Online MPP: Mission and Learning Outcomes

Oregon State University is home to world-class scientists working on many issues critical to 21st century citizens.  New forms of governance and problem solving are being tested and studied at OSU to address these issues. As populations continue to become more connected and interdependent, these issues promise to affect us more broadly, more quickly, and with more impact than ever before.  OSU is one of two Land Grant, Sea Grant, Sun Grant and Space Grant universities nationally, and has the expertise and interdisciplinary connections to integrate groundbreaking science into emerging policies, practices and understandings of the world that will impact and influence the course of Oregon, national, and international decisions. The OSU Online MPP is uniquely positioned through working relationships among scientists across the university to fulfill this challenge in many fields and disciplines.

MPP Mission

MPP Program faculty and students engage in innovative research, on all aspects of public policy, that supports ethical and equitable policy decisions at all levels of government, from the local to the global.

Through participation in and successful completion of the Online MPP program, students will graduate with:

  1. The ability to conduct original policy research that extends the knowledge of both policy and other social science disciplines.  This will be demonstrated through mastery and application of critical thinking, and application of standard and innovative policy theory and methods in both coursework and a Public Policy Capstone Project.
  2. Substantive knowledge in an area of concentration that allows for immediate immersion in a relevant policy arena.  This will be accomplished through coursework and a Public Policy Capstone Project.
  3. A commitment to both domestic and international diversity, which will allow our students to navigate an increasingly interconnected world, and to work with stakeholders from various backgrounds, and address policy fields that are relevant to a variety of different populations. In this, we also follow OSU’s Mission statement, which supports an education in diversity “because it enhances our education and provides tools to be culturally respectful, professionally competent, and civically responsible.”  We will facilitate a focus on diversity through student and faculty recruitment, as well as participation and training in coursework.
  4. Demonstrated leadership abilities through coursework and designing public policy alternatives for a significant community policy problem in coursework and Capstone Project .
  5. High ethical standards in public policy research, teaching, and service.  This will be accomplished through participation and training in research methods courses, professional development seminars, and core courses in public policy and administration.
  6. The development of a public service ethic resulting in graduate’s understanding of the significance of working collectively, in collaboration with the public and prioritizing the desires of citizens, communities, and society at large. This outcome will be achieved through service learning projects incorporated into courses that involve public partners in mutually beneficial, community-driven efforts.