Master of Public Administration

The MPA curriculum focuses on two areas of managerial competency: 1. institutions and organizations and 2. analytics. Within these areas, you will combine core classes with elective coursework to develop key skills relevant to your career goals.

You may select electives to develop your professional expertise and pursue a certificate in Public Policy or City and County Management.

The skills and knowledge you develop through your online courses and experiential learning activities will help you effectively lead institutions and organizations—across public, non-profit, and business sectors—that ultimately serve the global public good.

Course Sequence

Individual course plans will depend on course offerings, which vary by semester. Elective choices will vary depending on certificate track and course offerings for each semester.

Term 1 (5 total units)

• Fundamentals of Public Administration (4 units)
• Professional Residency in Public Administration (1 unit)

Term 2 (6 total units)

• Essential Statistics for Public Management (2 units)
• Analytic Elective (4 units)

Term 3 (8 total units)

• Economics for Public Policy (4 units)
• Management Elective (4 units)

Term 4 (8 total units)

• Elective Option 1 (4 units)
• Elective Option 2 (4 units)

Term 5 (9 total units)

• Public and Nonprofit Organizational Behavior (4 units)
• Public Financial Management and Budgeting (4 units)
• Capstone Residency* (1 unit)

*This course occurs in the summer term.

Term 6 (4 total units)

• Capstone in Public Administration (4 units)

For a detailed breakdown of each course, please view the course descriptions.

As a student, you may select electives to develop professional expertise and pursue a certificate in either Public Policy or City and County Management. Each certificate can be completed within the 40 total units (41 for pre-service students) of the degree program.

Public Policy

The USC Price Certificate in Public Policy exposes students to policy issues of global interest, while fostering analytical skills built around the most forward-looking methodologies useful for advocacy, legislative impact, government policy setting and implementation across a spectrum of institutions.

City and County Management

The USC Price Certificate in City/County Management is designed for students interested in acquiring the foundational training to advance a career in public service leadership. Working with top faculty and mentors, students gain professional skills and knowledge to achieve career aspirations managing and leading at the forefront of change.

Your capstone is more than just a course — it’s an opportunity. During this portion of the program, you will network with senior public policy and government leaders, build hands-on skills, and examine how you can help communities create real-world solutions.

The capstone is the culmination of the Master of Public Administration online program. In teams of three to four students, you will consult with a client and produce valuable research. The course connects online students with senior decision-makers from local and state government, nonprofit organizations, criminal justice, federal agencies, private sector firms and key public sector service providers. During the course, students develop “soft skills” such as consulting, advising, and communicating while developing new networks of professional contacts and are responsible for the academic effort necessary to develop strategic solutions to real issues.

At the end of the course, you and your team will produce a project report and communications briefing for your client. You will meet with the client to present your findings, answer questions and suggest next steps.

The most outstanding project among all USC Price MPA student teams will receive the Haynes Award for academic honor (and a cash prize) at our annual Price School Awards Ceremony.

Our program includes two in-person campus residencies — one at the beginning of the program and one at the end — to allow you to build hands-on skills and network with your peers, alumni, and faculty in person.

The residencies take place on USC’s campus in Los Angeles and include intensive class sessions during which you will participate with faculty, peers and alumni. Residencies also include social events and networking opportunities to connect colleagues, members of the Trojan Family and our campus community.

The Professional Residency is an onboarding experience which includes a brief orientation to our MPA online program and services available to you throughout. The long weekend also includes educational seminars focused on digital literacy, communications and writing techniques, research, quantitative methods, and more. These seminars are delivered by the faculty who teach our courses. Beyond meeting local alumni, all your key faculty (including the dean) and your individual cohort coach, you can use this opportunity to tour the USC campus and stop by the bookstore for Trojan gear.

The Capstone Residency takes place during the week before graduation and includes a capstone event where you will prepare various presentations and studios and share your best work focused on a current problem with your peers and expert judges. Highly competitive analysis and presentation skills are rewarded with engraved USC medals to be worn with graduation robes. The experience is a final opportunity to develop and solidify relationships with fellow students and alumni, reinforcing the USC Price professional network that you can leverage long after graduation.

Professional Residency (For new students)

Fall: September 8 – 9
Spring/Summer: May 6 – 7

All USC Price candidates must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university in order to apply. An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 is recommended to apply to the Master of Public Administration online program.

To complete your application, you must submit the following:

Resume

Your resume should include a summary of your academic background, your professional work history and any other relevant work or volunteer experience you’d like to highlight. Two years of relevant work experience are recommended, but not required, to apply.

Official Transcripts

We recommend that you request transcripts when beginning the application, as the turnaround time can vary from school to school. USC requires official transcripts from all postsecondary schools (including community colleges) you have attended, regardless of transfers or whether a degree was earned. Your application processing may be delayed if you fail to submit all undergraduate transcripts.

Transcript submission is a two-step process.

1. Upload scanned copies of official registrar-issued transcripts to the online application. Please note that these must be official transcripts printed on university letterhead. Printouts from online student portals are not acceptable.
2. Request an official registrar-issued transcript be sent to the USC Office of Graduate Admissions.

If your university is in the United States and offers e-transcripts, advise the university to send the e-transcript to [email protected]. The transcript must originate from a secure site formally linked to the sending institution. If your university does not offer e-transcripts or is located outside of the United States, advise the university to send a sealed official transcript.

If sending your transcripts via regular mail,
University of Southern California
USC Office of Graduate Admission
3601 South Flower Street, Room 112
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0915

If sending your transcripts via courier service, such as DHL or FedEx,
University of Southern California
USC Office of Graduate Admission and Financial Aid
3601 South Flower Street, Tyler 112
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0915

Statement of Purpose

Your statement should be approximately 1,000 words. You will be asked to address the following questions: Why are you interested in pursuing the Master of Public Administration degree? How will a Master of Public Administration degree affect or enhance your career aspirations and goals? Please share how your experiences, background, and/or interests have shaped you and will shape your engagement in the Price community.

Letters of Recommendation

We require three letters of recommendation. These should come from professionals in your field who can provide meaningful input on your previous work experience and career goals. A letter of recommendation from a professor, faculty member and/or academic adviser who can provide meaningful input regarding your academic record is also welcome. We only accept recommendation letters through the application portal. In the Program Materials section, enter the names and email addresses of the three people you would like to write your recommendation letters. The system will email a link to your recommender to upload their letter.

Test Scores

Price has discontinued the GRE/GMAT requirement for admissions review. Applications will be reviewed holistically.

Application Fee

There is a nonrefundable application fee of $90. USC offers several options for graduate application fee waivers including Military active-duty personnel, spouses, dependents or veterans. Click here to learn more and to determine if you qualify.

Pre-service Internship Requirement

Pre-service students are required to complete a 300 hour internship and a one-unit Internship Seminar course (PPD 543). Students may choose to fulfill their internship requirement with their current employer. Otherwise, students will be required to secure an appropriate internship location on their own or with the help of the USC Price Career Services staff.

International Students

Please refer to USC’s Office of Graduate Admissions website for additional items required for international students to apply. The USC Price Master of Public Administration online program is currently not authorized for students living in Puerto Rico. On this page you will find a comprehensive checklist to complete your application if applying from outside the US.

Are you ready to start your application?

The current tuition rate is $2,244 per unit. Students should expect a moderate increase in tuition each academic year.

Credits Required: 40 (41 for pre-service)
Estimated Total Tuition: $89,760 ($92,004 for pre-service)
New student fee: $50
Student programming: $20 for online students
Norman H. Topping Student Aid Fund fee: $8
Mandatory Fees: $250 MPA Lab Fee*
*This is a one-time charge for first year MPA students split upon enrollment in each residency.

U.S. citizens and permanent residents are eligible to apply for federal student aid. Additionally, some employers may offer tuition benefits, including tuition reimbursement and low-cost loans. The University of Southern California Financial Aid Office (FAO) will provide you with the details of applying for financial aid, understanding your financial aid award and properly securing your loans. Visit the FAO website for detailed information regarding dates and deadlines and to find downloadable forms that are needed to process the financial aid application.

• Types of Financial Aid
• Federal loans
• Private loans
• Eligibility requirements for financial aid
• Applying for financial aid

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Graduates working in the public service field may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. To qualify, you must have made 120 qualifying loan payments while employed by a qualifying employer. There is no income requirement for the PSLF program.

For more information regarding financial aid at USC, visit https://financialaid.usc.edu/.

Scholarship & Application Deadlines