Public Policy and Administration, MA

The Master's in Public Policy and Administration requires the successful completion of 13 courses to obtain a degree. Students complete ten core courses, including a capstone or thesis, and three elective courses. There are five specializations: Data Analytics, Global Health, Global Policy, Public Administration, and Public Policy. Current students should refer to curriculum requirements in place at time of entry into the program.

Curriculum

Core Courses (10 units)

Course Title
MPPA 401-DL/401-0Research Methods
MPPA 402-DL/402-0Elements of Public Finance and Budgeting
MPPA 403-DL/403-0Fundamentals of Public Administration
MPPA 404-DL/404-0Microeconomics for Public Policy Administration
MPPA 405-DL/405-0Statistics for Research
MPPA 406-DL/406-0Program Evaluation and Policy Analysis
MPPA 407-DL/407-0Scope and Theory of Public Policy
MPPA 408-DL/408-0Public Organization Theory & Management
MPPA 418-DL/418-0Ethics and Leadership
MPPA 498-DL/498-0The Capstone Project
or MPPA 590-DL Thesis Research

Electives (3 units) 

Course Title
MPPA 411-DL/411-0The Legislative Process
MPPA 413-DL/413-0Foundations of the Nonprofit/NGO Sector
MPPA 417-DL/417-0Public Human Resources
MPPA 419-DL/419-0The Strategic Policy Environment
MPPA 420-DL/420-0Disaster Management and Theory
MPPA 421-DLAdministrative Law
MPPA 430-DL/430-0Behavioral Economics
MPPA 432-DL/432-0Intergovernmental Relations
MPPA 435-DL/435-0Regulatory Policy
MPPA 438-DL/438-0Environmental and Climate Policy
MPPA 440-DL/440-0International Institutions
MPPA 450-DL/450-0Global Economic Policy
MPPA 490-DL/490-0Special Topics in Public Policy
MPPA 580-DLGlobal Policy Laboratory

About the Final Project

Students may pursue their capstone experience independently or as part of a team. As their final course, students take either the individual research project in an independent study format or the classroom final project class in which students integrate the knowledge they have gained in the core curriculum in work assigned by the instructor. In both cases students are guided by faculty in exploring the body of knowledge on public policy and administration while contributing research of practical value to the field. The capstone 590 thesis project and 498 capstone class count as one unit of credit.
 
Course Title
Choose one
The Capstone Project
Thesis Research