Courses
Master of Public Policy Courses
Our 42-credit Master of Public Policy (MPP) program combines rigorous policy training with the flexibility to pursue specialized interests. The curriculum includes 13 three-credit courses, an internship for students with fewer than five years of post-baccalaureate professional experience, and an applied Capstone research project. Through hands-on projects integrated into every course and culminating in a Capstone policy brief and research poster, students learn to translate evidence into actionable policy solutions.
Classes are typically capped at fewer than 25 students, offering individualized attention and close faculty mentorship from expert Ph.D.-level faculty who blend rigorous academic research with extensive applied policy experience. As a member of the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA), we observe global standards in public service education.
To accommodate working professionals, fall and spring courses meet in the late afternoon or evening, while summer courses are offered fully online. Most full-time students complete the program in two years, and part-time students typically graduate in three years.
Course Descriptions
To learn more about each course, click the + next to the course title. You will find a course description, information about when the course is typically offered, and additional details about the curriculum.
-
PPL 801 Quantitative Methods I
This 3-credit course introduces students to the scientific study of public policies and the fundamental tools used to design, implement, and evaluate programs. The course covers core statistical concepts (e.g., research design, measurement, descriptive statistics, probability, sampling distributions, hypothesis testing, and linear regression) utilizing statistical software for practical data analysis. Ultimately, it equips students with the logic, critical thinking, and empirical skills necessary to organize information, assess sociopolitical phenomena, and make evidence-informed decisions in complex environments. By the end of the semester, students should be able to:
- Apply core statistical concepts, including descriptive statistics, probability, hypothesis testing, and linear regression, using statistical software to evaluate policy problems.
- Design sound quantitative research approaches to organize information, analyze sociopolitical phenomena, and solve policy puzzles.
- Structure policy problems by formulating research questions and deriving testable hypotheses from relevant theories.
- Execute an applied empirical research project and present findings on quantitative policy analysis clearly to both technical and non-expert audiences.
Offered every Fall semester. -
PPL 802 Quantitative Methods II
This 3-credit course builds upon foundational statistical concepts learned in PPL 801 to provide an intermediate understanding of the logic and practice of robust public policy analysis. The course equips students with advanced econometric tools, focusing on causal inference, multivariable regression models, panel data, and quasi-experimental techniques using statistical software. Through real-world applications and critical evaluation, students learn to produce rigorous empirical investigations and critically assess external policy research. By the end of the semester, students should be able to:
• Distinguish between causal inference and statistical inference, contrasting observational data with randomized controlled trials to evaluate policy impacts.
• Develop, estimate, and interpret multivariable linear regression models using statistical software while addressing issues like omitted variable bias and heteroskedasticity.
• Apply advanced quasi-experimental research designs (e.g., panel data fixed effects, difference-in-differences, and regression discontinuity) to control for unobserved confounding factors.
• Produce rigorous independent empirical investigations and critically evaluate the quality and validity of public policy research.
Offered every Spring semester. -
PPL 805 Microeconomic Theory
In this 3-credit course, students will investigate how firms and consumers make decisions and how their combined actions determine outcomes in market economies. The course focuses on evaluating the efficiency of markets in allocating scarce resources and understanding how government policies can correct market failures. Ultimately, you will use these foundational economic frameworks to study the complex efficiency-equity tradeoffs inherent in public policy design. After completing this course, students will be able to:
- Apply microeconomic models, including supply and demand frameworks, consumer theory, and product and cost curves, to analyze how firms and consumers make decisions and determine market outcomes.
- Evaluate the efficiency of resource allocation across various market structures, ranging from perfect competition to monopolies utilizing linear and complex pricing strategies.
- Identify and analyze the economic roots of market failures (e.g., imperfect competition, externalities, public goods, and information asymmetries) using analytical tools like game theory to model rivalry.
- Formulate and critique government policy prescriptions aimed at correcting market inefficiencies while critically assessing the efficiency-equity tradeoffs inherent in policy design.
Offered every Fall semester.
SAMPLE SYLLABUS -
PPL 806 Policy Evaluation
In this 3-credit course, students learn the fundamental concepts, methods, and approaches required to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of public policies and programs. The course explores both the theoretical and practical components of successful evaluations, covering needs, program theory, implementation, and programmatic outcomes. Ultimately, students examine diverse evaluation methods, including experimental and quasi-experimental designs, to understand, critique, and propose robust programmatic assessments. By the end of this class, students should be able to:
- Apply comprehensive evaluation frameworks to assess the effectiveness, efficiency, and implementation of public programs based on their intended objectives.
- Design and execute impact evaluations using a variety of methodological approaches, including experimental, quasi-experimental, and non-experimental designs.
- Critique existing evaluation efforts and utilize data-collection tools, such as surveys and cost-benefit analyses, to support evidence-informed decision-making.
- Communicate evaluation findings and novel evaluation proposals clearly, ensuring they are methodologically sound and cognizant of relevant policy contexts and stakeholders.
Offered every Spring semester.
SAMPLE SYLLABUS -
PPL 807 Public Policy
In this 3-credit course, students examine the theoretical and practical foundations of formulating, adopting, enacting, analyzing, implementing, and evaluating public policy. Drawing on multidisciplinary frameworks across political science, economics, sociology, and public administration, the course explores how political and structural forces shape public decision-making. Ultimately, students learn to navigate the complex politics of the policymaking process and assess real-world policy dynamics through applied analytical tools. Students should achieve the following learning outcomes from this course:
- Analyze the political, structural, and institutional forces that influence every stage of the policymaking process, from agenda setting to policy implementation and evaluation.
- Conduct comprehensive political feasibility analyses by evaluating interest group influences, mapping advocacy coalitions, and developing policy menus.
- Evaluate policy alternatives using evidence-informed perspectives, cost-benefit analysis frameworks, and programmatic evaluation techniques.
- Examine how policy design, administrative burdens, and the social construction of target populations impact equity and public service delivery.
Offered every Fall semester.
SAMPLE SYLLABUS -
PPL 808 Policy Development and Administration
In this 3-credit course, students explore the complex nature of bureaucracy, policy implementation, and public institutions to understand how public policies are successfully executed. The course examines the internal and external power dynamics of organizations and how public policy is experienced by both the implementers and the communities they serve. Ultimately, students learn to design workable, accessible, and politically feasible policies that balance competing interests and effectively address societal harms. Through this course, students should gain the following competencies:
• Describe and analyze public institutions, organizational structures, and bureaucratic incentives to map the internal and external power dynamics of policymaking.
• Design politically feasible, accessible, and workable public policies that balance stakeholder interests and incorporate mechanisms to mitigate societal harms.
• Evaluate how individuals—both the public servants charged with implementation and the communities affected—experience public policy, focusing on context, power, authority, and humanity in public administration.
Offered every Fall semester. -
PPL 813 Public Finance
In this 3-credit course, students explore the critical role governments play in market economies by examining why, how, and when public intervention occurs. Building upon microeconomic foundations, the course analyzes the real-world consequences of policies addressing externalities, social insurance, and taxation. Ultimately, students utilize empirical and theoretical tools to evaluate the economic impact of government expenditures, public goods provision, and transfer programs. Students will be able to do the following at the course’s completion:
• Apply theoretical and empirical microeconomic tools to analyze the rationale for, and economic consequences of, government intervention in market economies.
• Evaluate the design and impact of public expenditures, focusing heavily on social insurance programs, health care, and state and local education funding.
• Analyze the efficiency and equity of various tax policies, wealth transfers, and government safety net programs aimed at addressing income inequality.
• Utilize cost-benefit analysis to assess the provision of public goods and correct market externalities, while recognizing how diverse perspectives mitigate analytical biases in economic decision-making.
Offered every Spring semester. -
PPL 890 Capstone Policy Workshop No. 2
In this second 3-credit course of the Capstone sequence, students complete their culminating applied research project by applying the theoretical knowledge and analytical skills gained throughout the MPP program to a real-world policy issue of their choosing. Serving as a critical bridge between the classroom and professional practice, the course requires students to conduct independent research and design a sound policy analysis. Ultimately, students synthesize their findings into a final policy brief and a research poster presented at a public forum, honing their ability to communicate complex information to diverse audiences. Students will learn the following:
• Design and implement a sound, independent policy analysis by applying theoretical frameworks and methodological skills to a real-world policy, issue, or decision.
• Communicate policy-relevant knowledge effectively to diverse public and professional audiences through the creation of a concise policy brief and a capstone research poster.
• Bridge the gap between academic theory and professional practice by successfully managing a self-directed research project from initial analysis formulation to public dissemination.
• Demonstrate professionalism and constructive peer engagement through active participation in peer-review exercises, accountability groups, and iterative feedback cycles.
Offered every Spring semester. -
PPL 891 Capstone Policy Workshop No. 1
In this first 3-credit course of the Capstone sequence, students bridge the gap between their academic coursework and the practical realities of policymaking and policy analysis. The course shifts the focus from the “science” of quantitative and analytical skills to the “art” of applying those skills in dynamic, real-world conditions. Throughout the semester, students engage in the nonlinear, iterative process of applied research to develop a comprehensive draft Capstone project on a policy topic of their choosing. By the end of the semester, students should be able to:
• Apply accumulated knowledge and analytical skills to investigate a real-world policy, issue, need, situation, problem, or decision.
• Communicate policy-relevant knowledge effectively to diverse, technical, and non-technical audiences across multiple formats.
• Utilize practical tools and project management strategies to successfully complete a final Capstone project and transition into effective policy practice.
• Cultivate analytical rigor and creative problem-solving skills by navigating the iterative nature of applied policy research.
• Design, refine, and present a comprehensive research poster detailing a specific research question, policy context, methodology, data findings, and recommendations.
Offered every Fall semester. -
PPL 891: Special Policy Topics
In these 3-credit special policy topics courses, students deepen their expertise in specific, dynamic policy domains by learning directly from subject-matter experts. Because the subject matter rotates, the course allows students to explore specialized areas highly relevant to current professional practice, such as urban politics, racial democracy, law, and social movements. For example, one iteration explores how administrative law both empowers and restrains public policymakers, while another uses applied research to investigate how communities can overcome barriers to local civic participation. Through these courses, students should learn to:
• Analyze specialized, contemporary policy domains by engaging directly with subject-matter experts and translating academic theory into real-world practice.
• Navigate the legal context of policymaking by applying principles of administrative law, judicial decision-making, and inter-governmental relations to predict policy outcomes and mitigate organizational liabilities.
• Evaluate the mechanisms of local democracy, assessing how civic education impacts community engagement and identifying practical strategies to foster public participation.
• Produce professional, applied policy deliverables tailored to specific domains, such as policy strategy memos, formal public records requests, or community-facing citizen manuals.
Offered every semester. -
PPL 894: Special Policy Topics
This asynchronous, online 3-credit course accompanies students’ applied internships, helping them leverage their academic training to build professional and leadership skills through hands-on public policy experience. To supplement this rigorous fieldwork, the course guides students through the professional etiquette and social norms expected across the public, nonprofit, and private sectors. Through complementary readings, lectures, and reflective journaling, students examine the inner workings of governmental institutions, critically assess policy actors’ decision-making, and evaluate the broader societal relevance of experiential learning. Students with five or more years of post-baccalaureate professional experience may apply to have the internship requirement waived. Upon completing the internship and course, students will have developed the following core competencies:
• Demonstrate proficiency in completing individual work projects while developing or refining administrative, research, and communication skills in a professional setting.
• Examine and critically assess the inner workings of political and governmental institutions, as well as the decision-making processes of real-world policy actors.
• Navigate the professional etiquette and social norms expected of practitioners in the public, nonprofit, or private sectors.
• Engage in critical self-reflection regarding personal identities, privilege, intersectionality, and systemic biases to better serve and understand diverse constituents and communities.
• Formulate practical strategies to process professional feedback, set actionable career goals, and manage potential exposure to secondary trauma in the field of public service.
Offered every semester. -
Electives
Students are also required to complete at least three 3-credit policy elective courses. These graduate-level courses may be taken within the Department of Political Science, other units in the College of Social Science (e.g., Economics, Sociology, Psychology, History, Criminal Justice), or across the broader university. Please note that courses taken outside the Department of Political Science generally require instructor and program approval. This interdisciplinary flexibility allows students to pursue specialized interests in fields such as education, environmental, and health care policy, as well as urban politics, economic development, and labor rights.
-
Capstone Research Forum
The Master of Public Policy (MPP) Capstone Research Forum is held annually each spring semester. The Forum provides graduating MPP students the opportunity to showcase their scholarship before a large and diverse audience–including distinguished alumni, college and university leadership, policy practitioners, faculty advisors, family, and friends.
- Handbook
Need someone to talk with?
Reach out to Senior Academic Advisor Krista Zeig at kzeig@msu.edu.
