Master of Public Policy & Administration

The Master of Public Policy and Administration is an interdisciplinary program designed to equip its graduates with conceptual, analytic, and problem-solving skills and experiences enabling them to deal with public sector policy and administrative issues, problems, and opportunities.

The Sacramento State program differs from other similar programs in that it focuses on California state and local levels of government. This attractive feature is facilitated by the proximity of the Sacramento State campus to the main operations of the California state government. The proximity offers significant advantages to students in the program, providing them with a ready "laboratory" for observing the policy and administrative issues they will confront professionally and for gaining experience alongside existing practitioners in public policy and administration. In particular, the program’s internship feature is greatly strengthened by the placements available in California state government, local government and related organizations.

The program’s curricular design and scheduling of courses allow students to complete the program in four semesters if enrolled full-time. In addition, part-time students may complete the program under a five- or six-semester schedule. Classes are scheduled in the late afternoon and evening hours to accommodate the scheduling interests of students who are employed in the daytime or who have other obligations that require evening schedules. While most of our classes are offered on campus, some of our classes are located in downtown Sacramento (about six blocks from the State Capitol).

The Master of Public Policy and Administration program requires a minimum of 36 units. Students may enroll full time or part time. Full time students can expect to complete all degree requirements in about two years; part time students can expect to complete degree requirements in about three years. Normally most of our classes are offered in downtown Sacramento (about six blocks from the State Capitol), some of our classes are offered on the main campus.

Our program is distinguished in a number of ways, including the following.

• It combines training in policy analysis/research (e.g. cost-benefit analysis, criteria-alternative matrix, regression analysis, etc.) and political assessment (e.g., agenda setting) and organizational skills (e.g., strategic management).
• Taking advantage of our proximity to the main operations of California state government, it focuses on the state and local policy and administrative arenas.
• It caters to the working professional, with courses offered at night and the flexibility to enroll as either a full-tim or part-time student.
• It benefits from a strong alumni network, with graduates placed in numerous state agencies, local government agencies, non-profit organizations, and elsewhere.

Former Capital Fellows and the MPPA

The Center for California Studies administers the Capital Fellows programs. Fellows are normally presumed to be strong candidates for admission to the MPPA program. Former fellows substitute the six MPPA elective units with six Capital Fellows seminar units if they complete both the fellows program and the MPPA program within the seven year time limit. The seven year time limit is a CSU requirement enforced by the Office of Graduate Studies.

Applied Policy & Governance certificates

These certificates are awarded to Capital Fellows in the Executive Fellowship Program and the Judicial Administration Fellowship Program at the conclusion of their fellowship.