Mar 18, 2024  
USC Catalogue 2019-2020 
    
USC Catalogue 2019-2020 [ARCHIVED CATALOGUE]

Urban Education Policy/Public Policy (PhD/MPP)


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The Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Education Policy/Master of Public Policy dual degree offers students interested in careers in Educational Policy rigorous training in education, policy research and analysis. Students emerging with this dual degree will apply in-depth knowledge of policy processes, content and analysis to critical questions of contemporary education policy.

The PhD/MPP requires five calendar years of full-time study. The first academic year is devoted to MPP classes, the second to PhD classes, completion of the MPP practicum in the third year, PhD qualifying exam in the fourth year and the PhD dissertation in the fifth year.

Students can enter this program one of two ways: (1) apply simultaneously to both programs and state their intent to be admitted to the dual degree program; or (2) apply to the PhD during the first semester as an MPP student. If admission is approved by each school, students will be admitted to the dual degree program.

Student must complete 84 units (48 from the PhD in Urban Education Policy and 36 from the Master of Public Policy).

Degree Requirements for the PhD


The PhD in Urban Education Policy, adapted for the dual degree, requires a minimum of 48 units of course work, comprising the following elements: Core Block (16 units), Concentration Block (15 units), Research Block (12 units), and Dissertation Proposal and Dissertation Block (5 units).

Additional Requirements


Program Adaptation

Students in the dual degree are not required to take the 4-unit management elective or the 12-unit specialization elective requirement from the MPP program. The management electives normally taken in the standalone MPP are not an appropriate fit for students pursuing this dual degree and their probable career paths. Instead they are required to take 12 units of analytic course work/electives, and because they will specialize in educational policy, they will obtain the relevant expertise through the Rossier course work.

Students also do not take the 12-unit Cognate Block and 3 units of the 15-unit Research Block from the PhD program because the scope of these block requirements are interdisciplinary in nature or research-oriented, and as such are naturally suited to combine with the MPP.

Students work with their adviser to make the best selection of elective course work to align with their educational and career goals.

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