MPP and MPA Programs
Carnegie Mellon, J. Heinz III College (School of Public Policy and Management) - MSPPM
Program Comparison Highlights
Institutional Structure: The School of Public Policy & Management is one of two academic units within the H. John Heinz III College, the other being the School of Information Systems and Management. The School of Public Policy & Management offers a Master of Science in Public Policy and Management (MSPPM), A Masters in Public Management (MPM), a Masters of Arts Management (MAM), a Masters of Entertainment Industry Management (MEIM), a Masters of Health Care Policy & Management (MSHCPM), a Masters in Biotechnology & Management (MSBTM), a Masters in Medical Management (MMM), as well as multiple certificates and a Ph.D. program. Within the MSPPM program, there are multiple tracks, including a four-semester track, a three-semester track, a Data Analytics (four-semester) track, a version of the degree in Washington D.C., and a "Global" track with Carnegie Mellon's campus in Australia. In addition to all of these programs, Carnegie Mellon's Australian campus also offers independent Public Policy degrees. (http://www.heinz.cmu.edu/school-of-public-policy-management/index.aspx, accessed 30 March 2015).
Curriculum Design: This is a somewhat unusually designated degree, Master of Science in Public Policy and Management (MSPPM), one of the very few that match precisely the name of the Atlas of Public Policy and Management. In addition to the MSPPM the SPPM School offers an array of cognate degrees in different venues: the MAM (Masters in Arts Management), MEIM (Masters in Entertainment Industry Management), MHPM (Masters of Healthcare Policy Management), MSBTM (Masters of Biotechnology and Management), and MMM (Masters of Medical Management. Additionally, the Australian campus of Carnegie Mellon also offers two varieties of the MSPPM that do not require international experience and which should not be confused with the Pittsburgh, PA campus’ Global MSPPM program. Focusing just on the Pittsburgh MSPPM (and its variants in Washington DC and Australia), the program bills itself as emphasizing skills rather than theory, quantitative analysis, and the use of information technology as a management tool. With close to 200 full and half-semester courses, the School has a very wide range of offerings. The program is unusual in having roughly half of its teaching in the form of half-semester courses. Our PEACO calculations below suggest that typical students take about 64% of their course work in policy-oriented subjects and 36% in management-oriented subjects. Typical students take about 22% of their course work in subjects with high math-economics content. This places the Carnegie Heinz MSPPM in the "high course requirement, policy-oriented, higher math-economics content" curricular type, along with such programs as the Berkeley MPP and the Harvard MPP (see MPP/MPA Curricular Types). The Carnegie Heinz MSPPM is one of a minority of programs with a mandatory internship. Among peers in its curricular type, the Carnegie Heinz MSPPM has as a relatively high number of course offerings, a relatively high proportion of required courses and a relatively high number of courses taught within the school.
Professional Program Features: Heinz College has an extensive Career Services program (http://www.heinz.cmu.edu/jobs-and-internships/students/index.aspx) with a Mentor Program and a Career Academy. The Research Centers page (http://www.heinz.cmu.edu/faculty-and-research/research-centers/index.aspx) includes links to 12 centers and initiatives.
Program Summary
Website: http://www.heinz.cmu.edu/school-of-public-policy-management/index.aspx
University: Carnegie Mellon University
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA, with global programs in Washington, DC, USA and Adelaide, SA, Australia
Degree: MSPPM – Master of Science in Public Policy and Management (N.B. Carnegie Mellon also offers the MSPPM-DC, a Washington, DC-based track within the MSPPM program, as well as the “Global MSPPM,” an Australia-based track within the MSPPM program, both of which have separate degree requirements from the Pittsburgh-based MSPPM. The school also offers a series of other public policy/management degrees, including the MAM (Masters in Arts Management), MEIM (Masters in Entertainment Industry Management), MHPM (Masters of Healthcare Policy & Management), MSBTM (Masters of Biotechnology and Management), and MMM (Masters of Medical Management. Additionally, the Australian campus of Carnegie Mellon also offers two varieties of the MSPPM that do not require international experience and which should not be confused with the Pittsburgh campus’ Global MSPPM program. Carnegie Mellon also offers several combined degrees with the Tepper School of Business, the University of Pittsburgh Law School and Pittsburgh's Theological Seminary.
Degrees Awarded per Year: 113 (At http://www.heinz.cmu.edu/school-of-public-policy-management/public-policy-management-msppm/class-profile/index.aspx, accessed 20 May 2015.
Academic Unit within University: Heinz College is an independent college within the University that is home to the School of Public Policy & Management and the School of Information Systems. The School of Public Policy & Management also has affiliated centres (e.g. the Los Angeles, CA-based MEIM centre) and the Global MSPPM utilizes the Adelaide, SA, Australia satellite campus of Carnegie Mellon University.
Posted Tuition: Tuition for students beginning fall 2015 is $44,200 plus $851 fees = $45,051 per year for the two-year degree. (At http://www.heinz.cmu.edu/financial-aid/masters-programs/public-policy-and-management-msppm/student-expenses/index.aspx, accessed 18 May 2015.)
Concentration/Curriculum Overview: The Masters of Science in Public Policy and Management is a strongly analytical, “market-oriented” approach to public policy education that seeks to provide candidates with analytical, communication and management skills that can be applied in the field of public policy. The program emphasizes a skills-based as distinguished from theoretical curriculum. In particular, the school places an emphasis on information technology as a public management tool. The MSPPM is offered in two varieties at the school’s Pittsburgh, PA campus: a two-year (four-semester) option and a three-semester option. Both tracks have identical in-program GPA requirements and both require students to complete a “Systems Synthesis” capstone group project. The former requires 198 total academic units (16.5 one-semester course equivalents) and a summer internship, while the latter requires 168 academic units (14 one-semester course equivalents) and does not require the completion of an optional internship. Applicants may also apply to the MSPPM-POLA track, a policy analytics-focused program with an emphasis on “data-based approaches to complex public issues;” quantitative analysis for candidates with an undergraduate degree in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The MSPPM-DC variant of the MSPPM degree requires students to complete their inaugural year of studies completing the core curriculum of the MSPPM degree in Pittsburgh, PA, and the second in Washington, DC on a part-time basis (two nights and one day per week) while working four-days per week in full-time apprenticeships. The Global MSPPM enables students to complete the first year of the school’s MSPPM degree at Carnegie Mellon’s Adelaide, SA, Australia campus and the second at the school’s Pittsburgh, PA campus.
MSPPM Degree Requirements
Summary: The MSPPM degree is intended to be pursued either as a two-year (four-semester) track, a three-semester track, a four-semester Data Analytics track, a four-semester Washington, DC track, or a 21-month Global track in Adelaide, Australia. Due to the complexity of Carnegie Mellon's course offerings and due to its comparability, only the first program track (four-semester program) is analyzed on this page.
Duration: 3 or 4 semesters (1.5 or 2 years of full-time study).
Academic Prerequisite: Bachelor’s degree. The two-year track is designed for students with less than three years of work experience, the three-semester track is designed for students with more than three years of experience. Neither the Washington, DC-track nor the Global MSPPM have a work experience requirement, but experience working in Washington, DC is preferred for the former. [N.B. that the Data Analytics track requires a STEM undergraduate degree].
Number of One-Semester-Equivalent Courses Required for Completion: 18.5
Note 1. This number includes the required 10-week, full-time internship, which has been given a value of 2 one-semester-course-equivalents in order to make it comparable to other programs with similar required internship offerings, despite the fact that the 95-900 Internship course has a nominal credit value of 3 academic units (i.e., 0.25 semester equivalent).
Number of Required Courses: 7
Note 2. This includes the 2 one-semester-equivalents described in Note 1 and assumed one-semester course credit for the "System Synthesis" capstone project, but does not include the requirements with options under Advanced Coursework above.
Number of Courses Offered within the Program: 240 (equivalent to 117 semester courses) .
Note 3. This figure does not count as electives courses that could contribute to, or replace, students' required courses. Additionally, the program provides access to courses and research facilities available in many other graduate departments, centres and institutes across the University, as well as distance learning opportunities and courses at the University of Pittsburgh.
Comprehensive Examination: No
Thesis Required: No
Internship Required: Yes for two-year MSPPM; optional for three-semester MSPPM candidates.
International Study Required: Only for Global MSPPM candidates.
Co-curricular Activities Supportive to Degree
Professional Development and Career Support: Eight staff members in the College’s Career Services office support students with strategy and development during their career search.
Student-run Journal: The Heinz Journal (http://journal.heinz.cmu.edu) is a student-run journal, podcast and live radio program that features works on the analysis of public policy strategy and implementation.
Applied Projects: The Capstone/Systems Synthesis project is a team-based policy consulting assignment conducted for a client and which is required of all MSPPM students.
Pro Bono Consulting: Student Consulting International Organization (SCIO) is a student-run club of the Tepper School of Business and to which Heinz College students have access. Student associates assist in different capacities with a variety of consulting projects across the US.
Courses Offered: A full course listing along with brief descriptions of each course is available at http://www.heinz.cmu.edu/academic-resources/course-results/index.aspx. Courses offered in Carnegie Mellon’s MSPPM have been assigned to Atlas subjects in the map below. Required courses are marked with (R). Where a requirement can be fulfilled by one of two courses, each course is marked with (R/2).
Instructional Distribution (PEACO Profile): The table below indicates the distribution of instruction offered, based on the course assignments to subjects in the Course Map below, weighted by estimated enrolment determined by the PEACO Algorithm.
|
|
Carnegie |
|
|
MSMPP |
Curricular Type Parameters |
|
|
Number of Courses Required for Graduation |
18.5 |
|
Math-Economics Subjects (EA, QM, Macro, Fin Markets) |
22.3% |
|
Policy-Oriented Subjects |
63.9% |
|
Management-Oriented Subjects |
36.1% |
|
|
|
Enrolment-Adjusted Course Distribution |
|
|
Analysis and Skill Subjects |
39.7% |
|
- Policy and Management Analysis |
6.8% |
|
- Economic Analysis |
8.3% |
|
- Quantitative and Analytic Methods |
19.2% |
|
- Leadership and Communication Skills |
5.4% |
|
Institutions and Context Subjects |
9.2% |
|
- Democratic Institutions and Policy Process |
3.2% |
|
- Ethics, Rights and Accountability |
0.7% |
|
- Socioeconomic, Political, and Global Contexts |
5.4% |
|
Management Function Subjects |
18.0% |
|
- Public Financial Management |
7.4% |
|
- Evaluation and Performance Measurement |
0.5% |
|
- Other Management Functions |
10.2% |
|
Policy Sector Subjects |
16.8% |
|
- Macroeconomic Policy |
0.7% |
|
- International Development |
0.9% |
|
- Health |
3.6% |
|
- Other Policy Sectors |
11.6% |
|
Total |
84% |
|
|
|
Competency Gap Analysis (in Course-Weeks of Instruction) |
|
|
Course-Weeks in Core Subjects taken by Typical Student |
146 |
|
Surplus or Shortfall Relative to Core Competency Requirement |
|
|
- Policy and Management Analysis (CCR = 18 course-weeks) |
-3 |
|
- Economic Analysis (CCR = 12) |
7 |
|
- Quantitative Methods (CCR = 12) |
9 |
|
- Analytic Methods (CCR = 6) |
16 |
|
- Leadership Skills (CCR = 9) |
-6 |
|
- Communication Skills (CCR = 3 courses) |
6 |
|
- Democratic Institutions and Policy Process (CCR = 18) |
-11 |
|
- Ethics, Rights and Accountability (CCR = 6 courses) |
-4 |
|
- Socioeconomic and Political Context (CCR = 6) |
-2 |
|
- Global Context (CCR = 3) |
5 |
|
- Public Financial Management (CCR = 6) |
11 |
|
- Evaluation and Performance Measurement (CCR = 6) |
-5 |
|
- Human Resource Management (CCR = 3) |
0 |
|
- Information and Technology Management (CCR = 3) |
10 |
|
- Macroeconomic Policy (CCR = 6) |
-4 |
|
- Environment and Sustainability (CCR = 3) |
0 |
|
Subject-Matter Shortfall for Typical Student (Sum of Shortfalls) |
-37 |
|
|
|
Additional Parameters |
|
|
Total Courses Listed |
115 |
|
Courses Designated as Required (inc. Specialization Reqs) |
9.8 |
|
Archetypal Public Affairs Subjects (P&MA, EA, QM, DI&PP) |
33.1% |
|
Archetypal International Affairs Subjects (GC, ID, DS&FR) |
6.5% |
|
|
|
Courses Required and Offered |
|
|
Courses Required to Graduate |
18.5 |
|
Required Courses |
9.75 |
|
Elective Courses Taken by Typical Student |
8.75 |
|
Elective Courses Listed |
104.8 |
|
Enrolment Weight of Elective Course |
0.08 |
|
Total Courses Listed |
115 |
Source: At http://www.heinz.cmu.edu/school-of-public-policy-management/public-policy-management-msppm/index.aspx (accessed 4 October 2013).
Page Created By: Dave Marshall on 6 October 2013; updated by Dave Marshall on 30 March 2015 and Ian Clark on 11 April 2015. Updating and editing may consist of substantive and/or formatting changes. Unless otherwise noted, however, information regarding a program's structure, curricular offerings and PEACO score is based on the program as it was on the date of page creation. Content presented on this page is drawn from the source(s) cited above. All direct quotations are marked.
Carnegie Mellon MSPPM Course Map
C o u r s e s O f f e r e d l i s t e d b y P u b l i c P o l i c y a n d M a n a g e m e n t S u b j e c t
Courses (and PEACO scores) reflect course offerings for the 2013-14 academic year as available 6 October 2013. Stable links have been provided for those courses included in the PEACO scores which continue to be offered during the 2014-15 academic year. Additional courses have likely been added since the 2013-14 academic year.