Master of Arts in Public Policy (MAPP)

Public Policy: Understanding How Government Can Improve Social & Economic Conditions

How can cities decrease traffic congestion?
What is the impact of ending bilingual education?
Will anti-growth regulations stop suburban sprawl, or simply drive up the price of housing?
Can election laws be changed to increase political participation?
Are micro-enterprise programs a viable way to increase economic opportunities in inner cities?

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These are just a few of the policy questions for which good decisions depend on high-quality analysis. The appropriate design of public policies, and the question of whether a policy does more harm than good in improving social and economic conditions, are at the heart of the training provided in the Master of Arts in Public Policy (MAPP) program in the School of Politics and Economics.

The MAPP is a 48-unit degree program that builds knowledge of current government programs and the debates about them. Students learn the technical skills to assess how politics influences policy choices as well as how to design more effective programs and how to evaluate the impact of existing programs.

Though the skills of the MAPP can be applied to a wide variety of policies, we are particularly strong in urban issues. Our location in the Los Angeles metropolitan area provides firsthand exposure to the most pressing social and economic issues in the country - the growth of immigrant populations, suburban sprawl and traffic congestion, transformation of the economy from manufacturing to international trade and finance, education reform, and restructuring government to increase responsiveness.

We also have a working relationship with the Evaluation Program in the School of Behavioral and Organization Sciences, allowing our students to develop expertise in a variety of evaluation approaches –from stakeholder empowerment views, to organizational assessment or implementation evaluations. Faculty in the SBOS program include several members who have been elected president of the American Evaluation Association and a winner of Early Career Achievement Award.

Graduates will command an exceptionally diverse array of analytical skills. By drawing on the offerings of other departments at CGU, students have extensive opportunities to learn a variety of skills relevant to the study of government programs. In addition to analytical techniques from statistics and economics, we also offer courses in legal research methods, use of geographic information systems (GIS), financial management, needs assessment, and survey methods.

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THE CURRICULUM

Core Requirements (12 units)
 
PP300 Public Policy Process
ANY TWO (2) COURSES FROM BELOW
PP306 Legislative Process and Public Policy
PP305 Executive-Congressional Relations
PP338 Policy Design
PP345 Urban Politics

Policy Analysis Tools (16 units)
 
PP481 Quantitative Research Methods
PP482 Advanced Quantitative Research Methods
PP331 Policy Evaluation (Prerequisites:  PP 481 and PP482)
SPE313 Microeconomics and Public Policy (recommended for students with no economics background)
 
OR
 
SPE318 Economic Analysis in Public Policy (recommended for students with some economics background)
 
Substantive Track (12-16 Units)

Students are strongly encouraged to develop a substantive track of at least three related electives.  The following are a selection of courses and tracks that have been offered in recent years.  New courses may be added that would fulfill this requirement.  If you have questions on the tracks, or the course offerings, please consult your advisor.

STATE AND LOCAL POLICY (12 UNITS)
 
PP345 Urban Politics  
PP346 Community and Economic Development  
PP348 Seminar in Urban Policy (Topics Vary)  

ADVANCED POLICY EVALUATION (16 CREDITS REQUIRED)
 
PSYCH315b Foundations of Evaluation 2 units
PSYCH315z Comparative Evaluation 4 units
PSYCH354b Evaluation Procedures 4 units
 
Plus six (6) credits of evaluation electives chosen in consultation with your advisor.  Examples include:
 
PSYCH315a Theory Driven Program Evaluation 2 units
PSYCH352L Professional Development in Evaluation and Applied Methods 2 units
PSYCH315jl Survey Research Methods 4 units

EDUCATION POLICY (12 UNITS)
 
All courses are taught in the Education School.  Students can develop a concentration in either K-12  policy issues or higher education policies.  Examples of several recently taught classes include:
 
EDUC 525 The Politics of Inequality in Education  
EDUC 537  Issues in Contemporary Urban Education  
EDUC 450 Dilemmas in American Higher Education  
EDUC 456 Public Policy Dimensions of  Higher Education

Elective Tracks
 
Students are encouraged to put together their own specialized concentrations. Possibilities include an emphasis on the political aspects of public policy, additional analytical courses, or a substantive concentration in a particular policy field. CGU is particularly strong in urban and social policy, including such topics as education, economic and community development, and minority political issues.

Two to three elective courses (8-12 units) depending on concentration requirements.

Contact Information:

For program inquiries
Jeanine Kraybill, Recruiter
Jeanine.Kraybill@cgu.edu
909.607.9101

SOME UNIQUE BENEFITS OF AN SPE PUBLIC POLICY DEGREE

Policy Clinic
The policy clinic offers students an opportunity to analyze a specific policy issue and produce a joint research report under conditions comparable to those faced by professional policy analysts.

Careers In and Out of Government
Recent efforts to "reinvent government" have centered on rethinking the partnerships between public and private organizations. This rethinking has added new significance to the connections between government, business, and non-profit organizations. Accordingly, graduates of the MAPP program command skills that are in demand in a variety of organizations, not just government. Our alumni and many current students are employed in nonprofit agencies as well as city, county, and state government.

Practical Training for Real-World Applications
MAPP students have access to a variety of opportunities to apply their skills in policy analysis. Students may also apply to the Coro Foundation, a national nonprofit public affairs training organization, for a nine-month paid fellows program that provides internship experience in government, nonprofit, and business organizations. Up to 10 graduate credits may be earned from participation in this program. Other internship opportunities are available to MAPP students in a wide range of organizations. The policy clinics taught within the department also give students an opportunity to apply their research skills to a specific policy problem. The report summarizing the work of the policy clinic serves to showcase the student's substantive expertise, analytical capabilities, and professional writing style. Students without prior work experience are especially encouraged to take advantage of internships and policy clinics.