MPPA Curriculum

Please see the academic catalog for additional information regarding the curriculum. 

Curriculum Overview 

The Master's in Public Policy and Administration requires the successful completion of 13 courses to obtain a degree. Students complete nine core courses, three elective courses corresponding to a chosen area of specialization, and a capstone class (498) or independent thesis (590).

Please see the academic catalog for additional information regarding the curriculum. Current students should refer to curriculum requirements in place at time of entry into the program.

Core courses:

MPPA 401 Research Methods

MPPA 402 Elements of Public Finance and Budgeting

MPPA 403 Fundamentals of Public Administration

MPPA 404 Microeconomics for Public Policy & Administration

MPPA 405 Statistics for Research

MPPA 406 Program Evaluation and Policy Analysis

MPPA 407 Scope and Theory of Public Policy

MPPA 408 Public Organization Theory and Management

MPPA 418 Ethics and Leadership

MPPA 498 Capstone course or MPPA 590 Thesis Research

Public Administration Specialization

This specialization prepares students to serve as managers on the local, state and federal levels, and in the nongovernmental organization and nonprofit sectors. Graduates leave with an improved ability to deal with the complex challenges and concerns that face public administrators. Our graduates are prepared to lead an increasingly diverse public workforce toward innovative solutions. 

Choose three courses:

MPPA 411 The Legislative Process

MPPA 413 Foundations of the Nonprofit/NGO Sector

MPPA 417 Public Human Resources

MPPA 420 Disaster Management and Theory

MPPA 421 Administrative Law

MPPA 430 Behavioral Economics

MPPA 580 Global Policy Laboratory

PH 417 Public Health Law: Promoting Healthy Youth Development

Public Policy Specialization

Students in this specialization will be able to understand the factors in public decision-making and policy formulation by honing their analytical skills and increasing their theoretical and practical knowledge in the field. Graduates are able to evaluate competing demands and lead toward innovative and transformative public policy solutions. 

Choose three courses:

MPPA 411 The Legislative Process

MPPA 419 The Strategic Policy Environment

MPPA 430 Behavioral Economics

MPPA 432 Intergovernmental Relations

MPPA 435 Regulatory Policy

MPPA 438 Environmental and Climate Policy

MPPA 490 Special Topics: Demography, Global Health and Policy

MPPA 490 Special Topics: US Foreign Policy

MPPA 421 Administrative Law

MPPA 580 Global Policy Laboratory

PH 449 Public Health Policy

Global Policy Specialization

This specialization introduces students to key issues addressed by global policy, such as development goals, the environment, financial regulation, nuclear proliferation, democratization and state-building. Graduates build the tools, training and knowledge necessary to lead policy development in an increasingly interdependent world while engaging various governments, private industries, non-governmental organizations and international organizations. 

Choose three courses:

MPPA 430 Behavioral Economics

MPPA 438 Environmental and Climate Policy

MPPA 440 International Institutions

MPPA 450 Global Economic Policy

MSGH 421 Globalization and Public Policy

MPPA 490 Special Topics: U.S. Foreign Policy

MPPA 580 Global Policy Laboratory

MPPA 490 Special Topics: Demography, Global Health and Policy

Global Health Specialization

(Courses are only offered online. This specialization is not available in the accelerated degree option.)

Government agencies and major foundations are investing billions to combat largely treatable chronic diseases that claim far too many lives in low- and middle-income countries. This specialization is designed to enable students, such as nonprofit administrators, policy analysts, social entrepreneurs and others, to make a meaningful difference in healthcare access and outcomes. Students will navigate the legal and regulatory aspects of health-related industries around the world and evaluate cultural and ethical considerations inherent in global health contexts.

Choose three courses:

MSGH 405 Foundations of Global Health

MSGH 417 Global Health Systems

MSGH 421 Globalization and Public Policy

MSGH 427 Grant Writing and Fundraising

MSGH 450 Global Health Initiatives

MPPA 490 Special Topics: Demography, Global Health and Policy

PH 490 Advanced Global Public Health

Data Analytics for Public Policy Specialization

(Courses are only offered online. This specialization is not available in the accelerated degree option.)

The data analytics specialization is intended for students who will use data analytics and statistics to address policy issues. Policy analysts and researchers who can use sophisticated statistical and computational methods can add insight and value to public policy decision-making by using big data to improve public services in public health, transportation, and law enforcement, predict and avert famine and droughts, and improve city infrastructures.

Please note that students must take the core MPPA 405 Statistics for Research before beginning the specialization.

Required course:

MSDS 400 Math for Modelers

Choose any two courses:

MSDS 410 Supervised Learning Methods

MSDS 420 Database Systems and Data Preparation

MSDS 455 Data Visualization

MSDS 460 Decision Analytics

MSDS 476 Business Process Analytics

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 each.

Choose one:

MPPA 498 Capstone Project

MPPA 590 Thesis Research

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