Master of Public Policy and Administration
Total units required for MPPA: 36
Program Description
The Capital Campus's graduate programs in Public Policy and Administration prepare future leaders to address the complex issues that face California. We serve the State and the region by developing leaders with strong analytical tools and a deep commitment to public service.
Graduates of our graduate programs are expected to have the ability to: 1) synthesize, analyze, and offer solutions to public policy and administration problems; 2) apply knowledge and skills in a professional setting; and 3) recognize the role of the profession in society (e.g., by considering the ethical dimension of choices about public policy and administration).
Admission Requirements
Admission to classified standing in the program requires:
- the baccalaureate degree;
- a GPA of 2.75 for all undergraduate coursework or in the last 60 units;
- GRE no longer required;
- completion of the following (or their equivalents at other colleges or universities as determined by the Department Chair):
Course List Code Title Units ECON 1B Introduction to Microeconomic Analysis 3 POLS 1 Essentials Of Government 3 - a written statement of purpose from one to two pages in length (typewritten), addressing the applicant's purpose in pursuing the Master of Public Policy and Administration;
- three letters of recommendation from individuals with knowledge of the applicant's academic and professional potential.
All applicants to graduate programs who have not completed a baccalaureate degree from a postsecondary educational institution where English is the primary language of instruction must achieve a minimum score on TOEFL or IELTS. The minimum score is 83 iBT (560 Paper Based TOEFL) or 6.5 IELTS.
A student with certain deficiencies in the above requirements may be admitted to the program on a conditionally classified status. Admission conditions will be determined on an individual basis.
Admission Procedures
All prospective students must file the following with the Office of Graduate Studies:
- an online application for admission;
- one set of official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, other than Sacramento State; and
- GRE scores.
For more admissions information and application deadlines please visit https://www.csus.edu/graduate-studies/.
The items below should be submitted to the Department office:
- written statement of purpose;
- letters of recommendation;
- program application; and
- TOEFL score or IELTS score, if applicable.
Minimum Units and Grade Requirement for the Degree
Units required for the MPPA: 36
Minimum Cumulative GPA: 3.0 with no grade lower than a "B-" in all required courses (and "credit" for PPA 500).
Advancement to Candidacy
Students must file an application for Advancement to Candidacy listing their program of graduate study. The filing procedure should begin as soon as the student has:
- removed any deficiencies in admission requirements;
- completed at least five of the program's required courses with a minimum grade of ''B-'' in each and a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0; and
- Satisfy the Graduate Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) by completing one of our Departmental Graduate Writing Intensive (GWI) courses with a grade of "B" or better (either PPA 200 or PPA 220A) or meeting one of the other standards set by the Office of Graduate Studies.
Department specific advancement to candidacy forms are available in the Department office.
Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses (27 Units) | ||
| PPA 200 | Introduction to Public Policy and Administration | 3 |
| PPA 205 | Research in Public Policy and Administration | 3 |
| PPA 207 | Quantitative Methods in Public Policy and Administration | 3 |
| PPA 210 | Political Environment of Policy Making | 3 |
| PPA 220A | Applied Economic Analysis I | 3 |
| PPA 220B | Applied Economic Analysis II | 3 |
| PPA 230 | Public Budgeting and Finance | 3 |
| PPA 240A | Public Management and Administration I | 3 |
| PPA 240B | Public Management and Administration II | 3 |
| Electives (6 Units) | ||
| Select 6 units. Graduate level PPA elective courses include the following: 1 | 6 | |
| California Land Use Policy | ||
| Urban Problems, Economics and Public Policy | ||
| Introduction to Collaborative Policy Making | ||
| Collaborative Governance Advanced Practice | ||
| Urban Policy | ||
| Culminating Requirement (3 Units) | ||
| PPA 500 | Culminating Experience 2 | 3 |
| Total Units | 36 | |
Footnotes
1 PPA graduate students are required to take 6 units of elective courses. Ordinarily at least 3 of these units should be chosen from among the graduate level elective courses offered by the Department of Public Policy and Administration. As appropriate, the requirement to take at least 3 units within PPA may be waived with the approval of the student's academic advisor and the Department Chair. Additionally, the Department has offered experimental PPA 296 electives in the past, and will continue to do so.
2 Enrollment in PPA 500 is required of students in their last semester of enrollment in the program. Each student will undertake a project or comprehensive examination dealing with a policy or administrative issue and complete a significant written work detailing the problem or issue examined, sources of information used in analyzing the issue, and project findings and conclusions.