University of Southern California

Research at SPPD

Research at SPPD

Academic research is a hallmark of the School of Policy, Planning, and Development. SPPD not only takes a traditional scholarly approach to research by developing new theories and analytical methods, it also goes beyond the laboratory to engage in real-world problem solving. In addition, SPPD reaches arcoss its disciplines – in public policy, urban planning, public administration, health policy and administration, and real estate development – to find meaningful solutions to the most critical issues facing our communities and our society.

Collectively, the SPPD faculty rank third at USC in terms of per capita research grants — a reflection of both their productivity and the quality of their research. SPPD faculty research is supported from a variety of sources, including the National Science Foundation, federal and state government agencies, and many foundations. For 2007-08, more than 30 faculty members had some 80 grants or contracts with a total value of $21.4 million.

Research Opportunities for Students

Students have many opportunities to engage in SPPD research. They may work as graduate and undergraduate research assistants, participate in student research conferences, and attend the many research seminar series offered within the school. SPPD research is frequently collaborative and often interdisciplinary, involving not only SPPD faculty and students, but also faculty and students from engineering, the social sciences, education, health sciences, or business. Many of the school’s research activities take place under the auspices of its nationally and internationally known research centers and groups.

Research Activities

SPPD research may be described in three broad, cross-disciplinary categories: governance, policy solutions, and sustainable urban development:

Governance: SPPD's governance research focuses on the institutions and policy-making processes by which societies make their major collective decisions. It is concerned with how best to legislate, regulate, manage and provide public goods and services — particularly as the roles of federal, state, and local governments change; and private and nonprofit sectors take on more traditionally "public" activities. SPPD governance research deals with topics such as leadership, decision making, and management of public, private, and nonprofit institutions; democratic processes; the design of effective institutional structures for the delivery of services; the role of the private sector in public services; and citizen participation.

Policy Solutions: SPPD policy research addresses specific solutions to the major issues facing society. It deals with environmental regulation, monetary policy, education reform, affordable housing, healthcare, economic development, immigration, and population and demographic changes. It focuses on infrastructure and transportation policy issues as well as access to – and the financing of – healthcare. SPPD's strength in policy analysis is a distinguishing quality of the school's policy research.

Sustainable Urban Development: Communities that are healthy for people and the environment depend on both physical infrastructure, urban design, and social services. The availability and configuration of roads, public transportation, schools, neighborhoods, shopping centers, parks and water systems all contribute to community well-being and a sense of place. Similarly, effective health and safety systems are essential. SPPD research seeks to design healthy and sustainable communities both in the short run and for decades to come.

SPPD Research Centers and Initiatives: