Price School of Public Policy
Undergraduate Degrees
Minor Programs
Minor in Children and Families in Urban America
What’s happening to children and families in urban America? Students will examine changing demographics, economics, and cultures and the challenges of building communities that support families. They will assess innovative ways to improve access to and utilization of human services, including inter-professional practice, integrated services and community-based initiatives. Analysis of current social policies and policy reform initiatives will provide a framework for students who want to help improve student outcomes for children and families.
This minor includes courses from social work, planning, psychology, communication, education and other academic areas. It requires 22 units. See the USC School of Social Work section for course requirements.
Minor in Construction Planning and Management
This program covers the most current theories and practice of construction planning and management. The program provides a valuable adjunct credential to professional school students pursuing careers in business administration, public administration, environmental studies, and other areas; and a unique opportunity for professional focus to students in the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.
Construction activities are complex. In contemporary society, effective planning and management of these activities requires specialized knowledge of the technical, economic and political environment. This program couples the knowledge of how construction activities are organized with a broader understanding of the urban system in which construction projects are embedded. With the exception of statistics, all of the required courses are within the Department of Civil Engineering and the Price School of Public Policy.
Any USC undergraduate who has completed the equivalent of two full-time semesters in good standing is eligible to pursue the minor program. This minor program is rigorous enough to serve as an introductory credential for students subsequently electing to pursue advanced studies in development, urban planning, construction management or allied fields.
See the Department of Civil Engineering for course requirements.
Minor in Health Policy and Management
This 24-unit minor in health policy and management provides students with a background in the institutions, policy and management issues in the field of health care and the skills necessary to pursue a range of health-related management and/or policy opportunities in the for-profit, nonprofit and governmental sectors. This minor is appropriate for students interested in pursuing careers in the health care field, especially students majoring in pre-health services fields, business, gerontology or the social sciences.
| Required courses | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| PPD 325* | Fundamentals of Health Policy and Management | 4 |
| PPD 330 | Introduction to Health Care Systems | 4 |
| PPD 415* | Health Policy | 4 |
| Electives | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| Choose three courses from one of the two tracks: | ||
| Health Issues Track | ||
| ECON 472* | Economics of Medical Care | 4 |
| GERO 416 | Health Issues in Aging | 4 |
| GERO 421 | Managed Care for an Aging Society | 4 |
| HP 412 | Health Promotion and Prevention Policy | 4 |
| HP 420 | Gender and Minority Health Issues | 4 |
| HP 422 | AIDS in Society | 4 |
| PPD 414 | Community Health Policy and Planning | 4 |
| SOCI 475 | Medical Sociology | 4 |
| Health Management Track | ||
| ECON 472* | Economics of Medical Care | 4 |
| PPD 316 | Human Resource Management for Public Organizations | 4 |
| PPD 318 | Financial Accounting in Public and Nonprofit Organizations | 4 |
| PPD 320 | Organizational Behavior in Public Administration | 4 |
| PPD 407* | Financial Management of Public and Nonprofit Organizations | 4 |
| PPD 413 | Administration of Health Care Organizations | 4 |
Minor in International Policy and Management
The minor in international policy and management brings together courses from the School of International Relations, dealing with the new global challenges, specific regions of the world, and international organizations and policies, and the Price School of Public Policy, dealing with core management skills and public policy processes. Students will examine the changes and challenges which are transforming the world, and the policy and management skills used to deal with them. To increase their understanding of the context and application of these concepts, students must complete a semester-long internship either in Washington, D.C. (through participation in the Washington, D.C. semester program) or in Los Angeles with an organization that has an international focus.
Students minoring in international policy and management take three courses in international relations, including the gateway course, IR 305 Managing New Global Challenges; three courses in public policy and management; and an approved internship through the School of International Relations (IR 491 Field Study). For additional course information, see International Relations.
Minor in Law and Public Policy
The minor in law and public policy draws upon four fields of study: public policy and management, law, economics and political science. It provides students with an understanding of the political and economic contexts in which laws are made as well as how legal institutions shape policy formulation. Students learn to analyze the consequences of policy and alternatives; the roles played by government, business and nonprofit organizations in public decision making; and the legal bases for various areas of public policy.
Students minoring in law and public policy take six required courses, including the gateway class, PPD 225 Public Policy and Management, and one elective. The latter enables the student to focus on a specific area of law.
| Required courses | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| ECON 203 | Principles of Microeconomics | 4 |
| LAW 200x | Law and Society | 4 |
| POSC 340 | Constitutional Law | 4 |
| PPD 225 | Public Policy and Management | 4 |
| PPD 303 | Statistics for Policy, Planning, and Development | 4 |
| PPD 373* | Public Policy and Planning Analysis | 4 |
| And one of the following: | ||
| ECON 434 | Economic Analysis of Law | 4 |
| FBE 403 | Introduction to the Legal Environment of Business | 4 |
| POSC 345 | International Law | 4 |
| POSC 347 | Environmental Law | 4 |
| POSC 432 | The Politics of Local Criminal Justice | 4 |
| POSC 440 | Comparative Law and the Judicial Process | 4 |
| POSC 441 | Cultural Diversity and the Law | 4 |
| POSC 444 | Civil and Political Rights and Liberties | 4 |
| POSC 452 | Critical Issues in Law and Public Policy | 4 |
| PPD 314* | Public Policy and Law | 4 |
| PPD 315* | Analytic Foundations for Public Policy | 4 |
Minor in Nonprofits, Philanthropy and Volunteerism
This four-course minor enables students to learn about the nonprofit sector — its organizations, philanthropy and voluntary action. The three course core provides: (1) an overview of the nonprofit sector and philanthropy and its role in the United States, including its historical and theoretical foundations, its various components and its relation to public policy; (2) a focus on voluntary action and service as one means for social change and problem-solving; and (3) insights into the management of nonprofit organizations. Students select an elective that extends their understanding to the role of nongovernmental organizations in international affairs or to the role of public relations for nonprofits.
This minor is intended for students who plan (1) to work in a nonprofit or charitable organization, whether it is a large organization such as United Way, a small social service agency, an environmental advocacy group, a museum or a religious organization, (2) to participate with nonprofits as a volunteer throughout their lives or (3) pursue further graduate work in a service-related profession.
| REQUIRED COURSES | UNITS | |
|---|---|---|
| PPD 371 | The Nonprofit Sector and the Public Interest | 4 |
| PPD 402 | Management of Public and Nonprofit Organizations | 4 |
| PPD 478 | Social Innovations | 4 |
| Electives (select one) | ||
| BUCO 485 | Business Communication Management for Nonprofits | 4 |
| JOUR 455* | Public Relations for Non-Profit Organizations | 4 |
| IR 371 | Global Civil Society: Non-State Actors in World Politics | 4 |
| PPD 318 | Financial Accounting in Public and Nonprofit Organizations | 4 |
| PPD 320 | Organizational Behavior in Public Administration | 4 |
| PPD 353 | Introduction to Philanthropy and Grant Writing | 4 |
| PPD 372 | Public Service in an Urban Setting | 4 |
| PPD 382 | International Development | 4 |
| PPD 403 | Management Analysis I | 4 |
Minor in Real Estate Development
This minor provides students with an overview of the field of real estate development — its principles, market analysis, finance and history, as well as the opportunity to pursue more specialized interests and skills through a set of electives (including courses in architecture, civil engineering and business). It is a 23–24 unit minor, requiring four core courses and two electives. The minor is intended for any students with interests in careers in real estate development or other areas that might be related to real estate development, such as local government, non-profit housing and land use enterprises, urban economics, public-private partnerships or related entrepreneurial ventures.
| REQUIRED COURSES | UNITS | |
|---|---|---|
| FBE 400x | Introduction to Real Estate Finance and Development | 4 |
| PPD 362 | Real Estate Fundamentals for Planning and Development | 4 |
| PPD 417 | History of Planning and Development | 4 |
| PPD 437* | Advanced Finance and Investment for Planning and Development | 4 |
| Electives (select two): | ||
| CE 460** | Construction Engineering | 3 |
| FBE 427 | Real Estate Law | 4 |
| PPD 410 | Comparative Urban Development | 4 |
| PPD 420 | Environmental Impact Assessment | 4 |
| PPD 425 | Designing Livable Communities | 4 |
| PPD 435 | Analyzing Real Estate Markets for Planning and Development | 4 |
| PPD 438 | Local Economic Development | 4 |
| PPD 439 | Housing and Community Development | 4 |
| PPD 461 | Sustainable Communities, Policy and Planning | 4 |
| 23-24 | ||
Minor in Urban Policy and Planning
The 28-unit minor in urban policy and planning focuses on the application of public policy, urban planning and public management to the analysis and solution of urban problems. It draws upon the interdisciplinary faculty and programs of the Price School of Public Policy and includes foundational courses that introduce students to the nature of urban phenomena and the analysis and solution of urban problems. The minor also introduces students to the professional and academic fields of either urban planning and development or public policy and public management. Additionally, based on their specific interests, students have the opportunity to explore in greater depth three areas and approaches of urban problem-solving. This minor is appropriate for students interested in expanding their understanding of the fields of urban planning and public policy and management as potential professional careers as well as increasing their comprehension of the analysis and solution of urban problems.
| Required courses (20 units) | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| Foundational Courses (12 units) | ||
| PPD 225 | Public Policy and Management | 4 |
| PPD 245 | The Urban Context for Policy and Planning | 4 |
| PPD 303 | Statistics for Policy, Planning, and Development | 4 |
| Organizations in the Urban Context (4 units) | ||
| PPD 314* | Public Policy and Law | 4 |
| Elective courses (8 units) | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| Students select two courses from this list. They are encouraged through advisement to consider course clusters that reflect special interests. | ||
| PPD 315* | Analytical Foundations for Public Policy | 4 |
| PPD 342 | Crime and Public Policy | 4 |
| PPD 360 | Urban Transportation Planning and Policy | 4 |
| PPD 362 | Real Estate Fundamentals for Planning and Development | 4 |
| PPD 371 | The Nonprofit Sector and the Public Interest | 4 |
| PPD 372 | Public Service in an Urban Setting | 4 |
| PPD 425 | Designing Livable Communities | 4 |
| PPD 439 | Housing and Community Development | 4 |
| PPD 461 | Sustainable Communities, Policy and Planning | 4 |