Masters in Public Policy
The Master of Public Policy (MPP) at Loyola Marymount University prepares ethical, analytically skilled leaders to shape policy across government, nonprofit, and private sectors. Its interdisciplinary curriculum is grounded in the social sciences, quantitative methods, and the Jesuit tradition.
Request InformationLaunching in Spring 2028, LMU’s Master of Public Policy (MPP) is more than a degree—it’s a life-changing experience that blends hands-on engagement, academic offerings, and a deep commitment to ethical leadership and the common good. Designed with working professionals in mind, the flexible program offers late afternoon and evening face-to-face classes. Students complete a shared interdisciplinary MPP Core, specialized coursework, experiential learning, and an Applied Policy Capstone, with opportunities to learn from leading policy practitioners across a range of fields. Graduates emerge as ethically grounded, evidence-driven change agents prepared to advocate for marginalized communities and pursue impactful careers in government, nonprofits, advocacy, international institutions, consulting, and the private sector.
MPP Quick Facts
- Units: 36-40
- Full-time: 1-2 years
- Part-time: Flexible
- Modality: On-campus
- Class times: Weekdays, late afternoon/evening
- Specialized coursework: International Law and Policy, Health Policy, Environmental Policy, AI and Technology Policy
Explore our Masters in Public Policy
Master of Public Policy (Generalist)
Full-time & Part-time
On-campus
Build broad policy expertise and shape your own path. Alongside the shared core, you choose any two electives from across all four specialized pathways. This suits students who want flexibility for careers in local and state government, nonprofits, or corporate government relations.The generalist MPP is designed for students who want broad interdisciplinary preparation rather than a single policy specialization. Students complete the shared MPP Core and choose two specialized electives from across the program's pathways, allowing them to build a curriculum around their individual policy interests and career goals. This could be particularly attractive for students interested in multiple policy areas, such as combining environmental policy with technology policy, or health policy with international policy.
Master of International Law & Policy
Full-time & Part-time
On-campus
The International Law and Policy pathway prepares students to examine how international law, institutions, and emerging technologies shape relationships among states and non-state actors. Students explore topics including treaties, human rights, dispute resolution, international accountability, digital human rights, and global technology policy. The pathway combines LMU's interdisciplinary policy curriculum with an emphasis on ethics, justice, human dignity, and global cooperation. Pathway focus: international legal frameworks, human rights, treaties, dispute resolution, accountability, global technology policy, digital human rights, and international cooperation. Additional pathway information: Students complete the shared 24-unit MPP Core and experiential learning requirement before completing specialized coursework and an Applied Policy Capstone focused on their area of study.
Master of Health Policy
Full-time & Part-time
On-campus
The Health Policy pathway prepares students to analyze health systems, health policy, financing, regulation, and the social and ethical factors that influence health outcomes and access to care. Students examine health equity, patient-centered care, the relationship between biomedical knowledge and society, and policy approaches to improving health outcomes and reducing disparities. Pathway focus: health systems, financing, regulation, health equity, patient-centered care, biomedical science, ethics, and policies designed to improve health outcomes and reduce disparities. Additional pathway information: The pathway draws on interdisciplinary perspectives connecting health science, society, ethics, and public policy.
Master of Environmental Policy
Full-time & Part-time
On-campus
The Environmental Policy pathway focuses on the policy challenges created by climate change, water access, resource extraction, biodiversity, and urbanization. Students examine environmental policy at local, national, and international levels while exploring sustainable approaches to cities and environmental governance. Pathway focus: climate change, water rights and access, resource extraction, biodiversity, environmental policy, urbanization, sustainability, and environmental governance. Additional pathway information: Students examine environmental challenges and policy responses across local, national, and global contexts, with particular attention to the sustainability of urban environments.
Masters in AI and Technology Policy
Full-time & Part-time
On-campus
The AI and Technology Policy pathway prepares students to understand and address the rapidly changing policy, economic, ethical, and social implications of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. Students examine technology governance, digital platforms, data governance, automation, labor markets, privacy, algorithmic bias, intellectual property, and responsible innovation. Pathway focus: artificial intelligence, automation, digital platforms, data governance, technology regulation, labor markets, privacy, algorithmic bias, intellectual property, market concentration, and responsible innovation. Additional pathway information: The pathway takes an interdisciplinary approach to understanding how emerging technologies affect society, markets, and public policy, including their ethical and economic implications.
Pathways for LMU Students
For LMU Undergraduates
LMU undergraduate students from any major can apply to the accelerated 4+1 pathway. Qualified students can complete up to eight units of approved graduate coursework during their senior year that count toward both their bachelor's and master's degrees, allowing them to complete the two degrees in approximately five years.
For Working Professionals
The MPP is designed with working professionals in mind. Required and elective courses are primarily in the late afternoon and evening, with coordinated scheduling designed to allow students to take courses in back-to-back time blocks. Working professionals with relevant experience may complete the experiential-learning requirement through an approved practicum or applied project within their current organization.
For International Students
The MPP is designed for students from a broad range of academic disciplines and professional backgrounds and offers an interdisciplinary curriculum applicable to policy challenges at local, national, and global levels. The program is a fully face-to-face graduate program at LMU's Westchester campus.
Why You Should Pursue This Program
- Turn Ideas into Action. Build rigorous skills in economics, statistics, and program evaluation, and learn to use them to solve complex problems in service to the common good.
- L.A. as Your Policy Lab. 
Los Angeles offers a front-row seat to some of the most pressing public policy issues of our time. From housing and climate resilience to immigration and education, you'll transform theory into action through immersive internships and applied policy projects across Southern California's diverse political landscape.
- A Path to Vocation, Not Just a Career. Graduates work in government, nonprofits, international development, advocacy, and the private sector. Ignatian discernment encourages you to ask where your talents meet the world's greatest needs, so the degree becomes a way to find meaningful work rather than simply a job.
- A Network Committed to Justice. You join a global Jesuit alumni and partner community, along with classmates and faculty who work in policy. These connections often lead to internships, fellowships, and jobs, and sustain a shared commitment to social justice over the course of a career.
Internships and Professionalization
Students in the MPP program will be placed with leading partner organizations in the greater Los Angeles area and will receive one course credit for their time. Partnering with the The Center for the Study of Los Angeles the MPP Program is designed to give motivated students insider knowledge into public sector jobs, meaningful professional experience, professional development skills, and a head start in their careers. The Summer Work Experience Program provides a robust experiential learning opportunity for those pursuing careers in policy and public service. Participants will be matched to civic-minded fellowship opportunities in LA based on their interests and availability. The program will last for 8 weeks with one day each week reserved for educational excursions and professional development.
Immersive Real-World Experience
Dive into L.A. and California Politics
- The Los Angeles Civic Laboratory: Students work directly on policy challenges facing the regional ecosystem, from housing affordability and transportation equity to environmental sustainability and immigration reform.
- Client-Driven Capstones: Instead of a traditional thesis, students partner with local municipal agencies, think tanks, and prominent community foundations to deliver actionable policy evaluations and strategic recommendations.
- Applied Fieldwork: Structured internships and residency opportunities bridge the gap between classroom theory and professional practice, giving students a direct pathway into public service careers.
Mission Connection
Guided by the Jesuit Tradition
- The Promotion of Justice: The curriculum goes beyond economic efficiency to critically analyze policy through a moral lens, asking who benefits from this policy, and who is left behind?
- Cura Personalis: Fostering empathetic leadership, our educational approach values the lived experiences of individuals and prepares students to craft policies that treat every community member with dignity.
- Contemplatives in Action: Fusing rigorous quantitative analysis with deep ethical reflection, students learn to use data-driven evidence as a tool to dismantle systemic inequities and advocate for vulnerable populations.
Career Pathways
A Master of Public Policy (MPP) allows students to compete in a number of careers. An MPP provides students with highly versatile analytical, financial, and strategic skills that span across sectors. Rather than being tied to one specific issue area, general MPP graduates are equipped to analyze data, evaluate budgets, and manage programs across any public, private, or non-profit domain.
Learn More About the MPP
Join an upcoming information session to learn about the curriculum, specializations, 4+1 pathway, admissions process, experiential learning, and career opportunities.
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Learn about admission requirements, application materials, deadlines, and the application process for the Master of Public Policy.