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 Financial Management and Budgeting	4
PUAD 519	Alternative Dispute Resolution	4
PUAD 551	Financial Accounting in the Public and Nonprofit Sectors	4
PUAD 552	Intergovernmental Management: Local Perspective	4
PUAD 578	Nonprofit Management and Leadership	4
PUAD 585	Human Behavior in Public Organizations	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.

Specialization in Intergovernmental Management

M.P.P. students may choose to specialize in intergovernmental management. This specialization offers students the 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.

In addition to completing the M.P.P. core requirements, students enroll in PUAD 552 Intergovernmental Management: Local Perspective, PUAD 553 Intergovernmental Management: State Perspective and PUAD 554 Intergovernmental Management: Federal Perspective. PUAD 564 Federal Management Systems may be substituted for PUAD 554.

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