Durham, featuring Sanford alumna Mary Grace Stoneking
· Case studies exploring local government reorganization and housing affordability in Durham
· A “postcard tour” of downtown Durham to learn more about the city, its history and its community

Experiences like this offsite day are an important part of the Duke MPA residency: connecting classroom learning with practice and giving students opportunities to learn directly from public affairs leaders doing the work.

Thank you to our partners at the City of Durham, NC Government for welcoming our MPA students and giving them an inside look at public service in action.

Address

201 Science Drive
Durham, NC
27708

Telephone

+19196137401

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