(Pending approval by SACSCOC. Applications will be accepted beginning Fall 2026)
The Master of Public Policy (MPP) program prepares students to take on society’s hardest problems and lead the initiatives that solve them. It trains students to analyze public problems, evaluate policy impacts, and communicate findings to policymakers, stakeholders, and the public. Students build skills in quantitative research methods, program evaluation, and management. Graduates go on to meaningful careers across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Their work supports evidence-based decision-making and drives real, positive change. Graduates of the MPP program will strengthen the state’s capacity to develop effective public policy and help meet the state’s and the nation’s need for skilled policy analysts.
Curricular Requirements
Students are required to complete 36 semester hours of coursework.
| PPOL 501 Research Methods in PP I | 3 |
| PPOL 505 Research in Methods in PPII | 3 |
| PPOL 511 Economics for Public Policy | 3 |
| PPOL 521 The Policymaking Process | 3 |
| PSC 664 Public Policy Analysis | 3 |
| PSC 667 Public Budgeting | 3 |
| PSC 668 Program Evaluation | 3 |
| PPOL 531 Leadership in Public Policy | 3 |
| PPOL 581 Internship in Public Policy | 3 |
| Electives (See Electives List Below) | 6 |
| PPOL 591 Capstone in Public Policy | 3 |
| Total Credits for Major | 36 |
Electives
Students may petition the School of Leadership and Policy to substitute a course that is not on this list whose focus is on public policy.
| APR 541 Digital Communication Strategy | 3 |
| CSM 525 Conflict Resolution Workplace | 3 |
| CSM 528 Processes of Negotiation | 3 |
| MGT 517 Leadership & Ethics | 3 |
| MGT 534 Training and Development | 3 |
| MGT 552 Project Mgmt & Consulting | 3 |
| POPH 521 Health Policy & Planning | 3 |
| POPH 524 Health Economics | 3 |
| PSC 562 Public Personnel Admin | 3 |
| PSC 565 Foundations of Public Admin | 3 |
| PSC 662 Organization Theory | 3 |
| PSC 663 Sel Prob Public Admin | 3 |
| PSC 665 Local Government Admin | 3 |
| ST 552 Applied Regression Analy | 3 |
| ST 545 Intro Stat Learn & Data Mining | 3 |
| ST 645 Advanced Statistical Learning | 3 |
| SW 500 Social Welfare Policy | 3 |
| SW 501 Soc Welfare Adv Pol Analysis | 3 |