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University of Southern California

Certificate Programs

Public Policy Certificate

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This graduate certificate program provides students with a foundation in public policy analysis. It is designed to provide expertise in public policy to individuals who do not wish to pursue the Master of Public Policy degree. Potential students include those who are pursuing another degree and want to complement that work with a specialization in public policy, as well as qualified students holding a bachelor’s degree who have not matriculated at USC. The certificate develops policy analytic skills and their integration with a policy issue area of interest to the student

The Public Policy Certificate Program consists of 16 units of graduate course work.

Required Core Courses (12 units)

  • PPD 503 Economics for Public Policy (Units: 4)
  • PPD 554 Foundations of Policy Analysis (Units: 4)
  • PPD 555 Public Policy Formulation and Implementation (Units: 4)

Choose one course from a policy area (4 units)

Students choose one PPD or PPDE course. It can be a course managed by the Master of Public Policy (MPP) program or a course that is part of the MPP’s “Analytic Elective” options. Refer to the MPP catalog listing for the list of PPD and PPDE “Analytic Elective” options. The Master of Public Policy Program Administrator can provide guidance on other courses that are managed by the MPP program. Course substitutions may be approved by the MPP director.

Admission Requirements and Application Procedures:

Current USC Graduate Students
Applicants for the Public Policy Certificate who are currently enrolled in a graduate program at USC (and are in good standing with a 3.0 GPA or higher) need to submit the appropriate paperwork for adding the certificate program. The paperwork may be obtained from Suzanne Alexander, Academic Program Administrator, Graduate Programs in Public Policy, at [email protected].  

Prospective Applicants
Applicants who have not matriculated at USC must submit a formal application at the USC Graduate Admission website.

Deadlines:
July 1 – Fall Semester
November 1 – Spring Semester
April 1 – Summer Semester

Please contact the USC Price Office of Admissions at  [email protected] for more information.

For certificate programs that meet federal Title IV eligibility, USC is required by the U.S. Department of Education to disclose certain Gainful Employment (GE) information. The following Gainful Employment Disclosure Template link provides information regarding related jobs, cost, loan debt and completion rate for the program:

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