CGU’s Masters of Arts in Public Policy degree is designed to develop policy analysts with strong quantitative skills joined with political knowledge, equipped with boundary-crossing tools to foster positive, sustainable, and strategic change. The program is defined by four signature features: a customizable curriculum that aligns with your passions and possibilities; an emphasis on applied policy analysis and social/environmental justice; transdisciplinary inquiry; and active engagement with the complex and dynamic policy landscape of Southern California.
This program is offered in-person with some coursework offered in an hybrid/online modality and can be completed in four semesters of full-time attendance (eight units/semester).
Program Outcomes
- Students are trained to foster positive, sustainable, and strategic change
- Students learn strong quantitative skills that enable analysis of policy outcomes
- Students are also prepared with political knowledge
- Courses emphasize consideration of social justice and human flourishing
- CGU’s emphasis on transdisciplinary inquiry provides students with boundary-crossing tools of analysis
Degree Requirements
A minimum of 32 units is required for the degree. Students who do not meet the microeconomic and statistics prerequisites detailed below will be required to complete an additional 4 to 8 units.
Microeconomics and Statistics Prerequisites (4-8 units)
The CGU MPP prerequisite requirements for microeconomics and statistics prepare graduate students for rigorous and agile training to tackle the world’s complex policy issues. The prerequisite requirements must be met within the first year in attendance at CGU.
Microeconomics
Student must complete one of the following:
ECON 313 - Microeconomic Analysis (4 units)
SP&E 313 - Microeconomics & Public Policy (4 units)
Another college-level Microeconomics Course to be evaluated by program faculty
Statistics
Student must complete one of the following:
PP 481 - Introduction to Statistical Analysis (4 units)
The Division of Politics and Economics statistics proficiency examination. This option is only recommended only for students who have already completed a college-level statistics course.
Coursework
Required Courses (16 units)
PP 330 - Public Policy Process (4 units)
PP 338 - Policy Design & Implementation (4 units)
PP 482 - Advanced Quantitative Research Methods (4 units)
Select one course from:
PP 487L - Applied Data Analysis: Limited Dependent Variables and MLE (4 units)
PP 487M - Applied Data Analysis: Machine Learning and Data Mining for Social Scientists (4 units)
PP 487S - Applied Data Analysis: Survey of Advanced Methods (4 units)
Evaluation Requirement (4 units)
Students will select one course from:
PP 331 - Policy Evaluation (4 units)
SP&E 318 - Cost Benefit Analysis (4 units)
Specialized Topics (8 units)
Students will choose two additional courses (8 units), in consultation with their academic advisor, specializing in one area of policy analysis. Additional courses, including those offered at the Claremont Colleges, may be eligible. Suggested areas of specialization include:
Social Justice and Inequality
Environmental and Water Policy
Leadership and Human Flourishing
Advanced Policy Analysis
IST 370 - Introduction to GIS Analytics and Solution Development (4 units)
IST 377A - GIS Special Topics: GIS for Data Science (4 units)
PP 329 - Public Opinion (4 units)
PP 331 - Policy Evaluation (4 units) OR SP&E 318 - Cost Benefit Analysis (4 units) *
PP 484 - Survey Research (4 units)
PP 485 - Qualitative and Mixed Methods Research (4 units)
Capstone (4 units)
In the student’s final semester of the degree program, they will select one course from:
Final Portfolio
All students in the Department of Politics and Policy are required to submit two papers to the program office or before the semester they plan to confer their degree. One paper should be written during the student’s first year. A second paper should represent the student’s strongest work and should be submitted during any semester following the submission of the first paper. Papers are used for accreditation reviews of the program.
Return to: