School of Public Service

Master of Science in Leadership and Policy Studies

The Master of Science in Leadership and Policy Studies (LPS) emphasizes field-based learning in public service to develop effective leaders in nonprofit and government professions. Students will develop public policy and leadership skills in the community through the School of Public Service curriculum—every course in the degree program integrates field study. LPS stresses ethics, problem-solving and research skills, and the ability to implement public policy. Electives give students the option of comparing policy issues in other cities and internationally in SPS one-week intensive courses.

Students complete a minimum of 52 credit hours of graduate credit with a grade point average of 2.70. (Each course carries four credit hours, unless otherwise specified.) Required core courses account for 40 credit hours and electives account for 12 credit hours.

Admisssion Requirements

  1. official transcripts from all undergraduate universities attended showing the successful completion of a bachelor degree with a 2.70 out of 4.0 GPA.
  2. a resume
  3. a two-page personal statement describing your educational and career goals, relevant work or volunteer experience, and any special circumstances affecting past or prospective academic performance
  4. an interview with assistant director Maureen Scott

Descriptions of required and elective courses can be found in the on-line course catalog

Required Courses (40 credit hours)
MPS 499 Presentation Skills
MPS 500 Introduction to Public Service Management
MPS 501 Public Services in Three Sectors
MPS 502 Ethical Leadership *
MPS 541 Economic Foundations
MPS 542 Policy Design and Analysis
MPS 546 Advocacy and Public Policy
MPS 563 Law and Public Policy
MPS 570 Research Methods
MPS 580 Quantitative Methods
MPS 590*/593 Assessment and Research Methods
OR
MPS 585*/598 Thesis Research

Elective Courses (12 credit hours)
Students must choose one elective from each of the three electives groups below.

Group I:

MPS 543 Policy Implementation and Bureaucratic and Political Structures
MPS 545 Alternatives to Traditional Policy Analysis

Group II:

MPS 572 Urban Poverty Seminar
MPS 573 Urban and Community Analysis

Group III:


MPS 605 Seminar in Administration: The European Union and Brussels
MPS 511 Sustainable Development and NGOs: Chiapas, Mexico
MPS 604 Special Topics: Field Study

*denotes two credit hour course.