Master of Public Policy

The Master of Public Policy (M.P.P.) program is designed to prepare students for careers as professional policy analysts. The program is under the jurisdiction of the School of Public Administration. When compared with the Master of Public Administration program, this degree places more emphasis on analytic and quantitative skills and concludes with a unique opportunity to integrate knowledge acquired through a practicum course.

The M.P.P. degree is offered at the University Park Campus only.

Requirements for Admission

Candidates for admission must have maintained a minimum B (3.0) average during their undergraduate degree work and attain a score of at least 500 on the verbal and at least 500 on the quantitative sections of the GRE. Exceptions to these requirements are allowed if justified by outstanding work experience, letters of recommendation, or demonstrated improvement in academic performance during undergraduate studies.

Applicants must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution and have completed a minimum of the equivalent of three semester hours in each of the following subjects: microeconomic theory, American political institutions and statistics. If these prerequisites are not satisfied upon application, the applicant may be admitted on special status while they are being completed.

Degree Requirements

Students are required to complete 48 units of graduate work. The following 32 units constitute the M.P.P. core and must be completed by students.

Required core courses		Units
PUAD 512	Public Sector Economics	4
PUAD 527	Public Policy Formulation	4
PUAD 529	Public Policy Evaluation	4
PUAD 558	Quantitative Analysis I	4
PUAD 559	Quantitative Analysis II	4
PUAD 570	Organizations and Public Policy	4
PUAD 572	Methods for Policy Analysis	4
PUAD 589	Policy Analysis Practicum	4

Students are also required to complete one management course from the following list:

Management course (choose one)		Units
PUAD 514	Public FinancialManagement and Budgeting	4
PUAD 515	Concepts and Practicesof Public Budgeting	4
PUAD 551	Financial Accountingin the Public and Nonprofit Sectors	4
PUAD 585	Human Behavior in Public Organizations	4
PUAD 597	Professional Practice ofPublic Administration	4

In addition to these 36 required units, students are required to take 12 units of electives. Elective courses typically will be taken in an area of concentration and will be selected with the advice and written consent of the director of the M.P.P. program. The following are examples of possible areas of concentration: Communications Policy, Education Policy, Environmental Policy, Gerontology Policy, Government Finance Policy, Health Policy and Social Welfare Policy.

During a student's final semester of the program the Policy Analysis Practicum is required as a component of the program's 48 units of course work. The practicum is an opportunity for students to apply their analytic skills to a current problem for an actual client. Admission to the practicum is granted on the approval of the M.P.P. director, and normally requires prior completion of most required courses.

Intergovernmental Management Area of Specialization

The M.P.P.-IGM option offers students an opportunity to study public policy and the complexity of intergovernmental relationships at three levels of government. Students enroll in courses and serve internships in Los Angeles, Sacramento and Washington, D.C.

Students in this 48-unit program are required to complete the M.P.P. core, the required management course and the following set of three courses that focus on each level of government:

Intergovernmental courses		Units
Federal Level (choose one):
PUAD 554	Intergovernmental Management: Federal Perspective	4
PUAD 564	Federal Management System	4
State Level:
PUAD 553	Intergovernmental Management: State Perspective	4
Local Level (choose one):
PUAD 520	Seminar in the Administration of Local Government	4
PUAD 521	Financial Administration in Local Government	4
PUAD 561	Entrepreneurship in the Public Sector	4

Students interested in this option must notify the M.P.P. director prior to beginning their courses in the M.P.P. program.

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