Master of Public Policy (MPP)
Introduction
The purpose of the MPP program is to prepare students to analyze and evaluate information in order to address complex policy issues. Graduates from MPP programs are sought after analysts and leaders because of their ability to evaluate and synthesize large quantitative datasets using a variety of statistical tools coupled with an in-depth understanding of the institutional, social, economic and political context in which policy solutions are implemented.
Unlike the MPA degree, which focuses on management, finance, and budgeting, the MPP degree emphasizes policy analysis, statistics, and program evaluation. The program is ideal for students who complete undergraduate degrees in the social sciences and humanities who are seeking to strengthen their analytical skills, as well as those in the hard sciences who have an interest in public affairs and public service. Students in the MPP program can concentrate in a variety of specific policy areas including education, health, and planning. The majority of students with MPP degrees gain employment in the public sector (at all levels of government), though 20% are hired in the private sector and 20% in nonprofits.
The program is designed to be a professional degree, but it also prepares graduates for further educational opportunities. The MPP is an often-sought degree for those seeking a JD. Given its analytic focus and emphasis on research design and assessment of causal relationships, an MPP is also a useful pathway to PhD programs in policy, administration, or in of any of the specialization areas of health, education, and urban planning.
Admissions
The Department of Public Policy, Management, and Analytics requires an undergraduate grade point average of at least 2.75 (A= 4.00) for the final 60 semester (90 quarter) hours of baccalaureate study, including all of the work taken in the term in which the student began the final 60 semester hours of study. If your GPA is below 2.75, your application will still be considered for limited standing admission.
Degree Requirements
Requirements as of Spring 2025 – The Graduate Catalog always has the most up to date curriculum information.
Students are required to complete a minimum of 53 credits to obtain the MPP.
FOUNDATIONAL CORE (25 HOURS):
PA 401: Foundations of Public Service
PA 402: Intro to Data Management and Analysis
PA 403: Economics for Management and Policy
PA 506: Public Policy Development and Process
PA 521: Strategic Management
PA 590: Capstone for Public Policy, Management, and Analytics
PA 591: Managing your Career (1 hour)
MPP CORE (16 HOURS)
PA 434: Intermediate Data Management and Analysis
PA 515: Bureaucracy in the Policy Process
PA 528: Public Program Evaluation
PA 541: Advanced Data Analysis I
POLICY SPECIALIZATION (8 HOURS): Students are encouraged to take courses outside of the PPMA department to get expertise knowledge in a specific policy area.
ELECTIVE (4 HOURS)
Failure to Progress Statement
- For programs (MPA/MPP/MSCA) requiring 41 to 64 semester hours of graduate work, the time limit is six consecutive calendar years. Students pursuing more than one degree at the same time will be given an additional two years. Students who do not graduate by these deadlines will be dismissed from the program for failure to progress. Time spent on a leave of absence approved by the program and the Graduate College is not counted toward the degree time limit.
Advisors:
Kelly LeRoux
Department Head & Professor
Public Policy, Management & Analytics
kleroux@uic.edu
Allyson Holbrook
Director of Graduate Studies, Professor
Public Policy, Management & Analytics
allyson@uic.edu
Megan Daly
Academic Advisor
ppma@uic.edu