The Master of Public Policy (MPP) provides a comprehensive overview of essential skills required for sound research and data analysis, communication, action, and creative and critical thinking in the area of public policy. The online curriculum is designed to introduce a broad understanding and application of policy that allows a chosen concentration in a focused area such as Cyber, Space, National Security, Environmental, Public Law or Health. Knowledge gained can be useful preparation for those interested in senior-level management positions in government agencies, corporations, research institutes, advocacy or non-profit organizations, and other associations. Understanding policy at the local, state, and national levels allows better advising and management of risk in these organizations.

Degree Program Objectives

In addition to the institutional and degree level learning objectives, graduates of this program are expected to achieve these learning outcomes:

  • Evaluate the multi-disciplinary nature of the major theories underlying the discipline of public policy.
  • Extrapolate the processes by which public policies are designed, implemented, and evaluated.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of existing (or the impact of proposed) public policies.
  • Demonstrate appropriate analytical skills to analyze contemporary policy issues.
  • Design public policies to solve strategic or social problems.
  • Deconstruct contemporary policy case studies using an ethical framework.
  • Communicate policy recommendations to diverse audiences

Degree at a Glance

Core Requirements18
Select one concentration from the following:12
Final Program Requirements3
Elective Requirements3
Total Semester Hours36
Degree Program Requirements

Core Requirements (18 semester hours)

MAPP501Foundations of Governance and Policy 13
PADM530Public Policy3
MAPP502Public Writing3
MAPP504Economics and Public Policy3
PADM611Law and Public Policy3
HRMT603Human Resource Policy3
Total Semester Hours18

Students must choose a concentration for this degree program and may select from Concentrations in Cybersecurity Policy, Concentration in Environmental Policy, Concentration in Health Policy, Concentration in National Security Policy, Concentration in Public Policy and the Law, or Concentration in Space Policy.

Concentration in Cybersecurity Policy (12 semester hours)

Cybersecurity touches almost every aspect of public policy. This concentration focuses on the issues, policies, practices, and perspectives of various sectors, critical infrastructures, agencies, and disciplines, such as national security, intelligence, criminal justice, and emergency management. Cyber threats can have an adverse effect on public confidence, stock markets, economic sectors, and other critical infrastructures. The need for trained experts in this field who can prevent, detect, and eliminate such threats is critical to our national security.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to:

  • Analyze the national cyber threat landscape and cybersecurity challenges from both external entities and domestic sources.

  • Examine the legal, social, regulatory, ethical, and technical issues related to securing information systems and national critical infrastructures.

  • Compare and contrast the interdisciplinary policies, practices, perspectives and products required to address the cyber threats to our information systems and critical infrastructures.

Concentration Requirements (12 semester hours)

Select 4 courses from the following:12
Cyber Policy and Practice in National Security
Emergency Management Perspectives on Cybersecurity
Cyber Intelligence
Law, Ethics and Cybersecurity
Cyber Ethics: Privacy and Intellectual Property
Total Semester Hours12

Concentration in Environmental Policy (12 semester hours)

Environmental Policy represents one of the major policy realms that cross discipline, geography, and history. Students will study the interplay between economic and political factors and their impact on the environment, as well as review existing paradigms for environmental planning, analysis, and management. This concentration may also prepare students for study at the doctorate level in related fields.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to:

  • Distinguish the key variables and theoretical frameworks for incorporating economic interests into environmental policy.
  • Analyze the similarities and differences of specific environmental policies from culturally and geographically diverse areas of the world.
  • Analyze the economics of a specific environmental policy.
  • Critique current policies and evaluate validity of environmental policy as it relates to economic issues and drivers.
  • Analyze an environmental policy’s economic impact both spatially and temporally.
  • Examine the major legal, regulatory, and policy framework that encompasses environmental programs and projects in the United States.
  • Analyze interconnections among environmental policy, laws, and regulations, and between them and environmental management and other disciplines in management, government, science, and engineering.
  • Assess the U.S. role and level of involvement in international environmental policy.

Concentration Requirements (12 semester hours)

Select 4 courses from the following:12
Environmental Economics
Environmental Policy, Regulation, and Law
The National Environmental Policy Act
Energy Policy and Sustainability
EVSP629
Total Semester Hours12

Concentration in Health Policy (12 semester hours)

Health Policy is a growing field, especially now, and our nation looks to policy experts to understand, translate, and explain massive healthcare legislation. Masters of Public Policy students who choose a concentration in Health Policy will gain the knowledge often needed to inform, direct, analyze, and report on public health issues and policy responses. Graduates will learn to craft policies, but also help the nation understand and adapt to them.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to:

  • Examine how social, behavioral, environmental, and biological factors contribute to specific individual and community health outcomes.
  • Analyze the critical factors that will influence health and health care in the first decade of the 21st century.
  • Compare and contrast the theories regarding health care systems.
  • Evaluate health care policies and their influence on the development, operation, design and effectiveness of health care delivery systems.
  • Assess the efficacy of public health programs and initiatives such as Medicare, Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP).
  • Deconstruct the relationship between public health and policy responses.
  • Appraise the public health issues associated with various disasters.
  • Examine health care issues that confront emergency management decision makers.
  • Analyze past and future approaches to disaster health management programs.

Concentration Requirements (12 semester hours)

Select 4 courses from the following:12
Corporate Compliance in the Healthcare Industry
Population-Based Healthcare
Healthcare Systems and Health Policy
Public Health in America
Health Policy
Ethical Issues in Public Health
Disaster Health Management
Total Semester Hours12

Concentration in National Security Policy (12 semester hours)

Public Policy students who choose to focus on National Security Policy will be positioned to advise officials on issues of strategic importance. Combine this degree concentration with your work experience and training to further your knowledge and skills often required in the growing public and private sector industry of policy analysis and strategic planning. This is a concentration of interest to civilian and military students who seek to gain advanced understanding in national security policy, security policy analysis, and related fields.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to:

  • Deconstruct individual actors’ roles and contributions to national security policy.
  • Differentiate among conflicting and competing interests and their impact on national security policy development.
  • Examine the foundations of U.S. National Security Policy.
  • Analyze U.S. national security policies from the end of WWII to the end of the Cold War.
  • Assess the effectiveness of U.S. National Security strategies available to the United States.
  • Analyze the historical practice of diplomacy by states.
  • Assess the use of diplomacy by states to implement their national security strategies.

Concentration Requirements (12 semester hours)

NSEC501Institutions of National Security3
NSEC503U.S. National Security3
NSEC610National Security and Globalization3
NSEC612National Security and Diplomacy3
Total Semester Hours12

Concentration in Public Policy and the Law (12 semester hours)

Students of public policy must understand how an idea becomes a law, but MPP students who choose a concentration in Policy and the Law will become experts in the judicial process and the enforcement and execution of our laws. This concentration explores ethics, contractual obligations, procedural due process, and new developments in security and the law.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to:

  • Interpret complex contract language.
  • Examine specific cases of contract law and extrapolate the laws and precedents established.
  • Extrapolate the development of Constitutional Law in the areas of judicial, legislative, and executive powers.
  • Analyze the separation of powers, federalism, national and state regulation of commerce, and property rights.
  • Interpret the role of the judiciary by examining landmark constitutional decisions.
  • Examine the Bill of Rights and the U.S. Constitution.
  • Evaluate policies related to cybersecurity.
  • Explore laws related to cybersecurity issues, including litigation, intellectual property and privacy.

Concentration Requirements (12 semester hours)

Select 4 courses from the following:12
Nonprofit Law, Governance, and Ethics
Employment Law and Labor Relations
Constitutional Law
Law, Ethics and Cybersecurity
Judicial Politics, Process, and Policy Making
Total Semester Hours12

Concentration in Space Policy (12 semester hours)

This concentration will give the administrator the background to be able to understand the ramifications of policy and law on the future of the space industry, both in the US and globally. The implications of policy for both the public and private sector will be explored.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to:

  • Examine the political and commercial significance of major national and international space missions, projects, and operations.

  • Evaluate organizations that are critical to the success of the technological advance of space infrastructure in the United States.

  • Assess the status of space cooperation and diplomacy between various space faring nations.

  • Synthesize space laws and how the governing institutions affect applications such as remote sensing, communications, navigation, launch services, satellite exports, and arms control.

Concentration Requirements (12 semester hours)

Select 4 courses from the following:12
Current and Emerging Space Powers
Space Policy
National Space Organization
Space Operations Structure and Design
Space Cooperation and Diplomacy
Space Law
Total Semester Hours12

Final Program Requirements (3 semester hours)

MAPP697Public Policy Project Capstone 13
Total Semester Hours3

Elective Requirements (3 semester hours)

Select any graduate courses not already taken to fulfill the requirements listed above.3
Total Semester Hours3