In 1999, the school was named after University of Michigan alumnus and the 38th president of the United States Gerald Ford.

In 2006, Joan and Sanford Weill Hall[8] was built to give the Ford School a place on campus.

[11] The five-story structure, designed by the firm of the 2011 Driehaus Prize winner Robert A.M. Stern Architects,[12] houses several research centers, a policy library, and study areas for students.

Another component of the MPP curriculum is hands-on experience, which takes the form of a required ten-week internship,[26] typically completed in the summer between the program's two years.

[35] The Ford School’s JSI curriculum [36] includes statistics, microeconomics, current policy issues, and writing instruction.

Students receive funding for housing, travel expenses, meals, books, and course supplies.

The Ford School also hosts[37] a Diplomat in Residence [38] to provide students with firsthand access to information about the U.S. State Department.