In our dynamic global society, talented professionals who contextualize, analyze and shape policy with an eye for the public good are vitally important. The USC Price Master of Public Policy (MPP) program will prepare you to become one of these essential leaders.
A Comprehensive Master of Public Policy Program
Our nationally recognized MPP program emphasizes three areas: policy process and analysis, economics, and quantitative analysis. With an emphasis on social justice and innovation, your comprehensive studies will be immersive, spanning a variety of disciplines, subjects and scholarship, and culminating in a unique year-long practicum.
With valuable access to networking and research opportunities as well as a deep connection to all that Los Angeles offers, the Price MPP is no ordinary program – and our students are no ordinary scholars. Find out how you can join our next cohort and turn your knowledge into action.
Application Deadlines
Learn about the application process →
What to Expect in the MPP Program
The Price Master of Public Policy equips you with the in-depth knowledge and skills you need to be an agent of change. As a student, you can expect the following from your education at USC Price:
- Quality: USC Price is ranked first among schools nationwide who offer an MPP program.
- Rigor: Demanding classes based on a strong analytical core.
- Collaboration: Work frequently on team-based projects with diverse classmates who are as smart, committed and caring as you are
- Real-World Action: Be a part of case studies, domestic and international labs, internships, and more, with opportunities to work with research centers and community-based research
- Inclusive Approaches: We value inclusivity not just in education, but in our ability to become true community partners in impact
- Cutting Edge Resources: Instruction in and access to leading technological resources for data analysis
- Unmatched Connections: Learn from world-class faculty who engage with you in meaningful research, build professional connections through your year-long practicum experience, and become a part of the global USC Trojan Network.
The Master of Public Policy program utilizes a cohort model in which students typically enroll full-time and complete the degree in two years. Students pursuing dual degrees are expected to complete the MPP portion of their coursework in two years, with overall time to degree completion depending on the additional degree obtained
An Unparalleled Practicum Experience
Engage with clients directly through our Policy Analysis Practicum to address a real-world public policy challenge, giving you the chance to enter the professional world while still learning as a USC Price student. Past MPP student groups have worked for the United Nations, Los Angeles Mayor’s Sustainability Office, the National Park Service, and more.
With a program distinctly different from other Master of Public Policy degrees, the USC Price practicum functions like a pro-bono consulting firm. An expansive network of top-quality clients is created and your selected boss becomes both a client and professional touchstone. With support from your practicum instructors and classmates, you will complete a unique project and graduate prepared to take on your next professional endeavor with confidence and expertise.
How Will You Maximize Your Impact?
USC Price Master of Public Policy alumni work in private and nonprofit sectors including social and urban policy, environmental sustainability, economic development, international affairs and more. Here are just a few things our faculty work on and incorporate into courses – and ultimately, examples of what MPP students may contribute to as practitioners.
- Catalyze evidence-based solutions in public policy
- Create strategies to dismantle systemic racism
- Cultivate healthy communities
- Combat climate change and mitigate its impacts
- Reduce education inequities that exist in the U.S. and throughout the world
Employment
Our recent graduates are succeeding in multiple fields and sectors.
Featured Research Centers
The Sol Price Center for Social Innovation was established with the recent gift to name the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy. This new center aims to advance ideas, strategies, and practices that enhance the quality of life for people in urban communities. The center will provide opportunities for direct student engagement across all of the Price School’s primary disciplines.
Established in 2000, the Center on Philanthropy and Public Policy promotes more effective philanthropy and strengthens the nonprofit sector to advance public problem solving. Its research focuses on trends and patterns in philanthropy and the nonprofit sector, philanthropic strategies for social impact, and challenges in philanthropic stewardship and leadership.
Center for Inclusive Democracy (CID), is a nonpartisan research center serving the U.S. Founded and directed by Dr. Mindy S. Romero, CID moved to the USC Price School, Sacramento in 2018. CID conducts a range of national and multi-state research initiatives exploring voting behavior, civic engagement, electoral and economic research, the intersection of social justice and democracy, and more.
The USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy is committed to advancing post-partisanship, where leaders put people over political parties and work together to find the best ideas and solutions to benefit the people. The Institute seeks to influence public policy and public debate in finding solutions, and engages in the following policy areas: education, energy and the environment, health and wellness, and political reform.
