The existing structure of the Master’s in Public Policy & Sustainable Development (MA-PPSD) Programme at TERI SAS offers a Two-year (four-semester) Master’s Degree to candidates holding a Bachelor’s Degree in a range of disciplines. In addition, the Programme offers a Post-Graduate Diploma for senior or mid-career officers from govt. departments and ministries who join through the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) as govt.-sponsored candidates, as well as for self-sponsored participants.

In alignment with the National Higher Education Qualification Framework (NHEQF), as part of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, TERI SAS now also offers a one-year Master’s degree for students who have successfully completed a four-year (eight-semester) Bachelor’s (Honours/Honours with Research) degree programme.

The MA-PPSD encompasses a comprehensive and well-structured one year curriculum in public policy, covering key dimensions such as public policy formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. It is designed to equip students with critical analytical skills for policy analysis and to help them understand how public policy interfaces with sustainability and development concerns.

The two-year Master’s programme, however, offers significant advantages over the one-year programme option. The extended academic duration provides students with a more rigorous grounding in both theoretical and empirical aspects of public policy. It allows for deeper conceptual engagement, stronger methodological training, sustained field exposure and advanced research work. Together, these elements prepare graduates more fully for careers in government, research institutions, think tanks, international organizations, civil society, and the broader development sector.

The MA-PPSD programme moves beyond conventional academic offerings to deliver an integrated educational experience. It seamlessly integrates diverse fields to foster a holistic understanding of complex policy challenges. This comprehensive approach ensures that graduates are not only adept at policy formulation but also have a deep appreciation of the ecological, social, and economic implications of policy choices. This unique programme prepares them to craft transdisciplinary solutions for real-world sustainability dilemmas, cultivating a mindset that approaches policy challenges from multiple perspectives and equips students with practical competencies to drive sustainable development outcomes.

The MA-PPSD Programme aims to:

• Develop a solid conceptual and analytical foundation in public policy and governance.
• Enable students to understand, analyse and respond to complex policy challenges through the lens of sustainable development, equity and inter generational justice.
• Strengthen quantitative and qualitative research skills, with an emphasis on evidence based policy design, implementation and evaluation.
• Build competencies for working effectively at the interface of the state, markets and civil society—whether in government, international organisations, think tanks, consulting, NGOs or the private sector.
• Foster in students a commitment to ethical, transparent and accountable public decision making.

The MA-PPSD programme offers a unique opportunity to understand public policy, institutions, and its processes and challenges across various sectors such as energy, environment, natural resources, geopolitics, social security, public health and public finance. It equips the participants with experiential learning through the following programme specific outcomes:

• Develop a comprehensive understanding of the multiple dimensions of public policy making.
• Build strong analytical capabilities that enable a rigorous understanding of policy analysis and the assessment of both intended and potential impacts.
• Examine policy constraints, legal-governance structures and institutional complexities.
• Critically analyse public policy implementation, with a focus on sustainability and long-term development outcomes.
• Develop feasible and context appropriate policy options or reform proposals and communicate them clearly to diverse audiences through policy briefs, presentations and stakeholder engagement.
 

• Candidate with a 4-year (8-semester) Bachelor’s (Honours/ Honours with Research) degree in any programme-relevant discipline from a recognised university, with a minimum percentage/CGPA as specified by TERI SAS regulations
• Candidate with a 5-year (10-semester) Bachelor’s in Architecture (B.Arch.) degree with dedicated research component/dissertation
• Candidate with a 5-year (10-semester) Integrated BA-LLB degree with dedicated research component /dissertation
• Applicants with prior exposure to social sciences, economics, law, engineering, natural sciences, environment or related fields are encouraged to apply; diversity of backgrounds is welcomed.