Public Policy

Subject abbreviation: PBPL School of Public Policy

School of Public Policy Mark Long, MPP, Ph.D., Dean Bruce Babcock, Ph.D., Associate Dean

Program Office, INTS 4146

• (951) 827-5663;

spp.ucr.edu

Public policy analysis is the use of decision-making theory and evidence-based methods to the study of substantive public policy problems. The objective of public policy analysis is to improve the quality of public policy-making by critically examining the design and relevance of public policies, their implementation and execution, and their impact on households, communities, and the society at large. By its very nature, policy analysis is multidisciplinary. For instance, policies to address health problems in society must draw on developments in philosophy, economics, political science, medicine, and ethics (among other disciplines).

A degree in public policy equips students to go into a range of different careers. Examples include working as a policy analyst for local, regional, state, or national government agencies; a governmental or public relations officer for a private sector firm; an employee of a public advocacy group; or as a leader of a community-based, non-profit organization.

See Undergraduate Studies section.

See School of Public Policy section.

The major requirements for the B.A. degree in Public Policy are as follows:

Students will not be admitted into the major until they have completed PBPL 001 with a “C”grade or better.

• 1. Lower-division requirements (six courses

[at least 24 units])

• a) PBPL 001

• b) PBPL 002

• c) ECON 003

• d) PBPL 004

• e) Math 004

• f) One course from CS 005 or CS 009A

• 2. Upper-division requirements

• a) Upper Division Core (3 courses required

(at least 12 units) PBPL 100A, PBPL 100B, PBPL 101

• b) Upper Division Electives (8 courses

required (at least 32 units) PBPL 102, PBPL 103, PBPL 127, PBPL 130, PBPL 132, PBPL 150, PBPL 155, PBPL 157, PBPL 160, PBPL 162, PBPL 164, PBPL 167, PBPL 170, PBPL 171, PBPL 172, PBPL 180, PBPL 182, PBPL 185, PBPL 186

• 3. Public Policy Seminar/Colloquia

During the junior and senior years, students must enroll in PBPL 191 (Seminar in Public Policy), which includes attendance at public lectures to the campus community given by outside speakers — typically policy makers, administrators and researchers — on timely and important policy issues facing the Inland Empire, the state, the nation, and the world.

• 4. Domestic or International Policy Practicum

In the third or fourth year of the program (or during the summer between the third and fourth years), students must undertake a policy practicum (PBPL 198-I), which consists of an internship (paid or voluntary) on a policy issue or problem with a local, state or federal government agency, nonprofit or for-profit organization, a trade association, a labor/ trade union, or a public-affairs firm. The Public Policy Program Committee helps students locate internship opportunities. The internship provides students with an opportunity to gain real-world experience and apply the analytical skills learned in the classroom. Students enrolled in the UC Washington Center (UCDC) and UC Center Sacramento (UCCS) programs or the Education Abroad Program can apply that experience toward the policy practicum requirement, and do not need to undertake a separate internship.

• 5. Senior Thesis (for Honors candidates only)

Students who have an outstanding academic record in their course work during the first three years of the program can become candidates for Honors in Public Policy during the spring quarter of their junior year. All honors candidates must enroll in a two-quarter senior thesis seminar (PBPL 195H) that will culminate in a written thesis covering a real policy problem of the student’s choice. The thesis project could grow out of the practicum experience.

• 1. Lower-division requirements

(three courses [at least 12 units])

• a) PBPL 001

• b) PBPL 002

• c) PBPL 004

• 2. Upper-division requirements

• a) Upper Division Core

PBPL 100A

• b) Upper Division Electives (5 courses

required (at least 20 units) PBPL 100B, PBPL 101, PBPL 102, PBPL 103, PBPL 127, PBPL 130, PBPL 132, PBPL 150, PBPL 155, PBPL 157, PBPL 160, PBPL 162, PBPL 164, PBPL 167, PBPL 170, PBPL 171, PBPL 172, PBPL 180, PBPL 182, PBPL 185, PBPL 186

• 3. Public Policy Seminar/Colloquia

During the junior and senior years, students must enroll in PBPL 191 (Seminar in Public Policy), which includes attendance at public lectures to the campus community by outside speakers — typically policy makers, administrators and researchers — on timely and important policy issues facing the Inland Empire, the state, the nation, and the world.

The School of Public Policy offers a combined B.A. + M.P.P. program in public policy, designed to lead to a Bachelor of Arts degree as well as a Master of Public Policy degree in five years. The coursework for the new program will be the same as that for the existing BA and MPP programs. Only students who are public policy majors with a cumulative GPA at least 3.0 overall and 3.3 in the major (upper division classes only, with a minimum of 16 units of these courses to be completed by the end of spring quarter of the junior year) are eligible to apply for this program before the end of their junior year. Students in the B.A. + M.P.P. program are allowed to count up to 12 units of MPP elective courses toward the upper-division track classes required for the BA program. Applicants to the combined program must include a statement of interest, indicating why the student is interested in an M.P.P. degree and how prior academic and work experience has prepared the student an M.P.P. degree, and a minimum of two recommendation letters from UCR faculty members, at least one of whom must be a faculty member in the School of Public Policy. The GRE requirement will be waived for these applicants.

The School of Public Policy offers the Master of Public Policy (MPP) program leading to a Master’s degree in public policy.

Admissions Requirements Applications for the MPP program, which is housed within the UCR School of Public Policy, are accepted for fall entry. Applicants must have completed a bachelor’s degree or an approved equivalent from an accredited institution, and must have successfully taken courses in microeconomics, statistics, and an introduction to politics and government, or their equivalent during their undergraduate study. Applicants whose first language is not English are required to submit acceptable scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Additionally, each applicant must submit three letters of recommendation, at least one letter of recommendation must be an academic reference and any others can reflect work or internship experience. All other application requirements are specified in the graduate application.

Program of Study The MPP program consists of 72 units of graduate courses. The curriculum consists of 10 required core courses, a required capstone research project spanning two quarters (which substitutes for a final examination), and a total of six elective courses.

Students entering the MPP program from the Graduate Preparatory Program in Public Policy (GPP-PP) from University Extension will complete 36 units. Of the 36 units, 24 units are required:

• PBPL 202

• PBPL 216

• PBPL 220

• PBPL 289A

• PBPL 289B

• PBPL 298I

The balance of the 12 units will include courses from the elective areas.

• 1. Core Courses:

• a) The Policy Process (3 courses):

PBPL 200, PBPL 202, PBPL 206

• b) Policy Methods (4 courses): PBPL 210,

PBPL 212, PBPL 214, PBPL 216

• c) Institutional Context (2 courses):

PBPL 220, PBPL 222

• d) Internship: PBPL 298I

• 2. Elective Courses

Students are required to complete 6 courses from the selection below. The elective courses can be chosen from the list of courses in sections A – G. Additional courses can be approved with the consent of the graduate advisor.

• a) Environmental and Resource Policy:

PBPL 233, PBPL 241, PBPL 245

• b) Health Policy: PBPL 230F

• c) Education Policy: PBPL 260/EDUC 209,

PBPL 261, PBPL 262

• d) Urban Policy: PBPL 235, PBPL 236E,

PBPL 252, PBPL 266, PBPL 273

• e) Inequality and Poverty: PBPL 234

• f) Race and Immigration Policy: PBPL 270E,

PBPL 270F, PBPL 271, PBPL 272

• g) Additional Elective Courses: PBPL 204,

PBPL 224, PBPL 255, PBPL 264, PBPL 265, PBPL 280, PBPL 290

• 3. Capstone Research Project

Students must complete a capstone research project in the second year of the program.

• a) PBPL 289A, PBPL 289B Normative

Normative Time to Degree Two years