PEPPER DINE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLIC Y
MASTER OF
Public Policy PURSUING HUMAN FLOURISHING THROUGH POLICY LEADERSHIP School of Public Policy
1
Great Ideas. Courageous Conversations. Extraordinary Leaders.
2
publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu
Recognizing that public service takes many forms, the Pepperdine School of Public Policy prepares decision makers who are called to leadership in the government, nonprofit, and policy-related business sectors. Our core curriculum is grounded in the cardinal virtue of prudence— the ability to deliberate, judge, and act well in the policy realm. Through an academic environment of free, robust, and rigorous debate, faculty engage students in a way that encourages critical thinking about the public policies that set communities on a course to flourish.
That truth, having nothing to fear from investigation, should be pursued relentlessly in every discipline. PEPPERDINE AFFIRMATION STATEMENT
School of Public Policy
3
PROGR AM COMPONENTS 20 MONTHS
CUSTOMIZABLE DEGREE WITH FIVE CAREER PATH SPECIALIZATIONS
48 CREDITS INCLUDING CORE AND SPECIALIZATION COURSES
FALL SEMESTER COHORTS
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, UP TO FULL TUITION
WASHINGTON, DC, TRACK OPTION START IN MALIBU, FINISH IN DC
JOINT DEGREE OPPORTUNITIES
Master of Public Policy and Juris Doctor Master of Public Policy and Master of Business Administration Master of Public Policy and Master of Dispute Resolution
INSTITUTES AND PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE OFFERINGS
4
publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu
ALEXANDRA PEREZ (MPP ’18) Federal Government Affairs Manager R Street Institute Cofounder of Hispanics Forward
JACOB DEPERALTA (MPP ’22) Policy Analyst US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee
School of Public Policy
5
INSTITUTES AND LABS DAVENPORT INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND CIVIC LEADERSHIP works with local governments, nonprofit organizations, and residents to advance public engagement and civic education that fosters productive interaction between communities and local government.
THE COLLABORATIVE BEHAVIORAL INSIGHTS LAB studies financial well-being, retirement preparedness, and health outcomes in underserved populations. The lab combines community-based participatory research with secondary data analysis to design, evaluate, and disseminate evidence-based, digital interventions.
THE ENERGY, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND ECONOMICS POLICY L AB integrates core public policy principles with fact-based assessments of energy and environmental challenges, using free market economics, technology, and decentralized decision-making as alternatives to centralized government regulation. The lab produces original research, especially on California as a policy incubator, and engages students through specialized courses and study tours.
THE GR AND STR ATEGY L AB is an academic and policy hub for students, faculty, policymakers, and statesmen engaged in matters of war, peace, cooperation, and discord among state and non-state actors. It fosters cutting-edge international security research and symposia, guided by applied history and policy analysis.
Pepperdine’s School of Public Policy changed my life. The curriculum taught me to approach policy research with a moral framework, not just a technical one. EVE VELASQUEZ MPP ‘26
Cicero Institute | Health Policy Research 6
publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu
School of Public Policy
7
ONE DEGREE, FIVE SPECIALIZATIONS AMERICAN POLICY AND POLITICS Cultivate the passion and intellect to navigate American political thought, US domestic policy, and the application of political leadership in the 21st century. American Democratic Culture Immigration Policy Political Communications
APPLIED ECONOMIC POLICY Integrate economic theory and econometric skills to inform policy decisions and solve real-world challenges. Applied Econometrics Latin American Economic Development Public Finance and Public Choice
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND NATIONAL SECURITY Explore the intricacy of foreign policy through the lens of statesmanship and diplomacy in global governance. Cyber Security and US Foreign Policy National Security and Freedom Region-Specific Studies
STATE AND LOCAL POLICY Guide government policy from analysis to completion on the local and state level through knowledge of regional development, civic engagement, and strong leadership. Education Reform and Leadership Permissions, Development, and the Environment Policies Past and Present: The History and Wealth of Cities
DISPUTE RESOLUTION Lead difficult negotiations and create peaceful solutions using mediation and arbitration techniques focusing on policy leadership, development, and implementation. Cross-Cultural Conflict and Dispute Resolution Selected Issues In Dispute Resolution: Apology, Forgiveness, Reconciliation Seminar in Dispute Resolution in Public Policy 8
publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu
WHERE OUR ALUMNI WORK American Enterprise Institute
City of Irvine, California
American Cancer Society
California Policy Center
Federal Bureau of Investigation
EdChoice
Federal Reserve Bank
CrowdStrike
Heritage Foundation
Office of Emergency Management, Los Angeles County
Ernst & Young
Hoover Institution Jack Miller Center Milken Institute Niskanen Center R Street Institute
Cedars-Sinai
The World Bank
Freedom House Goldman Sachs Salesforce
US Department of Homeland Security
The Daily Wire
US Department of State
Wells Fargo Bank
US Senate US Space Force
44%
25%
EMPLOYED IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
EMPLOYED IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR
19%
12%
EMPLOYED IN THE NONPROFIT SECTOR
POSTGR ADUATE/ DOCTOR AL STUDIES
To learn about admission requirements or to apply to the Pepperdine School of Public Policy, visit publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/admission or contact the Office of Admission at sppadmissions@pepperdine.edu or 310.506.7493.
School of Public Policy
9
sppadmissions@pepperdine.edu | 310.506.7493 | publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu 10
publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu