Program: Master of Public Policy/Master of Urban Planning (MPP/MUP) - University of Southern California

Apr 01, 2025

USC Catalogue 2019-2020

The Master of Public Policy/Master of Urban Planning dual degree program gives students the opportunity to develop a depth of analytic and design skills with which to effectively address the problems of urban communities. The dual degree program normally requires six semesters in residence.

Requirements

Completion of the dual degree requires 72 units.

Prerequisites

Applicants must have a basic competence in descriptive and inferential statistics for the MPP program. This prerequisite may be met in one of two ways: (1) entering students must have passed an undergraduate inferential statistics class, with a grade of “B” or better, at an approved university within three years of matriculation, and must pass the MPP lab associated with PPD 554 Foundations of Policy Analysis , or (2) take PPD 502x Statistical Foundations for Public Management and Policy and complete with a grade of “B” or better. If students select to take PPD 502 , the units associated with this class may not be used for graduate credit.

Public Policy Courses

Students take 40 units in the MPP program.

PPD 503 Economics for Public Policy Units: 4
PPD 554 Foundations of Policy Analysis Units: 4
PPD 555 Public Policy Formulation and Implementation Units: 4
PPD 558 Multivariate Statistical Analysis Units: 4
PPD 560 Methods for Policy Analysis Units: 4
PPD 561a Policy Analysis Practicum Units: 1
PPD 561b Policy Analysis Practicum Units: 3

Analytic Electives

Units: 6-8^*

COMM 650 Survey Construction and Validation Units: 4
PPD 542 Policy and Program Evaluation Units: 4
PPD 587 Risk Analysis Units: 4
PPD 647 Finance of the Public Sector Units: 4
PPDE 636 Urban Spatial Ethnography and Critical Cartography Units: 4
PPDE 660 Environmental Policy Design and Analysis Units: 4
PPDE 661 Methods for Equity Analysis Units: 4
PPDE 665 Economic Impact Analysis: Methods and Applications Units: 2
PPDE 668 Applied Econometrics for Program Evaluation Units: 4
SSCI 581 Concepts for Spatial Thinking Units: 4

Note:

Students who select PPDE 665 will take an additional 2 units of electives in consultation with the adviser.

One management elective from the following list:

PPD 541 Public Financial Management and Budgeting Units: 4
PPD 545 Public and Nonprofit Organizational Behavior Units: 4
PPD 654 Information Technology Management in the Public Sector Units: 4
PPD 656 Political Management: Theory and Applied Techniques Units: 4
PPD 662 Intergovernmental Management: State Perspective Units: 4
PPD 673 Strategic Planning in the Public Sector Units: 4
PPD 675 Nonprofit Management and Leadership Units: 4
PPD 690 Alternative Dispute Resolution Units: 4
PPDE 645 Financial Management of Nonprofit Organizations Units: 4

Public Policy Elective

Students select 4 units of public policy electives.

Urban Planning Courses

Students in this dual degree will take 32 units of urban planning coursework. Students must select one of the six available concentrations and select a gateway and methodology course associated with the concentration. Please see the Master of Urban Planning section of the catalogue for the concentration options.

PPD 522 Planning Theory and History for a Just Society Units: 4
PPD 523 Urban and International Development Units: 4
PPD 528 Physical Planning: Urban and Community Design Units: 2
PPD 529 Planning Law and Legal Frameworks of Planning Units: 2
PPD 531L Planning Studio Units: 4, 8, 12 4 units required
PPD 534 Data, Evidence, and Communication of the Public Good Units: 4
PPD 629 Capstone in Urban Planning Units: 4

Concentration Courses (8 units)

Students choose one of the six available concentrations in the MUP program: Arts and Culture, Design of the Built Environment, Environmental Planning and Analysis, Housing and Real Estate Development, Economic Development, and Mobility and Transportation Planning. Students are required to complete the concentration gateway and methodology requirements (8 units) specific to their selected concentration of study. Please see the Master of Urban Planning section of the catalogue for the concentration options.

Students in the dual MUP/MPP program do not need to take an additional 8 units of concentration electives as in the standalone MUP program due to the required electives in the MPP. Through advisement, students are encouraged to select elective courses that meet their interests and educational goals.

Additional Requirements

Internship

Dual degree students, like all other MUP students, must fulfill the internship requirement.