Pepperdine’s School of Public Policy was founded two decades ago by noted scholars and leaders like James Q. Wilson, Jack Kemp, and Michael Novak, as a response to many of the government-centric policy programs of the time. Because of these beginnings, Pepperdine offers students a comprehensive curriculum grounded in both policy analysis and an exceptional understanding of the many factors—cultural, historical, and constitutional—that affect the implementation of public policy. We focus on developing ethical leaders who consider the role of government, free-markets, and faith as they craft effective policy solutions and solve public policy challenges at home and abroad. For our students pursuing careers in the foreign service, they are prepared to consider the distinct cultural and historical influences of wherever they serve . . . to “think historically” as well as analytically.

We take a fresh, innovative, and student-centered approach to the increasingly important interdisciplinary field of public policy. Pepperdine’s program is built on a distinctive philosophy that impacts the study and application of public policy in several important respects:

• Public policy is not limited to the study of government solutions, but is broadened to embrace a full range of community-based and free-market approaches to public policy challenges.
• The teaching of public policy goes beyond the theoretical survey of problems, highlighting policy applications that have proven to be effective.
• Foreign policy solutions by American policymakers must consider the nation’s unique role in the world.

The School of Public Policy possesses a commitment to grassroots problem solving within a community that is reflective of Pepperdine’s Christian heritage.