Public Policy, MA

CGU’s Master of Arts in Public Policy (MAPP) program is designed to develop policy analysts with strong quantitative skills and political knowledge, equipped with boundary-crossing tools and mindsets to foster positive, sustainable, and strategic change. The program is distinguished by four signature pillars: a customizable curriculum that aligns with your passions and possibilities, an emphasis on social justice and human flourishing, transdisciplinary inquiry, and physical proximity to a living laboratory within the complex and exciting climate of Southern California. 

Program Highlights

Areas of Emphasis include Social Justice and Inequality, Environmental and Water policy, Health policy, Leadership and Flourishing, or you may create a self-designed track based on your interests.
Graduate-only education is offered in small, seminar-style classes taught by highly knowledgeable faculty scholars.
Pursue your MPP in conjunction with another degree, such as a Ph.D. in Psychology. You earn a diploma for each degree and “double count” some units from one program to the other to decrease your required total units.

Admission. Admission requirements are detailed in the Admissions section of the current Policies and General Information Bulletin.

University Policies. Policies detailed in the current Policies and General Information Bulletin apply.

Degree Requirements

Coursework. The MAPP program can be completed with 32 units of coursework for students who already meet the microeconomic and statistics prerequisites described below (students who do not meet the microeconomic and statistics prerequisites detailed below will require 4-8 additional units). Final Paper Portfolio. All students are required to submit two papers to the program office. One paper must be written during the student’s first semester in the program. A second paper should represent the student’s best work and may come from any subsequent semester that the student is enrolled in the program. Papers are used for accreditation reviews of the program.

Core Requirements (20 units):

PP330 Public Policy Process (4 units)

PP 338 Policy Design & Implementation (4 units)

(Prerequisite: Microeconomics and PP482 or equivalent)

Multivariate Regression Analysis (PP 482 or INST483) 4 units

(Prerequisite: PP481 or equivalent)

Advanced Applied Data Analysis (PP487) 4 units

(Prerequisites: PP482 or equivalent)

Transdisciplinary Capstone Requirement (PP488/TNDY488) 4 units

(Prerequisites: Final semester of coursework)

Evaluation Requirement (4 units)

Either

PP 331 Policy Evaluation OR SPE 318 Cost-Benefit Analysis

PP 331 Policy Evaluation

(Prerequisite: PP482 or equivalent)

SPE 318 Cost-Benefit Analysis

(Prerequisite: Micro [e.g., Econ 313, SPE 313])

Pathways Requirement (8 units)

Students choose two courses (8 units) specializing in one of the five Pathways below.

[Note: Students enrolled in an interfield or dual-degree program with public policy may waive the pathways credits as coursework in their other field/degree will meet this requirement.]

Pathway I: Advanced Analysis (8 units from the following)

Policy Evaluation (PP 331) OR Cost-Benefit Analysis (SPE 318)*
Qualitative and Mixed Methods Research (PP 485)
Public Opinion (PP 329)
Geographic Information Systems-Essential Topics (IST 370)

Geographic Information Systems-Special Topics (IST 377)
Survey Research Methods (PP329)

* Students may only use one of these courses for Pathway credit since one is used to fulfill the Evaluation Requirement

Pathway II: Social Justice and Inequality (8 units from the following)

Wealth, Poverty and Inequality (TNDY 405C)
TNDY Transdisciplinary research in Inequality (TNDY 407k)
Urban Studies (TNDY 407V)
Educational Policy (EDUC 407)
Women, Politics, and Policy (PP 309)

US Immigration Policy (PP 341)
Ethics, Human Rights and Cultural Diversity (CGH 317)
Law and Psychology (PSYCH 350D)
Environmental Justice (EA 086 PZ with professor approval & added work)
Cultural Competence (TNDY 408G)
Corruption (TNDY 407O)

Pathway III: Environmental and Water Policy (8 units from the following)

Water Finance, Law and Equity (PP407A)
One Water for the Future (PP407B)
Urban Studies (TNDY 407V)

Experiencing Sustainability (TNDY 407T)
Geographic Information Systems-Essential Topics (IST 370)
Geographic Information Systems-Special Topics (IST 377)
Environmental and Occupational Health (CGH 304)
Environmental Justice (EA 086 PZ with professor approval & added work)
Approved courses from the Environmental Analysis program of the 5 Claremont Colleges.

Pathway IV: Health Policy (8 units from the following)

Theoretical Foundations in Health Promotion and Education (CGH 300)

Health Services in the US and Abroad (CGH 303)
Environmental and Occupational Health (CGH 304)
Public Health Leadership (CGH 316)
Designing and Evaluating Health Behavior Outcomes (CGH 409)
Health Economics and Financing (CGH 411)

Developing and Evaluating Health Behavior Interventions (EVAL 350)
Health Promotion (PSYCH 350FF)
Prevention Science (PSYCH 350GG)
Health Behavior Program Development (PSYCH 350V)
US Health Policy (CGH 349F)

Pathway V: Leadership and Flourishing (8 units from the following)

Leadership and Followership (TNDY 404B)
Leader Development (TNDY 407J)
The Practice of Self-Management (TNDY 407R)

Science of Human Flourishing (TNDY 407U)
Organizational Behavior (PSYCH 319)
Organizational Theory (PSYCH 321)
Foundations of Positive Psychology (PSYCH 329)
Positive Organizational Psychology (PSYCH 350KK)

Positive Leadership (PSYCH 350PP)
Leadership in a Complex World (PSYCH 350SS)
Good Work (PSYCH 350Y)
Public Health Leadership (CGH 316)
Corruption (TNDY 407O)
Public-Private Partnerships (TNDY 404O)

Microeconomics and Statistics Degree Prerequisites (4-8 units):

The CGU MAPP prerequisite requirements for microeconomics and statistics prepare graduate students for rigorous and agile training to tackle the world’s complex policy issues. Prior to MPP coursework:

The microeconomics requirement may be met through the successful completion of:

ECON 313 Microeconomics or
SPE 313 Microeconomics and Public Policy or
A college-level Microeconomics Course (undergraduate or graduate level; evaluated by program faculty)

The statistics requirement may be met through the successful completion of:

CGU Introductory Social Statistics courses PP481 or INST 481 or
Proficiency demonstrated through passing a Claremont Graduate University Division of Politics and Economics statistics examination (recommended only for students who have already completed a college-level statistics)

The prerequisite requirements must be met within three years of program matriculation.