University of Southern California

USC Price School of Public Policy

Professor LaVonna Lewis, director of undergraduate programs at the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy, speaks with students from her Public Policy and Management course (PPD 225). The Price School is home to more than 200 faculty members from diverse disciplines and backgrounds who contribute to an environment that fosters innovation, entrepreneurship, experimentation and collaboration.

The USC Price School of Public Policy provides a dynamic learning environment where interdisciplinary education abounds. At USC Price, students choose a program of study from the independent yet related fields of public administration and leadership, public policy, nonprofits and philanthropy, health management and policy, urban planning, real estate development and executive leadership. Students are supported by a committed faculty who contribute to the strong sense of community present in the school.

The school’s mission is to improve the quality of life for people and their communities. Faculty engage in solving some of society’s most pressing issues — and challenge students to do the same. USC Price is renowned for its expertise in areas such as: sustainability and the environment, health care policy, nonprofit management, housing and real estate, transportation, infrastructure, urban development and land use, social policy, governance, civic engagement, community development, immigration and risk analysis, among others.

Defining characteristics of USC Price are the depth of its academic classroom experience and connecting classroom theory to professional practice through practicums, internships and laboratory work locally, nationally and around the globe. Students graduate with the knowledge, skills and experiences to lead in their chosen field of practice.

Today’s complex challenges call for leaders who are able to work across disciplines and across the public, private and nonprofit sectors to find solutions. It is for this multidisciplinary reality that USC Price prepares its students.

USC Price students go on to hold high-ranking appointments in our nation’s capital, analyze and determine public policy, design new transportation systems, and redesign city, county, state and federal governance structures — in the United States and abroad.

Ralph and Goldy Lewis Hall 312
(213) 740-0350
FAX: (213) 740-5379
Email: price@usc.edu
usc.edu/schools/price

Administration

Jack H. Knott, Ph.D., Dean

Elizabeth Graddy, Ph.D.*, Vice Dean

Genevieve Giuliano, Ph.D.*, Senior Associate Dean, Research and Technology

Regina T. Nordahl, J.D., MBA, SPHR, Associate Dean, Administration

Carol A. Rush, MPA, Associate Dean, Student Affairs

John Sonego, M.A., Associate Dean for Development and External Relations

Faculty

C. Erwin and Ione L. Piper Dean’s Chair: Jack H. Knott, Ph.D.

University Professor: Kevin Starr, Ph.D. (History)

Wallis Annenberg Chair in Communication and Journalism: Manuel Castells, Ph.D. (Communication)

Judith & John Bedrosian Chair in Governance & Public Enterprise: Raphael Bostic, Ph.D.

Blue Cross of California Chair in Health Care Finance: Glenn A. Melnick, Ph.D.

C.C. Crawford Chair in Management and Performance: Anthony Bertelli, Ph.D.

Margaret and John Ferraro Chair in Effective Local Government: Genevieve Giuliano, Ph.D.*

James Irvine Chair in Urban and Regional Planning: Tridib Banerjee, Ph.D., FAICP*

Lusk Chair in Real Estate: Richard K. Green, Ph.D. (Business)

Jeffrey J. Miller Chair in Government, Business and the Economy: Elizabeth Graddy, Ph.D.*

Emery Evans Olson Chair in Nonprofit Entrepreneurship & Public Policy: James M. Ferris, Ph.D

Quintiles Chair in Pharmaceutical and Regulatory Innovation: Darius Lakdawalla, Ph.D. (Pharmacy)

Leonard D. Schaeffer Director’s Chair of the USC Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics: Dana Goldman, Ph.D.*

Norman Topping Chair in Medicine and Public Policy: Paul B. Ginsburg, Ph.D.

Maria B. Crutcher Professor of Citizenship and Democratic Values: Terry L. Cooper, Ph.D.

Governor Downey Professor of State and Global Policy: Arnold Schwarzenegger

Frances R. and John J. Duggan Distinguished Professor of Public Administration: Shui Yan Tang, Ph.D.*

Houston Flournoy Professor of State Government: Juliet Musso, Ph.D.*

William M. Keck Professor of Energy Resources: Donald Paul, Ph.D. (Engineering and Earth Sciences)

Dr. Chester A. Newland Professor of Public Administration: Janet Vinzant Denhardt, DPA

Presidential Professor of Health Economics: Daniel McFadden, Ph.D.

Judge Widney Professor: Leonard D. Schaeffer

Judge Widney Professor of Poetry and Public Culture: Dana Gioia, M.A., MBA

Professors: Marlon Boarnet, Ph.D.; Ann Crigler, Ph.D. (Political Science); Elizabeth Garrett, J.D. (Law); Howard Greenwald, Ph.D.; Eric Heikkila, Ph.D.; Alan Kreditor, MCP, AICP; Dan Mazmanian, Ph.D.; Martin Krieger, Ph.D.; Jacquelyn McCroskey, Ph.D. (Social Work); James Moore II, Ph.D. (Engineering); Dowell Myers, Ph.D.; Michael Nichol, Ph.D. (Pharmacy); Gary Painter, Ph.D.; Manuel Pastor, Ph.D. (Geography and American Studies and Ethnicity); Jane Pisano, Ph.D.; Jon Pynoos, Ph.D. (Gerontology); Alison D. Renteln, Ph.D.* (Political Science); David Sloane, Ph.D.; Robert Suro (Journalism); Detlof von Winterfeldt, Ph.D. (Engineering)

Associate Professors: Elizabeth Currid-Halkett, Ph.D.; Annette Kim, Ph.D.; Christian Redfearn, Ph.D.; Peter Robertson, Ph.D.*; Lisa Schweitzer, Ph.D.; Jeffrey Sellers, Ph.D., (Political Science); Kathleen Wilber, Ph.D. (Gerontology)

Assistant Professors: Emma Aguila, Ph.D.; Alice Chen, Ph.D.; Kathleen Doherty, Ph.D.; Nicolas Duquette, Ph.D.; Nicole Esparza, Ph.D.; Marco Huesch, Ph.D.; Pamela McCann, Ph.D.; Mark D. Phillips, Ph.D.; William Resh, Ph.D.; Jenny Schuetz, Ph.D.; Vivian Wu, Ph.D.

Professors (Teaching): Robert Denhardt, Ph.D.; LaVonna B. Lewis, Ph.D.; Dora Vertenten, DPA

Associate Professors (Teaching): Elizabeth Falletta, MRED; Deborah J. Natoli, Ph.D.

Assistant Professors (Teaching): Tara Blanc, Ph.D. (nonresident); William Leach, Ph.D. (nonresident); T.J. McCarthy, Ph.D.; Jennifer Miller, Ph.D.; Kelly Rawlings, Ph.D. (nonresident); Minzi Su, Ph.D. (nonresident); Michael Thom, Ph.D.

Research Professors: Hilda Blanco, Ph.D.; Stephen Hora, D.B.A.; Donald L. Paul, Ph.D. (Engineering and Earth Sciences); Adam Rose, Ph.D.

Research Associate Professors: Michael Cousineau, Ph.D. (Medicine); Christopher Weare, Ph.D.

Research Assistant Professors: John Romley, Ph.D.; Heather Rosoff, Ph.D.; Dan Wei, Ph.D.

Distinguished Fellow: Stan Ross, Honorary J.D.

Professors of Practice: William B. Fulton (Urban Planning); Michael E. Harris (Health Services Administration and Policy); Sherry Bebitch Jeffe (Public Policy Communication); Geraldine Knatz, Ph.D. (Public Policy & Engineering); Mark Pisano (Public Administration); Antonio R. Villaraigosa (Policy); Frank Zerunyan (Governance)

Adjunct Professors: Janis Breidenbach, M.A.; Jonathan Brown, DPA; Robert Champion, MRED; Thomas Collins, Ed.D.; Rick Culley, Ph.D.; Tim Gage, MPP; Patrick G. Hays, MHA; Lori Howard, Ph.D.; Stanley Iezman, J.D.; Jong S. Jun, Ph.D.; Patrick Kapsner, MPA, FACMPE; Michael Keston, MBA; Allan Kotin, M.A.; Ehud Mouchly, M.A.; Tomson Ong, J.D., Ph.D., LLM; James Osterling, MBA; Robert Smythe, B.S.; Erroll Southers, MPA; Donna Staal, DPA; Deborah Torres, M.Arch.; Henry Zaretsky, Ph.D.

Adjunct Associate Professors: Aggie Afarinesh, MPA; P.K. Agarwal, M.S.; Austin Anderson, MBA; Deepak Bahl, MBA, MPl; William Barcellona, MHA, J.D.; Bruce Baltin; Vinayak Bharne, M.Arch.; Sandipan Bhattacharjee, MPl; David Brown, J.D.; Grace Cheng, MSPH; Glenn Daley, M.Phil., MBA; Terri Dickerhoff, MRED; Grace Dyrness, DPDS; Ali Farahani, Ph.D.; James Fawcett, Ph.D.; Veronica Flores, M.A.; Melissa Gaeke, Ph.D.; Matt Gainer, MFA; Richard Garcia, DPA; Guillermo Gil, MBA; Todd Gish, Ph.D.; Shawn Godkin, M.Arch; Ray Gonzales, Ph.D.; David Grunwald, J.D., MPP; Richard A. Hagy, Ph.D.; Mark Hanson, Ph.D.; Daniel Haverty, DPA; Con Howe, MCP; Donald Hufford, M.D.; Robert Ingenito, M.A.; Bryan Jackson, J.D.; Dion Jackson,MBA, MPl, MRED; Daniel Jordan, Ph.D.; Rym Kaki, Ph.D.; Steven Kellenberg, M.A.U.D.; William R. Kelly, MPA, MBA, M.A.; Michael Kodama, M.A.; Kathy Kolnick, Ph.D.; Alon Kraft, MPl; Jeffrey Kreshek, MBA, MRED; Vi-Nhuan Le, Ph.D.; Richard Little, M.S.; Kenneth Long; John Loper, MRED; Melissa Lopez, Ph.D.; Robert Manford, DPPD; Marcella Marlowe, Ph.D.; Carl Meyer, M.Arch.; Ryan Millsap, Ph.D.; Donald Morgan, Ph.D.; Bret Nielsen, MRED; Mark E. Oliver, MRED; P. Michael Paules, MPA; Katherine Perez, MURP; John Perfitt, MBA; John Raffoul, DPA; Maurice Rahimi, Ph.D.; Ann Reyes Robbins, Ph.D., J.D.; Ellen Riley, MBA; Jeanne Ringle, Ph.D.; Shlomi Ronen, MBA; Robert A. Saunders, MRED; Jeffrey Schaffer, MPA; Bonnie Shrewsbury, M.A.; Susan Sinclair, MBA; Krista Sloniowski, MPl; Jeffrey Smith, Ph.D.; Matthew Smith, MRED; Helene Smookler, Ph.D.; Elwood Tescher, M.Arch; Halil Toros, Ph.D.; Mark Velez, J.D., Ph.D.; Barry Waite, MPA; Jeffrey Wasserman, Ph.D.; Dennis A. Watsabaugh; Clyde Wesp, M.D.; Chris Wilson, MBA; Jack Wong, M.A.; Ke Ye, Ph.D.; Diane Yoder, Ph.D.

Frances R. and John J. Duggan Professor Emeritus in Public Administration: Chester A. Newland, Ph.D.

Emeritus Professors: William C. Baer, Ph.D., AICP; Gerald Caiden, Ph.D.; Robert M. Carter, D.Crim.; T. Ross Clayton, Ph.D.; Lois Friss, Dr.P.H.; David Lopez-Lee, Ph.D.; Peter Gordon, Ph.D.; David Mars, Ph.D.; Robert C. Myrtle, DPA; E.K. Nelson, DPA; William Petak, DPA; Francine Rabvinovtiz, Ph.D., AICP; Warren Schmidt, Ph.D.; Gilbert Siegel, Ph.D.; Robert Stallings, Ph.D.; Richard A. Sundeen, Ph.D.*; Robert E. Tranquada, M.D.; Joseph S. Wholey, Ph.D.; William J. Williams, DPA

Emeritus Associate Professors: Wesley E. Bjur, Ph.D.; Catherine Burke, Ph.D.

*Recipient of university-wide or school teaching award.

Degrees Offered

The Price School of Public Policy offers the following degrees:

  • Bachelor of Science in Policy, Planning and Development
  • Master of Health Administration
  • Executive Master of Health Administration
  • Master of Science in Health Systems Management Engineering (with Industrial and Systems Engineering)
  • Executive Master of Leadership
  • Master of Public Policy and Management
  • Master of Planning
  • Master of Planning and Development Studies
  • Master of Public Administration
  • Master of Public Policy
  • Master of Nonprofit Leadership and Management
  • Master of Real Estate Development
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy and Management
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Planning and Development
  • Doctor of Policy, Planning, and Development

The Bachelor of Science and the school’s master’s degrees are also offered jointly as a progressive five-year program and the school participates in the following interdisciplinary minors:

  • Construction Planning and Management
  • Health Policy and Management
  • International Policy and Management
  • Law and Public Policy
  • Nonprofits, Philanthropy and Volunteerism
  • Real Estate Development
  • Urban Policy and Planning

The Master of Planning is offered as a dual master’s degree with programs in architecture, landscape architecture, art and curatorial practices in the public sphere, business administration, economics, gerontology, public administration, public health, public policy, real estate development and social work.

The Master of Public Administration is offered as a dual master’s degree with programs in planning, gerontology, Jewish nonprofit management, law and social work.

The Master of Real Estate Development is offered as a dual degree with the Master of Business Administration, Juris Doctor and Master of Planning.

The Master of Health Administration is offered as a dual degree with the Master of Science in Gerontology.

The Master of Public Policy is offered as a dual degree with programs in law and planning.

National Honor Societies

Pi Alpha Alpha

Pi Alpha Alpha is the national honor society for public affairs and administration. Graduate students in the Price School of Public Policy who have completed at least 18 semester units and have earned a 3.7 grade point average are eligible for membership.

Pi Sigma Alpha

Pi Sigma Alpha is the national honor society for students in public administration, political science, and international relations. Students who have completed at least three courses from among these fields and have earned at least a 3.5 grade point average are eligible to apply.