About POLS

The Master of Arts program in Policy, Organization, and Leadership Studies (POLS) draws upon an integrated knowledge base, the expertise of renowned faculty, and practice-based experiences to equip students for varied careers as leaders in the field of education. Under the guidance of an academic advising team, students align their program of study to their specific goals. Courses from practically every department at Stanford are open to POLS students including those in business, design, economics, fine arts, history, law, philosophy, psychology, public policy, sociology, and of course, education. POLS is a nine-month, full-time, on-campus program. Admission is highly selective.

Our Mission

Education is a joint venture. Varied parties in government, business, schools and civil society all contribute to the provision of education and must ensure its ongoing vitality. The mission of POLS is to equip people with the knowledge, theory, and hands-on experience they need to lead, make positive change, and contribute to the future of education.

Careers

POLS graduates are in a wide variety of settings and leadership roles. For example, you can find recent POLS graduates in the following roles and organizations: