Since 1937, the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania has pioneered the training and practice of public management. Today, the institute builds on the institute's legacy of impact and innovation to prepare the world's next generation of public sector leaders.
As the Ivy League's most personal, practical program in public management, the Fels experience is unique. The institute is a small, close-knit, and collaborative community with diverse backgrounds, professions, and perspectives. A third of full-time students come from abroad.
Fels faculty and instructors are high-level practitioners and distinguished Penn scholars, focused on equipping students with versatile skills, tools, and knowledge to meet complex challenges. The curriculum is grounded in three pillars—context, analysis, and practice—that, together, catalyze results that matter.
At Fels, the team is informed by the historic, political, social, and economic context dictating the public landscape. Fels is grounded in public management theory and fundamental principles as the institute shapes the future through diverse perspectives and cutting-edge practices.
The institute believes in the critical analysis of information to solve problems and improve the creation, implementation, and evaluation of public policy. In an era of data-driven decision-making.
As the hallmark of the Fels experience, hands-on practice enables Fels students to apply and advance their knowledge while serving the public good. Inside and outside the classroom, students are engaged in solving real-world problems and developing innovative solutions for a variety of complex issues.
