Master in Public Policy (MPP)

Program Overview

Job growth, affordable housing, educational reform, environmental degradation—these are just a few of the complex challenges society faces today. As these issues grow more complex, productive relationships among government, business, and non-profit organizations gain added importance.

The Master of Public Policy (MPP) program at Loyola University Chicago’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS) helps students direct their interest in pressing societal problems into thoughtful analysis and earnest action.

A professional degree focused on training students to assume leadership roles in government, non-profit organizations, or business, the MPP curriculum combines knowledge about current government programs with the technical skills to assess how politics influence policy choices, how design informs more effective programs, and how critical evaluation elevates the impact of existing efforts.

MPP students mix required courses in topics like policy design, budgeting, and evaluation with electives drawn from departments across Loyola University, including criminal justice, economics, education, philosophy, political science, psychology, sociology, and social work. In addition, internships or capstone projects empower students to apply skills developed in the program and gain valuable work-related experience.

Our flexible and accelerated 8-week online courses allow you to complete your degree quickly–typically, two years for full-time students and three years for part-time students–from an accredited, leading university with engaged faculty and a 100-year track record of educating adult learners and promoting social justice.

Job growth, affordable housing, educational reform, environmental degradation—these are just a few of the significant challenges that face society today. As these issues grow more complex, the relationships among government, business, and non-profit organizations also take on critical importance. The public policy program at Loyola can help students transform their interest in these types of problems into the ability to analyze and act upon them. The curriculum brings together knowledge about current government programs with the technical skills to assess how politics influence policy choices, how to design more effective programs, and how to evaluate the impacts of existing ones.

The Master of Public Policy (MPP) program at Loyola is a two-year professional degree focused on training students to assume leadership roles in government, non-profit organizations, or businesses. Part-time students typically finish in three years. Internships or capstone projects allow students to apply the skills developed in the program and gain work-related experience.

Degree Requirements

Required Coursework:

The MPP degree program requires 37 credit-hours of coursework—11 three-credit courses, plus a three-credit internship or capstone experience.

MPP 400 Policy Design and Analysis
MPP 401 Analytical Tools for Policy Analysis
MPP 403 Public Budgeting and Finance
MPP 404 Public Policy Process
MPP 405 Statistical Methods of Analysis for Public Policy I
MPP 406 Statistical Methods of Analysis for Public Policy II
MPP 500 Policy Evaluation
MPP 502 Professional Development (1 credit hour)
MPP 501 or 503 Internship or Capstone Experience (3 credit hours)

Students also are required to take 12 hours of electives. Electives can be drawn from many departments across the university, including criminal justice, economics, education, philosophy, political science, psychology, sociology and social work. These electives are where students can focus in on their preferred field of policy. The following are some examples of optional courses:

Environment:

ENVS 410 Intro to Environmental Law and Policy
ENVS 412 Natural Resources and Land Use Policy

Public Health:

MPBH 402 Public Health Practice and Management
MPBH 407 Public Health Policy

Criminal Justice:

CJC 401 Politics and Policies in the Criminal Justice System
CJC 402 Theories of Criminal Behavior

Economic and Community Development:

MPP 407 Local Economic Development
MPP 414 Affordable Housing Finance and Policy

Education:

ELPS 405 Introduction to Education Policy Analysis
ELPS 412 Sociological Analysis of Urban Education and Policy

Immigration:

SOWK 730 Migration Dynamics and U.S. Social Policy
SOWK 732 Migration, Social Justice, and Human Rights

Ability to design policy interventions and apply criteria to determine best option in each specific case
Ability to understand a budget and evaluate it from different stakeholder positions
Knowledge of the political process at the federal, state and local government levels
Knowledge of tactics to build a political coalition of support for a program
Knowledge of appropriate statistical procedures used in public policy research and practice
Ability to design, conduct and critique program evaluations
Experience working in the public policy arena in government agency, non-profit, research, or private sector organization

For students without significant professional work experience prior to starting the program, an internship is required. Most students complete their internships in the summer between their first and second years. For students with professional work experience, a capstone project or policy clinic resulting in a major analytical report could be done instead. You can find more information about the internship along with career and scholarship resources in our Internship and Career Resources section.

You will learn how to:

Design policy interventions and apply criteria to determine best option in each specific case
Understand a budget and evaluate it from different stakeholder positions
Navigate the political process at the federal, state, and local government levels
Build a political coalition of support for a program
Use appropriate statistical procedures for public policy research and practice
Design, conduct, and critique program evaluations
Experience working in the public policy arena in government agency, non-profit, research, or private sector organization

MPP alumni from SCPS apply their education to tackle some of society’s most pressing problems, from immigration to the environment, from public safety to community development. Some work for state and local governments or federal agencies; others are employed by non-profit organizations or business enterprises with connections to the public policy landscape.

SPCS students enrolled in the Master in Public Policy program receive instruction, guidance, and support from dedicated faculty members representing departments across Loyola, including criminal justice, economics, education, philosophy, political science, psychology, sociology, and social work. Faculty include both scholars in their respective field as well as working practitioners who understand the current market climate and the crucial skills necessary to advance thoughtful policy. View Our Directory

To apply to the Master in Public Policy program at SCPS, students must provide:

A completed application
Official transcripts from all prior institutions. To be eligible for admission, your transcript must show an earned bachelor’s degree or a bachelor’s degree in progress (with an expected graduation to occur before the start of your graduate program).
2.5 GPA or higher and in good standing at all prior institutions. In exceptional cases, applicants whose undergraduate GPA is below 2.5 may be admitted. Each program area gives meaningful consideration to the applicant's graduate GPA, recommendations, professional experience and reasons for pursuing a graduate program.

Master in Public Policy (MPP)

Program Overview

Curriculum

Core Requirements

Electives

Learning Objectives

Internship or Capstone Experience

Program Learning Outcomes

Career Outcomes

Faculty

Admissions

Next Steps

Program Overview