Applicants for admission to the Master of Planning, Master of Planning and Development Studies, Master of Construction Management, Master of Health Administration, Master of Health Care Management, Master of Public Policy and Management, Master of Public Administration, Master of Public Policy, Master of Real Estate Development, Doctor of Planning and Development Studies, Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration, Doctor of Philosophy in Planning, or Doctor of Public Administration must have a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from an accredited educational institution. In recognition of the increasing diversity of capabilities required as the theories and practices of policy, planning, and development evolve, students from a variety of undergraduate and graduate backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Applicants for admission will be expected to have completed a broad range of undergraduate courses in addition to their academic major or professional concentration. Generally, this will be reflected in completion of courses from the following fields: English; economics (basic theory); political science, history or sociology; physical or natural science; art or philosophy. In addition, mathematics (algebra, calculus, probability theory) and a course in statistics are strongly recommended.

Admission to graduate programs in the School of Policy, Planning, and Development is highly selective and competitive. Preference is given to those with a record of high educational achievement and personal qualities favoring success in the fields of planning or development. Applicants must have achieved superior grades during undergraduate and any graduate education. A grade point average of 3.0 (A = 4.0) is normally expected as well as satisfactory scores on the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) (a minimum score of 1,000 on the verbal and quantitative sections combined is normally expected of master’s applicants and 1,200 for students applying to the Ph.D.). Students applying for admission to the Master of Planning, Master of Planning and Development Studies or the Master of Real Estate Development program may also submit either the Graduate Management Administration Test (GMAT) or the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). Students applying to the Master of Construction Management program may submit either the GRE or the GMAT test. In exceptional cases, an applicant who has not met these scholarship requirements may be admitted with conditions of admission.

For specific information on admission requirements and application procedures, contact the School of Policy, Planning, and Development Student Affairs Office at (213) 740-2052. Master of Construction Management and Certificate in Transportation Systems applicants should apply to the School of Engineering. For additional information, contact the school at (213) 740-0587.

The Master of Health Administration (M.H.A.) prepares students for management positions in hospitals, managed care systems, physicians groups, ambulatory care systems, government agencies concerned with health care planning, delivery, and quality assurance, and private firms involved in health care consulting, evaluation, and finance. The curriculum aims at assuring sufficient knowledge of both the public and private sectors to permit effective functioning as a manager in each.

The M.H.A. degree is offered at the University Park and Sacramento campuses only.

Applicants for the Master of Health Administration must apply separately to the Health Services Administration Program. Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Applicants may take courses on limited standing pending formal admission to the master’s degree program.

Applicants with bachelor’s degrees must have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in their undergraduate course work and a score of at least 500 on the verbal and at least 500 on the quantitative sections of the GRE. Deviations from these minimums will be allowed when justified by exceptional work experience, letters of recommendation or improvement in academic performance during the third and fourth years of undergraduate study.

The Health Services Administration Program will admit a small number of undergraduates specializing in Health Policy and Administration in the School of Policy, Planning, and Development to the M.H.A. program after three years of undergraduate studies.

Applicants to the Accelerated M.H.A. Program must be USC undergraduates specializing in Health Policy and Administration in the School of Policy, Planning, and Development. Applications will be considered only from those who have completed at least 80 units in the curriculum for this specialization. Students interested in the Accelerated M.H.A. Program must apply at the beginning of the second semester of their junior year. A cumulative grade point average of at least 3.2 (A = 4.0) will be required for consideration. In addition, applicants will submit a detailed essay specifying their goals and reasons for selecting the field of health service administration, as well as letters of recommendation from three instructors, at least two of whom must be full-time USC faculty members. Substantial importance, in the evaluation of applicants, will be placed on an interview procedure to be carried out by a full-time faculty member in the Health Services Administration Program and a practitioner in the health administration field who holds an adjunct appointment at USC. Academic promise, clarity of purpose and personal maturity will all weigh heavily in determining admission to the Accelerated M.H.A. Program. Information regarding the Certificate Program in Health Services Administration can be found here.

Curriculum for the M.H.A. includes 12 courses. In addition, a supervised field placement (residency) in a health service organization is required.

Required Core

Units

PUAD 512	Public Sector Economics	4
PUAD 530	Problems and Issues in the Health Field	4
PUAD 531a	Financial Management of Health Services	4
PUAD 532	Health Information Systems	4
PUAD 533	Health Administration Residency Seminar	2-2
PUAD 536	Legal Issues in Health Care Delivery	4
PUAD 537	Economic Concepts Applied to Health	4
PUAD 558	Quantitative Analysis I	4
PUAD 585	Human Behavior in Public Organizations	4
PUAD 593	Strategic Management in Healthcare Organizations(Capstone Course)	4

Electives: Any two, but emphasis on:

Units

PUAD 508	Management of Managed Care Organizations	4
PUAD 509	Management of Long-Term Care Organizations	4
PUAD 516	Concepts and Practices in Public Personnel Administration	4
PUAD 535	Strategic and Operational Planning for Health Services	4
PUAD 538	Marketing of Health Services	4
PUAD 539	Seminar in Hospital Administration	4
PUAD 569	Administration of Mental Health Services4	4
PUAD 573	Wellness in the Workplace4	4

Note: All courses are four units, with the exception of PUAD 533 Health Administration Residency Seminar. This course is two units per semester; two semesters of PUAD 533 are required for the M.H.A.

The executive Master of Health Care Management (M.H.M.) is designed to enable working professionals to pursue an advanced degree while maintaining their active careers. Mid- to senior-level professionals who have high interest and potential to serve as industry leaders in the highly dynamic and competitive health care environment are encouraged to consider the M.H.M. degree. In particular, the M.H.M. is targeted to individuals such as: (1) practicing physicians who are assuming management responsibility; (2) hospital medical directors who are becoming highly involved in managed care; and (3) health care and physician practice managers who desire to expand their skills into managed care and strengthen their business and general management capabilities.

This program uses a non-traditional, collaborative approach to executive education. Course work themes are interdisciplinary to optimize integrative learning.

Required courses

Units

HMGT 510	The Dynamics of Health Care Leadership	4
HMGT 520	Leading People and Health Care Organizations	4
HMGT 525	Managed Care Operations	4
HMGT 540	Health Economics and Insurance Mechanisms	4
HMGT 545	Systems Thinking and the Analysis of Data	4
HMGT 550	Law, Regulation, and Ethics	4
HMGT 560	Customer-Focused Health Care Organizations	4
HMGT 565	Managing the Organization’s Financial Health	4
HMGT 570	Strategic Management	4
HMGT 575	Managing and Improving Health	4

Through the integrated curriculum, participants gain practical skills which are developed within an appropriate conceptual context. Emphasis is given to executive decision-making; development of sound planning, analytical and leadership capabilities; and strong interpersonal communication. More specifically, M.H.M. graduates will achieve advanced competency in disciplines which include health economics, finance, marketing, managed care operations, strategic analysis and management, business development, organizational design, quality and teamwork, as well as broad-based skills in leadership and management.

Core faculty are drawn from the School of Policy, Planning, and Development and include senior, experienced faculty, along with nationally-renowned academic specialists and health care experts. In addition to the use of seasoned executives as guest lecturers in class sessions, the program features a bi-weekly speaker series and executives guest speaker forum. The opportunity to interact with health care’s leading thinkers, policymakers and practitioners is an essential component of the M.H.M. program.

The program begins the last week of August with a required residential program. In year one, the off-site residential program focuses on developing core competencies in teamwork and communication along with a strong foundation in current health care and managed care issues, trends and skills for future success. Thereafter the program meets on the University Park Campus on alternating Fridays and Saturdays throughout the year with a 10-week summer break. This class schedule permits health care professionals to maintain their full-time careers while pursuing an advanced degree.

Applicants should have at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university and seven to 10 years of significant professional health care experience. The M.H.M. office is located in Von KleinSmid Center, Room 263, School of Policy, Planning, and Development, (213) 740-9869, FAX (213) 740-0001, or email gmelnick@usc.edu.

The planning of cities is as old as urban civilization. However, the contemporary planning profession has expanded to include a broad range of applications that draws upon emphases of foresight, common good and interconnections of elements in human settlements. Planners are now engaged in evaluating and guiding community and urban development at all geographic scales, both in the U.S. and around the globe, through the public, private and nonprofit sectors.

Planners will play a role of increasing importance in managing the pressing problems and competing demands of change and growth in the 21st century. The Master of Planning (M.Pl.) curriculum reflects this forward-looking and constantly evolving role.

The M.Pl. curriculum provides a core of knowledge underlying the key forms and applications of planning. This gives the basis for a wide choice of specific careers in the field and extends the relevance and value of graduate education over an extended period of time. A goal of the M.Pl. curriculum is to prepare planners to practice anywhere in the world.

The M.Pl. program is accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board of the American Planning Association and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning.

All persons pursuing the M.Pl. will complete core courses which present basic theories, techniques and methods.

Concentrations within the curriculum enable students to focus on one of four broad areas. The concentrations are: preservation and design of the built environment, social and environmental planning, transportation and land use, and community economic development. Specific topic areas of interest in planning, such as housing or urban growth, often span these concentrations and may be pursued accordingly.

A concentration is any of these areas qualifies graduates for a wide range of private, public and nonprofit sector careers with government agencies, consulting firms, corporations, utilities, international technical assistance programs, nonprofit and special interest organizations and joint public-private ventures.

The program of study for this professional graduate degree requires completion of 48 units, including 16 units of core curriculum, eight units of lab/workshops, four units of specialization methodology and 20 units of electives. A comprehensive examination and an approved non-credit internship are also required. The degree may be pursued on either a full-time or part-time basis.

The core curriculum comprises seven lecture-seminar courses:

PLUS 501	Planning Theory	2
PLUS 502	Statistics and Arguing from Data	4
PLUS 505	Comparative International Development	2
PLUS 506	The Social Context of Planning	2
PLUS 507	The Urban Economy	2
PLUS 509	Legal Environment of Planning	2
PLUS 510	Historical Analysis of Urban Form and Planning Practice	2
		___
		16

Laboratory/workshops are an integral part of the curriculum of the School of Policy, Planning, and Development, providing the essential educational link between academic education and the world in which graduates will function as professionals. The laboratory/workshops require that students learn to work together as a team by applying their respective capabilities and knowledge to a common problem; much of their work as professionals will involve this kind of collaborative effort.

Local agencies, communities and firms often sponsor PLUS 576L to obtain research and analysis. Community groups seek assistance from laboratory/workshops as a means of informing themselves more thoroughly on community problems and issues or for obtaining planning analysis otherwise unavailable to them. The products of laboratory/workshops are usually in the form of policy recommendations, a suggested plan or alternative plans, data bases, background information, base maps, or any one of many specific contributions.

Each summer, the school offers one or more international laboratory/workshops. Recent international labs have been held in Mexico, Venezuela, Vietnam, Italy and China. All students are encouraged to take at least one international laboratory course, especially students in the international planning and development concentration. Travel expenses are not included in tuition.

Students will complete a total of eight units of PLUS 576L (4) to satisfy this requirement.

Students select one methodology course appropriate to their concentration area or professional interests in consultation with their academic advisor.

PLUS 504	Research and Analytical Techniques	4
PLUS 526	Urban Information Systems	4
PLUS 539	Urban Demography and Growth	4
PLUS 573	Design Skills for Urban Planners	4
PLUS 574	Planning Analysis and Evaluation	4
PLUS 608	Advanced Research Methods in Planning: Survey Research Methods	4
PLUS 609	Advanced Research Methods in Planning: Qualitative Methods	4
RED 509	Market Analysis for Real Estate	3
RED 542	Finance of Real Estate Development	3

Students may elect one or two concentrations which represent the areas of most rapid professional and intellectual development within the field of planning. One concentration must contain 12 units of which at least eight units must be selected from the curriculum of the School of Policy, Planning, and Development. The remaining elective units may be chosen from any category. Non-school courses may be selected by the student with the approval of an academic advisor and must be directly concerned with the subject matter of the concentration.

The courses listed under each concentration are illustrative; other approved graduate elective courses may be selected with the approval of an academic advisor. Concentrations are not mandatory, but strongly encouraged, as they represent the teaching and research strengths of the school. Courses may be listed in several concentrations.

Preservation and Design of the Built Environment:
PLDV 426 (4), PLDV 485 (4), PLDV 486 (2), PLUS 539 (4), PLUS 540 (4), PLUS 541 (4), PLUS 560 (4), PLUS 562 (4), PLUS 573 (4), PLUS 615 (4), PLUS 631 (4), PLUS 633 (4), RED 573 (2), RED 574 (2), RED 575L (4)

Social and Environmental Planning:
PLUS 508 (4), PLUS 526 (4), PLUS 539 (4), PLUS 540 (4), PLUS 545 (4), PLUS 550 (4), PLUS 552 (4), PLUS 561 (4), PLUS 600 (4), PLUS 608 (4), PLUS 623 (4), PLUS 626 (4), PLUS 633 (4) Transportation and Land Use: PLUS 539 (4), PLUS 560 (4), PLUS 562 (4), PLUS 566 (4), PLUS 580 (4), PLUS 581 (4), PLUS 582 (4), PLUS 680 (4)

Community and Economic Development:
PLUS 521 (4), PLUS 539 (4), PLUS 540 (4), PLUS 541 (4), PLUS 543 (4), PLUS 545 (4), PLUS 546 (4), PLUS 547 (4), PLUS 550 (4), PLUS 566 (4), PLUS 623 (4), RED 509 (4), RED 542 (3), RED 546 (3)

Successful completion of a comprehensive written and oral project-oriented examination is required of all students seeking the Master of Planning degree (except for students pursuing the dual degree with either economics or gerontology). The examination integrates accumulated lessons of the core courses and laboratory/workshops, but it is expected that students will also utilize material covered in their specialization methodology and concentration(s) and/or electives.

The comprehensive examination normally is given in the spring semester of each year. Students usually take the examination in the last semester of their second year.

The examination is administered by a faculty committee appointed by the M.Pl. program director and the dean. Examinations are graded on an honors/pass/fail basis. Students who fail the examination may take it again within one year. The examination may only be repeated once.

Students working toward the Master of Planning degree must complete an internship of at least 10 weeks’ duration and a minimum of 400 hours in an organization engaged in planning or a closely related activity. Students must submit a report describing and evaluating the internship experience. Arrangements must also be made for an evaluative report of the internship by the student’s supervisor submitted directly to the academic advisor. The internship is not for unit credit.

Students often fulfill their internship while working part-time in a planning-related job during their course of study in the program or in the summer between the two academic years. If a student has had equivalent experience prior to admission to the program, the internship may be waived by the dean on the recommendation of the student’s academic advisor.

The school provides information to students concerning internship and summer employment opportunities. While it is the ultimate responsibility of the student to secure the internship and fulfill the requirement, the school does have a Professional Development Office that actively works with school alumni and area planning organizations to place students in appropriate internships. There are numerous internship opportunities in the greater Los Angeles area.

With the advice of the faculty, a student may elect to enroll in directed research either as an elective or as a substitute for up to four units of the laboratory/workshops requirement. Working directly with a faculty member, the student pursues an interest or problem appropriate to the student’s program of study.

The final product of directed research will be approved by the faculty member supervising the student. This may be a written report, graphic formulation, physical model, mathematical-statistical analysis, computer output or film — depending on the most appropriate expression of the research undertaken.

The Master of Planning normally requires two academic years of full-time study. Courses are also scheduled to allow completion on a part-time basis.

At least 36 units of graduate-level study must be done in residence at USC. The residency requirement may not be interrupted without prior permission from the School of Policy, Planning, and Development. Students accepted into the program with academic deficiencies will require a correspondingly longer time to complete their course work. Students seeking the degree on a part-time basis must take at least one course each semester and one semester must be in full-time residence. The semester in residence must be taken within two academic years after admission to the program, and at least eight units of required course work must be taken.

Students must be enrolled at USC for the fall and spring semesters each year until all degree requirements have been met. Students who find it necessary to be excused from a semester of registration must request a leave of absence from the Student Affairs Office by the last day to drop/add courses of the semester in question; such leaves may be granted for up to one year. For additional information refer to USC policies governing continuous enrollment, readmission, and leaves of absence in the Academic Policies section of this catalogue.

All requirements for the Master of Planning must be completed within five calendar years from the beginning of the semester in which the student was admitted to the program. University regulations prohibit the acceptance of credits for courses taken toward the Master of Planning degree more than seven years after the date they were successfully completed.

While enrolled in the program a student must maintain a grade point average of at least a 3.0 for all courses taken toward the degree.

Any student with a cumulative grade point average below 3.0 for all courses taken in the program will be placed on academic probation. A student whose semester grade point average is below 3.0, but whose cumulative grade point average is 3.0 or higher, will be placed on academic warning.

A student may be disqualified to continue toward a graduate degree if the student has been on academic probation for two consecutive semesters. Whether or not on academic probation or warning, a student may be disqualified at any time from continuing in the program if the dean of the school, after consultation with the faculty, determines that the student is deficient in academic achievement or in another qualification required for the attainment of the Master of Planning degree.

Graduate work by transfer may be accepted from approved graduate schools as determined by the USC Articulation Office upon recommendation of the dean of the school. Not more than 12 units of graduate work, with grades of B or better may be transferred for credit to the Master of Planning degree.

The following courses, or their equivalents, cannot normally be transferred for unit credit from other institutions: PLUS 501, 502, 505, 506, 507, 509, 510, 590, 594 and 576L. Undergraduate work will not be credited for advanced or graduate standing. Students may petition to receive subject credit for these courses; unit requirements must be met through the completion of additional electives.

Some applicants for admission to the school will have been engaged in work in planning, development or closely related activities. Although this experience may have been beneficial to the students involved and may satisfy the internship requirement, it may not be considered equivalent to academic education.

The Master of Planning and Development Studies degree is designed for mid-career professionals in planning, development or related disciplines who desire to update and/or redirect their professional skills and careers. The program is very flexible, allowing students to pursue areas of expertise that they find valuable in their present or future careers. Entering students must have a minimum of five years of planning, development or related professional work experience.

The Master of Planning and Development Studies program requires completion of 28 units. Basic degree requirements consist of two core courses; 16 units in an emphasis area approved by an advisor; and an integrative seminar course during which the student completes a written and oral comprehensive examination.

Required Courses

Units

PLUS 503	Policy Issues in Planning and Development	4
PLUS 504	Research and Analytical Techniques	4
PLUS 591	Integrative Seminar (normally in the last semester in conjunction with the comprehensive examination)	4

Students elect a concentration area from one of three already defined or, with prior approval by an advisor, design a concentration from School of Policy, Planning, and Development courses and USC graduate courses. A minimum of eight units must be School of Policy, Planning, and Development courses. The three defined concentration areas are:

Community Economic Development
Select 16 units from the following courses: PLUS 526 (4), PLUS 540 (4), PLUS 543 (4), PLUS 545 (4), PLUS 546 (4), PLUS 547 (4), PLUS 560 (4), PLUS 570 (4); RED 509 (4), RED 542 (3), RED 546 (3)

Environmental Policy and Planning
Select 16 units from the following courses: PLUS 526 (4), PLUS 539 (4), PLUS 541 (4), PLUS 561 (4), PLUS 562 (4), PLUS 563 (4), PLUS 581 (4), PLUS 600 (4), PLUS 626 (4), PLUS 633 (4), PLUS 643 (4), PLUS 576L (4)

International Planning and Development
Select 16 units from the following courses: PLUS 543 (4), PLUS 631 (4), PLUS 632 (4), PLUS 633 (4), PLUS 634 (4), PLUS 635 (4), PLUS 640 (4); RED 583 (2), RED 585 (4)

Successful completion of a comprehensive examination is required of all students seeking the Master of Planning and Development Studies degree. The integrative seminar course (PLUS 591) and comprehensive exam should be taken during the semester of intended graduation. During the seminar class, students identify a practice-oriented problem covering the core courses and concentration area, which ideally is sponsored by a planning and/or development office or firm. The student will: (1) prepare a professional-quality document; (2) present the solution to a faculty committee with invited sponsor guests; and (3) have an oral defense. Students who fail the examination may take it again within one year, but it may only be repeated once.

The Master of Planning and Development Studies may be completed in one academic year of 12 units in the fall and spring semesters and the four-unit integrative seminar/comprehensive examination the following summer semester.

At least 18 units of graduate study must be done in residence at the University Park Campus, the Sacramento Center or at an approved off-campus study center.

Students in the program must complete all requirements for the Master of Planning and Development Studies within five calendar years from the beginning of the semester in which the student was admitted to the program.

While enrolled in the program, a student must maintain a grade point average of at least 3.0 (A = 4.0) for all courses taken toward the degree.

Any student with a cumulative grade point average below 3.0 for all courses taken in the program will be placed on academic probation. A student whose semester grade point average is below 3.0, but whose cumulative grade point average is 3.0 or higher, will be placed on warning.

A student may be disqualified to continue toward a graduate degree if the student has been on academic probation for two consecutive semesters. Whether or not on academic probation or warning, a student may be disqualified at any time from continuing in the program if the dean of the school, after consultation with the faculty, determines the student is deficient in any degree requirement.

Credit for graduate work may be transferred from approved graduate schools as determined by the USC Articulation Office on recommendation of the dean of the school. Not more than four units of graduate work, with grades of B or better, can be transferred for credit toward the Master of Planning and Development Studies degree.

The following courses, or their equivalents, may not normally be transferred for unit credit from other institutions: PLUS 503, PLUS 504 and PLUS 591. Undergraduate work may not be transferred into the degree program for unit credit.

Some applicants for admission to the school will have been engaged in work in planning, development or closely related activities. Although this experience should be beneficial to the students involved, it may not be considered equivalent to academic education.

The Master of Public Administration programs are under the jurisdiction of the School of Policy, Planning, and Development. All admissions decisions are made by the school, following guidelines set by the university. See the Admission section of this catalogue.

With the exceptions noted below all questions about the programs and all materials required for admission should be submitted to: M.P.A. Programs, Admissions Office, VKC 232, University Park, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0626.

Exceptions to this procedure are those candidates applying for admission to the M.P.A. programs in Sacramento and Washington, D.C.

Admission to each of these programs is determined by the faculty and admissions committees connected with those areas. Application packages should be sent directly to the program office. For applicants to the programs in Sacramento: Master of Public Administration Programs, Sacramento Center, 1201 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95814; For applicants to programs in Washington, D.C.: Master of Public Administration Programs, Washington Center, 512 Tenth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20004.

The admission decision is made using criteria which include verification that the applicant has completed a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college, has maintained a B average in undergraduate course work and has earned an acceptable score on the verbal and quantitative portions of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT). Other elements of the applicant’s educational and experiential background are also evaluated. International students whose national language is not English must also submit a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score.

Each candidate should submit the following to the school: (1) official transcripts of all previous college and university work, showing an awarded degree where appropriate; (2) copies of GRE or GMAT scores; (3) an essay answering questions on the admission questionnaire provided by the school; (4) an up-to-date resume which includes academic and professional accomplishments; (5) three or more letters of evaluation from previous instructors and from professional associates who can attest to the applicant’s potential; (6) completed USC Graduate Admission Application, along with the nonrefundable processing fee; and (7) completed School of Policy, Planning, and Development Supplemental Graduate Application.

International applicants may be asked to supply additional information. See the Admission section for additional information.

Applications for admission are evaluated monthly. Those students who are also applying for financial aid, or who must meet other deadlines for admission, should submit application materials early enough to allow the admissions decision to be made in advance of those other deadlines.

The admissions process generally takes about four to six weeks after all necessary materials have been submitted.

Any undergraduate major is acceptable as preprofessional background, provided the applicant has had at least 12 semester units (16 quarter units) of undergraduate course work in cultural anthropology, economics, ethnic studies, social and human geography, political science, sociology or related social science area courses; no more than two of these courses may be in the same field.

Deficiencies in the social science prerequisite may be met while in residence by taking appropriate courses in other departments, but such course work may not be counted toward the course requirements for the master’s degree.

A basic competence in descriptive and inferential statistics is also required for the M.P.A. programs. This prerequisite may be fulfilled by successfully completing the school’s Statistics Competence Examination, or by successfully completing PPD 404x with a grade of B or higher (A = 4.0), which may not be used for graduate credit.

All prerequisites must be fulfilled within the first 12 units of graduate course work. The statistics prerequisite must also be met before enrolling in PUAD 506, PUAD 514, PUAD 525, PUAD 558 or PUAD 591.

The Degree Progress Department determines whether work done elsewhere is available for consideration for credit toward the USC degree. That office requires official transcripts of all course work done before entering USC. A Transfer Credit Statement of these official transcripts, done after a student has been admitted to regular status at USC, will indicate which units are available for transfer. These courses do not apply toward the degree unless, and until, the student’s major department submits a memo assigning transfer credit to the Degree Progress Department in the Office of Academic Records and Registrar.

Upon approval by the director of the degree program, a candidate for the M.P.A. who has done graduate work at a recognized institution prior to admission to USC or holds a master’s degree from a recognized institution may receive transfer credit for a maximum of eight semester units.

Application of any available transfer credits toward a graduate degree will be determined by the director of the particular degree program, based on the semester units available for transfer as shown on the Transfer Credit Statement.

These general guidelines are followed by the admissions evaluator and by faculty members: (1) the work must be completed at an accredited graduate school; (2) the grade must be B or better; (3) the work must be a fair and reasonable equivalent to current USC course work at the graduate level which fits into the logical program for the degree; (4) the units are not more than seven years old at the time of petition for transfer; (5) the units must reflect current knowledge in the field; and (6) the work must be completed prior to admission to the USC program.

USC does not give transfer credit for life experience, credit by examination, noncredit extension courses or thesis course supervision.

The school recognizes that some applicants may have covered the material contained in core courses or courses required for a particular specialization. Under these circumstances, one particular course requirement may be waived, allowing the student to complete a more advanced course in the same area. Students who have a background in a particular area of study may be allowed to substitute other courses. In these situations students do not receive unit credit but are permitted to take course work which does not repeat earlier academic experiences.

Waiver of content is usually given only in the case of previous academic study of the subject, not in the case of experiential background in the area.

Students who believe they are eligible for content waiver decisions must petition the faculty of the school, providing evidence of the previous work through transcripts, syllabi and other pertinent material. Contact the school’s Student Affairs Office for information.

Students applying for graduate programs should send applications and appropriate documents to the M.P.A. Programs Admissions Office, which processes all such applications.

A student is accepted for admission only for the semester indicated on the letter of admission. If the student desires to enter at another time, or if the student cannot arrive on campus in time for the semester in which he or she was admitted, the student must contact the M.P.A. Programs Admissions Office in writing. That office will contact the Office of International Admissions.

Students who do not enroll for the semester indicated on the letter of admission cannot be guaranteed admission to a later session. They will need to work with the M.P.A. Programs Admissions Office to determine procedures to follow.

The M.P.A. Programs Admissions Office, working with the Office of International Admissions, will provide the official admission letter and the I-20 or the IAP-66 eligibility certificate, whichever is appropriate, for the student to enter the United States.

Any student who enters the United States using these documents issued by USC must register for the semester to which he or she has been admitted. Failure to register disqualifies the student from reapplying for one year from that semester to which he or she had been admitted. Reacceptance is not guaranteed.

International students on student visas must be registered as full-time students as arranged by the International Public Administration Center and the Office of International Student Services. A full-time graduate load is eight units. Such students are not eligible to be considered students without formal registration and may be in violation of immigration laws when not properly registered.

International students who have questions about registration requirements should contact the Office of Recruitment and Student Affairs.

M.P.A. applicants may be permitted to take courses before the admission process is completed or they may be admitted before certain conditions have been met; each student must, however, attain regular status (standing) admission to the school prior to or upon completion of 8 graduate units.

Students taking courses who have not been admitted to the school are designated limited status students. These students may be taking courses to meet prerequisites; they may be waiting for part of their application package materials to arrive; or they may be investigating whether an M.P.A. is the best choice for them.

To be considered for limited status enrollment, interested students need to complete the School of Policy, Planning, and Development Limited Student Application for Enrollment form and submit official or unofficial copies of their transcripts from their bachelor’s degree granting institution. Students with a 3.0 grade point average (A = 4.0) may enroll in up to eight units of graduate courses in the School of Policy, Planning, and Development.

School of Policy, Planning, and Development Limited Student Application for Enrollment forms may be obtained from the Admissions Office, School of Policy, Planning, and Development, University of Southern California, VKC 232, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0626; telephone (213) 740-6842. Limited students may only enroll during the in-person registration period (the week before classes begin).

Limited status students may apply only eight units of appropriate graduate work toward the M.P.A. after admission. Units beyond these first eight must be petitioned for through the school. Students on limited status are encouraged to complete the application and admission processes before completing those first eight units.

D.P.A. and Ph.D. students who pass the qualifying examinations and complete the M.P.A. course requirements or their equivalent during their course work at USC may, with the recommendation of the coordinator of the M.P.A. program, apply for and receive the M.P.A. degree.

The M.P.A. course requirements are designed to address current and future professional competencies for accomplishment; to establish a sequence of basic required courses; and to maximize student choice and depth in specialized studies. The curriculum requires 40 units for completion (41 for pre-service students). Pre-service students, that is, those who have less than 25 months’ employment experience in a professional level position, are also required to take an internship that includes a one-unit seminar.

The M.P.A. core consists of four, four-unit courses:

PUAD 500	Public Administration and Society
PUAD 512	Public Sector Economics
PUAD 595	Public Organization and Management Theory
PUAD 597	Professional Practice of Public Administration

Three of the required core courses (PUAD 500, 512 and 595) provide the foundation to the field and the fourth (PUAD 597) serves as a capstone course. PUAD 500 must be taken in the first semester or within the first 12 units and PUAD 597 must be taken in the final semester or last 12 units of the student’s program.

M.P.A. students are expected to develop managerial competencies in three areas by taking at least one course in each of the following areas:

Management Competencies

Units

Analytic Methods
PUAD 506*	Administrative Research and Analysis, or
PUAD 525*	Program and Policy Evaluation, or
PUAD 558*	Quantitative Analysis	4
Organizational Behavior
PUAD 585	Human Behavior in Public Organizations	4
(With the approval of the M.P.A. or center director, the student may choose a human resource management elective to fulfill this requirement.)
Finance
PUAD 514*	Public Financial Management and Budgeting	4

(With the approval of the M.P.A. or center director, the student may choose a financial management elective to fulfill this requirement.)

*The statistics requirement must be met before enrolling in PUAD 506, 514, 525 or 558. A student must pass the school’s statistics competency examination or pass PPD 404x with a grade of B or better. The examination is offered every semester.

Students may elect to devote their three elective courses to gain depth in a designated area cluster. These areas include the following:

federal public management
financial management
human resource management
information systems
intergovernmental management
international policy and management
local government
nonprofit management
population statistics
regulatory policy and management

Students may elect to follow a more generalist perspective and take their elective courses from the array of elective offerings.

Thesis option, PUAD 594ab Master’s Thesis (4 units), may be taken as part of the elective category. Information regarding the thesis contract is available from the M.P.A. director. All theses and dissertations submitted in fulfillment of requirements for graduate degrees must conform to university regulations with regard to form and method of preparation.

Pre-service students are required to take the internship and PUAD Internship Seminar in the same semester. The student is placed in a supervised internship position, working a minimum of 16 hours for at least 10 weeks.

In addition to the substantive area cluster, M.P.A. students may choose the specialization in intergovernmental management.

Students enroll in courses and serve in internships in at least two levels of governance. A student may take courses toward this specialization at either the Los Angeles or Sacramento center. Internships may be taken through either of these centers, or through the Washington, D.C. center. Students electing this specialization meet with the intergovernmental management coordinator at either the Los Angeles or the Sacramento center to design their program.

To complete this specialization, students complete three courses from the following lists (with at least two drawn from the first list): (1) PUAD 552, 553, 554, 564, 566; (2) PUAD 519, 557, 571.

The Master of Public Policy (M.P.P.) program is designed to prepare students for careers as professional policy analysts. Through an interdisciplinary curriculum and real world experience, students gain an understanding of the policy process, and develop the capacity to formulate, analyze and implement public policy.

The M.P.P. degree is offered at the University Park Campus only.

Candidates for admission must have maintained a minimum B (3.0) average during their undergraduate degree work and attain a score of at least 500 on the verbal and at least 500 on the quantitative sections of the GRE. Exceptions to these requirements are allowed if justified by outstanding work experience, letters of recommendation, or demonstrated improvement in academic performance during undergraduate studies.

Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and have completed a minimum of the equivalent of three semester hours in each of the following subjects: microeconomic theory, American political institutions and statistics. If these prerequisites are not satisfied upon application, the applicant may be admitted on special status while they are being completed.

Students are required to complete 48 units of graduate work. The following 32 units constitute the M.P.P. core and must be completed by students.

Required core courses

Units

PUAD 512	Public Sector Economics	4
PUAD 527	Public Policy Formulation	4
PUAD 529	Public Policy Evaluation	4
PUAD 558	Quantitative Analysis I	4
PUAD 559	Quantitative Analysis II	4
PUAD 570	Organizations and Public Policy	4
PUAD 572	Methods for Policy Analysis	4
PUAD 589	Policy Analysis Practicum	4

Students are also required to complete one management course from the following list:

Management Course (choose one)

Units

PUAD 514	Public Financial Management and Budgeting	4
PUAD 519	Alternative Dispute Resolution	4
PUAD 551	Financial Accounting in the Public and Non-Profit Sectors	4
PUAD 552	Intergovernmental Management: Local Perspective	4
PUAD 578	Nonprofit Management and Leadership	4
PUAD 585	Human Behavior in Public Organizations	4

In addition to these 36 required units, students are required to take 12 units of electives. Elective courses typically will be taken in an area of concentration and will be selected by the students with the advice and written consent of the director of the M.P.P. program. The following are examples of policy areas of concentration: Business and Government, Education Policy, Environmental Policy, Health Policy, Media and Communications Policy, Nonprofit Policy and Management, Social Policy, and Transportation Policy and Planning.

During a student’s final semester of the program the Policy Analysis Practicum is required as a component of the program’s 48 units of course work. The practicum is an opportunity for students to apply their analytic skills to a current problem for an actual client. Admission to the practicum is granted on the approval of the M.P.P. director, and normally requires prior completion of most required courses.

Specialization in Intergovernmental Management M.P.P. students may choose to specialize in intergovernmental management. This specialization offers students the opportunity to study public policy and the complexity of intergovernmental relationships at three levels of government. Students enroll in courses and serve internships in Los Angeles, Sacramento and Washington, D.C.

In addition to completing the M.P.P. core requirements, students enroll in PUAD 552 Intergovernmental Management: Local Perspective, PUAD 553 Intergovernmental Management: State Perspective and PUAD 554 Intergovernmental Management: Federal Perspective. PUAD 564 Federal Management Systems may be substituted for PUAD 554.

Students interested in this specialization must notify the M.P.P. director prior to beginning their courses in the M.P.P. program.

The Master of Public Policy and Management (M.P.P.M.) is designed for managers, planners and analysts involved in social sector programs who want to expand their management skills and strengthen their analytic and policy analysis capabilities, as well as health care administrators, managers and analysts involved in the design, evaluation and leadership of health care programs.

This program is specifically designed for international students and U.S. students who wish to work in international settings, including the Pacific Rim, Latin America and countries in other regions with evolving social systems.

Students are required to complete a minimum of 32 units. All students must fulfill core requirements (20 units) in fundamental policy analysis and management disciplines and an additional 12 units in an area of concentration chosen by the student. The core requirements include: PUAD 507 Applied International Policy Analysis and Management Project; PUAD 512 Public Sector Economics; PUAD 523 Applied Statistics for Planning, Policy and Management; PUAD 524 International Public Policy and Management Seminar; and PUAD 525 Policy and Program Evaluation.

Students in the program select an area of concentration in which they complete a second tier of recommended courses. Each of these concentrations offers a selection of optional tracks, or interest areas, allowing students to pursue in depth one or more areas of particular relevance to their career goals. The concentration areas enable students in the interdisciplinary M.P.P.M. program to establish a second “home” in one of the school’s programs, such as health administration or urban planning. Students are required to consult with faculty advisors to choose elective courses best suited to their needs.

Through the integrated curriculum, participants gain practical skills which are developed within an appropriate conceptual context. Many of the courses and applied projects integrate examples and data from the student’s home countries. Program graduates will have achieved advanced competency in disciplines that include public sector economics, applied methods for public policy analysis, evaluation and management.

Core faculty are drawn from the School of Policy, Planning, and Development and include senior, experienced faculty along with academic specialists and experts in applied fields such as health care policy and management. In addition to the participation of international experts and visiting scholars as guest lecturers in class sessions, the program features an international seminar on public policy and management with guest lectures by policy makers. The opportunity to interact with leading scholars, policy makers and practitioners from the U.S. and abroad is an essential component of the program.

The program begins in late June with intensive English language workshops and the course in applied statistics. The language workshop can be waived for students with 600+ TOEFL scores. In the fall semester, international students transition into the regular program consisting of required courses and electives in their chosen concentration area. Some students may be required to enroll in additional English language workshops depending on how they score on required English exams. Most students can expect to complete the program in 13 months. The intensive nature of the program is designed for students who are not working while they are enrolled in a program. This approach minimizes the amount of time that professionals must be away from their full-time careers to pursue an advanced degree. Some students may be able to complete their course work in 11 months and become eligible for an optional two-month internship arranged for them by the program. Applicants should have at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university and five to seven years of significant professional experience. The Master of Public Policy and Management Program office is located in the School of Policy, Planning, and Development, Von KleinSmid Center, Room 253, phone (213) 740-0547, fax (213) 821-1331, email: ippam@usc.edu.

The Master of Real Estate Development program is a carefully integrated program that brings together the three main elements of real estate development: design, finance and public policy. It is a one year full-time or two year part-time program of study designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills they require to compete successfully in the development industry. The curriculum encompasses eight areas of study with which developers must be conversant, including real estate law, economics, finance, market analysis, negotiation, planning, architecture and engineering. Courses are taught by full-time faculty members from the School of Policy, Planning, and Development. In addition, practicing developers, lawyers, planners and other professionals make regular contributions to the course of study, helping students link learning to practice.

The program of graduate study for the professional degree requires successful completion of the core curriculum (36 units), elective courses (8 units) and a comprehensive examination. Students must complete a total of 44 units.

The core comprises 11 lecture-seminar courses that combine lectures, projects, case analyses, and exercises which allow students to experience all facets of the developer’s tasks and problems. The integrative project, RED 575L, provides problem solving exercises and the evaluation of actual development situations. Courses emphasize various design, regulatory and fiscal problems associated with urban development and the developer’s role in improving development standards in the industry.

Core Courses

Units

RED 500	Real Estate Development and the Economy	2
RED 509	Market Analysis for Real Estate	4
RED 541	Finance Fundamentals for Real Estate Development	2
RED 542	Finance of Real Estate Development	3
RED 544	Real Estate Capital Markets	2
RED 546	Development Processes	3
RED 547	Project Management and Construction	2
RED 551	The Approval Process	4
RED 562	Legal Issues in Real Estate Development	4
RED 573	Design History and Criticism	2
RED 574	Building Typologies	2
RED 575L	Community Design and Site Planning	4
RED 598	Real Estate Product Development	2

Eight units of elective course work are required for the Master of Real Estate Development. These courses may be taken in the Schools of Policy, Planning, and Development, Architecture, and Business, the Law School and the Department of Civil Engineering. Admission to some classes requires advanced prerequisites and is subject to availability and approval of the instructor.

Successful completion of a comprehensive written and oral examination is required of all students seeking the Master of Real Estate Development degree. The examination explicitly covers the core courses. It is normally administered late in the spring semester by a faculty committee appointed by the dean. Students who fail the examination once may take it again within one year. The examination may not be repeated more than once.

The Master of Real Estate Development may be completed on either a full-time or part-time basis. Both options begin in the summer session in June. The full-time program requires 11 months of study. The part-time option is completed over a two-year period. Students are also expected to participate fully in all extracurricular activities associated with the Master of Real Estate Development program, including the weekly speaker series.

Students who wish a leave of absence for a semester or longer must request it from the dean in writing; such leaves may be granted for up to one year. Students must have an approved laptop computer as required by instructors and must demonstrate calculator and spreadsheet skills; a calculator and/or spreadsheet one unit class is offered on-line via the Internet.

The time limit within which students in the program must complete the requirements for the Master of Real Estate Development is governed by the following regulations:

All requirements for the Master of Real Estate Development must be completed within five calendar years from the first course at USC applied toward the degree. University regulations prohibit the acceptance of credits for courses taken toward a Master of Real Estate Development degree more than seven years after the date they were successfully completed.

While enrolled in the program, a student must maintain a grade point average of at least 3.0 for all courses taken toward the degree.

Any student with a cumulative grade point average of below 3.0 for all courses taken in the program will be placed on academic probation. A student may be disqualified to continue toward a graduate degree if the student has been on academic probation for two consecutive semesters. Whether or not on academic probation or warning, a student may be disqualified at any time from continuing in the program if the dean of the school, after consultation with the faculty, determines that the student is deficient in academic achievement or in another qualification required for the attainment of the Master of Real Estate Development degree.

Courses taken toward other degree programs, if determined by the dean to be equivalent to courses in the curriculum, may be accepted for subject credit only. All students are required to complete 44 units while enrolled in the Master of Real Estate Development program. The acceptance of previous course work for subject credit will enable the student to take additional elective courses.