Program Overview
Master of Public Policy Program
The Master of Public Policy program is designed to offer students an interdisciplinary graduate education, developing skills for careers in which a solid understanding of the public policy process and the analysis and evaluation of public policies are essential.
Mission
The mission of the Master of Public Policy is to prepare students for analytical and administrative positions and responsibilities in a wide array of professional settings in the public, nonprofit, and private sectors, as well as advanced study for careers in research. Specific skills include knowledge of the policy process and related ethical concerns, rigorous research skills, and effective communication skills.
Objectives
Students will understand and analyze the principal policy-making institutions and the ways in which they formulate, debate, and implement public policies at the national, sub-national, and local levels. Students will examine legislative, executive, and non-governmental roles in policy formation at different levels of government. They will analyze the ways in which the various institutions interact and set policy priorities.
Faculty
The program is led by a team of experienced professors, including:
- Brian J. L. Berry
- Patrick T. Brandt
- Lloyd J. Dumas
- Euel W. Elliott
- Donald A. Hicks
- Jennifer S. Holmes
- Murray J. Leaf
- Richard K. Scotch Associate Professors:
- Simon M. Fass
- Dohyeong Kim
- Banks P. Miller
- Clint W. Peinhardt Clinical Associate Professor:
- Karl K. Ho Assistant Professors:
- Jonas Bunte
- Vito D'Orazio
Facilities
Students have access to the computing facilities in the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences and the University's computer labs. The school has four computing laboratories, which house between 24-30 computers that are network-linked and equipped with major social science software packages.
Admissions Requirement
The master's program in Public Policy seeks applications from students with a baccalaureate degree from an institution of higher education. Although applications will be reviewed holistically, in general, entering students have earned a 3.0 undergraduate grade point average (GPA) and a verbal score of 156 and a quantitative score of 146 on the Graduate Records Examination (GRE).
Prerequisites
While there are no specific course prerequisites, entering students will benefit from exposure to undergraduate courses in economics, political sciences, sociology, college algebra, statistics, public policy, and research design.
Grading Policy
In order to qualify for graduation, students must maintain a minimum 3.0 grade point average in their degree program's core courses plus an aggregate grade point average of 3.0 for all graduate courses taken in the student's degree program.
Degree Requirements
Students seeking a Master's in Public Policy must complete at least 36 semester credit hours of graduate coursework in the program. The program has three components:
- Major Required Core Courses: 21 semester credit hours
- Policymaking and Institutions (6 semester credit hours)
- Methodology (Statistics, Research Design, and related courses - 9 semester credit hours)
- Economics (3 semester credit hours)
- Research Workshop or Internship (3 semester credit hours)
- Prescribed Electives: 9 semester credit hours
- Students complete nine semester credit hours in one of the following areas of field:
- Social and Health Policy
- Security Studies
- Geographic Information Systems
- Analytic Methods
- Program Evaluation
- Free Electives: 6 semester credit hours
- Students may select six semester credit hours of 6000-level or higher courses.
Prescribed Electives Areas
- Social and Health Policy:
- Human Organizations and Social Theory
- Domestic Social Policy
- Health Policy
- Global Health Policy
- Social Stratification
- Health and Illness
- Security Studies:
- Civil Conflict
- National and International Security Strategies and Policies
- Conflict and Development
- Proseminar in Comparative Politics
- Proseminar in International Relations
- Human Rights and International Law
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS):
- Geographic Information Systems Fundamentals
- Advanced Geographic Information Systems
- GPS (Global Positioning System) Satellite Surveying Techniques
- 3D Data Capture and Ground Lidar
- GIS Data Analysis Fundamentals
- GIS Programming Fundamentals
- Analytic Methods:
- Data Management for Social Science Research
- Qualitative Research Methods
- Evaluation Research Methods in the Economic, Political and Policy Sciences
- Cost-Benefit Analysis
- Structural Equation and Multilevel (Hierarchical) Modeling
- Program Evaluation:
- Evaluation Research Methods in the Economic, Political and Policy Sciences
- Evaluation Research (Field Practice)
- Research Design I
- Cost-Benefit Analysis
Additional Information
Students should consult the graduate catalog and the Program Head or Director of Graduate Studies for additional information regarding courses that would best satisfy the "Prescribed Electives" requirement.