Overview
The Master of Public Policy (MPP) is a graduate professional degree proposed by the Department of Political Science in the College of Arts & Sciences. In contrast to the existing Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree, the MPP degree has a deeper focus on the development and effects of public policy, the use of quantitative analysis, the role of economic factors in public-decision making, resource allocation, and decision modeling. Building on the successful curriculum of the online and on campus MPA program, adding the MPP degree to the Department of Political Science’s catalog continues to propel us into the ranks of preeminence among peer institutions that also offer both MPA and MPP degrees. Success of the MPP program requires collaboration between the Department of Political Science, other disciplines with a stake in public policy, and the College of Arts and Sciences to ensure that current resources are used effectively, existing strengths of the university and its faculty are built upon, and faculty are strategically added to develop a MPP program fitting for a hemispheric university.
Admission Requirements
In cooperation with the College of Arts and Science, the Department of Political Science, the Graduate Program will review applicant files and make admissions decisions.
Requirements for Admission Include:
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Completion of an application
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A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution
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A cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0. (In order to limit class size for maximum teacher-student exchange, the MPP program will give preference to students with above average GRE scores, excellent letters of recommendation, and superior writing skills).
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GRE minimum combined score (verbal and quantitative) set by the Graduate School. The Graduate School has occasionally provided waivers for exceptional cases.
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Two letters of recommendation
Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Courses | ||
| POL 601 | Budget and Financial Management and Administration | 3 |
| POL 610 | Statistics for Politics and Public Administration | 3 |
| POL 625 | Comparative Public Policy and Administration | 3 |
| POL 634 | Applied Policy Analysis | 3 |
| POL 637 | Microeconomics for Public Policy | 3 |
| POL 646 | Public Policy Process and Implementation | 3 |
| Macroeconomics for Public Policy (New Course TBD) | 3 | |
| Introduction to Research Design, Data Collection & Survey Research (New Course TBD) | 3 | |
| Specialization Track | 15 | |
| Students must complete one of the tracks below. | ||
Public Management and Leadership Track | ||
Complete 15 credits from these options: | ||
| Conflict Management | ||
| Organizational Dynamics and Management | ||
| Non-Profit Organizations: Law, Policy, and Management | ||
| Human Resource Management in Public Service | ||
| Productivity in the Public and Non-Profit Sectors | ||
| Ethical and Managerial Issues in Government, Business, and Non-Profit Organizations | ||
| From Electronic Government to Digital Governance | ||
| International Organizations | ||
| Crisis Communication and Management | ||
| Public Relations Fundamentals | ||
Analytics Track | ||
Complete 15 credits from these options: | ||
| Geographic Information Systems I | ||
| Geographic Information Systems II | ||
| Experiments in Political Science | ||
| Introductory Statistical Methods in Political Science | ||
| Advanced Statistical Methods in Political Science | ||
| Introduction to Game Theory for Political Science (Cost Benefit Analysis and Public Policy) | ||
| Qualitative Research Methods | ||
Cost-Benefit Analysis and Public Policy (New Course TBD) | ||
Foreign Policy and Security Track | ||
Complete 15 credits from these options: | ||
| Security in the Arabian Peninsula | ||
| Intelligence and National Security | ||
| Chinese Foreign Policy | ||
| Security in South Asia | ||
| International Security | ||
| International Relations of the Middle East | ||
| European Security | ||
| Human Security: Prevention Mitigation | ||
| Civil Security Preparedness and Management | ||
Global Trade (New Course TBD) | ||
Health and Social Policy Track | ||
Complete 15 credits from these options: | ||
| Financial Reporting and Analysis | ||
| Essentials of Health Care Administration | ||
| Public Policy and Health | ||
| Analysis of Health Care Delivery and Policy | ||
| Global Health Policy and Ethics | ||
| Sex, Babies, and the State | ||
| U.S. Health Care Crisis: Politics and Policies | ||
| Public Policy and Health | ||
| LGBTI Politics | ||
| International Development Policy | ||
Environmental and Sustainability Track | ||
Complete 15 credits from these options: | ||
| Energy Security and Environmental Sustainability | ||
| Ocean Policy | ||
| Environmental Law and Policy | ||
| Coastal Law and Policy | ||
| Global Environment Politics | ||
| Environmental Policy Making | ||
| The Environmental Movement: Groups, Beliefs and Values | ||
| Climate and Society | ||
Individualized Track | ||
Complete 15 credit hours with approval of faculty advisor. | ||
| Approved Electives | 9 | |
| Public Service Internship (or Applied Project) | ||
| Additional electives with approval of faculty advisor | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 48 | |
- 36 to 48 hours at the graduate level, depending on public policy experience and academic preparation
** Completion of core and specialization track course requirements as specified by the POL Department in consultation with student’s career goals and interests
*** All other requirements as stated in sections Requirements for the Master of Arts degree and General Information.
Sample Plan of Study
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| POL 601 | Budget and Financial Management and Administration | 3 |
| POL 610 | Statistics for Politics and Public Administration | 3 |
| POL 634 | Applied Policy Analysis | 3 |
| POL 637 | Microeconomics for Public Policy | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| POL 625 | Comparative Public Policy and Administration | 3 |
| POL 646 | Public Policy Process and Implementation | 3 |
| Specialization Track Course | 3 | |
| Specialization Track Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Summer | ||
| Approved Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| Specialization Track Course | 3 | |
| Specialization Track Course | 3 | |
| Approved Elective | 3 | |
| Introduction to Research Design, Data Collection & Survey Research (New Course TBD) | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| POL 656 | Public Service Internship | 3 |
| Macroeconomics for Public Policy (New Course TBD) | 3 | |
| Specialization Track Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 9 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 48 | |
- 36 to 48 hours at the graduate level, depending on public policy experience and academic preparation
** Completion of core and specialization track course requirements as specified by the POL Department in consultation with student’s career goals and interests
*** All other requirements as stated in sections Requirements for the Master of Arts degree and General Information.
Mission
The Masters of Public Policy (MPP) is a professional degree that provides students with core skills in economics, policy analysis and ethics. The program seeks to build professional competencies in research, analysis and evaluation of various public issues (e.g., social, global, economic, health) to enable formulation of effective policy solutions. The focus is on the development and use of quantitative analysis skills to assess public policy alternatives, while also developing and enhancing proficiency in management and the implementation process.
Goals
The MPP degree stresses the research, analysis and evaluation of various public issues (e.g., social, global, economic, health) to develop effective policy solutions. In general, MPP programs give great attention to policy formulation, analysis and evaluation.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Students should be able to demonstrate critical thinking and writing skills related to public policy, politics, ethics and economic analysis by the time they graduate
- Students will demonstrate quantitative analysis and oral communication skills
- Students will demonstrate analytical competencies through an internship or applied capstone project
