Johns Hopkins vs. Duke: Which is better for studying public policy as an undergraduate?

At Duke, the Public Policy Studies major is designed for undergraduates and combines policy analysis, economics, statistics, ethics, and a substantive policy area. Sanford’s faculty, policy-focused research centers, and Washington-based programming give students structured ways to connect coursework with government, nonprofit, and research careers. Duke also has relevant work in education, child and family policy, health policy, and inequality, so you would not need to choose one interest too early.

Johns Hopkins can be excellent for health policy, particularly through the undergraduate Public Health Studies major and the broader Bloomberg School of Public Health environment. Baltimore also creates meaningful opportunities to examine how health systems, schools, housing, and local government intersect. For education policy, Hopkins’ School of Education and the city’s school-reform landscape can make research or community-engaged work especially tangible, although the undergraduate path is less centered on a single public-policy major.

For your stated combination of education and health policy, Duke is the stronger overall undergraduate choice because its Sanford program gives you a coherent policy curriculum and career-oriented home from the start. Johns Hopkins would be the more compelling choice if you already see health policy, epidemiology, health equity, or urban public health as the center of your academic plans and want your policy education built around those fields.