MPA Specializations and Recommended Courses
MPA students are encouraged to specialize by completing 16 units of focused electives in a substantive subject area. Six popular specialization tracks and recommended courses are listed below. Students may take other relevant electives, however, to complete their degree with a specialization.
Alternatively, students who prefer to pursue a specialization of personal interest may self-design (with Price School guidance) a program that includes USC courses across various disciplines. Or, students may consider pursuing a certificate program; interested students should discuss certificate options with their advisor.
Local Government Management
(Faculty advisor: Juliet Musso)
Recommended:
Mangement elective
- PPD 672 – Collaborative Governance
Analytic elective
- PPD 554 – Foundations of Policy Analysis
Pick two of the following electives
- PPD 628 – Urban Planning and Social Policy
- PPDE 647 – Civic Engagement and Governance
- PPD 651 – Seminar in the Administration of Local Government
- PPD 657 – Political Leadership in Public Organizations
Nonprofit Management
(Faculty advisor: Nicole Esparza)
Recommended:
Management elective
- PPD 675 – Nonprofit Management and Leadership
Analytic elective
- PPD 542 – Policy and Program Evaluation
- PPDE 645 – Financial Management of Nonprofit Organizations (substitutes for PPD 541)
Pick two of the following electives
- PPD 681 – Fund Development for Nonprofit Organizations
- PPD 689 – The Nonprofit Sector and Philanthropy
Health Management
(Faculty advisor: Howard Greenwald)
Recommended:
Management elective
- PPDE 648 – Performance Management
Analytic elective
- PPD 542 – Policy and Program Evaluation
Pick eight units in the following
- PPD 511 – Health Information Systems (2 units)
- PPD 513 – Legal Issues in Health Care Delivery (2 units)
- PPD 518 – Quality of Care Concepts (2 units)
- PPD 600 – Management of Managed Care Organizations (2 units)
- PPD 601 – Management of Long-Term Care Organizations (2 units)
- PPD 604 – Seminar in Hospital Administration (2 units)
- PPD 509 – Problems and Issues in the Health Field
Public Financial Management
(Faculty advisor: Michael Thom)
Recommended:
Management elective
- PPDE 648 – Performance Management
Analytic elective
- PPD 542 – Policy and Program Evaluation
- PPD 625 – Planning and Economic Development Finance
- PPD 647 – Finance of the Public Sector
International Development Governance and Comparative Public Administration
(Faculty advisor: Rym Kaki)
Recommended:
Pick six-to-eight units of the following
- PPD 526 – Comparative International Development (4 units)
- PPDE 589 – Comparative Public Policy and Administration in the EU and US (6 units)
- PPDE 649 – International Development NGOs (4 units)
- PPD 677 – International Development Administration (4 units)
- PPDE 683 – Social Finance and Development (4 units)
- PPD 613ab – Policy, Planning, and Development International Laboratory (4 units)
Arts Leadership
(Faculty advisor: Work with advising team on application to Thornton)
Arts Leadership Specialization Requirements
Students interested in the Arts Leadership Specialization must take the following coursework in addition to completing the steps outlined below:
Management elective (must take both)
- ARTL 500 – Arts Leadership and Arts Entrepreneurship (2 units)
- ARTL 501 – Executive Leadership in the Arts (2 units)
Students who remove the specialization must follow the MPA regular requirements.
Analytic elective (must take both)
- ARTL 503 – Arts Organizations: Innovation and New Models (2 units)
- ARTL 504 – Arts and the Community: Current Practice and New Visions (2 units)
Students who remove the specialization must follow the MPA regular requirements.
Electives (required)
- ARTL 502 – Issues and the Arts in the Contemporary World (2 units)
- ARTL 510 – Arts leadership Practicum (2+2 units) The sections must be taken sequentially (fall and spring in one academic year.
- PPD 684– Leadership in the Public and Nonprofit Sectors or other PPD electives (2 units)
Process
Step 1: Talk to your MPA advisor on whether this is something you are interested in pursuing for your MPA degree. We encourage you to meet with us as early as possible in your program.
Step 2: Apply for the Arts Leadership Specialization. Specific requirements and instructions are located on the Thornton School of Music Admission Website, under the heading: “Master of Public Administration (MPA) Arts Leadership Specialization.”
Questions regarding Thornton requirements can be directed to Kit Bellamy, [email protected].
If admitted, students must follow all Thornton School requirements for the specialization and all MPA requirements.
Step 3: If approved by Arts Leadership, the final plan will be reviewed and completed with the MPA advisor. The student and advisor will sign the program form that outlines the specific requirements.