Company Profile

Company Overview

The College of William and Mary, a public university in Williamsburg Virginia, is the second- oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Now, in its fourth century, W&M continues its tradition of excellence by combining the best features of an undergraduate college with the opportunities offered by a modern research university. Its moderate size, dedicated faculty, and distinctive history give William and Mary a unique character among public institutions, and create a learning environment that fosters close interaction among students and teachers.

At W&M, teaching, research, and public service are linked through programs designed to preserve, transmit, and expand knowledge. Effective teaching imparts knowledge and encourages the intellectual development of both student and teacher. Quality research supports the educational program by introducing students to the challenge and excitement of original discovery, and is a source of the knowledge and understanding needed for a better society. The university recognizes its special responsibility to the citizens of Virginia through public and community service to the Commonwealth as well as to national and international communities. Teaching, research, and public service are all integral parts of the mission of William and Mary.

W&M’s Public Policy Program was established in 1987. The public policy program exists to provide individuals with the intellectual tools necessary to improve the quality of policymaking and to make a positive impact on the Commonwealth of Virginia, the nation, and the global community. Graduates from our programs have a mastery of economics, statistics, politics, ethics and substantive policy domains that equips them to be effective contributors and leaders in the policy process, whether in the private sector, government agencies, or non-profit organizations.

We offer both an undergraduate major and a Masters in Public Policy degree. Our graduate program is designed to provide rigorous training that is both theoretical and applied. Internships and real world experiences are core components of the program and the academic classes place a strong emphasis on analytical skills and quantitative methods. Students in the graduate program may choose either the Public Policy Analysis (PPA) track or the International Development and Policy (IDP) track. We are deliberately small with approximately 25 incoming students in each track each year. Students pursuing our undergraduate major study economics, statistics, politics, law, ethics, and policy domains. This grounding is excellent preparation for further study at the graduate level and for participating effectively in the policy process at government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and private-sector firms. We graduate approximately 40 public policy undergraduate majors each year.