Master of Science in Public Policy and Management 21-Month Track

The Master of Science in Public Policy and Management (MSPPM) 21-month track is a program tailored for students seeking to boost their career in positions in policy development, implementation and evaluation, and to manage these functions in government, non-profit organizations, international organisations and the private sector.

The program combines a comprehensive public policy and management curriculum with a compulsory 400 hours of internship program and an industry based System Synthesis Project, these real-world components of the program provide you with work-experience and industry knowledge to kick-start your career and differentiate you in the competitive global market.

Schooled in the interdisciplinary Carnegie Mellon University tradition and trained as an analytical problem solver, you will understand how to produce and analyze data after sound policy advice, and make effective management decisions. You will look beyond traditional paradigms looking to innovative solutions to problems.

MSPPM program has an experienced, professional staff that understands the needs of students and is dedicated to providing a quality educational experience for all students. Our practical approach to education enables you to immediately apply for the job what you learn in the classroom.

The MSPPM curriculum is immersed with challenging courses designed to tap into your innovation potential. You are empowered to customize your degree by selecting from a variety of course electives carried out via coursework and independent study. Class sizes are kept small and course content is career relevant to ensure that students receive the support required to excel in the classroom.

Highlights

• An American degree from Carnegie Mellon University ranked number 7 in the U.S. News & World Report 2012 Graduate School Rankings for Schools of Public Affairs, in the specialty area of Public Policy Analysis.
• A study program ideal for students starting or advancing their careers.
• The full-time program provides eligibility for the Post Study Work Visa.
• A 400 hours of internship program so you can develop your skills in Australia or overseas.
• A high-quality program that integrates management and policy theory, knowledge and skills.
• Incorporates practical experience through the System Synthesis Project.
• The program is NASPAA (Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration) accredited for quality.

Curriculum

Our MSPMM program features a unique interdisciplinary curriculum of analytical and quantitative studies. Students are empowered to customize their degree by selecting from a variety of course electives carried out via coursework and independent study. We are widely recognised for our unique interdisciplinary environment, encouraging work across departmental lines. As a result, our MSPPM graduates enter the world with the ability to solve complex problems.

The MSPPM program requires you to study 198 units in total comprising of 138 units worth of core courses, 12-unit Systems Synthesis Project and 60 units of elective courses. This combination of courses allows you to tailor the program to your career and interest needs by selecting relevant elective course whilst studying core courses which provide a core foundation of skills and knowledge.

Full-time students complete the program over five study periods. Students may commence in either January or August intakes. Each study period is the equivalent to 12-13 weeks of study and usually comprises of 48 units worth of courses. Each course is awarded either 6 or 12 unit weighting. Therefore you can study a combination of 6 and 12 unit courses to meet your program requirements.

Part-time students have up to five years to complete their program, however, most complete the program in two to three years.

For successful completion of the MSPPM program, students must complete 198 units total:

• complete 156 units of core requirements.
• complete 42 units of elective courses.
• complete 400 hours of internship.
• complete a 12 unit System Synthesis Project.
• achieve a cumulative quality point average (QPA) of at least 3.0.

Cost

Tuition is charged on a per study period basis. Cost per study period can change each academic year. Deferral of admission will incur tuition fees at the prevailing rate. The internship study period incurs no tuition cost.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

We offer a range of academic merit-based scholarships for students who seek financial support in their studies.

Financial Aid for U.S. Students is administered by the Heinz College Office of Financial Aid in Pittsburgh.

Carnegie Mellon University is an American university established in 1900 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Ranked 23 in the world (Times Higher Education, World University Ranking, 2017-18) Carnegie Mellon has been a birthplace of innovation throughout its history and is a global leader in bringing ground-breaking ideas to market and creating successful start-up businesses. Carnegie Mellon University in Australia (which opened in 2006) forms part of Carnegie Mellon’s global footprint which includes campuses in Silicon Valley, Rwanda, and Qatar. Located in Adelaide, the fifth Most Liveable City in the world (Economist Intelligence Unit 2015) and Australia’s most affordable mainland capital city, the Carnegie Mellon Australia campus is home to students from over 20 countries, creating wide-reaching networks of contemporaries, global experts, and alumni. Students graduate with the Carnegie Mellon University American degree and are taught by highly qualified faculty who boast extensive careers in teaching, basic and applied research, and leadership in their respective fields. Classes are taught by resident and visiting faculty from Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C. Overseas faculty teaches remotely to Adelaide using sophisticated video conferencing facilities. Controlled student-to-faculty ratios ensure the faculty provides students with personalized attention to meet their individual needs. Our degrees combine practical and technical courses that provide students with the scientific knowledge and problem-solving skills necessary to succeed in their careers. By design, our innovative course curriculum provides a firm foundation in theory, with a focus on skills that will advance management practice, policy, and decision-making. Our curriculum includes challenging courses designed to develop student potential for innovation. Students customise their degree by selecting from a variety of course electives, projects, and independent study. Experiential learning is provided through internships and team and individual projects. The combination of an American degree and studying in Australia provides students with a unique skill-set and international perspective. Graduates become sought-after individuals offering unique, immediate and measurable benefits to future employers as sophisticated analysts and effective executives.

Mission and Vision

Our Mission Carnegie Mellon University Australia is founded on the proposition that the study of public policy and of information technology, independently and jointly, provides a uniquely powerful platform from which to influence the world of the 21st Century. We are the only academic institution in the world that pursues this goal through a unified faculty that comprises management science, social science, and information technology in roughly equal parts. It is our mission to utilize the research and education this platform enables to have a positive influence on the evolution of societies, economic systems, organizations and individual lives around the world. Our Vision We see a world in which the increased diffusion of information technology, the global development of human capital and the resultant interdependence of market, political, social and cultural systems have changed the nature of economic, managerial and policy problems. We believe our ability to mobilize analytic models, empirical analysis, and technological sophistication to address these changes is unique. In pursuing our intellectual agenda we also aspire to be an academic institution that is a bridge between the development of new knowledge and its application for the improvement of organizations, societies, and individual lives. Events Carnegie Mellon University in Australia holds regular webinars, attends exhibitions and visits agents and institutions worldwide. If you are interested in meeting some of our staff and learning more about our programs please check out our current events.