UCLA Department of Public Policy

The mission of the Department of Public Policy is to enhance both the range of ideas and knowledge about how to deal with public problems and improve the skills of those who deal with them professionally, by conducting research directed to public issues, educating public policy professionals, and partnering with public servants and the community to disseminate and apply new and existing knowledge for solving public problems. UCLA Luskin Public Policy faculty are leaders in research and practice, tackling a wide range of pressing policy issues across economics, political science, sociology, and public policy. They collaborate closely with colleagues and students across UCLA’s professional schools and academic departments, benefiting from one of the most productive faculty communities in the nation—including Nobel Prize winners, MacArthur Fellows, and members of the National Academy of Sciences. These faculty not only advance scholarship through publications in top journals but also apply their expertise in real-world settings, advising governments at all levels—from the White House and Congress to California state leadership. They draw on the extensive resources of UCLA and the broader UC system, with key centers such as the California Center for Population Research (CCPR), California Policy Lab (CPL), and the Federal Statistical Research Data Center (FSRDC) located within the department itself. 

The Department of Public Policy offers a rigorous and challenging policy program that provides the analytical tools and strategic orientation that one needs to be a leader in identifying policy problems, designing new policies and organizations, advocating their adoption, managing their implementation, and evaluating their impact. The Master of Public Policy program combines the best of traditional policy education with a flexibility and responsiveness that enables graduates to remain relevant and influential in a rapidly changing world.  

For more information, please visit the Public Policy webpage.

Last updated
November 21, 2025