Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy

What Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy does

The School of Education and Social Policy (SESP) is an academic unit within Northwestern University, a private nonprofit research institution, founded in 1926 and headquartered in Evanston, Illinois. SESP delivers higher education programs across undergraduate concentrations (Elementary Teaching, Secondary Teaching, Human Development in Context, Learning and Organizational Change, Learning Sciences, Social Policy), professional master's degrees (MS in Higher Education Administration and Policy, MS in Learning and Organizational Change, MS in Organizational Dynamics, MS in Technology People and Policy, MSEd teaching degrees), doctoral programs (PhD in Human Development and Social Policy, PhD in Learning Sciences, PhD in Computer Science and Learning Sciences), and more than fifteen graduate certificates including AI-focused offerings. The school served 351 graduates in 2026 (138 undergraduates, 198 master's, 15 PhDs) and serves primary customer segments of prospective undergraduate and graduate students, working education professionals pursuing certificates, and partner K-12 schools/districts in the Chicagoland area. SESP is ranked #2 among U.S. graduate schools of education by U.S. News & World Report (2026) and has placed in the top 15 for 24 consecutive years.

SESP's most significant proprietary technology asset is NetLogo, a free, open-source agent-based modeling software tool developed over thirty years ago by Professor Uri Wilensky for simulating complex systems (forest fires, disease spread, species evolution, social dynamics). NetLogo has been downloaded approximately 3 million times since 2010 and is used globally by researchers, policymakers, and K-16 educators. The newly established NetLogo Center (2026) is chartered to maintain and extend NetLogo, with NetLogo 7 representing the most recent release. The school also operates research centers including the Center for Talent Development, the Center for Education Efficacy Excellence and Equity (E4, recently renamed the Northwestern Collaborative for Applied Research in Education), the Baxter Center for Science Education, the Morton Schapiro Northwestern Academy for Chicago Public Schools, FUSE, STEAMbassadors, and the Kapor Foundation-funded Center for Responsible Technology, Policy, and Public Dialogue.

SESP's revenue model is primarily tuition-driven with supplementary foundation grants and philanthropic gifts. Total MSHE program tuition for Fall 2025 starts is $72,372, with international students incurring an additional $5,996 for health insurance. Recent grants include a $2.6 million three-year award from The Baxter Foundation (announced November 2025) for STEM education programs in Chicagoland and a $1 million gift from the Kapor Foundation to establish the Center for Responsible Technology. SESP does not publish standalone financials as an academic unit within Northwestern University; revenues roll up into the parent institution's nonprofit reporting. The school also leverages Northwestern's brand, marketing channels (website, social media, SESP Magazine, information sessions, Preview Days), and partnerships (100+ with Evanston Township High School alone, plus Chicago Public Schools, the McCormick School of Engineering for the joint CS/Learning Sciences PhD, the Buffett Institute for Global Affairs, and the Chicago Department of Family Support Services).

Name

Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy

Legal name

Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy

Website

https://sesp.northwestern.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1926

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

SESP is a Northwestern University academic school founded in 1926 that delivers undergraduate, master's, doctoral, and certificate programs in education, learning sciences, and social policy, and develops NetLogo, the world's leading open-source agent-based modeling software.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Professional and Management Development Training (61143)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Staff Training, Coaching & Professional Development (SEL/Mental Health) (EDAKAMAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) & Emotional Regulation Programs (EDAMAIAC)

Keywords

• Higher education degrees
• Graduate professional programs
• Education research
• Learning sciences
• Agent-based modeling software

Headquarters

HQ city

Evanston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue generated from undergraduate and graduate tuition. Total cost of tuition for full-time degree-seeking students beginning Fall 2025 is $72,372. International students additional $5,996 for health insurance.
2. Foundation Grants: External funding from foundations for specific programs. The Baxter Foundation provided $2.6 million three-year grant to continue STEM education programs in Chicagoland.
3. Donations and Gifts: Private donations and gifts including the $1 million Kapor Foundation gift to create the Center for Responsible Technology, Policy, and Public Dialogue.
4. Scholarships and Financial Aid: Partial tuition scholarships awarded to academically competitive applicants. Federally funded internships ($4,500/quarter), departmentally funded internships, and graduate assistantships providing tuition remission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SESP offers undergraduate concentrations, professional master's degrees (including MS in Higher Education Administration and Policy, Learning and Organizational Change, Technology People and Policy, and MSEd teaching programs), doctoral degrees (PhD in Learning Sciences, Human Development and Social Policy, and joint Computer Science and Learning Sciences), professional certificates, and executive education. The school also develops NetLogo, a free open-source agent-based modeling software, and operates research centers such as the NetLogo Center, Center for Talent Development, and Center for Education Efficacy Excellence and Equity.

Product overview

Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy (SESP) is an academic institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs, research centers, and software tools. The school provides undergraduate concentrations, graduate master's degrees (including MS in Higher Education Administration & Policy, MS in Learning & Organizational Change, MS in Organizational Dynamics, MS in Technology People & Policy, and MSEd teaching degrees), doctoral programs (PhD in Human Development & Social Policy, PhD in Learning Sciences, PhD in Computer Science and Learning Sciences), and professional certificates (including AI-focused certificates like AI for Design of Learning and Leading AI-Powered Organizational Change). The flagship technology product is NetLogo, a free open-source agent-based modeling software for scientific and educational use, now supported by the newly established NetLogo Center. The school also operates research centers including the Center for Talent Development, Center for Education Efficacy Excellence and Equity (E4), Morton Schapiro Northwestern Academy for Chicago Public Schools, Baxter Center for Science Education, FUSE, STEAMbassadors, and the Center for Responsible Technology Policy and Public Dialogue. The institution has earned its highest-ever ranking of No. 2 among graduate schools of education in the nation according to U.S. News & World Report.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NetLogo Center: A center to improve and maintain NetLogo, a widely used scientific and educational software tool, and to promote literacy in scientific modeling.

Products and services

• MS in Higher Education Administration and Policy

Quantifiable outcome

• 94%+ undergraduates employed or completing graduate school or fellowships after graduation
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• ManKind ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026International nonprofit that facilitates men's groups in more than two dozen countries. SESP student Juniper Shelley is conducting research with group leaders across five countries to study how men experience loneliness, masculinity, and emotional connection. ManKind Project provides access to participants and organizational insights for the research project.
• Evanston Township High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorthwestern has more than 100 significant partnerships with Evanston Township High School spanning academics, athletics, health and wellness, identity and social consciousness, college and career education, cultural events, mentoring, the arts, and community engagement. Partnership part of Good Neighbor, Great University Initiative.
• Morton Schapiro Northwestern Academy for Chicago Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram enhances access and successful matriculation for academically motivated Chicago Public Schools students. Graduates have enrolled in more than 115 institutions including Northwestern, Harvard, Yale, and MIT.
• STEAMbassadors Program PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Chicago Department of Family Support Services and local organizations in parks, libraries, and schools. STEAMbassadors trains college-bound young adults from under-resourced communities to work with youth in neighborhoods lacking learning opportunities in computer science, engineering, and the arts.
• McCormick School of EngineeringcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint computer science and learning sciences doctoral program - the first of its kind in the U.S. Combines SESP with McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science.
• Buffett Institute for Global AffairscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides International Senior Thesis Research Grants supporting SESP students conducting international research, including Anusha Kumar's work on mutual aid networks in Chennai, India.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sesp_nu
• Facebookfacebook.com/sespnu
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/showcase/9386105
• Instagraminstagram.com/sesp_nu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy