Master of Public Policy Degree Requirements

Degree Requirements

Master of Public Policy

General Degree Requirements

The Master of Public Policy is designed as a two-year, full-time master’s program of 54 credits. In order to graduate from the program, students must obtain a minimum of 54 credits. Coursework is made up of a first-year core curriculum in policy leadership, analysis, and process, and then a second-year curriculum composed of policy tracks, policy specializations, a summative project, a course that emphasizes diversity in public policy, and the creation of a professional development plan to be refined in the context of a professional development course.

The inclusion of both a traditional Policy Analysis track as well as a separate Policy Advocacy and Leadership track makes the Portland State University MPP an innovative program in the field. The MPP core courses draw from courses offered by programs in Political Science, Public Administration, and Public Affairs and Politics.

Core Courses

All MPP students are required to take all core courses (credit hours in parentheses).

PAP 511 Introduction to Public Policy (3)

PS 520 American Political Institutions (4)

PS 533 Ethics and Public Policy (4)

Methods Core (10 credits)

PS 591 Testing Theories in Political Science (4)

PA 551 Analytic Methods in Public Administration I (3)

PA 552 Analytic Methods in Public Administration II (3)

Elective Core (select 3)

PA 554 Policy Analysis Research (3)

PAP 512 Introduction to Policy Advocacy (3)

OR

PA 538 Advocacy and Political Participation by Nonprofit Organizations (3)

PA 579 Policy Tools in Policy Design (3)

PAP 514 Institutional Dynamics of Public Policy (3)

PS 576 Politics of Inequality in the United States (4)

PS 515 Comparative Public Policy (4)

*Course substitutions are occasionally necessary for core courses, which can alter the total number of credits students can gain from core coursework. In these instances, the MPP director will communicate directly with students to alert them of the changes.

Summative Policy Project (3 credits)

The summative policy project is the highlight and summation of the MPP program. It is an opportunity for MPP students to begin the transition to professional life by engaging in a capstone project that engages the 6 skills and competencies that the program delivers in the setting of a client organization.

PAP 509 Public Policy Project (3)

OR

PS 509 Public Policy Project (3)

Track and Specialization Courses

Students choose one of the following two tracks as part of their course specialization work: (1) Policy Leadership/Advocacy Track (9 credits), or (2) Policy Analysis Track (9 credits). In addition, students choose another 9 credits of specialization courses.

Track courses may come from a variety of policy-related fields, both within and outside the Hatfield School of Government. All Track courses should be taken in consultation with students’ faculty advisors.

Policy specialization courses (Minimum of 9 credits) address specific policy domains. There is a wide breadth of expertise and courses across campus. Students will be expected, in consultation with their advisors, to select a set of courses that cover the areas they are likely to pursue professionally. Examples of relevant policy areas, including suggested core courses include:

PS 546 National Security

PA 564 Environmental Policy

USP 567 Housing Policy

Policy Advocacy Track (Minimum of 9 credits)

Suggested courses for the Policy Advocacy Track include (* designates special topics courses that may not be offered regularly):

PA 514 Global Leadership and Management

PA 517 Leadership Development for Public Organizations

PA 518 Leading Public Organizations

PA 519 Civic Capacity

PA 537 Law and Public Policy

PA 538 Advocacy and Political Participation by Nonprofits

PA 541 Social Entrepreneurship

PA 539 National Policy Process (Washington, DC Field Course)

PA 543 Creating Collaborative Communities

PA 545 Organizational Development

PA 560 Local Government Administration

PA 592 Volunteerism &Volunteer Management

PA 595 Labor Relations in the Public Sector

PS 516 Political Parties and Elections

PS 517 Interest Groups

PS 518 Contemporary Political Protest in America

PS 519 Political Reform

PS 527 The Politics of Public Opinion

PS 531 State and Local Politics

COMM 510 Political Campaigns*

COMM 520 Political Communication

SOC 524 Groups, Interaction, and Identity

SOC 576 Theories of Social Change

SW 524 Community Organization

SW 532 Advocacy and Empowerment

USP 550 Participatory Planning

USP 584 Negotiations in the Public Sector

This is not an extensive list and students are encouraged to look for relevant courses from across
the university, in consultation with their Advisor.

Policy Analysis Track (Minimum of 9 credits)

Suggested courses for the Policy Analysis Track include:

PA 539 National Policy Process (Washington, DC Field Course)

PA 551 Analytic Methods in Public Administration I

PA 552 Analytic Methods in Public Administration II

PA 555 Program Evaluation & Management

PA 556 Contract Management

PA 582 Public Budgeting

CCJ 520 Analysis of Crime and Justice Data

CE 566 Environmental Data Analysis

PAH 588 Program Evaluation & Management for Health Services

EC 527 Cost-Benefit Analysis

EC 528 Project Evaluation

EC 570 Econometrics

GEOG 588 Geographic Information Systems I

GEOG 592 Geographic Information Systems II

USP 591 Geographic Information Systems I

USP 592 Geographic Information Systems II

SOC 592 Qualitative Methods

SOC 597 Applied Survey Research

SOC 638 Integrating Qualitative and Quantitative Methods

SOC 639 Focus Group Interviewing

SYSC 513 Holistic Strategies for Problem Solving

SYSC 525 Agent-Based Simulation

SYSC 545 Application of Data Science

SYSC 551 Discrete Multivariate Modeling

SYSC 552 Game Theory

USP 536 Policy Evaluation Methods

USP 520 Applied Demographic Methods I

USP 521 Applied Demographic Methods II

USP 683 Qualitative Analysis

This is not an extensive list and students are encouraged to look for relevant courses from across
the university, in consultation with their Advisor.