Graduate & Professional Degrees

The Master of Public Administration/Master of Science in Gerontology (MPA/MS) dual degree offers students interested in management of agencies and institutions the opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge of the administrative and organizational processes and management skills necessary for the effective delivery of services to older persons.

In the MPA/MS dual degree, students spend their first year taking the required courses in the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. The research course, GERO 593 Research Methods and the capstone course GERO 555 Integrating Gerontology: A Multidisciplinary Approach, are taken in the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. The student begins courses in the Price School of Public Policy during the second semester of the first year.

Two versions of this dual degree are available, one with a general orientation and one with an emphasis on health services administration. Students must apply to both schools and, if accepted to both, participate in a specially designed program combining course work from both schools.

Curriculum requirements for the general focus dual degree are detailed in the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology section of this catalogue. Students are encouraged to seek advisement as they plan their actual programs, since curriculum changes may occur.

The Master of Public Administration/Master of Social Work (MPA/MSW) dual degree offers students interested in careers as administrators of social agencies the opportunity to prepare for social work while developing the administrative capabilities necessary in the public sector.

The MPA/MSW requires two calendar years of full-time study. The first academic year is devoted to the standard social work first year curriculum. During the second year, the curriculum combines social work and public administration course work. The curriculum for both summers will be in public administration.

Course requirements in the Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work include the required courses outlined in the Social Work (Integrative Social Work) (MSW) section of the catalogue. Students will take their remaining MSW units in specialized courses in integrative social work. Students will be advised into the appropriate courses. 

Students can enter this program only with the written consent of both schools. Students who apply initially to the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work must declare their intention to pursue the MPA/MSW dual degree at the time of their application. If admission is approved, such students will be admitted to the dual degree program. 

Students must complete 73 units (45 in social work and 28 in public administration).

This graduate program offers students a unique opportunity to develop skills and expertise in the field of public administration from a U.S. and Korean perspective. The program is designed and offered in partnership with Seoul National University (SNU). Students spend a year at USC Price and a year at Seoul National University and earn the MPA degree.

Admissions

Students wishing to pursue the dual MPA degree will have to apply to both SNU GSPA and USC Price separately and fulfill both institutions' admissions criteria independently. Please see the Price Website for further information.

The School of Pharmacy and the Master of Public Health program, in recognition of the rapidly changing health care environment, and in response to the growing demand for pharmacists who are knowledgeable in both pharmacy and population-based health care issues, have developed a dual degree program. The joint PharmD/MPH degree will enable graduates to be more responsive to today's health care needs and will provide training for pharmacists who seek to be agents of change within the profession and to assume leadership roles in the pharmacy field and in public health at the local, state and national levels.

Students who are enrolled in the School of Pharmacy must apply to the Master of Public Health program no later than January of their first year. All requirements for admission to the regular MPH program must also be fulfilled by dual degree applicants.

The PharmD/MPH program spans five years (four years of pharmacy school courses and one year of public health courses). Students begin the core MPH courses following the successful completion of the first year of pharmacy school. The last three years of the program are devoted to course work and the clinical rotations of the School of Pharmacy and to the completion of the elective courses and practicum (field experience) of the MPH program.

All students in the PharmD/MPH program must meet course requirements, grade point average requirements and program residency requirements of both programs. Students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in the PharmD curriculum and a 3.0 in the MPH curriculum to meet graduation requirements.

The PharmD and the MPH degrees are awarded simultaneously upon completion of the School of Pharmacy and the Master of Public Health requirements.

Admission Requirements and Procedures

Students applying for the dual degree program must meet the respective admission requirements for each program. This includes having completed a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and having acceptable GRE and TOEFL or IELTS scores as applicable. Students will not be given special consideration for admission to either program because they are applying for the dual degree. Students may apply to the dual PharmD/MPH degree program in two ways. First, they may apply at the time they submit their PharmD application by concurrently submitting applications to both programs. Students who elect this approach must identify themselves on both applications as potential dual degree students. Students who are admitted to both programs will be offered admission to the PharmD and will be offered admission to the dual degree program contingent on passing all courses in their first year of the PharmD with a minimum 3.0 GPA. Students who are accepted by only one program may choose to attend that program, but will not be eligible for the dual degree. Second, students can apply to the dual degree by submitting an application to the MPH program during their first year of enrollment in the PharmD prior to the MPH published application deadline. Students who elect this approach must apply through the School of Pharmacy. Students admitted to the MPH program using this approach will be offered admission to the dual degree contingent on passing all courses in their first year of the PharmD with a minimum 3.0 GPA.

The Master of Public Health/Master of Science in Social Entrepreneurship (MPH/MSSE) dual degree program is designed for individuals who wish to create sustainable solutions to public health challenges through the creation of innovative enterprises and organizations. This program combines the business aspects of social entrepreneurship with the knowledge and understanding of public health challenges and how to improve the health of individuals, communities, and populations, locally and globally. It will enable graduates to become agents of change by equipping them with the tools to build innovative enterprises that balance financial sustainability with public health impact, preparing them uniquely to become leaders in the field.

Application and Admission

Applicants to the MSSE/MPH should apply for admission to both schools simultaneously.

Information about the application process and admission requirements for the MPH degree is available on the MPH website at pphs.usc.edu.

Information about the application process and admission requirements for the MSSE degree is available on the MSSE website at marshall.usc.edu/msse/admission.

Degree Requirements

The total unit requirement for the MPH/MSSE dual degree is 62 units: 38 units for the MPH degree and 24 units for the MSSE degree.

Students are required to complete 38 units of MPH specific course work, including 18 units of MPH core course work and 20 units of concentration specific course work. Students may choose from any concentration within the MPH program.

Students are required to complete 24 units, including all "Required Courses," in the Master of Science in Social Entrepreneurship curriculum. Dual degree program students may not count courses taken outside the USC Marshall School of Business toward the MSSE degree. Visit the Social Entrepreneurship (MS) section of this Catalogue for MSSE degree requirements.

Students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in the MSSE curriculum and a 3.0 in the MPH curriculum, in addition to having a minimum 3.0 cumulative overall GPA in all graduate course work taken at USC in order to meet graduation requirements.

The MSSE and the MPH degrees are awarded simultaneously upon completion of all program requirements.

The Master of Public Health/Master of Social Work (MPH/MSW) dual degree offers the student interdisciplinary preparation in the fields of public health and social work leading to the Master of Social Work (MSW) and Master of Public Health (MPH) degrees.

The dual degree program is a collaborative effort between the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work and the Department of Preventive Medicine in the Keck School of Medicine. The objectives of the program are to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote health, prevent disease, and enhance the delivery of health and social services in the community. Students will build interdisciplinary skills and an interdisciplinary professional identity by developing an understanding of the breadth of each field and their interface, while permitting concentration in particular specialization areas. The program prepares graduates for work in a variety of interdisciplinary settings; and for some, it will provide the basis for doctoral study.

Program Requirements:

Students must complete a minimum of 79 units for completion of this dual degree; 45 units in Social Work and 34 units in Public Health. Most students complete both program requirements over three years for full-time students; however, the program may be completed in less time if the student takes a full course load during the two summer sessions (MPH course work only; MSW is not available during the summer).

Course requirements in the Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work include the required courses outlined in the Social Work (MSW) section of the catalogue. Students will take their remaining MSW units in department core courses specific to either the AMHW, SCI or CYF departments. Students will be advised into the appropriate courses. 

Students will take MPH course work specific to the following public health concentrations, based on their chosen MSW department: 

*AMHW and CYF Students will take required curriculum in the Community Health Promotion concentration.

*SCI Students will take required curriculum in the Health Services and Policy concentration.

Students in the dual degree program are not required to take the 8 units of concentration electives.

Students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in the MSW curriculum and a 3.0 in the MPH curriculum to meet graduation requirements.

The Master of Public Health/Master of Urban Planning (MPH/MUP) dual degree is designed for individuals who envision a career that combines urban planning and public health disciplines. This dual degree combines the knowledge of urban planning with an understanding of health from a population perspective. It will provide training for planning, evaluating and guiding healthy community and urban development, and will enable graduates who seek to be agents of change within the profession to assume leadership roles in planning and in public health at the local, state and national levels. The degree requires 32 MUP units and 34 MPH units for a total of 66 units required for the dual degree. 

The Price School of Public Policy and the USC Gould School of Law offer a dual degree that enables qualified students to earn both a Juris Doctor and a Master of Public Policy in approximately four years of study.

The dual degree allows students to acquire a blend of the analytic skills of public policy and an understanding of legal institutions and processes. This combination of knowledge is well suited for law students who want to affect the policy-making process and craft legislation to aid in the achievement of public policy goals. It is equally appropriate for prospective policy analysts who are interested in law and public policy.

Students must apply to, and be accepted by, both schools. They may be accepted to the dual degree at the time of their law school acceptance or during their first year in the law school. Dual degree students spend the first year completing law school curricular requirements. The 36 units of MPP curriculum, as well as remaining law school requirements, are completed during the final three years. To earn the JD, all students (including dual degree students) must complete 37 numerically graded law units at USC after the first year. 

Prerequisites

All entering students must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution and are required to demonstrate proficiency in foundational statistical methods. The statistics prerequisite can be satisfied in one of two ways:

Statistics or Econometrics Course Taken Prior to Enrollment in the MPP

Completion of a college-level statistics or econometrics course with a grade of "B" or better within three years of matriculation. At minimum, prior course work must have included essential topics in descriptive and inferential statistics such as measures of central tendency and dispersion, confidence intervals, and hypothesis testing. If relevant statistical course work was completed more than three years prior, a waiver may be granted based on the level of statistical training completed and the degree to which currency with this material was maintained through subsequent professional use.

PPD 504 Essential Statistics for Public Management

If a student has not completed a college-level statistics course with a grade of "B" or better within three years of matriculation, they will need to complete a summer course prior to starting the MPP program. USC offers PPD 504 Essential Statistics for Public Management each summer; a grade of "C" or better in PPD 504 is sufficient to satisfy the statistics prerequisite. Students may instead choose to satisfy the requirement by completing a qualifying statistics course at another institution prior to enrolling at USC. If the course is completed outside of USC, it must be taken for a grade and the student must earn a grade of "B" or better. Regardless of which course is used to meet the prerequisite requirement, the units associated with the course will not be used toward the 114 required degree units.

Pre-semester MPP Labs

The Professional Fundamentals and Statistics/STATA Labs provide an introduction to the program, acclimate students to skills that will be further developed in their first-semester courses and help to create a genuine camaraderie within the first-year student cohort. Entering MPP students are required to participate in the Statistics/STATA Lab as well as the Professional Fundamentals Lab. The labs meet the week prior to the start of the fall semester. The Professional Fundamentals Lab will lead directly into PPD 554 Foundations of Policy Analysis, while the Statistics/STATA Lab will provide initial exposure to the statistical software that will be utilized extensively in PPD 558 Multivariate Statistical Analysis.

The Master of Public Policy/Master of Urban Planning dual degree program gives students the opportunity to develop a depth of analytic and design skills with which to effectively address the problems of urban communities. The dual degree program normally requires six semesters in residence.

Requirements

Completion of the dual degree requires 72 units.

Prerequisites

All entering students must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution and are required to demonstrate proficiency in foundational statistical methods. The statistics prerequisite can be satisfied in one of two ways:

Statistics or Econometrics Course Taken Prior to Enrollment in the MPP

Completion of a college-level statistics or econometrics course with a grade of "B" or better within three years of matriculation. At minimum, prior course work must have included essential topics in descriptive and inferential statistics such as measures of central tendency and dispersion, confidence intervals, and hypothesis testing. If relevant statistical coursework was completed more than three years prior, a waiver may be granted based on the level of statistical training completed and the degree to which currency with this material was maintained through subsequent professional use.

PPD 504 Essential Statistics for Public Management

If a student has not completed a college-level statistics course with a grade of "B" or better within three years of matriculation, they will need to complete a summer course prior to starting the MPP program. USC offers PPD 504 Essential Statistics for Public Management each summer; a grade of "C" or better in PPD 504 is sufficient to satisfy the statistics prerequisite. Students may instead choose to satisfy the requirement by completing a qualifying statistics course at another institution prior to enrolling at USC. If the course is completed outside of USC, it must be taken for a grade and the student must earn a grade of "B" or better. Regardless of which course is used to meet the prerequisite requirement, the units associated with the course will not be used toward the 72 required degree units.

Pre-semester MPP Labs

The Professional Fundamentals and Statistics/STATA Labs provide an introduction to the program, acclimate students to skills that will be further developed in their first-semester courses and help to create a genuine camaraderie within the first-year student cohort. Entering MPP students are required to participate in the Statistics/STATA Lab as well as the Professional Fundamentals Lab. The labs meet the week prior to the start of the fall semester. The Professional Fundamentals Lab will lead directly into PPD 554 Foundations of Policy Analysis, while the Statistics/STATA Lab will provide initial exposure to the statistical software that will be utilized extensively in PPD 558 Multivariate Statistical Analysis.

The Juris Doctor/Master of Real Estate Development dual degree program provides the opportunity for in-depth study of legal issues and real estate development. The increasingly regulatory environment developers work within demands that professionals in the real estate industry have a strong understanding of the legal system. Lawyers who plan to specialize in real estate law will benefit from a thorough understanding of the development process, including financial, planning, marketing and design issues. Application must be made to both the USC Gould School of Law and the USC Price School of Public Policy. This program normally requires three years (including one summer) of full-time study in residence to complete.

Requirements for completion of the dual degree program are 112 units, including 78 units in law and 34 units in planning and development. To earn the JD, all students (including dual degree students) must complete 37 numerically graded law units at USC after the first year. The associate dean may make exceptions to this rule for students enrolled in law school honors programs.