In this track, students concentrate on the ability of public policy to improve the well-being of all people in a society. This could be achieved by increasing earnings and other aspects of material well-being, improving educational outcomes, reducing discrimination, and addressing the causes and consequences of social behaviors such as teen pregnancy, divorce, delinquency, and crime. Policy decisions have the power to improve the design and delivery of support services to children and low income individuals, increase the quality and quantity of learning in educational institutions, boost the productivity of the work force, encourage stable and healthy households, and increase the overall quality of life in a nation. These are among the topics covered in the many courses that make up this track.

Courses are offered in several thematic areas: primary, secondary, and higher education policy, children and families, demography, poverty and income maintenance, race/gender issues, crime policy, housing/urban issues, globalization, and employment issues. Although the focus in most courses is on U.S. domestic policy, the issues are easily transferable to other environments. Students are able to craft their programs to concentrate on their specific interest areas. Graduates of GPPI who have specialized in education, social, or family policy have been employed at Abt Associates, Achieve, American Federation of Teachers, BearingPoint, Booz Allen Hamilton, Center on
Budget & Policy Priorities, Child Trends, Citizen League, Civil Rights Leadership Conference, IBM Global Business Services, Mathematica Policy Research, Mortgage Bankers Association of America, National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, National Fatherhood Initiative, National Urban League, Office of Management and Budget, RAND Corporation, Urban Institute, U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Government Accountability Office, U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, White House Domestic Policy Council, and numerous other government, private, and
nonprofit organizations.