The USC Sol Price School of Public Policy improves the quality of life for people and communities, here and abroad. Our education and research promote innovative solutions to the most critical issues facing society.
For more than 90 years, the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy has sought to improve the quality of life for people and communities through path-breaking research and scholarship. We believe it is our mission to continue serving our global community at the highest level of excellence.
Modern challenges require leaders who look beyond their area of expertise to find the most effective solutions. Today’s challenges call on a new generation of creative thinkers to explore beyond the status quo.
Solving societal issues of such complexity requires not only great minds but also great action. USC Price fosters collaboration and partnerships to better understand problems through varied perspectives. We use the vast influence of California and greater Los Angeles as a resource for setting new paradigms; and we translate research into communities by working directly with the public, private and nonprofit sectors.
USC Price faculty and students are bold. They ask difficult questions and question longstanding answers. They are leaders in their fields and deeply engaged citizens. But most of all, they are inspired by the fact that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity.
If you’re ready to join in conversations that advance knowledge and civic action serving the global public good, look no further than USC Price.
School of Citizenship and Public Administration opens. Fifteen courses were taught in City Hall and two in the City Library. The original name is used until 1933, when it is called the School of Government. By 1940 it has become the School of Public Administration.
The school’s first faculty: John M. Pfiffner was hired as the first full-time faculty member and spent the remaining 39 years of his career in association with the school. Gordon Whitnall (pictured) was the first part-time faculty and he taught the school’s first Planning course.
Technical Assistance Program begins. The first program involved sending professors from the University of Ankara, Turkey to USC. Three more development programs were established between 1954 and 1961: Iran (1954), Pakistan (1960) and Brazil (1961). Smaller programs in Bahrain were also undertaken (1962 and 1983) and Venezuela (1966).
International Public Administration Center starts. The first participants included representatives from Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Finland, Greece, Turkey, Iraq, Brazil, India, Nigeria, and Germany.
Master of Science degree in City and Regional Planning is approved and considered USC’s first truly interdisciplinary degree — joining economics, sociology, social work and engineering, and just the second interdisciplinary degree in the state
The von KleinSmid Center for International and Public Affairs is established comprising: Public Administration, Planning, International Relations, and Political Science
Master of Real Estate Development degree (MRED) is approved. David Dollinger endowed the degree in 2012 when it was renamed Dollinger Master of Real Estate Development Program.
Peter Gordon becomes Dean of the School of Urban and Regional Planning following Alan Kreditor’s appointment as Senior Vice President for University Advancement
USC Sol Price School of Public Policy is established with a transformative $50 million naming gift from the Price Family Charitable Fund to endow and rename the School
Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington at Mount Vernon establishes partnership with USC Price; a key component of the partnership is the Borthwick Lecture Series on George Washington
Neely Center for Ethical Leadership and Decision Making is established; this multidisciplinary center is housed at the Price, Viterbi, and Marshall Schools
90th Anniversary Celebration at Los Angeles City Hall on January 31st
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First three graduates of the Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration in 1932.
With a history spanning more than 90 years, the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy has earned a distinct reputation for excellence in creating scholarship that serves the global public good.
In 1929 the USC School of Citizenship and Public Administration opened its doors, becoming one of only two programs of this kind in America. It was by no means the multifaceted institution that stands today, but it contained seeds of a bold vision that would become the foundation for decades of progress.
In addition to a degree in public administration, the School of Citizenship and Public Administration offered classes in urban and regional planning, which eventually led to the urban and regional planning degree and school at USC. Over time, public administration formed the health administration program and the public policy program, while the urban planning school developed a real estate program.
A key milestone for the school was reached in 1998 when these various strands came together. A single, multidisciplinary entity was formed: the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development.
In November 2011, the school received a transformative $50 million naming gift from the Price Family Charitable Fund to endow and name the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy. The gift honors the life of Sol Price, founder of Price Club. Known for his savvy decision-making, civic engagement, and commitment to social responsibility, the legacy of Sol Price aligns with so many of the values we strive to uphold at the USC Price School of Public Policy.
