Price School of Public Policy
Graduate Degrees
Graduate Certificate Programs
Certificate in Transportation Systems
The graduate Certificate in Transportation Systems is an interdisciplinary program administered by the Department of Civil Engineering. The certificate program allows students to specialize in transportation applications, while simultaneously receiving a degree in their home department. The certificate in transportation systems combines elements of transportation engineering with transportation policy, planning and project management. The program is especially appropriate for students intending to pursue careers as developers of transportation technologies or as implementors of technologies within government agencies.
Students electing the certificate program apply to the Department of Civil Engineering.
Course prerequisites for the program are:
1) one course in statistics or uncertainty, equivalent to CE 408, ISE 225 or PPD 404x;
2) one course in engineering economy, equivalent to ISE 460;
3) one course in microeconomics, equivalent to ECON 203; and
4) one course in a high level programming language, such as C or Fortran.
These prerequisites may be satisfied after enrollment in the certificate program by taking the indicated courses or their equivalent. Graduate students cannot receive credit for courses numbered below 400. Detailed admissions requirements are published by the Department of Civil Engineering.
Requirements for Completion
The curriculum consists of five graduate courses for a total of 17 units.
| Required courses | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| CE 471 | Principles of Transportation Engineering, or | |
| CE 519 | Transportation Engineering | 3 |
| CE 583 | Design of Transportation Facilities, or | |
| CE 585 | Traffic Engineering and Control | 3 |
| ISE 515 | Engineering Project Management | 3 |
| PPD 633 | Urban Transportation Planning and Management | 4 |
| PPD 634 | Institutional and Policy Issues in Transportation | 4 |
Qualified students holding a bachelor’s degree also have the option of enrolling in the certificate program without receiving a separate graduate degree.
Certificate in Nonprofit Management and Policy
This graduate certificate program provides students with a foundation in nonprofit management and policy. The certificate develops nonprofit management skills and provides students the knowledge needed to understand the increasing importance of nonprofits in society and their role in forming and influencing public policy.
Applicants for the Certificate in Nonprofit Management and Policy who are currently enrolled in a graduate program at USC and are in good standing with a 3.0 GPA only need to submit the appropriate paperwork for adding the certificate program, which may be obtained from the student services adviser.
Applicants for the Certificate in Nonprofit Management and Policy who have not matriculated at USC must make a formal application for admission to the certificate program, provide transcripts of all college work, a resume and one letter of recommendation.
The certificate in nonprofit management and policy consists of 16 units of graduate course work.
| Core Courses (12 Units) | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| PPD 675 | Nonprofit Management and Leadership | 4 |
| PPD 687 | Strategic Management in the Nonprofit Sector | 4 |
| PPD 689 | The Nonprofit Sector and Philanthropy | 4 |
Elective Course
Students select 4 elective units. The elective course(s) may be taken from within the Price School of Public Policy course offerings or other USC units. The elective selection must be approved by the faculty adviser for the certificate program.
Up to 10 units of the certificate may be applied to both the certificate and the core requirements or electives in the Master of Public Administration program. Up to 12 units may be applied toward both the certificate and the core or electives in the Master of Public Policy program.
The Master of Public Administration director will provide advisement.
Certificate in Political Management
This graduate certificate program provides students with a foundation in political management. It is designed to provide expertise for students who wish to work in public policy advocacy, in political relations, with elected officials and with the public, nonprofit or private sectors.
Applicants who are currently enrolled in a graduate program at USC and are in good standing with a 3.0 GPA only need to submit the appropriate paperwork for adding the certificate program which may be obtained from the student services adviser.
Applicants who have not matriculated at USC must make a formal application for admission to the certificate program, as well as provide transcripts of all college work, a resume and one letter of recommendation.
The Certificate in Political Management consists of 14–16 units of graduate course work depending on the courses selected.
| Core Course (4 units) | units | |
|---|---|---|
| PPD 658 | Advocacy in Public Administration | 4 |
| Foundation Course | units | |
|---|---|---|
| Select one: 2 or 4 units | ||
| PPD 500 | Intersectoral Leadership | 2 |
| PPD 540 | Public Administration and Society | 4 |
| PPD 554 | Foundations of Public Policy Analysis | 2 |
| PPD 684 | Leadership Development in the Public and Nonprofit Sectors | 2 |
| Choose two of the following (8 units) | units | |
|---|---|---|
| PPD 616 | Participatory Methods in Planning and Policy | 4 |
| PPD 656 | Political Management: Theory and Applied Techniques | 4 |
| PPD 657 | Political Leadership in Public Organizations | 4 |
| PPD 693 | Communicating Public Policy | 4 |
Up to 10 units of the certificate may be applied toward both the certificate and to the core requirements or electives in the Master of Public Administration. Up to 12 units may be applied toward both the certificate and toward core or electives in the Master of Public Policy or Master of Planning.
The director of the graduate programs in public policy and management will provide advisement.
Certificate Programs in Public Financial Management
Students enrolled in the Public Financial Management certificate program are required to take 52 graduate units of course work (53 for pre-service students). Fourteen of these units are MPA core courses (PPD 500, PPD 501ab, PPD 540 and PPD 546); and 12 units of management competencies (PPD 541, PPD 542 or PPD 557 or PPD 666, and PPD 545). In addition, students must take 16 units of course work in finance and related subjects (PPD 516, PPD 554* or PPD 555, PPD 647 and PPD 661 or PPD 662 or PPD 669). Ten units of approved electives will be selected from among: PPD 510b, PPD 542, PPD 652, PPD 660, PPD 661, PPD 662, PPD 669, PPD 679 and PPD 688. Pre-service students must also serve an internship and be enrolled in PPD 543.
Students may receive this certificate with a specialization in intergovernmental management provided they complete the three course sequence (PPD 661, PPD 662, PPD 669). Students may satisfy this requirement if they apply two of these courses toward the 10-unit elective requirement and apply the third course toward the 16-unit finance and related subjects requirement.
Certificate Programs in Health Management and Policy Programs
The Health Management and Policy Programs of the Price School of Public Policy offers certificate programs in specialized areas of health care administration. The certificates are designed to provide practitioners with means for improving or updating their knowledge and experience in a challenging and professionally relevant course of study. Certificates are offered in Administration of Long Term Care Programs and Management of Ambulatory Care Systems. Applicants for the certificate programs must make formal application for admission to the certificate program, provide transcripts of all college work, supplemented by three letters of recommendation, including one from a former instructor, a resume and a personal statement describing their career goals and the relationship of the certificate to those ends.
It is expected that applicants to the certificate programs should have graduated from a recognized college with an approximate grade point average of B in the last 60 units of college work. Non-graduates may be admitted if the director believes that there is evidence to suggest that the applicant is capable of graduate level work.
Successful completion of the certificate will not be a deciding factor in the admission decision for the degrees offered by the Health Management and Policy Programs or the Price School of Public Policy.
The Ambulatory Care program requires 20 units of graduate credit including a 16-unit core and a four-unit specialized seminar in the area of the certificate concentration. Core courses (16 units) are: PPD 509; PPD 510a or PPD 516; PPD 545 or PPD 557; one elective. One specialized seminar as follows (four units): PPD 600, PPD 601 or GERO 550.
The Certificate in Administration of Long Term Care Programs requires 16 units of course work. The required courses are GERO 500; PPD 513; PPD 518; PPD 601; PPD 510a or PPDE 645. The program can be completed via distance learning.
Completing a certificate program does not constitute completion of or admission to the Master of Health Administration (MHA) or Executive Master of Health Administration (EMHA) degree programs nor will it be a deciding factor in the admission decision to those programs. Students in the MHA program, however, may qualify for award of these certificates if they complete the applicable course requirements.
Certificate in Public Management
This program provides students with a solid foundation of training and skills in management. Individuals who need training in public administration but who are unable to enroll for the Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree may find this certificate program of particular interest. Key to the program’s success is the close integration of the academic curriculum and the application of skills and theory to managerial work assignments. Students may enroll at any time throughout the year.
The program consists of four courses: PPD 540, PPD 542, PPD 545, and one elective selected from any 500-level offering in the Price curriculum.
Certificate in Public Policy
This graduate certificate program provides students with a foundation in public policy analysis. It is designed to provide expertise in public policy to individuals who do not want to pursue the Master of Public Policy degree. Potential students include those who are pursuing another degree and want to complement that work with a specialization in public policy, as well as qualified students holding a bachelor’s degree who have not matriculated at USC. The certificate develops policy analytic skills and their integration with a policy issue area of interest to the student.
Applicants for the Certificate in Public Policy who have not matriculated at USC must make a formal application for admission to the certificate program, provide transcripts of all college work, a resume and one letter of recommendation.
The program consists of 16 units of graduate course work.
| core Courses (8 Units) | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| PPD 500 | Intersectoral Leadership | 2 |
| PPD 554 | Foundations of Public Policy Analysis | 2 |
| PPD 555 | Public Policy Formulation and Implementation | 4 |
| Choose 4 units from: | ||
| PPD 501ab | Economics for Policy, Planning and Development | 2-2 |
| PPD 557 | Modeling and Operations Research | 4 |
| PPD 558 | Multivariate Statistical Analysis | 4 |
| PPD 560 | Methods for Policy Analysis | 4 |
| Choose one course from a policy area. There are many policy issues courses from which to choose (e.g., health, nonprofit, transportation, environment, housing). | 4 | |
The Master of Public Policy director will provide advisement.
Certificate in Homeland Security and Public Policy
This graduate certificate program provides students with a foundation in homeland security and public policy. It is designed to provide expertise to individuals working in the field with an interest in refining their risk and security analysis skills as well as others with interest in the field. The certificate develops risk analysis skills and provides students with the knowledge needed to understand the issues surrounding the increasingly important issues of homeland security and public policy.
Applicants for the Certificate in Homeland Security and Public Policy who are currently enrolled in a graduate program at USC in good standing with a 3.0 GPA only need to submit the appropriate paperwork for adding the certificate program which may be obtained from the student services adviser.
Applicants for the Certificate in Homeland Security and Public Policy who have not matriculated at USC must make a formal application for admission to the certificate program, provide transcripts of all college work, a resume and one letter of recommendation.
The certificate in homeland security and public policy consists of 15–16 units of graduate course work depending on the course selected.
| Required Core Course | (4 UNITS) | |
|---|---|---|
| PPD 683 | Homeland Security and Public Policy | 4 |
| Choose three of the following (11–12 units): | ||
| PPD 501ab | Economics for Policy, Planning, and Development | 4 |
| PPD 557 | Modeling and Operations Research | 4, or |
| ISE 530 | Optimization Methods for Analytics | 3, or |
| ISE 562 | Value and Decision Theory | 3 |
| PPD 587 | Risk Analysis | 4 |
Certificate in Sustainable Policy and Planning
This graduate certificate program provides students with a foundation in policy and planning issues in sustainability and the environment. The certificate develops analytic and methodological skills and provides students the knowledge to understand the increasing importance of issues surrounding the environment and sustainability in policy and planning.
For admissions information, please visit the Price Website. The Master of Planning director will provide advisement.
The Certificate in Sustainable Policy and Planning consists of 12-14* units of graduate course work:
| Required Courses (6 units) | units | |
|---|---|---|
| PPD 568 | Environmental Governance and Sustainability | 2 |
| PPDE 634* | Methodology, Methods and Tools for Urban Sustainability | 2 |
| PPDE 660 | Environmental Policy Design and Analysis | 2 |
| Elective Courses (6-8 units) | units | |
|---|---|---|
| Students select six to eight* units of electives. | ||
| ARCH 519* | Sustainability in the Environment: Infrastructures, Urban Landscapes and Buildings | 3 |
| MOR 566* | Environmental Sustainability and Competitive Advantage | 3 |
| PPD 587 | Risk Analysis | 4 |
| PPD 619 | Smart Growth and Urban Sprawl: Policy Debates and Planning Solutions | 4 |
| PPD 621 | Environmental Impacts | 4 |
| PPD 690 | Alternative Dispute Resolution | 4 |
| PPD 692 | Transportation and the Environment | 4 |
| PPD 694 | Coastal Policy and Planning | 4 |
| PPDE 632 | Sustainable Cities | 4 |
Certificate in Health Systems Operations
This 17-unit graduate certificate is jointly sponsored by the Epstein Industrial and Systems Engineering Department and the Price School of Public Policy (Master of Health Administration program), and administered by the Epstein Industrial and Systems Engineering Department. See the Industrial and Systems Engineering Department for course requirements.
Certificate in Real Estate Development
This graduate certificate program provides students with a foundation of the key elements of real estate development. It is designed to provide these foundations for non-Master of Real Estate Development students who wish to obtain this knowledge to complement their graduate program of study as well as their careers. For admissions information, visit the Price School Website.
The certificate in real estate development consists of 12 units of graduate course work: RED 510, RED 511 and RED 512.
Certificate in International Policy and Planning
The Graduate Certificate in International Policy and Planning strengthens students’ understanding of global policy, planning and public management issues underscoring comparative differences in policy approaches and governance institutions across countries, builds a core foundation of knowledge about the governing institutions and agreements that operate on a global level, and prepares students for working in international organizations. The professions of graduate students in the Price School (public administration, public policy, urban planning, health policy and management, and real estate development) are globalizing. To analyze and understand the impact of globalization on their chosen field and to be competitive in a global context, emerging leaders in these professions should be conversant in thinking and operating on a global scale. Earning this certificate better prepares students for the professional demands of the globalized era.
The Certificate in International Policy and Planning consists of 14 units of graduate course work.
Required Courses (8 units)
| Core Courses (8) | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| PPD 677 | International Development Administration | 4 |
Plus one of the following (4 units):
| PPD 531L | Planning Studio | 4 |
| PPD 532L | International Planning and Development Laboratory Workshop | 4 |
| PPD 613a | Policy, Planning and Development International Laboratory | 1 |
| PPD 613b | Policy, Planning and Development International Laboratory | 3 |
Elective Courses (6 units)
Students select at least 6 units of elective courses. The elective courses may be taken from within the Price School of Public Policy course offerings or other USC units. The electives will be selected from three topic areas: international development; urbanization, policy issues and sustainability; and global health. The electives will be selected in consultation with and approved by the faculty advisor for the certificate program. The electives should be chosen such that the combination of core classes and electives produces a well-rounded and rigorous preparation for professional practice in a globalized context.
Admission Requirements and Application Procedures
Applicants for the Certificate in International Policy and Planning who are currently enrolled in a graduate program at USC and are in good standing with a 3.0 GPA only need to submit the appropriate paperwork for adding the certificate program, which may be obtained from the program administrator.
Applicants for the Certificate in International Policy and Planning who have not matriculated at USC must make a formal application for admission to the certificate program; provide transcripts of all college work, a resume and one letter of recommendation.
Please contact the USC Price Office of Admissions at uscprice@usc.edu for more information.
Non-Credit Programs Offered by the Center for International Training and Development
Management Effectiveness Program
This is a four-week intensive training program in the art and science of management. The program is designed to enhance leadership effectiveness and the development of a management generalist perspective.
International Executive Development Laboratory
This five-week laboratory focuses on issues in executive leadership, strategic management, environmental analysis, international finance and economics, computer-based project planning, and implementation of planned change strategies.