MPP Degree Requirements
The Master of Public Policy is a 39-hour advanced degree program consisting of a core interdisciplinary curriculum, an internship in the public, private or nonprofit sector, a capstone project culminating the student's coursework and experiences and electives chosen from the broader University of Houston classes to fulfill a specialization in respective fields of interest.
The program is designed to be completed in two years, but the length will vary depending on a student's full-time or part-time enrollment. Flexible scheduling is offered to accommodate professionals, with evening courses, Monday through Thursday, from 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Sample Degree Plans for the UH MPP Program
The MPP degree curriculum is interdisciplinary with a quantitative emphasis, incorporating political science, economics, computer science, business and statistics. The degree requires nine hours of quantitatively focused classes such as microeconomics, research methods, statistics, and advanced data analysis, six hours in philosophy and research ethics, and three hours for an internship.
As part of the MPP program, students complete a concentration by taking two graduate-level elective courses (6 credit hours) in a focused area of public policy. This requirement offers targeted training and valuable expertise in a specific policy field while tailoring education to career goals. Students choose from four concentration areas: (1) Economic and Social Policy Analysis, (2) Political Economy, (3) Agile Governance and Public Management, or (4) Ethics and Leadership. Each concentration includes at least one designated core course that must be one of the two electives, ensuring a strong foundation in that field. With approval, students may also design a self-directed concentration by selecting two relevant electives outside these predefined areas (a self-designed concentration).
Typically, both concentration courses are POLC/PUBL 6000-level electives offered by the Hobby School. With prior approval, however, students may count one relevant graduate elective from outside the Hobby School (a non-POLC/PUBL course) toward their concentration, allowing some interdisciplinary flexibility. MPP students who waive the internship requirement will take an additional elective course (for a total of three electives) in place of the internship; this extra course may be in the same or a different concentration area.
Note: Concentrations will not appear on official transcripts or diplomas, but the Hobby School maintains an internal record of each student’s concentration. Students are strongly encouraged to list their concentration on their résumé to highlight their specialized training and the focused learning experience gained in the program.
The UH MPP Interdisciplinary Curriculum
Fall Semester Start
The below table shows a sample degree plan for a full-time MPP student that begins the program in the fall semester:
Fall Admission (MPP) |
|
First-year Fall Semester (First Semester) |
POLC 6311 - Leadership and Professional Development POLC 6313 - Policy Analysis I: Microeconomics POLC 6314 - Policy Research Methods I: Introduction to Statistics |
First-year Spring Semester (Second Semester) |
POLC 6330 - Philosophy and Public Policy POLC 6320 - Policy Analysis II: Political Analysis POLC 6315 - Policy Research Methods II: Multivariate Analysis |
First-year Summer Semester (Third Semester) |
POLC 6391 - Public Policy Internship |
Second-year Fall Semester (Fourth Semester) |
POLC 6331 - Philosophy and Public Policy II POLC 6316 - Policy Research Methods III: Advanced Quantitative Modeling POLC/PUBL 6000-level - Public Policy Concentration Elective #1 |
Second-year Spring Semester (Fifth Semester) |
POLC 6312 - Public Finance POLC 6317 - Public Policy Capstone POLC/PUBL 6000-level - Public Policy Concentration Elective #2 |
Total Credits = 39 hours |
|
Spring Semester Start
The following table shows a sample degree plan for a full-time MPP student that begins in the spring semester:
Spring Admission (MPP) |
|
First-year Spring Semester (First Semester) |
POLC 6311 - Leadership and Professional Development POLC 6313 - Policy Analysis I: Microeconomics POLC 6314 - Policy Research Methods I: Introduction to Statistics |
First-year Fall Semester (Second Semester) |
POLC 6313 - Policy Analysis I: Microeconomics POLC 6314 - Policy Research Methods I: Introduction to Statistics POLC 6331 - Philosophy and Public Policy II |
Second-year Spring Semester (Third Semester) |
POLC 6320 - Policy Analysis II: Political Analysis POLC 6315 - Policy Research Methods II: Multivariate Analysis POLC 6317 - Public Policy Capstone |
Second-year Summer Semester (Fourth Semester) |
POLC 6391 - Public Policy Internship |
Second-year Fall Semester (Fifth Semester) |
POLC 6316 - Policy Research Methods III: Advanced Quantitative Modeling POLC/PUBL 6000-level - Public Policy Concentration Elective #1 POLC/PUBL 6000-level - Public Policy Concentration Elective #2 |
Total Credits = 39 hours |
|
¹ POLC 6391 Public Policy Internship is a required course. However, a student may use current employment to satisfy the internship requirement if the position is related to public policy and approved by the Hobby School. The course requirements will still need to be fulfilled.
² Two Public Policy Electives comprise the student specialization, and are chosen by the student and approved by the Hobby School.
Concentration Requirements
The following are elective MPA/MPP courses that can be taken to satisfy the elective requirements for each concentration.
Economic and Social Policy Concentration |
|
| POLC 6316 - Policy Research Methods III: Advanced Quantitative Modeling | Elective option for MPA only |
| POLC 6320 - Policy Analysis II: Political Analysis | Elective option for MPA only |
| POLC 6334 - Criminal Justice Policy | |
| POLC 6341 - State and Local Policy | |
| POLC 6342 - Political Economy and Ethics of the Market Processes | core |
| POLC 6344 - Energy Policy | |
| POLC 6348 - Population Health and Economic Policy | |
| POLC 6352 - Quantitative Methods and Applications | |
| POLC 6370 Family Policy: Theory and Research | core |
| POLC 6372 - Research Ethics | |
| POLC 6380 - Political Economy of Trade and Finance | |
| POLC 6381 - Policy Analysis: Macroeconomic Policy | |
| PUBL 6321 - Seminar in Urban Politics | core |
| PUBL 6343 - GIS for Urban Applications | |
| PUBL 6347 - Seminar in Health Care Policy | core |
Political Economy Concentration |
|
| POLC 6320 - Policy Analysis II: Political Analysis | Elective option for MPA only |
| POLC 6342 - Political Economy and Ethics of the Market Processes | core |
| POLC 6352 - Quantitative Methods and Applications | |
| POLC 6360 - Institutions and Development | |
| POLC 6372 - Research Ethics | |
| POLC 6380 - Political Economy of Trade and Finance | core |
| POLC 6381 - Policy Analysis: Macroeconomic Policy | |
| PUBL 6343 - GIS for Urban Applications | |
Agile Government and Public Management |
|
| POLC 6311 - Leadership and Professional Development | Elective option for MPA only |
| POLC 6330 - Philosophy and Public Policy I | Elective option for MPA only |
| POLC 6331 - Philosophy and Public Policy II | Elective option for MPA only |
| POLC 6360 - Institutions and Development | |
| POLC 6361 - Democratic Erosion | |
| POLC 6371 - Elizabeth D. Rockwell Center on Ethics and Leadership Seminar | |
| PUBL 6310 - Administrative Theory | Elective option for MPP only |
| PUBL 6311 - Public Administration and Policy Implementation | MPP core |
| PUBL 6321 - Seminar in Urban Politics | |
| PUBL 6346 - Seminar in Emergency Management | |
| PUBL 6349 - Seminar in Non-Profit Management | Elective option for MPP only |
| PUBL 6345 - Budgeting for Public Agencies | Elective option for MPP only |
| PUBL 6350 - Public Management | Elective option for MPP only |
| PUBL 6355 - Innovation in the Public Sector | core |
| PUBL 6361 - Seminar in Public Management I | |
| PUBL 6362 - Seminar in Public Management II | |
Ethics and Leadership Concentration |
|
| POLC 6311 - Leadership and Professional Development | Elective option for MPA only |
| POLC 6330 - Philosophy and Public Policy I | MPA core |
| POLC 6331 - Philosophy and Public Policy II | MPA core |
| POLC 6342 - Political Economy and Ethics of the Market Processes | core |
| POLC 6361 - Democratic Erosion | |
| POLC 6371 - Elizabeth D. Rockwell Center on Ethics and Leadership Seminar | |
| POLC 6372 - Research Ethics | |
| POLC 6373 - Philosophy for Public Policy Students | |
| PUBL 6310 - Administrative Theory | Elective option for MPP only |
| PUBL 6311 - Public Administration and Policy Implementation | MPP core |
| PUBL 6346 - Seminar in Emergency Management | |
| PUBL 6349 - Seminar in Non-Profit Management | Elective option for MPP only |
| PUBL 6350 - Public Management | MPP core |
| PUBL 6355 - Innovation in the Public Sector | |
| PUBL 6361 - Seminar in Public Management I | |
| PUBL 6362 - Seminar in Public Management II | |
Notes:
To meet the concentration requirements -
(1) MPA/MPP students are required to complete two POLC/PUBL 6000-level elective courses
from one of the four available concentrations.
(2) Students are required to complete at least one required “core” concentration course.
(3) MPP students who petition to waive the internship requirement are required to enroll in an additional POLC/PUBL 6000-level elective course, which may be taken in the same or different concentration area.
POLC/PUBL 6000-level courses that are not listed in the concentrations above may fulfill the concentration requirement, subject to approval from two of the following staff members: (1) the Program Director of Academic Advising, (2) the Director of the Master of Public Administration Program, or (3) one of the Associate Deans.
MPP Course Rotation by Semester
The MPA degree requires 39 credits of graduate coursework, including ten core courses (30 hours), two elective courses (6 hours) and a public policy capstone course (3 hours).
The public policy capstone culminates the skills and knowledge acquired throughout the graduate program. Students analyze an actual public policy or organizational issue, examine effective solutions and procedures, and make specific recommendations to address the problem.
The below MPP courses are typically offered in the indicated respective semesters.
| MPP Course Offerings by Semester | Fall | Spring | Summer |
| POLC 6311 Leadership and Professional Development | 🗸 | 🗸 | |
| POLC 6312 Public Finance | 🗸 | ||
| POLC 6313 Policy Analysis I: Microeconomics | 🗸 | ||
| POLC 6314 Policy Research Methods I: Introduction to Statistics | 🗸 | ||
| POLC 6315 Policy Research Methods II: Multivariate Analysis | 🗸 | ||
| POLC 6316 Policy Research Methods III: Advanced Quantitative Modeling | 🗸 | ||
| POLC 6317 Public Policy Capstone | 🗸 | ||
| POLC 6320 Policy Analysis II: Political Analysis | 🗸 | ||
| POLC 6330 Philosophy and Public Policy I | 🗸 | ||
| POLC 6331 Philosophy and Public Policy II | 🗸 | ||
| POLC 6391 Public Policy Internship | 🗸 | 🗸 | 🗸 |
| MPP Electives (non-Hobby School/POLC/PUBL courses) | 🗸 | 🗸 | 🗸 |
Courses offered are subject to change.
Required Public Policy (POLC) Graduate Courses
1) POLC 6311 Leadership and Professional Development
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
An introduction to policy process and public policy careers, with special emphasis on leadership, teamwork, and organizational dynamics. Professional skill development will also be emphasized.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
Effects of economic incentives on voters, government officials, economy, and markets. Analysis of situations where private markets fail to be efficient. Applications to government policies at federal and local levels, including welfare, insurance, health care, policing, roads, and Social Security. Analysis of tax system and interaction among federal, state, and local governments.
3) POLC 6313 Policy Analysis I: Microeconomics
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
Overview of microeconomic tools to measure and weigh the gains and losses from any public policy, including consumers’ choices, firms’ decisions, supply and demand framework, market equilibrium, allocative and productive efficiency, property rights, externalities and market failures, and public choices and public goods.
4) POLC 6314 Policy Research Methods I: Introduction to Statistics
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
Provides a basic understanding of statistical analysis for policy research, introduces basic statistical techniques and statistical software packages. Introduces research design and discusses the ethics of quantitative policy research.
5) POLC 6315 Policy Research Methods II: Multivariate Analysis
Prerequisite: POLC 6314 or consent of graduate academic advisor.
Reviews more advanced statistical concepts and tools used to study the association between variables. Introduces students to regression analysis and explores its uses in policy analysis.
6) POLC 6316 Policy Research Methods III: Advanced Quantitative Modeling
Prerequisite: POLC 6314, POLC 6315, or consent of graduate academic advisor.
Focuses on time series, panel data, and other more advanced statistical concepts and tools used to study the association between variables and systems of variables.
7) POLC 6317 Public Policy Capstone
Prerequisite: POLC 6314, POLC 6315, POLC 6316, or consent of graduate academic advisor
The capstone course for the Master of Public Policy program. Places an emphasis on a collaborative group project that incorporates the knowledge and skills learned throughout the entire program curricula, including data fusion, data visualization, spatial statistical analysis, and linkages between visualization and statistical analysis.
8) POLC 6320 Policy Analysis II: Political Analysis
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
Introduction to analytical models of politics applied to such topics as collective action, majority rule, coalition formation, and the functioning of government.
9) POLC 6330 Philosophy and Public Policy I
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
Evaluating value claims in policy with regard to political theory; normative, ethical, and political goals of policy; and applied ethics on issues of environment, punishment, inequality, gender, race, and research ethics.
10) POLC 6331 Philosophy and Public Policy II
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
Philosophical and critical examination of the value commitments behind different policy proposals. Comparative study of conservative, liberal, and other policy proposals in areas such as education, health care, social security, and income support.
11) POLC 6391 Public Policy Internship
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
Work experience in selected private industry, nonprofit, federal, state, and local government offices under faculty and field representative direction and supervision.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
Individual study or projects on an arranged basis under faculty sponsorship.
Note: May be repeated for credit.
2) POLC 6310 Administrative Theory
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
Strategies and techniques for managing public organizations from the perspectives of various administrative theories and organizational models; uses case studies to apply theory.
3) POLC 6342 Political Economy and Ethics of the Market Processes
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
Explores the relation between citizens and market processes in basic market mechanism concepts, the role of government in market processes, and the ethics and morality in market processes.
4) POLC 6352 Quantitative Methods and Applications
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
Overview of three quantitative tools for policy analysis: benefit-cost analysis, economic impact analysis, and analysis of government data sources. Benefit-cost analysis applies microeconomics to decisions about public projects. Economic impact analysis uses input-output models to analyze national and regional economies. Analysis of government data sources is an introduction to the use of Census and other data for the purposes of demographic analysis and economic forecasting.
5) POLC 6360 Institutions and Development
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
Policies to overcome poverty and inequality require political coalitions to sustain them. This course provides analytical frameworks from rational choice theory to historical institutionalism to understand how variations in formal institutions (constitutions, regimes, and the state and informal institutions (religion, race/ethnicity and family ties originate, persist, and impact development and inequality.
6) POLC 6370 Family Policy: Theory and Research
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
This course provides a theoretical and empirical introduction to current research on the family. Students will be introduced to current philosophical debates about parental rights, children’s rights, and family justice, and explore in detail empirical research on the impact of different family policies, including paid parenting leaves, cash and tax subsidies for families with young children, flexible scheduling laws, and publicly-supported childcare, on children and parents.
7) POLC 6371 Elizabeth D. Rockwell Center on Ethics and Leadership Seminar
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
This course will require that students attend at least six approved extracurricular events over the course of the semester (such as lectures, seminars, and experiential learning activities), write up critical analyses of them, meet with Rockwell Ethics and Leadership Center Seminar faculty and other students to discuss events and assigned readings, and write an independent research paper on some ethical topic.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
This course will provide an introduction to research ethics and address current issues in research ethics, research misconduct issues, and how ethics are used for policy development and research design. It will address topics relevant to researchers in diverse fields, including engineering and the biological and social sciences.
9) POLC 6373 Philosophy for Public Policy Students
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
With the consent of the instructor, students may enroll in one of the following Philosophy undergraduate classes and do extra, graduate level assignments as determined by the instructor: PHIL 3351/6351 Contemporary Moral Issues; PHIL 3354/6354 Medical Ethics; PHIL 3358/6358 Classics in History of Ethics; PHIL 3375/6375 Law, Society, and Morality.
10) POLC 6380 Political Economy of Trade and Finance
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
This course offers an introductory survey to positive political economy analysis, using applications to policymaking in international trade and finance. The study of the design, adoption, and implementation of policies aimed at regulating the flow of goods and services, and the flow of financial capital requires an analytical framework for understanding the main issues involved in aggregating individual preferences into group choices.
11) POLC 6397 Selected Topics in Public Policy
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
Selected topics in public policy.
Note: May be repeated for credit when topics vary.
12) POLC 6398 Special Problems
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
Independent graduate-level study focused on special research project.
Note: May be repeated for credit.
13) POLC 6399 Thesis
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
Individual study or projects on an arranged basis under faculty sponsorship.
Note: May be repeated for credit.
2) POLC 6310 Administrative Theory
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
Strategies and techniques for managing public organizations from the perspectives
of various administrative theories and organizational models; uses case studies to
apply theory.
3) POLC 6342 Political Economy and Ethics of the Market Processes
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
Explores the relation between citizens and market processes in basic market mechanism
concepts, the role of government in market processes, and the ethics and morality
in market processes.
4) POLC 6352 Quantitative Methods and Applications
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
Overview of three quantitative tools for policy analysis: benefit-cost analysis, economic
impact analysis, and analysis of government data sources. Benefit-cost analysis applies
microeconomics to decisions about public projects. Economic impact analysis uses input-output
models to analyze national and regional economies. Analysis of government data sources
is an introduction to the use of Census and other data for the purposes of demographic
analysis and economic forecasting.
5) POLC 6360 Institutions and Development
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
Policies to overcome poverty and inequality require political coalitions to sustain them. This course provides analytical frameworks from rational choice theory to historical institutionalism to understand how variations in formal institutions (constitutions, regimes, and the state and informal institutions (religion, race/ethnicity and family ties originate, persist, and impact development and inequality.
6) POLC 6370 Family Policy: Theory and Research
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
This course provides a theoretical and empirical introduction to current research
on the family. Students will be introduced to current philosophical debates about
parental rights, children’s rights, and family justice, and explore in detail empirical
research on the impact of different family policies, including paid parenting leaves,
cash and tax subsidies for families with young children, flexible scheduling laws,
and publicly-supported childcare, on children and parents.
7) POLC 6371 Elizabeth D. Rockwell Center on Ethics and Leadership Seminar
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
This course will require that students attend at least six approved extracurricular
events over the course of the semester (such as lectures, seminars, and experiential
learning activities), write up critical analyses of them, meet with Rockwell Ethics
and Leadership Center Seminar faculty and other students to discuss events and assigned
readings, and write an independent research paper on some ethical topic.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
This course will provide an introduction to research ethics and address current issues
in research ethics, research misconduct issues, and how ethics are used for policy
development and research design. It will address topics relevant to researchers in
diverse fields, including engineering and the biological and social sciences.
9) POLC 6373 Philosophy for Public Policy Students
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
With the consent of the instructor, students may enroll in one of the following Philosophy
undergraduate classes and do extra, graduate level assignments as determined by the
instructor: PHIL 3351/6351 Contemporary Moral Issues; PHIL 3354/6354 Medical Ethics;
PHIL 3358/6358 Classics in History of Ethics; PHIL 3375/6375 Law, Society, and Morality.
10) POLC 6380 Political Economy of Trade and Finance
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
This course offers an introductory survey to positive political economy analysis,
using applications to policymaking in international trade and finance. The study of
the design, adoption, and implementation of policies aimed at regulating the flow
of goods and services, and the flow of financial capital requires an analytical framework
for understanding the main issues involved in aggregating individual preferences into
group choices.
11) POLC 6397 Selected Topics in Public Policy
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
Selected topics in public policy.
Note: May be repeated for credit when topics vary.
12) POLC 6398 Special Problems
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.
Independent graduate-level study focused on special research project.
Note: May be repeated for credit.
13) POLC 6399 Thesis
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of graduate academic advisor.