usc public policy phd degree requirements

USC Price School of Public Policy Online

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Master of Public Administration Online

Executive Master of Urban Planning Online

Executive Master of Healthcare Administration

Nationally recognized programs, rigorous academics, diverse curricular focus, unparalleled trojan experience.

Why Choose USC Price?

The USC Sol Price School of Public Policy empowers students to become agents of change who are equipped with in-depth knowledge and skills by emphasizing immersive studies, providing valuable access to networking and offering unparalleled research opportunities. Our online master’s degrees provide you with the flexibility to advance your education on a busy schedule while acclimating you to working, communicating and presenting ideas in a digital format.

Student & Faculty Perspectives

Q&a: how mpa michi slaughter gained relationship building skills in pursuit of career growth.

Michi Slaughter has worked for the City of Los Angeles for 20 years because of her background in information technology, she was concerned about a lack of a policy regarding data and strategic planning.

Q&A: How MPA Veronica Frazier is chasing her goal of starting a nonprofit organization

MPAOL Graduate 23′ Veronica Frazier who was interested in starting her own NGO discusses how the program provided the skill se needed to move forward in her career.

Q&A with Priscilla Hung: Learning to analyze social issues from an economic lens

Priscilla Hung, co-director of Move to End Violence, discusses why after years of working in the nonprofit sector she selected MPAOL.

MPA grad succeeds in Port of San Diego government relations

When COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns rolled out, Aimee Heim saw an opportunity to invest in herself and pursue a graduate degree. She enrolled in the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy’s Master of Public Administration (MPA) program online, which provided flexibility to work on class assignments, continue her role overseeing grants and government relations at…

Urban Planning Master’s Graduate Provides Equitable Disaster Relief

Recent Executive Master of Urban Planning (EMUP) online graduate, Chrishelle Palay, spent the last two decades in the architecture field before she decided to pursue a different, related passion: housing policy advocacy. “I transitioned from architecture because I realized it wasn’t something I wanted to do anymore. Actually, Hurricane Ike kind of led to that…

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Graduate & Professional Degrees

The university of southern california is one of the top-ranked universities in the country and offers a diverse range of graduate and professional programs to suit various career pursuits. students can gain access to exceptional academic scholarship, accelerated degrees, top faculty, leading research opportunities and collaborative learning communities. with state-of-the-art facilities and competitive faculty and staff committed to excellence, usc's graduate and professional programs serve as an attractive option for those seeking higher education on the west coast., graduate certificate | keck school of medicine of usc.

University Certificate Programs

Academic Medicine Certificate

Students who do not wish to pursue a Master of Academic Medicine degree at this point may earn a university certificate in Academic Medicine. The certificate requires 12 units of course work. Each learner may only seek a single certificate. There are two options available, the Teaching/Learning Track and the Leadership Track. The teaching learning track provides graduates with the essential principles of teaching and learning needed to integrate leaning principles, teaching techniques and assessment methods within the health professions to effectively teach health professions' learners at all levels: undergraduate, graduate and continuing education. The leadership track is designed to prepare those in academic medicine for leadership positions, for example assistant/associate dean, program director (including assistant or associate), designated institutional officer and associate or vice chair for education. After completion of the certificate, if a learner decides to go on to pursue a Master of Academic Medicine (MACM) degree all 12 units of the certificate can be applied to the MACM degree. 

ACMD 501  (Introduction to Academic Medicine Worldwide, 3 units). Students then take two required courses (6 units) related to their selected track. Each student completes the 12-unit certificate with 3 units of elective course work from the courses available within the Master of Academic Medicine program. All courses should be selected with the approval of the learner's adviser.

Master's Degree | Keck School of Medicine of USC

Keith Administration Building 211 1975 Zonal Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90033 (323) 442-2372 FAX: (323) 442-2051 Email: [email protected] Program Director: Julie G. Nyquist, PhD

Core Faculty

Professors: Donna Elliott, MD, EdD (Pediatrics) ; Jerry Gates, PhD (Family Medicine) ; Win May, MD, PhD (Medical Education) ; Julie G. Nyquist, PhD (Medical Education) ; Samuel Yanofsky, MD, MSEd (Anesthesiology)

Associate Professors: Kathleen Besinque, PharmD, MSEd (Pharmacy) ; Cha-Chi Fung, PhD (Medical Education); Tara Humphrey, DO, MACM (Anesthesiology)

Assistant Professors: Cathy Jalali, PhD (Medical Education); Shara Steiner, DO, MACM (Medical Education)

The Master of Academic Medicine is offered by the Keck School of Medicine. The goal is to develop leaders who will create and enhance academic and training programs for health care professions globally. Academic medicine is defined in broad terms as relating to those who lead training worldwide in medicine or in other health care related fields. Enacting this vision is possible due to the flexible delivery model selected. The program employs a hybrid model, combining on-campus face-to-face sessions, blended with online course work. During the 32-unit program, the majority of sessions will be delivered using interactive online delivery methods. All students will also be on campus for one-week intensive sessions in the spring of each year, which focus on community building and the development and evaluation of skills.

The program addresses the unique population of medical and health professions faculty who are focused on leading the academic enterprise for health professionals at the undergraduate, graduate and continuing education levels. Our graduates will be positioned to guide future generations of health professionals around the world toward better meeting the health needs of our global society. For those with a clear focus on the academic enterprise, a complementary degree in academic medicine offers the specialized skills needed to lead worldwide development of enhanced training for health professionals, increases professional capacity and provides new opportunity for promotion. The audiences for this degree will typically have primary professional degrees in health fields (e.g., MD, DDS, DPT, RN, MSN, PA, DVM, DO, PharmD, DC, DOM). The Master of Academic Medicine will provide the needed complementary training for clinician educators.

Applicants for admission to the Master of Academic Medicine program are generally expected to have an advanced degree in a health profession. Proof of graduation is required, as well as three letters of recommendation. For specific information on admission and application procedures, contact the Office of Medical Education, (323) 442-2372.

Students are admitted for the academic year beginning in the fall, although those admitted prior to March 15 may enroll in summer courses. Although there is no formal application deadline, complete applications received before March 1 will be given priority. Application inquiries should be made to: Master of Academic Medicine Program, University of Southern California, Office of Medical Education, 1975 Zonal Avenue, KAM 211, Los Angeles, CA 90033, telephone (323) 442-2372.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

A graduate GPA of at least 3.0 is required at all times. Any student whose graduate GPA falls below 3.0 will be placed on academic probation. Students on academic probation who do not raise their GPA to 3.0 after two semesters of written notification of academic probation will be academically disqualified.

A minimum of 32 units of graduate-level course work is required.

Master's Degree | USC Leventhal School of Accounting

The Master of Accounting program with an emphasis in data and analytics combines course work from the Leventhal School of Accounting and Marshall's Data Sciences and Operations department. Advances in computing technology are fundamentally changing the way audits are conducted. The data and analytics emphasis of the MAcc is designed to train auditors for the data age.

The program employs a rigorous case analysis approach that requires students to exercise their analytical abilities and develop both teamwork and professional communication skills.

Integrated into the data and analytics emphasis is an audit internship during the spring semester encompassing both audit and data and analytics in an integrated fashion. This required element of the program builds a critical bridge for the student between his or her academic and work lives, ultimately enriching both.

Application

The data and analytics emphasis of the MAcc is open only to individuals who have earned the equivalent of a four-year bachelor of accounting degree from an accredited program. Applicants also must have an offer letter for a spring internship at a "big four" or major national public accounting firm or equivalent. Spring internships must run from January through April and integrate both audit and data analytics.

Program Requirements

The Master of Accounting, Data and Analytics emphasis requires up to 31.5 units including fundamentals, core requirements and electives. Students with prior study in statistics who pass the challenge exam for Data Driven Decision Making receive a waiver reducing the units required to earn the degree to 30.

The Master of Accounting program (MAcc) prepares graduates for careers in public accounting, industry and government. The program offers students technical and conceptual knowledge, professional development, research and lifelong learning, ethical and professional standards and globalization and diversity. For details on these student learning outcomes, see the program website at marshall.usc.edu/macc .

An undergraduate accounting or business major is not necessary, nor is work experience a requirement. The program enrolls students in the summer or fall based on their academic backgrounds. For application information visit marshall.usc.edu/macc/admissions .

The Master of Accounting degree requires 45 units, including fundamentals, core requirements and electives. A student with an undergraduate degree in accounting or the equivalent may be able to waive 15 units for a total degree requirement of 30 units.

The Leventhal School of Accounting Master's Program Office evaluates the academic background of each admitted student to determine the courses required to complete the program.

ACCT 525  Intensive Accounting Principles and Practices (15 units) — an eight-week course for students who have not completed undergraduate degrees or other extensive course work in accounting. This course must be completed successfully prior to beginning the fall semester.

ACCT 525  class reducing the number of units required to earn the degree to 30.

USC BS in Accounting students may qualify for waiver of an additional 6 units reducing the number of units required to earn the degree to 24. (USC BS in Accounting students should meet with a graduate adviser during their junior year to determine if they qualify.)

Addiction exacts a toll on individuals, families and communities worldwide. The Master of Science in Addiction Science (MAS) exposes students to the biological, psychological and social aspects of substance use and addictive behaviors. Students study emerging trends in addiction studies with an emphasis on evidence-based transdisciplinary approaches in to addiction science and practice addressing epidemiology, etiology, prevention, treatment, policy and harm reduction, as well as sociocultural and healthcare contexts that intersect with addiction. The MAS equips students with a solid foundation and prepares them to enter a number of fields, from treatment to recovery and research to policy-work, representing critical areas of support among diverse communities in need. 

Master's Degree | USC School of Architecture

The Master of Advanced Architectural Research Studies, City Design and Housing emphasis is a 42-unit multi-disciplinary graduate degree program at the USC School of Architecture that prepares participants to study, analyze and design within complex urban systems. Focusing on the 21st-century city the program will address specific urban challenges through a combination of explorative design studio and advanced topical research. Working across disciplines and at multiple scales, this degree concentration moves between real-world issues and innovative architectural approaches to explore ideas for radically re-thinking the ways in which we can design, build and inhabit our cities in more inclusive and equitable ways.

The program will leverage Los Angeles as a laboratory to examine the forces that shape local and global cities. Addressing a diverse set of factors that are linked to city design and housing – such as urban development and housing policies, real estate and housing finance, history and theory, technology and infrastructure, and ecology and climate change – the program will introduce students to broad methodological tools for critically analyzing contemporary challenges of urban systems and housing and will strengthen their skills to employ research and design to create more equitable, sustainable and resilient urban environments and housing schemes.

The CD+H program's design and research efforts will be framed by three topical trajectories: a) urban housing (low-cost, collective, affordable, informal, densification, etc.); b) urban inequalities (racial segregation, economic disparities, gentrification, homelessness, digital divide, migration, etc.); and c) urban infrastructures (street design, public transportation, walkability, public space, programmatic and zoning issues, etc.). In addition, the one-year course will switch between the local context of Los Angeles and a selected global city (Latin America, Asia, Africa). In order to more thoroughly study the international context – and potentially establish more sound collaborations with institutions and stakeholders abroad – the same international context will be part of the program in a two or three-year cycle.

Finally, to connect students with real-world contexts, challenges and experiences, the CD+H program seeks to include various travel components throughout the year, which could potentially be linked to the PD+T and SP+SJ cohorts. Semester 1 will incorporate field trips in the Los Angeles and Southern California region. In Semester 2, the program's focus on an international context will be supplemented by a week-long trip to the respective city. For semester 3, the program intends to provide students the option of an immersive trip in a foreign or domestic location for their final project. The USC School of Architecture is developing the Latin Americas Cities Initiative and Asia Cities Initiative, which will be expected to interface with the MAARS CD+H, PD+T and SP+SJ programs.

Completion of the degree requires 42 units, including 8 units of Architecture Directed Design Research.

The Master of Advanced Architectural Research Studies, Performative Design And Technology Emphasis is a 42-unit graduate design program at the USC School of Architecture that focuses on the integration of architectural design, building performance and technology, within the context of digital design and fabrication. As a design-centric approach to building science concepts in the spirit of Ralph Knowles and the legacy of the Natural Forces Laboratory at the USC School of Architecture, issues of sustainability, structure, daylighting and thermal comfort will be explored in the context of architectural design. In this program, students will explore digital and analog techniques for discovering form through variable material and geometric organizations and force simulations, while simultaneously considering the design opportunities being afforded by advances in computation and fabrication technologies. The proposed curriculum will respond to emerging shifts in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry towards integrated technologies, increased efficiency, and productivity, and a digital workforce driven by digital, sensing and intelligent technologies. An integrated design curriculum that incorporates these concepts will support students in developing the skill necessary to foster innovation in practice with a focus on: data, technology, integration, performance, ecology and sustainability. 

A travel component will be included in Semester 1 through field trips in the Los Angeles and Southern California region to connect students with the real-world context and challenges faced in urban cities. In Semester 2, a week-long trip to a foreign or domestic location will provide students with a global context and interface and connect with the CD+H program. Students will have an option in Semester 3 to participate in an extended and immersive trip in a foreign or domestic location that will support completion of the final project. The USC School of Architecture is developing the Latin Americas Cities Initiative and Asia Cities Initiative, which will be expected to interface with the MAARS CD+H and PD+T programs.

This program is dedicated to cutting edge research and experimentation, and seeks to explore in a highly innovative fashion the cultural and technological landscapes of Los Angeles. Through its range of experimental 'Labs', the program is structured under three distinct veins of inquiry [1] architectural urban studies using Los Angeles as a laboratory to engage global issues; [2] advanced computation/fabrication technologies and material processes; and [3] performative architecture with an emphasis on sustainable systems. These specific design and research directions are diversely initiated by our faculty and fully supported by additional resources from the University of Southern California and the city of Los Angeles.

The Master of Advanced Architectural Studies is a three-semester advanced degree program. Consisting of two option-based topic studios followed by an in-depth Directed Design Research project [DDR], and coordinated seminar courses each for the first two semesters, the degree is focused on advanced and emerging topics in architecture. The design and research directions are diversely initiated by our faculty and fully supported by additional resources from the University at-large and the city of Los Angeles.

Candidates for admission must have a five-year Bachelor of Architecture degree or its equivalent. Completion of the degree requires 48 units, including 28 units of required studio and seminar courses, [including 8 units Directed Design Research or Thesis], and 20 units of approved electives, over three semesters of residency.

Graduate Certificate | USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work

The graduate certificate in Advanced Clinical Social Work Practice prepares students for practice in clinical settings by enhancing their theoretical, empirical and practice knowledge relevant to these settings and by offering a blend of didactic and experiential learning. Through an intersectional lens, students enhance their understanding of critical elements of advanced clinical practice, such as assessment and conceptualization, diagnosis and treatment. Given that social workers treat diverse client populations, this certificate also encompasses a commitment to social justice and addressing barriers to mental health treatment.

The USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work offers university certificates that provide students advanced practice or research training through a social justice and intercultural competence lens that emphasizes community, organizational and environmental justice. Certificates are designed to complement and deepen training provided through our degree programs by focusing on experiential application of concepts in relation to particular and diverse client populations, settings, and systems. Each certificate consists of at least 12 units, which may in part be satisfied by courses completed for a degree program. Certificates are also available to graduate students from other disciplines and to employed professionals.

The graduate certificate in Advanced Clinical Social Work Practice requires a minimum of 14 units.

Graduate Certificate | Advanced Programs in Dental Education

The advanced endodontics certificate program is a 24-month course of study. The program provides advanced students with the academic background information and clinical experience necessary for the specialty practice of endodontics. The program also requires activities in research and teaching to expose the advanced students interested to these areas of endodontics.

Advanced students are encouraged to pursue Board Certification by the American Board of Endodontics and are prepared for the certification examinations.

Emphasis is also placed on the interaction of endodontics with other specialties and general dentistry.

The program in endodontics is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), which serves as the only nationally recognized accrediting body for dentistry and the related dental field. The Commission receives its accreditation authority from the acceptance of all stakeholders within the dentistry community and recognition by the United States Department of Education. Since its inception in 1937, the Commission and its predecessors have operated within the parameters of the ADA Bylaws. The Commission serves the profession and the public by establishing and applying high-quality standards for the accreditation of educational programs in dentistry, postgraduate general and specialty dentistry, and the allied dental professions.

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Doctor of Philosophy in Education and Master of Public Policy Dual Degree

This program is designed for aspiring research scholars interested in obtaining both a Master of Public Policy and a Doctor of Philosophy in Education .

Prepare to apply in-depth knowledge of policy processes, content and analysis to critical questions of contemporary education policy.

Program Overview

The Doctor of Philosophy in Education and Master of Public Policy dual degree will prepare you for a career in educational policy by providing rigorous training in education, policy research and analysis. 

Course of Study

The first academic year is devoted to MPP classes, the second to PhD classes, the third to completion of the MPP practicum, the fourth to the PhD qualifying exam and the fifth to the PhD dissertation. You must complete 84 units (48 from the PhD in Education and 36 from the Master of Public Policy). View the full list of required courses .

As a student in the dual degree, you are not required to take the four-unit management elective or the 12-unit specialization elective requirement from the MPP program. Instead, you will be required to take 12 units of analytic coursework/electives. You are also not required to take the 12-unit cognate block and will only take 12 or the 15 required units for the research block from the PhD program as the scope of these block requirements are interdisciplinary or research-oriented and naturally suited to combine with the MPP.

Application Process

You can enter this program in one of two ways: 

(1) Apply simultaneously to both programs (pay one application fee and then apply for a USC Graduate Admission fee waiver for the second application fee, noting that you are applying for a dual degree) and state your intent on each application to be admitted to the dual degree program.

(2) Apply to the PhD during the first semester as an MPP student. If admission is approved by each school, you will be admitted to the dual degree program.

PhD/MPP Dual Degree

PhD in Education

Master of Public Policy

USC Catalogue  

Program Details

Degree awarded, estimated length, program cost.

$2,244 per unit for the first year and tuition and stipend funded by assistantship for years 2-5

Next Deadline

December 1, 2023

Take the Next Step

Our professors are experienced practitioners who are committed to fostering your professional growth both inside and outside the classroom.

Stephen J. Aguilar

• Assistant Professor of Education
• Educational Psychology
• Learning Analytics • EdTech & Generative AI • Digital Equity • Educational Data Science • Motivation & Self-Regulation

Dwuana Bradley

• Higher Education
• Critical Education Policy • Higher Ed • K–12

Patricia Burch

• Professor of Education
• Co-director of CEPEG
• K-12 Education Policy
• Organizational and Institutional Change • Education Policy • Intersection of Public and Private Partnerships in Education • Digital Instruction • Policy Implementation and Impact • Equity and Quality in Public School Instruction

Darnell Cole

• Co-director of the Center for Education, Identity and Social Justice
• Race/ Ethnicity, Diversity, Student-Faculty Interactions, Learning, and Student Experiences within K12 and Higher Education Environments.

Yasemin Copur-Gencturk

• Associate Professor of Education
• Teacher Education
• knowledge for teaching mathematics, teacher knowledge, mathematics education, mathematics teacher education, professional development, teacher learning.

Bradley Ermeling

• Adjunct Assistant Professor

Omar Ezzeldine

• Adjunct Professor

Kimberly Ferrario

• Teaching Professor of Education

Gregory Franklin

• Professor of Clinical Education
• Leadership • Policy • Accountability

Shaun Harper

• University Professor
• Provost Professor of Education and Business
• Clifford and Betty Allen Chair in Urban Leadership
• USC Race and Equity Center Founder and Executive Director
• Race in K-12 • Higher Education, and Corporate Contexts • Urban Education • Boys and Men of Color • College Student Success • Intercollegiate Athletics

Kim Hirabayashi

Mary Helen Immordino-Yang

• Fahmy and Donna Attallah Chair in Humanistic Psychology
• Director, USC Center for Affective Neuroscience, Development, Learning and Education (candle.usc.edu)
• Professor of Education, Psychology & Neuroscience
• Brain & Creativity Institute; Rossier School of Education University of Southern California Member, U.S. National Academy of Education
• Neuroscience of Learning • Creativity • Culture • Morality and Social Interaction

Royel M. Johnson, PhD

• Associate Professor & Director
• Racial Equity • Education Access • Student Success • Education Policy • Carcerality in Education • Foster Care • Juvenile Justice

Adrianna Kezar

• Dean's Professor of Leadership
• Wilbur-Kieffer Professor of Higher Education
• Director Pullias Center for Higher Education
• Higher Education • Leadership • Diversity

Esther Chihye Kim

• Assistant Teaching Professor of Education
• Research Methodology • Higher Education • Inequalities

Rebecca J. Lundeen

• Senior Fellow
• Corporate Learning • Online Learning • Education Entrepreneurship

Nicole M.G. Maccalla, PhD

• Part-Time Senior Lecturer
• Research • Evaluation

Julie Marsh

• K-12 Education Policy and Governance • Accountability • Teacher Incentive Programs • Data-Driven Reforms • School District Reform • School Choice • Equity-Oriented Reforms • Literacy Coaching

Tatiana Melguizo

• Higher Education • Finance • Affirmative Action • Community Colleges • College trajectories of students of color, Program Evaluation

Eugenia Mora-Flores

• Professor of Clinical Education, Assistant Dean of Teacher Education
• Multilingual Learners • Bilingual Education • Language and Literacy Development TK-12 • Educational Rights for English Learners • Latino Culture in Schools • English Language Development and Instruction • Adolescent Literacy • writing Instruction and Learning

Alison Keller Muraszewski

• Adjunct Associate Professor

Harry O'Neil

John Pascarella, III

• Teacher Education • Racial Equity • Digital Media Literacies • Instructional Leadership • Critical Pedagogy • Arts-Based Methods to HIV/AIDS Education

Erika A. Patall

• Professor of Education and Psychology
• Motivation • Autonomy Support • Choice Provision • Student Agency • Need Support • Education Practices • Research Synthesis • Meta-Analysis

Lawrence O. Picus

• Richard T. Cooper and Mary Catherine Cooper Chair in Public School Administration
• Professor of Education Finance and Policy
• Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs
• Public Financing of Schools

Morgan Polikoff

• K-12 Education Policy • Curriculum • Standards-based Reform • Assessment Policy • Alignment • Survey Research • Quantitative Methods • COVID and Education

Julie R. Posselt

• Equity & Diversity in Higher Education • Organizational Theory • Sociology of Education • Research Methods

David M. Quinn, (On Leave)

Marsha Boveja Riggio, Ph.D.

• Associate (Teaching) Professor of Teaching
• Educational Psychology • K-12 Education • Diversity • Leadership • Supervision • School Counseling • Adolescents • Military

Mark Power Robison

• Professor of Clinical Education and History
• Chair Global Executive EdD Program

Artineh Samkian

Helena Seli

• Professor of Clinical Education, Assistant Dean of Academic Program Development

Gale M. Sinatra

• Stephen H. Crocker Chair
• Associate Dean for Research
• Learning Theory • Knowledge Construction • Conceptual Change Learning • Science Learning • Public Understanding of Science

Program Contact

Laura Romero

Director, PhD Program

• [email protected]
• (213) 821-1517

Alex Hazard

Assistant Director, PhD Program

Related Programs

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?

Key searches, admission requirements, on-campus application deadlines, find deadlines and requirements for the online mph program here ., find eligibility and requirements for the progressive degree program here ..

Applicants to the Master of Public Health program should satisfy all requirements for admission to the  Graduate School . Applicants not meeting Graduate School requirements for regular standing may, with approval of the Graduate School, be conditionally admitted to select programs.

The GRE is not required.

Official transcripts must be received from each accredited college or university attended.

Completion of at least one college level quantitative course

ALL letters must be less than a year old and on department letterhead. At least one letter must be academic. Letters from peer colleagues or friends will not be accepted.

Statement of Purpose and Objectives should be approximately 2-3 pages addressing both of the following questions:

• Why are you interested in pursuing the MPH degree at the University of Southern California?
• How will an MPH degree affect or enhance your career aspirations and goals?
• Curriculum vitae (C.V.) or resume

Additional requirements for international applicants

How to apply, apply to the program via sophas.

• Prepare to apply by gathering all materials and information to complete your online application. These materials include personal statement, resume/CV, recommender’s information, personal, financial and education information. International applicants should review additional requirements .
• Create a SOPHAS account and complete all parts of the online application
• Pay application fee
• instructions for domestic applicants
• instructions for international applicants

Quick Links

Register for an info session, go back to master’s programs.

Professor David Sloane queries East Los Angeles Renaissance Academy at Esteban E. Torres High School (ELARA) students on their projects, as part of their final presentation to Price planning faculty and students, who have mentored the high school students throughout the year. Photo by Deirdre Flanagan.

Undergraduate Degrees

Graduate degrees, dual degree programs, doctoral degrees.

• Courses of Instruction    

The USC Price School of Public Policy provides a dynamic learning environment where interdisciplinary education abounds. At USC Price, students choose a program of study from the independent yet related fields of public administration and leadership, public policy, nonprofits and philanthropy, health management and policy, urban planning, real estate development and executive leadership. Students are supported by a committed faculty who contribute to the strong sense of community present in the school.

The school’s mission is to improve the quality of life for people and their communities. Faculty engage in solving some of society’s most pressing issues — and challenge students to do the same. USC Price is renowned for its expertise in areas such as: sustainability and the environment, health care policy, nonprofit management, housing and real estate, transportation, infrastructure, urban development and land use, social policy, governance, civic engagement, community development, immigration and risk analysis, among others.

Defining characteristics of USC Price are the depth of its academic classroom experience and connecting classroom theory to professional practice through practicums, internships and laboratory work locally, nationally and around the globe. Students can also participate in international exchange programs and acquire knowledge and skills necessary to become successful leaders in a global market. Students graduate with the knowledge, skills and experiences to lead in their chosen field of practice.

Today’s complex challenges call for leaders who are able to work across disciplines and across the public, private and nonprofit sectors to find solutions. It is for this multidisciplinary reality that USC Price prepares its students.

USC Price students go on to hold high-ranking appointments in our nation’s capital, analyze and determine public policy, design new transportation systems, and redesign city, county, state and federal governance structures — in the United States and abroad.

Departments

Ralph and Goldy Lewis Hall 312 (213) 740-0350 FAX: (213) 740-5379 Email: [email protected] priceschool.usc.edu

Administration

Dana Goldman, PhD, Interim Dean

Neeraj Sood , PhD, Vice Dean for Faculty Affairs and Research

Juliet Musso, PhD,  Vice Dean for Academic Affairs

LaVonna Lewis, PhD, Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Carol A. Rush, MPA, Associate Dean, Student Affairs and Enrollment Management

John Sonego, MA, Associate Dean for Development and External Relations

Melissa Azarcon, Associate Dean for Finance

Linda Peacore, Associate Dean for Administration

Kattie Johnson, Assistant Dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs

Wallis Annenberg Chair in Communication and Journalism: Manuel Castells, PhD (Communication)

Judith & John Bedrosian Chair in Governance & Public Enterprise; Provost Professor: Jeffery A. Jenkins, PhD

Blue Cross of California Chair in Health Care Finance: Glenn A. Melnick, PhD

Margaret and John Ferraro Chair in Effective Local Government: Genevieve Giuliano, PhD*

James Irvine Chair in Urban and Regional Planning: Elizabeth Currid-Halkett, PhD

Lusk Chair in Real Estate: Richard K. Green, PhD (Business)

Jeffrey J. Miller Chair in Government, Business and the Economy: Elizabeth Graddy, PhD*

Emery Evans Olson Chair in Nonprofit Entrepreneurship and Public Policy: James M. Ferris, PhD

Price Family Chair in Social Innovation: Christine Beckman, PhD

Quintiles Chair in Pharmaceutical and Regulatory Innovation: Darius Lakdawalla, PhD (Pharmacy)

Leonard D. Schaeffer Director’s Chair of the USC Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics; Distinguished Professor: Dana Goldman, PhD*

The Norman Topping National Medical Enterprise Chair in Medicine and Public Policy : Jason Doctor, PhD

Turpanjian Chair in Civil Society & Social Change: Manuel Pastor PhD (Sociology, and American Studies and Ethnicity)

Borstein Family Endowed Professor of Real Estate: Christian L. Redfearn, PhD

Provost Professor of Public Policy, Psychology, and Behavioral Science:  Wandi Bruine de Bruin, PhD

Governor Downey Professor of State and Global Policy: Arnold Schwarzenegger

Frances R. and John J. Duggan Distinguished Professor of Public Administration: Shui Yan Tang, PhD*

Houston I. Flournoy Professor in State Government:  Lois Takahashi, PhD

William M. Keck Professor of Energy Resources: Donald Paul, PhD (Engineering and Earth Sciences)

John Milner Professor of Child Welfare: Jacquelyn McCroskey, PhD (Social Work)

Mary Pickford Foundation Professor: Kathleen Wilber, PhD (Gerontology)

UPS Foundation Professor: Jon Pynoos, PhD (Gerontology)

Judge Widney Professor: Leonard D. Schaeffer

Judge Widney Professor of Poetry and Public Culture: Dana Gioia, MA, MBA

Professors: Ali E. Abbas, PhD (Engineering) ; Antonio Bento, PhD; Marlon Boarnet, PhD; Ann Crigler, PhD (Political Science) ; Howard Greenwald, PhD; Eric Heikkila, PhD; Dan Mazmanian, PhD; James Moore II, PhD (Engineering) ; Dowell Myers, PhD; Michael B. Nichol, PhD; Ann Owens, PhD (Sociology) ; Gary Painter, PhD; Jane Pisano, PhD; Alison D. Renteln, PhD* (Political Science) ; Lisa Schweitzer, PhD; David Sloane, PhD; Neeraj Sood, PhD; Robert Suro (Journalism) ; Detlof von Winterfeldt, PhD (Engineering)

Associate Professors:  Emma Aguila, PhD; Nicole Esparza, PhD; Christian Grose, PhD (Political Science) ; Geoffrey Joyce, PhD (Pharmacy) ; Annette Kim, PhD; Pamela McCann, PhD; Juliet Musso, PhD*; Christian Redfearn, PhD; William Resh, PhD; Peter Robertson, PhD*; John Romley, PhD; Jeffrey Sellers, PhD (Political Science) ; Abby Wood (Law) ; Julie M. Zissimopoulos, PhD

Assistant Professors: Geoffrey Boeing; Alice Chen, PhD; Spencer Couts, PhD; Jorge De la Roca, PhD; Moussa Diop, PhD; Kathleen Doherty, PhD; Nicolas Duquette, PhD; Alexandra Graddy-Reed, PhD; Janna King, PhD; Eugene Lin, MD, MS (Medicine)

Visiting Professors: Wandi Bruine de Bruin; Rosalie Pacula, PhD

Professors (Teaching):  Grace Bahng, PhD; Elizabeth Falletta, MRED; LaVonna B. Lewis, PhD; Deborah J. Natoli, PhD; Dora Vertenten, DPA

Associate Professors (Teaching): Tara Blanc, PhD; Mary Lynne Boorn, PhD; Rym Kaki, PhD; William Leach, PhD; John Loper, MRED; T.J. McCarthy, PhD; Mark D. Phillips, PhD; Kelly Rawlings, PhD; Michael Thom, PhD

Assistant Professor (Teaching):  Lisa Ozaeta, DrPH

Research Professors: Michael Cousineau, PhD (Medicine) ; Adam Rose, PhD

Research Associate Professor: Dan Wei, PhD

Research Assistant Professors: Jonathan Eyer, PhD; Jakub Hlavka, PhD; Karen Mulligan, PhD; Mindy Romero, PhD; Erin Trish, PhD; Karen Van Nuys, PhD; Bryan Tysinger, PhD

Professors of Practice: Phil Dalton, MS (Health Management and Policy), MPH; Carol J. Geffner, PhD (Governance, Management and Policy) ; Paul B. Ginsburg, PhD (Health Policy and Management) ; Michael E. Harris (Health Services Administration and Policy) ; Geraldine Knatz, PhD (Public Policy and Engineering) ; Erroll Southers (Governance) ; Frank Zerunyan, JD (Governance)

Adjunct Professors: Janis Breidenbach, MA; Jonathan Brown, DPA; Robert Champion, MRED; Thomas Collins, EdD; Rick Culley, PhD; Patrick G. Hays, MHA; Lori Howard, PhD; Stanley Iezman, JD; Robert Ingenito, MA; Allan Kotin, MA; Ehud Mouchly, MA; Tomson Ong, JD, PhD, LLM; Henry Zaretsky, PhD

Adjunct Associate Professors: Aggie Afarinesh, MPA; P.K. Agarwal, MS; Austin Anderson, MBA; Deepak Bahl, MBA, MPl; Bruce Baltin; William Barcellona, MHA, JD; Vinayak Bharne, MArch; Sandipan Bhattacharjee, MPl; David Brown, JD; Grace Cheng, MSPH; Glenn Daley, MPhil, MBA; Terri Dickerhoff, MRED; Grace Dyrness, DPDS; Ali Farahani, PhD; James Fawcett, PhD; Veronica Flores, MA; Matt Gainer, MFA; Richard Garcia, DPA; Guillermo Gil, MBA; Todd Gish, PhD; Shawn Godkin, MArch; Ray Gonzales, PhD; David Grunwald, JD, MPP; Richard A. Hagy, PhD; Ray Hahn, MHA ; Mark Hanson, PhD; Daniel Haverty, DPA; Con Howe, MCP; Donald Hufford, MD; Daniel Inloes, MPL, MPA; Bryan Jackson, JD; Dion Jackson, MBA, MPl, MRED; Daniel Jordan, PhD; Rym Kaki, PhD; Steven Kellenberg, MAUD; William R. Kelly, MPA, MBA, MA; Michael Kodama, MA; Kathy Kolnick, PhD; Alon Kraft, MPl; Jeffrey Kreshek, MBA, MRED; Vi-Nhuan Le, PhD; Richard Little, MS; Kenneth Long; John Loper, MRED; Melissa Lopez, PhD; Robert Manford, DPPD; Marcella Marlowe, PhD; Carl Meyer, MArch; Donald Morgan, PhD; Bret Nielsen, MRED; Mark E. Oliver, MRED; Ralph Oyaga, MBA, JD; P. Michael Paules, MPA; Katherine Perez, MURP; John Perfitt, MBA; John Raffoul, DPA; Maurice Rahimi, PhD; Ann Reyes Robbins, PhD, JD; Ellen Riley, MBA; Jeanne Ringel, PhD; Shlomi Ronen, MBA; Robert A. Saunders, MRED; Jeffrey Schaffer, MPA; Bonnie Shrewsbury, MA; Susan Sinclair, MBA; Krista Sloniowski, MPl; Jeffrey Smith, PhD; Matthew Smith, MRED; Helene Smookler, PhD; Donald Spivack, MCP; Elwood Tescher, MArch; Halil Toros, PhD; Mark Velez, JD, PhD; Barry Waite, MPA; Jeffrey Wasserman, PhD; Dennis A. Watsabaugh; Clyde Wesp, MD; Chris Wilson, MBA; Jack Wong, MA; Ke Ye, PhD; Diane Yoder, PhD

Frances R. and John J. Duggan Professor Emeritus in Public Administration: Chester A. Newland, PhD

Emeritus Professors: William C. Baer, PhD, AICP; Tridib Banerjee, PhD; Gerald Caiden, PhD; Robert M. Carter, DCrim.; T. Ross Clayton, PhD; Terry Cooper, PhD; Lois Friss, Dr.PH; Peter Gordon, PhD; Alan Kreditor, MCP, AICP; David Lopez-Lee, PhD; Robert C. Myrtle, DPA; E.K. Nelson, DPA; William Petak, DPA; Francine Rabvinovtiz, PhD, AICP; Robert Stallings, PhD; Richard A. Sundeen, PhD*; Robert E. Tranquada, MD; Joseph S. Wholey, PhD; William J. Williams, DPA

Emeritus Associate Professor: Catherine Burke, PhD

*Recipient of university-wide or school teaching award.

Degrees Offered

The Price School of Public Policy offers the following degrees:

• Bachelor of Science in Public Policy
• Bachelor of Science in Real Estate Development
• Bachelor of Science in Urban Studies and Planning
• Master of Health Administration
• Executive Master of Health Administration
• Executive Master of Leadership
• Master of International Public Policy and Management
• Master of Urban Planning
• Master of Planning and Development Studies
• Master of Public Administration
• Master of Public Policy
• Master of Public Policy Data Science
• Master of Nonprofit Leadership and Management
• Master of Real Estate Development
• Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy and Management
• Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Planning and Development
• Doctor of Policy, Planning, and Development

The Bachelor of Science and the school’s master’s degrees are also offered jointly as a progressive five-year program and the school participates in the following interdisciplinary minors:

• Construction Planning and Management
• Education Policy
• Health Policy
• International Policy and Management
• Law and Public Policy
• Nonprofits, Philanthropy and Volunteerism
• Real Estate Development
• Urban Sustainable Planning

The Master of Urban Planning is offered as a dual master’s degree with programs in architecture, curatorial practices and the public sphere, heritage conservation, landscape architecture, business administration, public administration, public health, public policy, real estate development and social work.

The Master of Public Administration is offered as a dual master’s degree with programs in urban planning, gerontology, Jewish nonprofit management, law and social work.

The Master of Real Estate Development is offered as a dual degree with the Master of Business Administration, Juris Doctor and Master of Urban Planning.

The Master of Health Administration is offered as a dual degree with the Master of Science in Gerontology.

The Master of Public Policy is offered as a dual degree with programs in law and urban planning.

National Honor Societies

Pi alpha alpha.

Pi Alpha Alpha is the national honor society for public affairs and administration. Graduate students in the Price School of Public Policy who have completed at least 18 semester units and have earned a 3.7 grade point average are eligible for membership.

Pi Sigma Alpha

Pi Sigma Alpha is the national honor society for students in public administration, political science and international relations. Students who have completed at least three courses from among these fields and have earned at least a 3.5 grade point average are eligible to apply.

The Price School of Public Policy offers a suite of degrees that allow undergraduate students to gain the skills and knowledge necessary to understand complex health, environmental and urban issues, as well as to potentially enter the professional fields of health and nonprofit management, public policy, real estate development, and urban planning. Students may enroll in the Bachelor of Science in Public Policy, Bachelor of Science in Urban Studies and Planning or the Bachelor of Science in Real Estate Development. In addition, students can select from a challenging set of minors or possibly the very competitive progressive degrees associated with the Master of Health Administration, Master of Urban Planning and Master of Public Administration.

Freshman and transfer students may indicate their desire to declare a Price School major on their university application. Students enrolled at USC wishing to declare either a Price major or to be admitted into the minors must be in good academic standing. Interested current USC students should contact the Admissions and Recruitment Office in RGL 111 for more information.

Students must discuss courses of study with the appropriate undergraduate advisers throughout their college enrollment and need to develop their own individual programs with faculty and staff advisers at the time of first enrollment and throughout their college careers.

Progressive Degrees in the Price School of Public Policy

The Price School of Public Policy offers students who have demonstrated exceptional academic success the opportunity to earn both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in a progressive degree program. This program allows students to earn both the Bachelor of Science and a master’s degree in five years. Further details about progressive degrees can be found on the Requirements for Graduation    page.

Admission is available after the completion of 64 units of course work toward the undergraduate degree. Students must apply for admission to the progressive degree program after completing 64 units of applicable course work to their undergraduate programs, but prior to the completion of 96 units of course work (not including AP, IB or courses taken prior to high school graduation). The application for admission to the progressive degree plan must be accompanied by a course proposal plan and two letters of recommendation with one at least from a Price School faculty member.

Awarding of Degrees

The Bachelor of Science and master’s degree may be awarded separately upon completion of all degree requirements, but the master’s degree will not be awarded before the bachelor’s degree. Students who elect not to complete the master’s, must complete 128 units to earn the bachelor’s degree, including 32 units of upper-division Price course work (including any graduate Price classes).

Time Limits

All requirements for the progressive degree must be completed within 12 semesters. If not completed within that time, students will no longer be eligible for the master’s degree but may still earn the bachelor’s.

Transfer of Credits

Graduate courses will not be accepted for transfer credit. Undergraduate classes may be transferred in accordance with university guidelines.

Minor Programs

Minor in construction planning and management.

This program covers the most current theories and practice of construction planning and management. The program provides a valuable adjunct credential to professional school students pursuing careers in business administration, public administration, environmental studies, and other areas; and a unique opportunity for professional focus to students in the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.

Construction activities are complex. In contemporary society, effective planning and management of these activities requires specialized knowledge of the technical, economic and political environment. This program couples the knowledge of how construction activities are organized with a broader understanding of the urban system in which construction projects are embedded. With the exception of statistics, all of the required courses are within the Department of Civil Engineering and the Price School of Public Policy.

Any USC undergraduate who has completed the equivalent of two full-time semesters in good standing is eligible to pursue the minor program. This minor program is rigorous enough to serve as an introductory credential for students subsequently electing to pursue advanced studies in development, urban planning, construction management or allied fields.

See the Department of Civil Engineering    for course requirements.

Minor in International Policy and Management

The minor in international policy and management brings together courses from the School of International Relations, dealing with the new global challenges, specific regions of the world, and international organizations and policies, and the Price School of Public Policy, dealing with core management skills and public policy processes. Students will examine the changes and challenges which are transforming the world, and the policy and management skills used to deal with them. To increase their understanding of the context and application of these concepts, students must complete a semester-long internship either in Washington, D.C. (through participation in the Washington, D.C. semester program) or in Los Angeles with an organization that has an international focus.

Students minoring in international policy and management take three courses in international relations, including the gateway course, IR 305w Managing New Global Problems   ; three courses in public policy and management; and an approved internship through the School of International Relations ( IR 491x Field Study   ). For additional course information, see International Relations   .

Applicants for admission to the Master of Health Administration; Executive Master of Health Administration; Executive Master of Leadership; Master of Nonprofit Management and Leadership; Master of Urban Planning; Master of Planning and Development Studies; Master of Public Administration; Master of Public Policy; Master of International Public Policy and Management; Master of Real Estate Development; Doctor of Policy, Planning, and Development; Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy and Management; and Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Planning and Development must have a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from an accredited educational institution. In recognition of the increasing diversity of capabilities required as the theories and practices of policy, planning, and development evolve, students from a variety of undergraduate and graduate backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Applicants for admission will be expected to have completed a broad range of undergraduate courses in addition to their academic major or professional concentration. Generally, this will be reflected in completion of courses from the following fields: English; economics (basic theory); political science, history or sociology; physical or natural science; art or philosophy. In addition, mathematics (algebra, calculus, probability theory) and a course in statistics are strongly recommended.

Application for Admission

Admission to graduate programs in the Price School of Public Policy is highly selective and competitive. Preference is given to those with a record of high educational achievement and personal qualities favoring success in the fields of planning or development. Applicants must have achieved superior grades during undergraduate and any graduate education. A grade point average of at least 3.0 (A = 4.0) is normally expected as well as satisfactory scores on the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). The GRE and GMAT are neither accepted nor required for the DPPD or executive MHA programs. Students applying for admission to the Master of Nonprofit Management and Leadership, Master of Urban Planning, Master of Planning and Development Studies or the Master of Real Estate Development program may submit results from the Graduate Management Administration Test (GMAT). MRED applicants may also submit results from the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). In exceptional cases, an applicant who has not met these scholarship requirements may be admitted with conditions of admission.

For specific information on admission requirements and application procedures, contact the Price School of Public Policy, Office of Recruitment and Admissions, at (213) 740-0550. Certificate in Transportation Systems applicants should apply to the USC Viterbi School of Engineering. For additional information, contact the school at (213) 740-0587.

Transfer Credit

The Degree Progress Department determines whether work done elsewhere is available for consideration for credit toward the USC degree. That office requires official transcripts of all course work done before entering USC. A Graduate Transfer Credit Statement of these official transcripts, done after a student has been admitted to regular status at USC, will indicate which units are available for transfer. These courses do not apply toward the degree unless, and until, the student’s major department approves and submits transfer credit to the Degree Progress Department in the Office of Academic Records and Registrar.

Application of any available transfer credits toward a graduate degree will be determined by the director of the particular degree program, based on the semester units available for transfer as shown on the Transfer Credit Statement.

These general guidelines are followed by the admissions evaluator and by faculty members: (1) the work must be completed at an accredited graduate school; (2) the grade must be B or better; (3) the work must be a fair and reasonable equivalent to current USC course work at the graduate level which fits into the logical program for the degree; (4) the units are not more than seven years old at the time of admission to their master’s program (or 10 years old for a doctoral program); (5) the units must reflect current knowledge in the field; and (6) the work must be completed prior to admission to the USC program.

USC does not give transfer credit for life experience, credit by examination, noncredit extension courses or thesis course supervision.

Please consult with your degree director before enrolling in courses outside of USC. In many of the Price School’s master’s degree programs, only courses taken outside of USC prior to admission may be applied to your degree.

Waiver of Course Content

The school recognizes that some applicants may have covered the material contained in core courses or courses required for a particular specialization. Under these circumstances, one particular course requirement may be waived, allowing the student to complete a more advanced course in the same area. Students who have a background in a particular area of study may be allowed to substitute other courses. In these situations students do not receive unit credit but are permitted to take course work, which does not repeat earlier academic experiences.

Waiver of content is usually given only in the case of previous academic study of the subject, not in the case of experiential background in the area.

Students who believe they are eligible for content waiver decisions must petition the faculty of the school, providing evidence of the previous work through transcripts, syllabi and other pertinent material. Contact the school’s Student Affairs Office for information.

Master of Science in Health Systems Management Engineering

This program is jointly sponsored by the Epstein Industrial and Systems Engineering Department and the Price School of Public Policy, and administered by the Epstein Industrial and Systems Engineering Department. For more information, see Health Systems Management Engineering (MS)   .

Graduate Professional Labs

USC’s Price School of Public Policy offers professional consulting-like experience for graduate students in its core master’s degree programs. Participants are presented with a challenging professional assignment and a well-defined client and terms of reference. Students typically work in teams to produce a professional report and related materials that are presented to the client at the close of the assignment. The terms of reference for the lab vary each year depending upon the client, the instructor and the setting, among other considerations.

In principle, these professional labs may be held anywhere, either in Los Angeles, elsewhere in the United States or abroad.

The Price School professional laboratory teaches students to integrate scholarly knowledge with professional practice. Likewise, it helps participants make the transition from the classroom back to a “real world” setting. In the case of international labs, participants also gain a deeper and more direct understanding of how the culture of professional practice can vary from one setting to the next. Through the Price School professional laboratory students build their credentials and experience while also extending their network of professional contacts.

These professional labs are intended primarily for graduate students in public administration, urban planning, real estate development, public policy and health administration. A distinctive feature of the professional laboratory is that it is intended as an integrative professional experience across the school, so that students from any of these programs may participate fully.

Each summer the Price School offers one or more international labs/workshops. Recent international labs have been held in China, Brazil, Germany, Morocco, Italy and Vietnam. All students are encouraged to take at least one international lab course.

Exchange Program

The Price School International Exchange Programs are one-semester exchange programs with a host institution in Germany or South Korea during either the fall or spring semester. These programs provide opportunities for students to acquire knowledge and skills necessary to become successful leaders in a global market. Students complete a maximum of 12 units at the host institution. All instruction is in English; proficiency in a foreign language is not required. Courses completed are graded credit/no credit on the student’s USC transcript. The courses are selected from a list approved by the Price School of Public Policy. Students must work with their program administrator to understand how the courses will return to their degree.

Graduate Certificate Programs

Certificate in health systems operations.

This 17-unit graduate certificate is jointly sponsored by the Epstein Industrial and Systems Engineering Department and the Price School of Public Policy (Master of Health Administration program), and administered by the Epstein Industrial and Systems Engineering Department. See the Industrial and Systems Engineering    Department for course requirements.

Non-Credit Programs Offered by the Center for International Training and Development

Management effectiveness program.

This is a four-week intensive training program in the art and science of management. The program is designed to enhance leadership effectiveness and the development of a management generalist perspective.

International Executive Development Laboratory

This five-week laboratory focuses on issues in executive leadership, strategic management, environmental analysis, international finance and economics, computer-based project planning, and implementation of planned change strategies.

A dual degree program is an academic option that allows a student to enroll in two graduate programs simultaneously. Application must be made to both schools, and if accepted to both, the student pursues a specially designed program that combines selected courses from the two academic units. Students are required to seek advisement from both schools. The student will have the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills from two fields of study.

The dual degree program enables the student to integrate a closely related field with planning or development. The purpose of the dual program is to provide an enriched educational experience; accordingly, concurrent course work in the two fields is required.

Since the unit requirements of dual degrees depend upon the mutual transfer of units between the two academic units, no other transfer of credits will be allowed.

Students who decide, at any point, to earn only one of the two degrees must meet all the regular requirements for earning that degree alone.

Students in Master of Urban Planning dual degree programs must fulfill the comprehensive examination and appropriate internship requirements except where noted otherwise.

Master of Heritage Conservation/Master of Urban Planning

See the Master of Heritage Conservation/Master of Urban Planning (MHC/MUP)    for degree requirements.

Master of Urban Education Policy/Master of Public Policy

See the Master of Urban Education Policy/Master of Public Policy (PhD/MPP)    for degree requirements.

Master of Urban Planning/Master of Advanced Architectural Studies

The Master of Urban Planning/Master of Advanced Architectural Studies dual degree program facilitates highly related cross-disciplinary studies in architecture and in urban planning at the master’s level. This program offers students interested in developing a career in urban design an opportunity to make more substantial commitments in both disciplines and to achieve a more coherent and extensive knowledge in the design of built environments and public policy. This dual degree program normally requires five semesters in residence.

Qualified students who are admitted to the graduate programs in both the School of Architecture and the USC Price School of Public Policy may complete both degrees in a highly integrated five-semester program. Such students must already possess a five-year professional degree in architecture.

Requirements

Requirements for completion of the dual degree program are 72 units, including 36 units in architecture and 36 units in planning. See the USC School of Architecture    for course requirements.

Master of Urban Planning/Master of Business Administration

See the Master of Business Administration/Master of Urban Planning (MBA/MUP)    for degree requirements.

Master of Urban Planning/Master of Arts, Curatorial Practices and the Public Sphere

See the Master of Urban Planning/Master of Arts, Curatorial Practices and the Public Sphere (MUP/MA)    for degree requirements.

Master of Urban Planning/Master of Landscape Architecture

The dual degree option in urban planning and landscape architecture (in the USC School of Architecture) trains professionals in policy and design, and to be competent with design problems at different scales, but with a distinctly urban focus. Candidates must be independently admitted to the Master of Urban Planning and Master of Landscape Architecture programs. The dual degree program normally requires between five and seven semesters in residence.

Completion of the dual degree requires 24 units of courses in urban planning, 10 units of thesis option I or II and either 32 units of landscape architecture (for those students admitted with advanced standing); 48 units of landscape architecture (for those students admitted with advanced placement); or 74 units of landscape architecture (for those students admitted to the three-year curriculum). See USC School of Architecture    for course requirements.

Juris Doctor/Master of Real Estate Development

See the USC Gould School of Law    for degree requirements.

Master of Real Estate Development/Master of Business Administration

See the Master of Business Administration/Master of Real Estate Development (MBA/MRED)    for degree requirements.

Regulations Concerning a Second Master’s Degree

For rules governing a second master’s degree, see the Requirements for Graduation    page. In accordance with these policies, transfer credits will be granted only on the basis of a written petition to the MPA program coordinator and on the basis of credits recognized by USC in a Transfer Credit Statement.

Teaching Opportunities

Students may want to prepare for teaching as well as for public service. By careful planning in the upper division of the undergraduate degree and during the graduate years, requirements for a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree and the university recommendation for a community college instructorship may be met without unnecessary duplication of effort and waste of time. Those interested in teaching should consult advisers in both the USC Price School of Public Policy and the USC Rossier School of Education before beginning upper-division and graduate work.

Public Administration Professional Sequence with the Viterbi School of Engineering

Regulations governing the Master of Science in Civil Engineering permit some candidates for this degree to take 12 units outside the School of Engineering. Those who wish to do so may take 12 units in public administration. Two courses in this sequence must be selected from among PPD 500   , PPD 501a   , PPD 501b   , PPD 540   , PPD 541   , PPD 545   , PPD 546   . One course in this sequence must be selected from among PPD 542   , PPD 557   , PPD 666   . PPD 541    requires PPD 502x    and statistics as prerequisites. PPD 546    should be taken last if elected.

Joint Degree Program

Master of arts in long term care administration.

This program is designed to prepare competent individuals to administer the long term care needs of America’s elderly population. It is jointly offered by the Davis School of Gerontology, the Marshall School of Business, and the Price School of Public Policy. For information see the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology   .

The USC Price School of Public Policy offers the Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy and Management (PhD), the Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Planning and Development (PhD) and the Doctor of Policy, Planning, and Development (DPPD). The PhD degrees are designed to prepare individuals for university level teaching and research. The DPPD degree is intended to develop a high level of conceptual and research competence for professional leadership in planning and development. The DPPD is administered by the Price School of Public Policy; the PhD programs are administered by the Graduate School and the faculty of the Price School of Public Policy. PhD students must consult the The Graduate School    section of this catalogue for regulations and requirements pertaining to its degrees. Students should also consult the Academic Policies    section of this catalogue.

Completion of the requirements for all these degrees is assumed to take a minimum of three years of approved graduate study and research beyond the bachelor’s degree. For the PhD student, a minimum of 24 graduate units completed in residence on the University Park Campus in Los Angeles is required. DPPD students are required to complete a minimum of 24 units at the University Park Campus. Full-time study is represented by enrollment in 6 units during the semester. Usually the school and the student’s qualifying exam committee insist on a clear and mutually understood commitment of time and energy by the student to ensure significant involvement in the doctoral learning experience. For university policies regarding continuous enrollment, leave of absence and readmission, see the Requirements for Graduation    page.

Application and Admission

Admission to graduate standing for the PhD or DPPD is recommended by the school’s admissions committee acting under guidelines established by the Graduate School as outlined in the Graduate School section and the Graduate Admission section. In addition to those guidelines, DPPD students are expected to have a minimum of five years of substantial relevant experience. Students intending to apply should direct questions about the program and all materials for the admission application to Doctoral Programs, Office of Student Affairs, RGL 111, Price School of Public Policy, University of Southern California, University Park, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0626.

The deadline for applications for admission to the PhD and DPPD programs is December 1. Applications for admission are made once each year for fall semester admission.

The admission decision for PhD students is made using criteria that include verification that the applicant has a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, has maintained a high grade point average in the last 60 units of undergraduate work, and has earned a competitive score on the verbal and quantitative portions of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). Other elements of the applicant’s educational and experiential background are also evaluated, including performance in other advanced degrees. DPPD applicants must also provide evidence of at least five years of practical administrative or other relevant experience. The GRE and GMAT scores are neither accepted nor required for the DPPD program.

Each applicant should submit the following: (1) one copy of official transcripts of all previous college and university work (be sure that these official transcripts show an awarded degree where appropriate); (2) copies of GRE scores; (3) a 1,000-word essay discussing the applicant’s background and reasons for wanting to pursue a PhD degree and identifying his or her personal, educational and professional goals; (4) an up-to-date résumé, including academic and professional accomplishments; (5) three letters of recommendation, two from previous instructors, the other from an instructor or from a professional supervisor or colleague. The letters should indicate the applicant’s academic and professional accomplishments and potential; (6) a completed USC Graduate Admission Application, along with the nonrefundable application fee; (7) a writing sample of approximately 1,000 words (in addition to the applicant essay); and (8) a completed Price School of Public Policy Supplemental Graduate Application. International applicants are asked to submit additional information. Applicants should carefully choose, and clearly state, the degree objective (PhD or DPPD) for which they are applying, since different sets of admissions criteria exist for each of them.

Transfer Credits

The application of any available transfer credits toward a graduate degree at USC will be determined by the faculty and the dean of the Price School of Public Policy, based on the semester units available for transfer as shown in the Transfer Credit Statement (determined by the USC Office of Academic Records and Registrar). Refer to Admission with Advanced Standing    for more information.

Deferral of Enrollment

Admission to the university is granted for a specified semester, and it is expected that students will begin their programs during that semester. The school will normally allow students to defer their enrollment up to one year from the admission semester. Students who wish to defer enrollment should notify the school in writing no more than 30 days after the beginning of the semester of admission. Students who do not inform the school in a timely manner of their intent to defer enrollment may be required to reapply for admission.

Please note that more stringent regulations apply to international students. See the Admission and Orientation    section of this catalogue.

Admission to Candidacy

Acceptance to graduate standing does not in itself imply that the student is admitted or will be admitted to candidacy for an advanced degree. Application for admission as a candidate for an advanced degree is a separate and subsequent step. See the The Graduate School    section of this catalogue.

Admission of International Students

All international applicants for admission to doctoral programs should submit materials to Doctoral Programs, Recruitment and Admissions Office, RGL 111, Price School of Public Policy, University of Southern California, University Park, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0626. See the Admission of International Students    section of this catalogue.

PhD students are required to have a 3.3 overall GPA in first-year courses to continue in the program. DPPD students are required to pass a screening procedure after 16 units of course work. The procedure is designed to ensure that only those students who have demonstrated intellectual and scholarly potential continue in the program.

There are differences between the screening process for PhD and DPPD students. Students should consult the relevant faculty director of the doctoral program in which they are enrolled.

Qualifying Exam Committee (for the PhD programs)

A qualifying exam committee assists the student in outlining an academic program leading toward the degree. Students will form an initial qualifying exam committee by the end of the first fall semester. The committee might not yet include the Graduate School representative from outside the Price School, but must include at least three tenure track the Price School faculty members, one of whom is identified as the chair. This committee bears responsibility for counseling the doctoral student, for approving a course schedule  and preliminary and qualifying examinations, and for recommending the student for admission to candidacy. After approval of the student’s program and proposed time schedule, the program is submitted in writing to the relevant director. This should be accomplished by the beginning of the second year, following successful screening.

The complete qualifying exam committee must be in place no later than the third semester. The chair should have recognized expertise in the qualifying area and should be a regular participant in the qualifying examination committee for that area. The majority of the members of the qualifying exam committee (typically at least three out of five) should be experts in the area in which the student is qualifying and should be regular participants in the qualifying examination committee. The remaining members should have a clear interest in this area with the exception of the outside member whose primary responsibility is to serve as the representative of the Graduate School, ensuring the university’s commitment to the equitable treatment of all students and that the highest quality education standards are upheld.

Students will formalize their relationship with their committees through the development of a work plan that specifies all courses, degree progress, seminar attendance and what was learned from these sessions as well as a research plan that articulates major research questions being explored. At the end of the first year of study, the qualifying exam committee chair reviews and approves the work plan. At the end of the second year, the full qualifying exam committee reviews the work plan and the second year paper.

Bachelor’s Degree

• •  Public Policy (BS)
• •  Real Estate Development (BS)
• •  Urban Studies and Planning (BS)
• •  Construction Planning and Management Minor (Public Policy)
• •  Education Policy Minor
• •  Health Administration Minor
• •  Health Policy Minor
• •  Law and Public Policy Minor
• •  Nonprofits, Philanthropy and Volunteerism Minor
• •  Real Estate Development Minor
• •  Urban Sustainable Planning Minor

Master’s Degree

• •  Dollinger Master of Real Estate Development (MRED)
• •  Health Administration (Executive MHA)
• •  Health Administration (MHA)
• •  International Public Policy and Management (IPPM)
• •  Leadership (Executive ML)
• •  Master of Public Administration with Seoul National University
• •  Nonprofit Leadership and Management (MNLM)
• •  Planning and Development Studies (MPDS)
• •  Public Administration (MPA)
• •  Public Policy (MPP)
• •  Public Policy Data Science (MS)
• •  Urban Planning (Executive MUP Online)
• •  Urban Planning (MUP)

Graduate Certificate

• •  City/County Management Certificate
• •  Health Management and Policy Programs Certificate
• •  Homeland Security and Public Policy Certificate
• •  International Policy and Planning Certificate
• •  Nonprofit Management and Policy Certificate
• •  Political Management Certificate
• •  Public Financial Management Certificate
• •  Public Management Certificate
• •  Public Policy Certificate
• •  Real Estate Development Certificate
• •  Social Innovation Certificate
• •  Social Justice Certificate
• •  Sustainable Policy and Planning Certificate

Dual Degree

• •  Master of Health Administration/Master of Science in Gerontology (MHA/MS)
• •  Master of Public Administration/Master of Arts, Jewish Nonprofit Management (MPA/MA)
• •  Master of Public Administration/Master of Science in Gerontology (MPA/MS)
• •  Master of Public Administration/Master of Social Work (MPA/MSW)
• •  Master of Public Health/Master of Urban Planning (MPH/MUP)
• •  Master of Public Policy/Juris Doctor (MPP/JD)
• •  Master of Public Policy/Master of Urban Planning (MPP/MUP)
• •  Master of Real Estate Development/Juris Doctor (MRED/JD)
• •  Master of Real Estate Development/Master of Business Administration (MRED/MBA)
• •  Master of Urban Planning/Master of Arts, Curatorial Practices and the Public Sphere (MUP/MA)
• •  Master of Urban Planning/Master of Public Administration (MUP/MPA)
• •  Master of Urban Planning/Master of Real Estate Development (MUP/MRED)
• •  Master of Urban Planning/Master of Social Work (MUP/MSW)

Doctoral Degree

• •  Policy, Planning, and Development (DPPD)
• •  Public Policy and Management (PhD)
• •  Urban Planning and Development (PhD)

Aerospace Studies

• •  AEST 100a Aerospace Studies I: Air Force Mission and Organization
• •  AEST 100b Aerospace Studies I: Air Force Mission and Organization
• •  AEST 110a Leadership Laboratory I
• •  AEST 110b Leadership Laboratory I
• •  AEST 200a Aerospace Studies II: Air Force History
• •  AEST 200b Aerospace Studies II: Air Force History
• •  AEST 210a Leadership Laboratory II
• •  AEST 210b Leadership Laboratory II
• •  AEST 220a Advanced Leadership Laboratory II
• •  AEST 220b Advanced Leadership Laboratory II
• •  AEST 300a Aerospace Studies III: Air Force Management and Leadership
• •  AEST 300b Aerospace Studies III: Air Force Management and Leadership
• •  AEST 310a Leadership Laboratory III
• •  AEST 310b Leadership Laboratory III
• •  AEST 400a Aerospace Studies IV: National Security Forces in Contemporary American Society
• •  AEST 400b Aerospace Studies IV: National Security Forces in Contemporary American Society
• •  AEST 410a Leadership Laboratory IV
• •  AEST 410b Leadership Laboratory IV
• •  AEST 420a Leadership Laboratory V
• •  AEST 420b Leadership Laboratory V

Global Policy, Planning and Development

• •  GPPD 500a Global Policy Challenges and Solutions
• •  GPPD 500b Global Policy Challenges and Solutions
• •  GPPD 510 Economic Foundations for Public Policy
• •  GPPD 520 Leadership in Public-Private Partnerships
• •  GPPD 530 Art and Craft of Public Policy Analysis
• •  GPPD 540 Comparative Institutions and Policy Context
• •  GPPD 550 Quantitative Methods for Public Policy
• •  GPPD 560 Methods for Policy Evaluation
• •  GPPD 570 Institutions and Policy Processes
• •  GPPD 580 Policy Challenges in International Development
• •  GPPD 600a Public Policy Capstone
• •  GPPD 600b Public Policy Capstone

Health Care Management

• •  HMGT 510 The Dynamics of Health Care Leadership
• •  HMGT 512 Information Technology and Patient Engagement
• •  HMGT 520 Leading People and Health Care Organizations
• •  HMGT 525 Managed Care Operations
• •  HMGT 540 Health Economics, Financing and Reimbursement
• •  HMGT 545 Systems Thinking and the Analysis of Data
• •  HMGT 550 Law, Regulation, and Ethics
• •  HMGT 560 Customer-Focused Health Care Organization
• •  HMGT 565 Managing the Organization’s Financial Health
• •  HMGT 570 Strategic Management
• •  HMGT 575 Managing and Improving Health
• •  HMGT 600 Managing Risk
• •  HMGT 601 Operations Management for Accountability
• •  HMGT 602 Operational Efficiency Processes in Health Care Organizations
• •  HMGT 603 Developing and Monitoring of Quality and Patient Safety Outcomes

Military Science

• •  MS 101 Foundations of Officership
• •  MS 102 Basic Leadership
• •  MS 201 Individual Leadership Studies
• •  MS 202 Leadership and Teamwork
• •  MS 301 Leadership and Problem Solving
• •  MS 302 Leadership and Ethics
• •  MS 401 Leadership and Management I
• •  MS 402 Leadership and Management II
• •  MS 499 Special Topics

Nautical Science

• •  NAUT 301a Seamanship and Navigation
• •  NAUT 301b Seamanship and Navigation
• •  NAUT 302ax Advanced Seamanship and Navigation
• •  NAUT 302bx Advanced Seamanship and Navigation

Naval Science

• •  NSC 135 Introduction to Naval Science
• •  NSC 137 Seapower and Maritime Affairs
• •  NSC 251 Seamanship and Ship Operations
• •  NSC 283 Naval Ships Systems I (Engineering)
• •  NSC 335 Navigation
• •  NSC 337 Naval Ships Systems II (Weapons)
• •  NSC 343 Evolution of Warfare
• •  NSC 392 Amphibious Warfare
• •  NSC 393 Fundamentals of Maneuver Warfare
• •  NSC 453 Leadership and Management I
• •  NSC 454 Leadership and Management II

Urban and Regional Planning

• •  PLUS 600 Environmental Goods in Planning and Development
• •  PLUS 601 Advanced Planning Theory I
• •  PLUS 603 Planning and Development Paradigms
• •  PLUS 612 Analysis of Quantitative Data for Planning and Development
• •  PLUS 615 Behavioral Issues in Environmental Design
• •  PLUS 623 Politics of Planning and the Urban Environment
• •  PLUS 626 Information Systems for Planning and Development
• •  PLUS 631 Seminar in Physical Planning and Design in Developing Countries
• •  PLUS 632 National Urban Policy in Developing Countries
• •  PLUS 633 Seminar in Comparative Housing Policy and Urban Planning Programs
• •  PLUS 635 Urban Finance
• •  PLUS 640 International Urban Development
• •  PLUS 650 Public Policy and Globalization
• •  PLUS 651 Applied Research Design and Inquiry
• •  PLUS 652 Place, Institutions, and Governance
• •  PLUS 653 Leading Change and Innovation in Urban Communities
• •  PLUS 660 Economics of a Productive Development - A Public/Private Perspective
• •  PLUS 661 Politics and Process of Urban Development
• •  PLUS 662 Planning and Development Case Study
• •  PLUS 663 Designing Livable Environments I
• •  PLUS 664 Urban Political Economy and Urban Development
• •  PLUS 665 Economics for a Productive City
• •  PLUS 667 Effective Engagement with Stakeholders
• •  PLUS 668 Big Data for Planning and Development
• •  PLUS 669 Designing Livable Environments II
• •  PLUS 670 Communicating Data for Planning and Development
• •  PLUS 671 Leading a Collaborative City
• •  PLUS 672 Integrating Concepts for Action
• •  PLUS 680 Advanced Urban and Regional Transportation Planning

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• Master of Science in Public Policy Data Science

Master of Science in Public Policy and Data Science

Leverage pivotal data and analytics, request information.

Analytics and big data are essential to policy development in both public and private sectors. Bolster your ability to make data-driven decisions and open doors to constantly-expanding career opportunities with the USC Price School of Public Policy and USC Viterbi School of Engineering’s Master of Science in Public Policy Data Science (MPPDS).

Learn about the application process →

Application Deadlines

Apply now community impact scholarship.

The USC Sol Price School of Public Policy is pleased to announce the Price Community Impact Scholarships.

Incoming master students who plan to enroll in one of the following on-campus programs at the University Park Campus in Los Angeles, CA for the 2024-2025 academic year are encouraged to apply:

• Master of Health Administration (MHA)
• Master of Nonprofit Leadership and Management (MNLN)
• Master of Science in Public Policy Data Science (MPPDS)
• Dollinger Master of Real Estate Development (MRED)
• Master of Public Administration (MPA)
• Master of Public Policy (MPP)
• Master of International Public Policy (IPPAM)
• Master of Urban Planning (MUP)

To learn more about our Price Community Impact Scholarship including eligibility requirements, visit this page .

“The MPPDS offers courses in a mixture of lecture, seminar, and lab formats, allowing the students to build a theoretical framework for policy analyses while gaining hands-on experience proposing these meaningful changes. The program not only equips policymakers with innovative skills in data science but also presents students with a broader range of choices and opportunities in the job market.”

Build Joint Expertise in Data Science and Policy

The Master of Science in Public Policy Data Science builds unique proficiencies with an emphasis on public policy, and teaches you to leverage data science to:

• Increase transparency and accountability
• Improve the efficiency and quality of services
• Enhance security and address matters of defense and intelligence
• Oversee emergency management
• Influence policy and the policy-making process broadly

With a vast range of applications – including crime pattern identification, traffic light synchronization, fair housing practices, health care access, transit usage, education financing and more – there will be no shortage of fields for you to apply your newly-gained expertise.

Program Director, Mark Phillips

Associate Professor (Teaching) Department of Public Policy and Management

(213) 740-0210 [email protected]

“I chose USC Price for the Public Policy Data Science program, which falls at the intersection of my passions for data and public service. The program perfectly supplements my current job as a Research Programmer in the health policy field, and there have been many times when I took what I learned in class directly to the field. The skills I am learning in my courses are laying the groundwork for everything that I want to do in my career. USC Price also offers a multitude of seminars and labs that provide something for a wide variety of interests. Not only that, but the community of students, staff, and faculty at Price are incredibly supportive. I am grateful to be connected to a network of like-minded individuals with diverse passions, striving for a better world.”

Why Public Policy and Data Science?

The effective use of big data holds the potential to revolutionize how public policy is created. In Southern California alone, nearly every governmental agency now has a dedicated big data and/or innovation unit, while several leading technology companies, including IBM and Google, have created specialized divisions and products aimed at leveraging these tools in the public policy realm. Understanding and knowing how to effectively utilize big data is crucial for work in nongovernmental organizations and nonprofits as well.

Upon graduating you will be prepared to:

• Address the institutional and legal challenges associated with collecting, combining and analyzing big data from disparate sources to inform and guide policymaking
• Combine big data tools, such as machine learning and data mining, with public policy and project evaluation methods including statistics and econometrics
• Apply big data principles, including mining and visualization of large datasets, to help craft better public policies
• Persuade decision-makers by knowing how to use relevant data to make strong recommendations
• Understanding markets and effectively use big data to develop appropriate strategies for public investment in everything from transportation to renewable energy

“I am on a mission to leverage knowledge from data in the design and analysis of policies. I aim to work towards sustainable development, specifically relevant to environmental pollution, sustainable cities and health policy. I have always been amazed at the power of data and the strength of effective policy on creating an impact on people’s lives. When I came across the MPPDS program offered at Price, I was instantly intrigued by the idea of the intersection. USC Price School has a great reputation for nurturing passionate public policy students who went ahead to create a meaningful impact. I consider choosing Price as one of the best decisions I have ever made.”

Designed to Meet Your Needs

The MPPDS program culminates with a capstone project in which you work with a real-world client, producing a consultant’s report that not only addresses a compelling challenge, but also demonstrates your abilities for prospective employers in this burgeoning job market. Options for capstone study include a big data project for local governance, security and smart cities, sustainable transportation and more.

The MPPDS also offers electives that help you focus your professional interests, in addition to core courses that bridge public policy and big data. Sample MPPDS courses include:

• Economics for Public Policy
• Foundations of Policy Analysis
• Multivariate Statistical Analysis
• Applied Econometrics for Program Evaluation
• Principles of Programming for Data Science
• Data Science at Scale
• Machine Learning for Data Science

“The MPPDS program at Price is one of the few public policy/data science joint programs in the nation. The intersection of these two fields provided me with both quantitative research foundational skills and an understanding of real-world policy frameworks to apply them to. These areas of study are worthwhile in their own right, but being able to study them concurrently and understand the way research practice and implementation are linked significantly prepared me for entering my career after my graduate program ended. As a current data analyst at a policy research center, I cannot imagine any other degree program serving me as well as my time as Price did.”

University of South Florida

School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies

College of Arts and Sciences

Main Navigation

Graduate programs, phd in politics and international affairs.

The doctoral degree in politics and international affairs is an interdisciplinary program designed to prepare students to teach at the university and college levels and to conduct high-level research in the academic and nonacademic sectors. It combines a broad focus on international relations, comparative politics, American politics, and political theory with a critical understanding of institutions, rights, citizenship/identity, governance, global policy, and justice. Students work closely with faculty to frame their dissertation research and to advance their knowledge of their chosen fields of specialization. The program’s interdisciplinary approach to a variety of global issues provides a rich and open-ended opportunity to research current and past problems, movements, and transformations in politics.

We welcome your interest in our doctoral program. The department's deadline for fall admission is January 5. The School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies only admits for the fall semester. Students must apply online through the Office of Graduate Admissions. For a listing of the admission requirements, students should consult the Graduate Catalog . 

*Effective starting with the 2023-2024 admissions cycle, GRE test scores are no longer required for applications to our doctoral program in Politics and International Affairs*

*International students should review the Office of Admissions International Students website for additional information and requirements.

*International students are also encouraged to contact the Office of International Services for information on visas, international travel, etc. 

PLEASE NOTE: International students whose native language is not English and who want to be considered for a teaching assistantship must show proficiency in spoken English even if their TOEFL has been waived for admission to a graduate program. More information on the TOEFL requirement can be found under Admission Requirements in the graduate catalog.

Program Requirements

For the Doctoral Degree in Politics and International Affairs degree requirements, students should consult the Graduate Catalog. Students should adhere to the requirements within the Graduate Catalog under which they were admitted.

• Degree Requirements Beginning 2023-2024 Catalog

*Students can elect another catalog following the one they were admitted under. More information on this policy, and other policies, can be found in the Graduate Catalog.

*Students must request approval from the graduate director for any course not pre-approved and listed under the degree in the Graduate Catalog.

Additional information on program requirements:

Student can also select POS 6933/6747 Advanced Topics in Quantitative Political Analysis or another graduate course approved by the graduate director for the methods requirement. The Capstone Seminar will be conducted with doctorial students in Sociology and History and focus on dissertation proposal. 

Research Fields

The Doctorate in Politics and International Affairs specializes in the following four fields of research:

International Relations In the School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies, the International Relations (IR) faculty focuses on four areas of study: international relations theory, global political economy, international security, and human rights. We stress the importance of cutting-edge scholarship in our teaching of the graduate seminars as well as bridging the many emergent gaps in theory and practice in the various subfields that comprise International Relations, including American foreign policy, international ethics, global governance, and international law and organizations. One of our central aims is to advance innovative applications of the central theoretical perspectives (and their variant strands) in International Relations, namely, realism, liberalism, critical theory, constructivism, Marxism, international political theory, and gender. These applications involve in-depth theoretical and empirical analysis of key global issues, such as Asian security, moral accountability, the enforcement of human rights, immigration, and political and economic inequality. The International Relations faculty have published numerous books and peer-reviewed articles on these issue areas. These include monographs on the political tensions on the Korean Peninsula or North Korea’s nuclear arms buildup, the political cosmopolitan character and shifting dynamics of the International Criminal Court (ICC), hegemony and inequality in the global political economy, and China’s rapidly increasing support of intervention in African states. Together our published research emphasizes the production of critical theoretic knowledge, or the advanced methodological analysis of the contradictions and tensions informing the substantive debates in International Relations. This not only requires the particular mastery of concepts, methods, and claims but also an open-ended and historical understanding of the changing social forces shaping the behavior of states and the relations among global and local actors. It is this scholarly approach that we adopt to train our graduate students specializing in international relations, particularly as they advance their dissertation research and empirical knowledge of the global and regional contexts of problems and issues. One of the outcomes we strive for, then, is to encourage our doctoral students to develop rigorous theoretical and contextual analysis from which they can devise solutions and prescriptions to global issues.

Comparative Politics Comparative Politics in the School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies is committed to theory-driven, empirical research from an interdisciplinary perspective that is situated in a political, historical, cultural, and economic context.  The Comparative Politics faculty employ a variety of methodological approaches from both the social sciences and humanities, which utilize qualitative and quantitative research methods to study the patterns of similarities and differences. In particular, we conduct comparative and case study research to inquire into these patterns and to develop our theoretical propositions. One of our aims is to produce knowledge about the changing social, political, and legal conditions affecting the lives, development, cultural practices, and customs of underrepresented peoples. In meeting this aim, our research focuses on several themes of comparative politics, including social movements, democracy/democratization, citizenship, decolonization, genocide, hegemony, race and identity, development, legal systems and customary law, social justice, and indigenismo or the political ideology focusing on the changing relations of state and local peoples. Much of our published research draws creatively on social, critical, and political theory to advance knowledge of the laws, changing social relations, and attitudes in several countries, which includes Brazil, Ecuador, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Iran. Our research strengths lie in the areas of race and citizenship, social movements theory, human security and law (or legal custom) in Eastern Africa, indigenous rights in various Latin American countries, and security relations in the Middle East. With these thematic foci, we encourage graduate students to create and develop their own research by selecting a region of the world as their emphasis and adopting theoretically informed research and comparative methods that allow them to analyze the changing social and political conditions in the countries of this region.

American Politics The study of American Politics in the doctorate program in politics and international affairs provides a comprehensive overview as well as an in-depth analysis of American politics. Our faculty focus on various aspects of American politics, including theoretical foundations, federalism, institutions (Congress, the executive branch, the bureaucracy, the judiciary), political behavior (political parties, the media, interest groups, social movements, and elections), and public policy (foreign and domestic), and employ a range of methodological approaches such as historical development, legal doctrine, institutional rules, and quantitative analyses of the behavior of political actors and the mass public, to advance the student's research skills.  Our core class, Seminar in American Politics, for instance, surveys the key foundations, institutions, and behavior in American politics, introducing students to both qualitative and quantitative methodological approaches for analyzing and testing the changing trends and outcomes in American politics. Special topics courses provide opportunities to gain in-depth knowledge on new research on a range of themes, including political development, the social bases of politics, and the global impact of American politics. The faculty in American politics have made important contributions in the areas of race and ethnicity, the judiciary, the presidency, Florida government, civil liberties, health care, environmental justice, economic inequality, and animal rights. Our strengths lie in economic inequality, animal rights, the Presidency, Judicial Behavior, Race and Ethnicity, and State and Local Government. In these specific areas, we have published several cutting-edge books and articles in leading peer-reviewed journals, which examine the emergence and implementation of nonhuman animals' regime of rights, the changing directions of the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank and its impact on world politics, and alternative strategies for natural disasters in the United States. Our scholarship is thus distinctive for the ways in which it addresses American government and politics in a global context. This is how we seek to train our doctoral students on the rapidly changing, nuanced linkages between local, state, federal and global institutional politics.  

Political Theory Political Theory introduces students to the core normative issues in the study of political science. These normative issues provide the bedrock assumptions on which much of the study of political science depends. For example, while nearly everyone agrees that democracy is the best form of government, why do we place such faith in it? In addition, the long tradition of political thought offers multiple versions of democracy, each with its own strengths and limitations. How are we to identify the best version for our needs? Similarly, while we might extol non-violence in politics, is it always the best path for political movements? How are we to justify its alternatives? Clarifying our moral commitments, sharpening our conceptual tools, and outlining pathways for transforming theoretical knowledge into action requires philosophical, historical, and conceptual capabilities. The political theory faculty at the School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies trains students to develop these capabilities. To that end, political theory classes not only familiarize students with many of the canonical texts that were read by generations of prominent political thinkers (from Aristotle to Martin Luther King Jr), they also teach students to read these texts critically and with an eye towards contemporary political developments. As such, training in political theory is a critical supplement to graduate work at School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies. The faculty’s expertise in feminist theory, postcolonial theory, the role of emotions in politics, environmental political thought, and Indian political thought complements the terminal degrees offered in American Politics, Comparative Politics, and International Relations.

Financial Assistance 

Most of our successful applicants qualify for funding offered by the department or the Office of Graduate Studies. Funded doctoral students will receive a graduate assistantship that includes:

• a stipend for the academic year (9 months)
• a tuition waiver (not including school fees)
• the option of health insurance mostly paid by the department (the student only pays a small amount towards insurance).

All applicants for the doctoral degree are considered for a graduate assistantship - they do not need to complete a separate form.

The graduate assistantship is guaranteed for four years but is based on maintaining satisfactory annual academic progress. It requires each student to work 20 hours per week, in which case the student would be first assisting professors of the department with their teaching and class preparations and later, after having passed the doctoral comprehensive exams and completed teacher training seminars, teach a class at the University of South Florida. 

Please visit the graduate assistantships page for further information. The department also provides funding for conference travel or the presentation of research at conferences upon approval.

Information on eligibility for graduate assistantships can be found on the Graduate Assistantships Resource Center website. 

We also strive to fund our students in the fifth year, though this funding is not guaranteed. Depending on additional funds that become available, students may have the opportunity to extend their graduate assistantship to one, possibly two academic semesters. Students in the fifth year are also encouraged to seek external funding. For more information on this, please consult our Graduate Resources Page .

Outstanding candidates may also be nominated by the school’s director and/or graduate committee for prestigious and highly competitive university fellowships, including the Presidential Doctoral Fellowship , the Dorothy Auzenne Fellowship , and the University Graduate Fellowship. There is also the opportunity for minority students to be awarded a McKnight Fellowship, which provides annual tuition up to $5,000 for each of three academic years, plus an annual stipend of $12,000. The program also offers travel grants and other forms of financial support. For additional information on this fellowship opportunity, please visit the McKnight Fellowship's informational page.

• Politics and International Affairs Doctoral Handbook 2022 - 2023
• School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies Graduate Resources
• Independent Study / Directed Research Contract
• Office of Graduate Studies Forms
• Dissertation Proposal Approval Form
• Admission to Doctoral Candidacy Form
• Graduate Student Supervisory Committee Appointment Form
• Dissertation Checklist
• Electronic Thesis & Dissertation Certificate of Approval Form
• Comprehensive Exam Reading Lists
• Research Conference Travel Award Request
• Dissertation Defense Announcment

Spring 2024 Course Offerings

Recent Placements

For further information or questions about the PhD in Politics and International Affairs, please fill out this form .