Master of Public Policy - MPP

The Master of Public Policy (MPP) program at Pacific McGeorge School of Law prepares students to effectively analyze and design public policy. At McGeorge, MPP students gain valuable work experience from extensive internships and job opportunities in California’s capital.

Our 44-unit curriculum emphasizes a combination of rigorous academic exploration, sequenced development of professional competencies, and real-work application. MPP students also have the unique opportunity to take law courses within their area of concentration and gain legal training and skills that make McGeorge graduates stand out.

Courses emphasize the:

Foundations of public action based on statutes and regulations
Analysis, design, and implementation of public policies
Use of qualitative and quantitative research methods
Competencies in strategic leadership and systematic change
Areas of concentration suited to your interests and expertise

As a hybrid program, about 50% of course contact hours in the program will be online with the rest in-person on our Sacramento campus. The exact amount of online instruction for an individual course will vary between 25% and 100% according to the unique characteristics of the class. Please contact the Public Policy Programs department for questions or for more information.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and students can enroll in Fall or Spring.

Request Information

Apply Now

Analytical Tools (11 units)

Economic Concepts & Tools (PUB 221, 4 units)
Public Manager Analytics (PUB 233, 4 units)
Advanced Policy Analysis (PUB 234, 3 units)

Law (6 units)

Intro to Law and Public Administration (LAW 201, 3 units)
Statutes & Regulations (LAW 517, 3 units)

Management and Leadership (7 units)

Enhancing Societal Capacity (PUB 213, 3 units) or Systemic Change (PUB 242, 3 units)
Values, Roles & Skills (PUB 251, 3 units)
Professional Skills (PUB 218, 1 unit)

Public Policy (14 units)

Conflict, Complex, & Uncertain (PUB 211, 4 units)
Budgets, Financial Management (PUB 214, 3 units)
Finance for Public Policies (PUB 222, 3 units)
Capstone (PUB 252, 4 units)

Electives (6 units)

Total: 44 units

For full course descriptions, visit the course catalog page.

Recommended Course Sequences

Students can enroll in Spring or Fall. The most common approach is to complete the MPP in two years, but students could take up to five years on a part-time basis. Course sequence examples reflect Fall start.

Full-Time 2-Year Course Sequence

Year One

Fall Semester (11 Units)

PUB 251 – Values, Roles & Skills (4)
LAW 201 – Introduction to Law and Public Administration (3)

Spring Semester (11 Units)

PUB 233 – Public Manager Analytics (4)Elective Course (3 units)
PUB 211 – Conflicted, Complex, Uncertain (4)

Summer Semester (3 Units)

LAW 517 – Statutes and Regulations (3)

Year Two

Fall Semester (9 Units)

PUB 242 – Systemic Change (3)
PUB 214 – Budgets, Financial Management (3)
PUB 234 – Advanced Policy Analytics (3)

Spring Semester (10 Units)

PUB 215 – Capstone (4)
Elective Course (3)
PUB 222 – Finance for Public Policy (3)

MPP students are required to complete 6 units in selected concentration area. For Concentration course requirements visit the course catalog page.

Capital Policy Making
Environmental & Water Policy
Management & Leadership
Public & Non Profit Leadership

Graduates from the Master of Public Policy program will be able to:

Lead and manage in public governance.
Participate in and contribute to the public policy process.
Analyze and synthesize information in support of complex decision making.
Articulate and apply a public service perspective.
Communicate and interact productively with diverse public stakeholders.

Students can enroll in Spring or Fall. Course sequence examples reflect Fall start.

Full-Time 2-Year Course Sequence

Year One

Fall Semester (11 Units)

PUB 251 – Values, Roles & Skills (4)
PUB 233 – Public Manager Analytics (4)
LAW 212 – Introduction to Legal Analysis (3)

Spring Semester (11 Units)

PUB 234 – Advanced Policy Analytics (3)
PUB 211 – Conflicted, Complex, Uncertain (4)
PUB 221 – Economic Concepts & Tools (4)

Summer Semester (3 Units)

PUB 214 – Budgets, Financial Management (3)

Year Two

Fall Semester (9 Units)

LAW 517 – Statutes and Regulations (3)
PUB 242 – Systemic Change (3)
Elective Course (3)

Spring Semester (10 Units)

PUB 215 – Capstone (4)
Elective Course (3)
PUB 222 – Finance for Public Policy (3)

Part-Time 3-Year Course Sequence

Year One

Fall Semester (8 Units)

PUB 251 – Values, Roles & Skills (4)
PUB 221 – Economic Concepts & Tools (4)

Spring Semester (7 Units)

PUB 211 – Conflicted, Complex, Uncertain (4)
LAW 212 – Introduction to Legal Analysis (3)

Summer Semester (3 Units)

PUB 214 – Budgets, Financial Management (3)

Year Two

Fall Semester (7 Units)

PUB 233 – Public Manager Analytics (4)
LAW 517 – Statutes and Regulations (3)

Spring Semester (6 Units)

PUB 234 – Advanced Policy Analysis (3)
Elective Course (3)

Year Three

Fall Semester (6 Units)

PUB 234 – Systemic Change (3)
Elective Course (3)

Spring Semester (7 Units)

PUB 215 – Capstone (4)
PUB 222 – Finance for Public Policy (3)

2 Years Full-Time
3 Years Part-Time

Concentration Area

Scholarships Awarded

ALUMNI NETWORK

Vanessa Adame, MPP '18

Vanessa Adame, '18, pursued a degree at McGeorge School of Law because she wanted to get into policy, and she knew she needed a master's degree to achieve that. In this video, she says that the close proximity of the California State Capitol and the smaller campus were a few things that attracted her to McGeorge School of Law.

ALUMNI NETWORK

Kevan Rolfness, MPP '19

Kevan Rolfness, '19, decided to pursue a Master's in Public Policy at McGeorge School of Law because he believed that it would give him the toolkit needed to further his career. Rolfness is a Housing Policy Specialist at the California Department of Housing and Community Development, and he uses the skills he learned at McGeorge daily in his career.