Master of Arts in Public Policy

Program Requirements

Courses Offered Each Semester

Being mindful of prerequisite requirements when registering for classes is important if one intends to graduate in a timely manner. Students must take Research Methods before the Research Proposal, and these Research Project courses before the Research Project.

Research Proposal and Research Project: These two courses are part of a research writing project. At the proposal stage, students will select a faculty member from the department (Project Supervisor) and a second faculty reader to work on developing a Research Proposal (which includes: Introduction, Research Question, Literature Review, and Methodology sections).

Course Requirements

Required Courses: PS 510: Policy Analysis; PS 516: Research Methods; PS 518: Theory, Policy, and Ethics; PS 589: Public Policy Practicum (Internship); PS 595: Public Policy Research Proposal; PS 596: Public Policy Research Project

12 credits from among: PS 598: Special Topics/Special Projects; PS 514: Public Opinion and Polling; CO/PS 524: Public Opinion and the Media; CO/PS 525: Political Communication; SW 617: Advanced Practice in Planning and Social Policy; SW/PS 618: Social Work Administration; HS/PS 522: History of Urbanization in America; PS 553: Gender, Family, and Policy; PS 530: Environmental Policy; PS 563: Global Policy and Issues; PS 566: Comparative Public Policy; PS 585: American Foreign Policy; PS 599: Readings and Research

Additional Graduation Requirements

PS 597: Portfolio

• Students must submit a portfolio on a CD-ROM to the Project Supervisor of his or her Research Project
• Typically, portfolios are arranged as follows:
1. 1) Executive Summary (250 words);
2. 2) Table of Contents;
3. 3) Resume;
4. 4) Statement of Academic and Professional Goals (750 words);
5. 5) Artifacts including at least two research papers;
6. 6) Practicum reflective essays;
7. 7) Colloquium essays (students must attend a minimum of two lectures over the course of their program, and write a 2 to 3 page reflective essay on each Colloquium attended);
8. 8) Summary Statement