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Shape the Future of Policy with Impactful Leadership
Situated at the crossroads of innovation and policy in Southern California, the Masters in Public Policy program at UC San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy (GPS) emphasizes data-driven decision-making, cross-sector collaboration and a commitment to evidence-based solutions. You’ll be guided by globally recognized faculty, and engage in a rigorous curriculum that will prepare you to lead and make a meaningful impact in public, private and nonprofit sectors.
If you’re looking to drive change and shape a better world through effective policy — join us.
Program Highlights
Length
2 years full-time
Delivery
On-campus
Total Units
92
Curriculum
The MPP requires 92 units for completion. All students take 8 required core courses during the first year and a capstone course in the second. Students in the program select 1 specialization.
Foundational Courses
8 courses in the core subject areas:- Economics
- Management
- Policy
- Political Science
- Quantitative Methods
Capstone Project
The course requires a research paper that examines an existing public or nonprofit sector policy or managerial problem.
Career Tracks
5 courses in a functional area:- American and Comparative Business Regulation
- Environmental Policy
- Health Policy
- Inequality and Social Policy
- Peace and Security
- Program Design and Evaluation
Although proficiency in a foreign language is not required, 24 units may be counted toward the degree as long as the language matches an elective regional or country specialization.
Graduate Spotlights
Joe Bettles, MPP ’21
Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping, Copenhagen, Denmark
“I learned so much from GPS and am so thrilled to be taking the tools I learned into the real world to try and make a difference. In my job, I am using the same skill of working with a global problem that has a wide range of sources and an even larger range of solutions. I’m looking for specific actionable questions that can be answered.”
Valeria Andrea Buelna Sainz, MPP ’19
International Organization for Migration (IOM) – UN Migration, Tijuana, Mexico
Valeria shared that the Program Design and Evaluation course gave her a new perspective. “You get to study these diverse projects, from their initial design through their implementation and the final impact.”
Isabelle Heilman, MPP ’19
Director, Sustainability Performance Office at U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, D.C.
Isabelle shared that the data literacy training from GPS has been critical for her success. “Being able to understand numbers and communicate them to my leadership has been a key skill in my job.”
Ready to create solutions that matter?
Questions? Contact Martha Welby at (858) 327-3209.