The University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy was founded on the belief that rigorous, quantitative research is the best guide for public policy. In 1975, this conviction motivated the Committee on Public Policy Studies to advance the concept of a world-class policy program that would exhibit the University of Chicago traditions of intellectual rigor and interdisciplinary investigation.
Since 1988, when the School as we know it opened its doors, Chicago Harris has continued to build on this rich legacy. Honoring its foundation, the School does not restrict itself to any particular policy domain but distinguishes itself by its unique point of view. From urban studies to early childhood development, from energy to global health and more, Harris brings an exacting, data-driven perspective to the full spectrum of policy concerns.