USC/Coro Fellowship Program

The USC/Coro Fellowship program provides an opportunity for individuals selected to the Coro Fellowship Program in Public Affairs who are admissible to the USC School of Policy, Planning and Development to participate in the Coro Fellowship Program and simultaneously complete one of the following masters degree programs. The program depends on the location the Coro Fellow is pursuing his or her Fellowship.  

The four degree programs are briefly described below.

Master of Public Administration.  The Master of Public Administration (MPA) prepares graduates for leadership and management roles in public service by developing their understanding of social, economic, political, and institutional contexts and their personal and professional skills.  The MPA provides students with sound management, analytical and policymaking skills that prepare them to pursue their individual interests.  For both early and mid-career professionals, the MPA consists of 40 units and is normally completed by students in two years. Students without a background in statistics take an additional 2 unit statistics class.  Through the MPA lab, students develop foundational skills in professional writing, speaking, and research, and they meet with officials in local government, nonprofit and quasi-government agencies to develop an understanding of the professional practice of public and nonprofit management.    

The MPA program may be taken in residence at the University Park Campus in Los Angeles, or at the USC State Capital Center in Sacramento, California, or as an on-line program.  Distinctive features of the on-line program include two residency components, one at the beginning of the program and one at the end, where students will meet for an intensive class session over a weekend at one of a small number of locations throughout the US.  Students will meet some of their Fellow classmates face to face, meet their professor and program management, and interact with local SPPD alumni to develop and solidify relationships with Fellow students and alumni, thus reinforcing the professional networks for which SPPD is well known.  

Master of Public Policy.  The Master of Public Policy (MPP) integrates analytic techniques (data analysis; policy analysis methods; economic modeling techniques; operations research) with development of the skills required to make change within complex political and organizational arenas.  Core courses and specialized electives provide students with in-depth knowledge of current policy issues such as economic development, environmental policy, and health policy, among others.  Through coursework, interaction with faculty, and practical applications, MPP students gain awareness of the political environment in which policy decisions are made, and they develop an understanding of the effects of policy on government, businesses, and communities.  The MPP academic coursework consists of 48 units and is complemented with practical professional training that spans two years.  The MPP Lab, taken at the beginning of the fall semester, orients MPP students to the profession, develops practical professional skills, provides a review of statistics, and introduces students to the Los Angeles public policy professional community.  In the second year, the MPP students work directly in client consultation through the program’s two-semester Policy Analysis Practicum. 

Master of Planning.  The USC Master of Planning (MPL) provides students with a core of knowledge underlying the key forms and applications of planning.  A 48 unit degree program, the curriculum prepares students for a wide range of careers in the field.  A hallmark of the program is the multi-sector perspective on and approach to planning.  Planning not only emphasizes the public sector, but also private sector development, nonprofit organizations and the needs of citizens, its intended beneficiaries.  Planning studios are an integral part of the curriculum, providing the pedagogical link between academic education and preparation for professional practice.  To complement their course work, MPL students complete a 400 hour internship (at least 10 weeks) with an organization engaged in planning or a closely related activity.  

Master of Health Administration.  The Master of Health Administration incorporates health management, economics and finance, technology and law to provide students with broad exposure to and in-depth knowledge of the latest theories and the best contemporary practice of health management and policy. The traditional MHA consists of 44 units of study, typically completed in two and a half to three years.  A required residency provides those new to the field—or those interested in new career horizons--the opportunity to gain valuable experience in a structured field placement.  

Individuals selected to this program will receive a $24,000 Fellowship to pursue one of the above-mentioned degree programs.  The scholarship money will be allocated proportionally among the number of units taken. 

Application for Admission

To be eligible for the USC/Coro Fellowship Scholarship, students need to submit their entire application package.  The application package will consist of the following:

USC Graduate Application for Admission

$85 Application Fee 

Official Transcripts

GRE scores (please see individual degree program materials as in some programs GMAT scores may be accepted).  Scores may be waived of MPA applicants who have at least five years management experience.

Statement of purpose

Current resume

SPPD Supplemental Application

3 letters of recommendation

The Fellowship will be extended to students who meet the USC/Coro scholarship deadlines and who are admitted to one of SPPD master’s programs outlined above.  

Students who qualify for admission normally have earned B averages in their bachelor’s degrees and have scored above 1100 on the GRE.  Applicants’ commitment to education and career goals as demonstrated in the statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, and work/volunteer experience are also important factors.  

Coro Fellows and alumni, as all USC graduate students, are expected to maintain good academic standing and make satisfactory academic progress towards their degree.  Those who do not maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA risk after their first year risk losing the Scholarship during their second year.

Description of the Partners

The USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development has a long history of providing outstanding programs in public affairs, urban planning, health management and policy, and real estate development.  Founded in 1929, SPPD was ranked number seven in the 2008 US News and World Report ranking of public affairs programs and number nine in the 2008 Planetizen Guide to Graduate Urban Planning Programs.  The Master of Health Administration program, established in 1988, is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Health Management Education; the Master of Public Administration program, established in 1933, is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Public Administration; and the Master of Planning program, established in 1955, is accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board, a subset of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning, American Planning Association, and the American Institute of Certified Planners.  The Master of Public Policy program, established in 1988, has not applied for a separate accreditation.   

There are approximately 1,450 students enrolled in SPPD.  Approximately 50 full-time tenure-track, research and teaching faculty members as well as 75 adjunct faculty members teach in these programs.  Adjunct faculty members consist of distinguished practitioners and visiting faculty from other universities.

In addition to offering programs at the University Park Campus in Los Angeles, SPPD also offers graduate programs at the USC State Capital Center in Sacramento.  Students may complete both the Master Public Administration and Master Health Administration programs in Sacramento and students in the Master of Public Policy and Master of Planning programs may take courses or spend a semester of year studying at the USC State Capital Center.  SPPD will be launching its MPA as an on-line degree in Fall 2011.

Coro was established in 1942 to strengthen the democratic process by preparing individuals for effective and ethical leadership in the public arena.  At the core of the Coro programs is the convergence of experiential immersion and the Coro Method within an environment of extreme diversity.  Their premier offering is the nine-month graduate Fellows Program in Public Affairs.  In addition, Coro offers three month and six month specialized community leadership programs.  Graduate of the Coro programs have been involved with every Presidential Administration since Eisenhower and can be found making a powerful difference throughout the public and private sectors nationwide.