Pepperdine University, School of Public Policy

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A Distinguished Approach to the Study of Public Policy

Robert Kaufman
Professor of International Relations
School of Public Policy
Pepperdine University

Some students are eager to develop critical skills as analysts. Others are prepared to combine these analytic tools with organizational talents to leverage their work through the activities of other people, and are often recruited by both the public and private sectors. Some, perhaps an even smaller group, guided by strength of moral purpose, are able to design and inspire organizations that not only create value for those they serve but make meaning for those they lead. It is precisely this last group that seems to thrive most in the Pepperdine program.

Our approach toward the increasingly important interdisciplinary field of public policy is student-centered, innovative, and distinctive in several ways.

How does the faculty at Pepperdine foster a unique experience in earning a Master of Public Policy (MPP) degree?

We define public policy broadly to include the private as well as the public sector. We stress the ethical as well as the practical dimension of policy, which we consider interdependent. Our goal is to develop the capacity of aspiring policymakers to think rigorously about reconciling the desirable and the possible in the realm of public affairs. The faculty instills in the core curriculum our conviction that understanding the first principles and the historical pedigree of policy debates are critical to elevating the discourse and outcomes of public policy by deliberation and choice.

How will the nature of a small MPP program benefit a student?

We combine the best aspects of a small program with large resources. Because we are small, students receive considerable attention and faculty access. Graduate assistantships are available and give the students the opportunity to gain exposure to faculty research and valuable mentorships. Currently I am coauthoring a book with a former student who went on to write speeches for President George W. Bush after he graduated from Pepperdine. In addition, because we are located in the Los Angeles area, Pepperdine draws on national scholars to supplement our program. We have brought to Pepperdine some of the most renowned scholars in the field of international relations and security studies such as Victor Davis Hanson, Anthony Lake, Greg Treverton, and Daniel Pipes.

What makes the leadership skills taught at Pepperdine so critical for a successful career in public policy?

Reinhold Niebuhr captured our spirit best when he observed that "man's capacity for good makes democracy possible, just as, "man's propensity for evil makes it necessary." Our students have learned in the classroom and through experience that transparency is essential to bring out the best in us, and control our worst instincts. We all do our best when we are accountable. We demonstrate this by offering an excellent theoretical and practical training ground for ethically grounded leaders in all realms, particularly international relations and national security. As Ronald Reagan observed, it falls on every generation of Americans to defend our freedom, sooner or later. The School of Public Policy helps train leaders to do it in a way consistent with our interests, moral values, and a decent but not slavish respect for the opinions of mankind.

Pepperdine University
School of Public Policy
http://publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu
Email this school
310-506-7493

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