School of Continuing and Professional Studies

The School of Continuing & Professional Studies (SCPS) at Loyola offers a diverse range of application-oriented graduate and post-baccalaureate programs designed to meet emerging labor market demands. Developed in collaboration with industry experts, these programs provide working adult learners with relevant skills and knowledge to advance their careers.

SCPS empowers adult learners through an accessible, impactful, and holistic education, fostering both personal and professional success. With fully online classes and flexible 8-week schedules, programs allow students to balance their studies with their life’s other responsibilities. Additionally, the Urban Affairs and Public Policy program area follows a 16-week semester schedule, offering a mix of online and on-campus coursework to accommodate diverse learning preferences. Led by scholars and experienced practitioners, SCPS courses ensure students gain practical, career-ready expertise to thrive in their chosen fields.

Graduate Programs

Post-Baccalaureate Programs

Instructional Design (INDN)

INDN 420 Instructional Design Theories and Models (3 Credit Hours)

Pre- or co-requisites: CIEP 470 Principles of Instructional Design

This course covers how theories of human learning can be applied to the instructional process to make it more effective, efficient, and appealing. The course has a two-fold focus: the theoretical principles that have contributed to the field of ID, and how those principles can be applied within practical settings.

Differentiate/compare/contrast among learning theories, ID theories and ID models; Identify/describe the basic tenets of behavioral, cognitive, and constructivist theories; Identify/describe motivational theories; Select/apply principles in practical learning situations

Outcomes

INDN 421 Design & Development of Instructional Materials (3 Credit Hours)

Pre- or co-requisites: CIEP 470 Principles of Instructional Design

This course builds upon instructional design theories and best practices introduced in the Principles of Instructional Design course. It provides an overview of a variety of instructional tools and technologies and allows students to implement design principles in the development of instructional materials.

Recall/describe/apply learning theories and methodologies to design/develop instructional materials; Recognize/describe/apply visual literacy strategies and accessibility standards to create instructional materials; Design/develop/implement instructional materials using multiple media

Outcomes

INDN 430 Performance Improvement in Organizations (3 Credit Hours)

Pre- or co-requisites: CIEP 470 Principles of Instructional Design

In this course, learners will identify a problem/cause/solution to a performance problem within an organization using the Human Performance Improvement model. Learners will select a learning intervention and create an evaluation plan to assess its effectiveness. Learners will compare/contrast the instructional design process within a variety of organizations.

Compare/contrast ID teams in organizations; Analyze data to identify performance gaps/causes; Select a performance intervention based on needs analysis; Compose an evaluation plan; Identify Change Management strategies for implementation

Outcomes

INDN 431 Fundamentals of Learning Analytics (3 Credit Hours)

Pre- or co-requisites: CIEP 470 Principles of Instructional Design

In this course, students will build a foundation for deploying learning analytics to be used in instructional design. The course employs a combination of theory and hands-on experience using business-intelligence tools. Emphasis will be centered on specific models and methodologies in data collection, normalization, visualization, and analysis.

Explain learning analytics theory; identify recent trends; Use reporting tools to compile/isolate/summarize data; Differentiate between learning models; Align data models to assessments; Conduct predictive data analysis; Discuss ethics considerations

Outcomes

INDN 440 Applications of Human Centered Design Principles (3 Credit Hours)

Pre- or co-requisites: CIEP 470 Principles of Instructional Design

Human-centered design places humans and their needs at the center of the design, compels us to take a holistic/thoughtful approach to our designs. This course uses these principles to examine the design process to create learning experiences that are inclusive and responsive. Learners will also craft their own design philosophy.

Describe principles of human-centered design; Create a space for learning that incorporates principles of human-centered design; Critique the application and use of these principles; Formulate your own philosophy of design

Outcomes

INDN 490 Instructional Design Capstone (3 Credit Hours)

Pre-requisites: CIEP 470 Principles of Instructional Design, last semester of the program, program director approval; Corequisite: 8W1 remaining course requirements must be completed

Students will apply program outcomes to real-world settings in preparation for an ID career. The course combines research and service learning towards the creation of a project, portfolio and professional artifact. Students will partner with a SME to build a module tailored to their course or institution.

Conduct a needs assessment, compose learning goals/outcomes, and create an evaluation plan by partnering with a subject matter expert; Create a training module incorporating SME content; Develop a professional portfolio

Outcomes

Master of Public Policy (MPP)

MPP 400 Policy Design and Analysis (3 Credit Hours)

Students will learn to analyze issues to determine if there is a role for government intervention, to evaluate public policy options that could address the identified problem, and to design programs that would target the specific issues. The role of political factors in affecting these decisions is also covered.

MPP 401 Analytical Tools in Public Policy (3 Credit Hours)

This class covers diverse modeling tools in public policy, drawing from fields such as economics, geography, demography, spatial analysis, risk analysis. decision theory. The emphasis is on applied analysis to address current public policy issues.

MPP 402 Cost Benefit Analysis (3 Credit Hours)

The course cover the basics of the CBA technique with applications in several policy areas. CBA is grounded in the policy evaluation framework, including discussion of ethical issues and the use of CBA information in policy and program decisions.

Ability to conduct CBA analysis, understand its use in the policy process, including ethical issues

Outcomes

Ability to conduct CBA analysis, understand its use in the policy process, including ethical issues

MPP 403 Public Budget and Finance (3 Credit Hours)

This course provides students with practical knowledge about the budget process and the tools to construct and analyze a public budget. General theories of public finance and the role of the budget as a political document are covered. Assignments will provide practice in the budgeting approaches covered in the readings.

MPP 404 Public Policy Process (3 Credit Hours)

This class provides an introduction to the major theories of the public policy process. We consider issues of problem definition, social construction, agenda setting, the role of government institutions and interest groups in determining policy outcomes.

Students will understand how political considerations, institutions, and rules of government affect public policy outcomes

Outcomes

Students will understand how political considerations, institutions, and rules of government affect public policy outcomes

MPP 405 Statistical Methods & Analysis for Public Policy I (3 Credit Hours)

This course is an introduction to statistical modeling, and hypothesis testing for applied problems in urban affairs and public policy. This class will provide the foundation for thinking about casual relationships, determining differences among groups, and what might account for those differences.

Students will learn to conduct basis statistical analysis and write literate data analysis reports

Outcomes

Students will learn to conduct basis statistical analysis and write literate data analysis reports

MPP 406 Statistical Methods & Analysis Public Policy II (3 Credit Hours)

Pre-requisites: MPP 405

This class develops the multiple linear regression model and extensions of it that are commonly used in the study of public policy. We investigate the relationships between the type of data available and the quantitative models to use, including logistic analysis and use of simultaneous equations.

Students will learn to use the tools necessary to understand, critique, and conduct advanced statistics

Outcomes

Students will learn to use the tools necessary to understand, critique, and conduct advanced statistics

MPP 407 Local Economic Development (3 Credit Hours)

Students will learn the current theories of local economic development, including the role of infrastructure, access to markets, workforce quality (human capital), technology development, the role of universities, and the value of networks among business actors. Students will use these theories to create a metropolitan benchmarking report and strategic plan.

MPP 408 Political Feasibility Analysis (3 Credit Hours)

Pre-requisites: Graduate Students Only

Students will analyze strategies for assessing the political feasibility of enacting and implementing public policies. Crafting a message, use of media to communicate that message, identification of allies and opponents, and how to navigate legislative and bureaucratic processes will be covered.

Ability to craft and implement a comprehensive political strategy to change public policy outcomes; Includes: creating messages, use of media, development of grassroots campaign, work within legislatures and government agencies

Outcomes

MPP 409 Education Policy and Politics (3 Credit Hours)

Pre-requisites: Graduate Students Only

This seminar focuses on K-12 policy in the U.S. using a policy analysis framework. We evaluate alternative policy proposals related to different theories of equality and school quality. We examine market-driven, standards-based, human capital, fiscal, and community-based models of reform. The course concludes by examining the political context for reform.

Develop analytical ability to identify the contemporary problems with education, what causes them, and what policy reforms could be used to address those problems

Outcomes

Develop analytical ability to identify the contemporary problems with education, what causes them, and what policy reforms could be used to address those problems

MPP 410 Special Topics in Public Policy (3 Credit Hours)

This seminar course will cover specialized topics in public policy in greater detail.

Students will learn about current issues related to the topic, relevant theoretical approaches, and application of theories to the specific issue in order to develop policy solutions

Outcomes

Students will learn about current issues related to the topic, relevant theoretical approaches, and application of theories to the specific issue in order to develop policy solutions

MPP 411 Environmental Governance (3 Credit Hours)

Environmental governance examines the institutions used to manage the environment and natural resources. The class pulls from political, economic, sociological and ecological frameworks to develop an interdisciplinary examination of the management of resources, both in the US and abroad.

MPP 412 Urban Politics and Policy (3 Credit Hours)

The course examines sources of power in the city and their impact on city policies, including the role of economic power, federalism, government structures, neighborhood groups, and voting. The focus is on any systematic bias in city policies and how likely that the bias could be overcome.

Understand the major theories of urban politics and use them to analyze potential policy outcomes in cities

Outcomes

Understand the major theories of urban politics and use them to analyze potential policy outcomes in cities

MPP 413 Intergovernmental Relations (3 Credit Hours)

This class looks at what determines the allocation of responsibility and power across U.S. levels of government, how do the different levels interact with each other, and how does this system affect why some policy problems appear to receive a lot of attention and others do not. Department consent required.

Understand how principles of federalism shape policy subsystems, which then affects who addresses policy problems and how outcomes are shaped by the various governments

Outcomes

Understand how principles of federalism shape policy subsystems, which then affects who addresses policy problems and how outcomes are shaped by the various governments

MPP 414 Affordable Housing Finance and Policy (3 Credit Hours)

This course focuses on how affordable housing programs work - the policy side, the development side, the investment side, and the legal side. This requires an understanding of the legal principles underlying real estate finance, the principles of investment, impact of tax laws, and demographic and economic factors that affect the supply and demand for housing. Department Consent Required.

Gain knowledge of affordable housing criteria, needs assessments, financial and investment factors that affect supply, structure of common affordable housing policies

Outcomes

Gain knowledge of affordable housing criteria, needs assessments, financial and investment factors that affect supply, structure of common affordable housing policies

MPP 461 Education Law & Policy (3 Credit Hours)

This seminar explores legal, political and practical issues confronting American education. The course begins with analysis of fundamental political and philosophical principles underlying the educational system. Students then apply these principles to areas of education law - such as school finance, governance, the balance between federal and state roles in curriculum. Department consent required for enrollment.

Course equivalencies: MPP 461/LAW 461

Students will be able to: understand fundamental legal doctrines governing US education law, research legal and political issues in education policy; analyze education problems and develop policy options

Outcomes

MPP 499 Directed Readings (3 Credit Hours)

An independent study course provides the opportunity for a student to develop knowledge regarding a particular topic of interest, beyond that available in traditional courses. The student will develop a contract with the faculty member who supervises the independent study to specify the topics covered, the tasks to be performed, and the grading criteria. Students are expected to participate in development of a reading list. Regular meetings of the student and the faculty supervisor will occur throughout the semester.

MPP 500 Public Policy Evaluation (3 Credit Hours)

Pre-requisites: PLSC 476 or SOCL 414

This class covers basic methods of evaluating the impact of public policies. We will read examples of each type of evaluation and discuss the difficulties each case illustrates in doing applied research - including statistical problems, ethical issues, and the potential impact of the evaluation on policy change.

MPP 501 Public Policy Internship (3 Credit Hours)

Enrollment is restricted to students in MUAPP program. Students will work with an organization in the public sector (typically nonprofit or government) to apply concepts and skills from the first-year MUAPP curriculum. They will develop a portfolio of work products to demonstrate their competencies and interests to future employers. Students will gain relevant work experience; apply concepts and skills developed in other courses in the MUAPP curriculum; create a portfolio of work products to demonstrate abilities to future employers.

MPP 502 Professional Development Skills (1 Credit Hour)

Requirement for MPP graduate students. The class develops professional skills for students to identify and pursue internship and career options. Policy practitioners discuss their experiences, illustrating different work in the policy field. Job search strategies, resume writing, and informational interviews are covered.

MPP 503 Public Policy Practicum (3 Credit Hours)

Enrollment is restricted to students in MUAPP program. This is a capstone course for the masters degree in public policy or urban affairs. The goal is to gain experience working as a team conducting a policy analysis or program evaluation project. Faculty will determine the topic for the course, often based on a real world client's interests.

Students apply concepts and skills developed in the MUAPP curriculum to a real world problem; work with a client and stakeholders; create a research report appropriate to an applied environment

Outcomes

Students apply concepts and skills developed in the MUAPP curriculum to a real world problem; work with a client and stakeholders; create a research report appropriate to an applied environment

MPP 606 Childlaw Legislation and Policy Clinic (3 Credit Hours)

Permission of instructor is required prior to registration. Students work on a legislative project under faculty supervision that involves: developing an advocacy and coalition building strategy, drafting bills, developing fact sheets and summaries for pending legislative in Springfield, visiting the state legislature to observe and participate in the process of policy advocacy regarding a child or family law issue.

Develop skills necessary in policy advocacy: critiquing legislation, assessing a legislative problem, researching the problem, proposing solutions, and drafting materials and presenting information orally

Outcomes

Public Service Leadership (PSLD)

PSLD 400 Introduction to Public Service (3 Credit Hours)

Introduces students to organizational theories and practices useful to public service managers. Teaches students how to use structural, human resource, political and symbolic perspectives to rethink public service organizations. Provides an introduction to managerial issues including workforce diversity, decision making, and leadership; stresses critical thinking skills. Open to students admitted into the MA in Public Service Leadership program (PSLD-MA).

Knowledge of ethics, values, and skills for organizational leadership in human service and public service agencies; Knowledge of theory, organizational functions and structures, leadership styles, and value-driven leadership

Outcomes

PSLD 402 Foundations of Global Strategic Communication (3 Credit Hours)

Globalization challenges almost every aspect of communication from creating and delivering messages to spreading ideas that cross language, time, and cultural barriers. The course focuses on using strategies communication planning and management to guide communication activities in organizations. Open to students admitted into the MA in Public Service Leadership program (PSLD-MA).

Knowledge of critical communication skills and values; Understand the interplay between communication, technology, and culture

Outcomes

Knowledge of critical communication skills and values; Understand the interplay between communication, technology, and culture

PSLD 403 Program Management and Development (3 Credit Hours)

There is an increasing demand for public service workers who can work with diverse communities through program management and development using strengths and empowerment perspectives and social and economic justice principles. This course builds on the ecological systems perspective that views program development as an arena for social change. Open to students admitted into the MA in Public Service Leadership program (PSLD-MA).

Knowledge and skills needed for planning new or adapting existing programs within the context of diverse communities; Develop skill set for program development and quality improvement

Outcomes

Knowledge and skills needed for planning new or adapting existing programs within the context of diverse communities; Develop skill set for program development and quality improvement

PSLD 404 Data, Visualization and Evaluation (3 Credit Hours)

Using Microsoft Excel, this course introduces students to the use of quantitative data in policy, public management, and non-profit decision making. Topics include causal inference, descriptive statistics, data visualization, probability, statistical inference, and regression analysis. Open to students admitted into the MA in Public Service Leadership program (PSLD-MA).

Hands-on knowledge and experience managing and analyzing data sets; Best practices for presenting data to diverse stakeholders

Outcomes

Hands-on knowledge and experience managing and analyzing data sets; Best practices for presenting data to diverse stakeholders

PSLD 405 Design Thinking in Mitigating Complex Social Problems (3 Credit Hours)

Design thinking is a way of working with user-centered innovation to address problems where not all knowledge is available at the outset, i.e. the problem itself is unknown (wicked problems). Design thinking rests on principles such as user involvement, problem framing, experimentation, visualization, and diversity. Open to students admitted into the MA in Public Service Leadership program (PSLD-MA).

Develop critical skills for management and innovation; Develop creative potential of individuals and enable them to deal with wicked problems

Outcomes

Develop critical skills for management and innovation; Develop creative potential of individuals and enable them to deal with wicked problems

PSLD 420 Disaster Operations and Management (3 Credit Hours)

Pre-requisites: Only open to students admitted into the MA in Public Service Leadership (PSLD-MA)

Introduction to emergency management theories and practices that are critical in the emergency management profession. Covers the phases of emergency management, human and political aspects, the importance of effective resource management, environmental concerns, and the threats and hazard identification and risk assessment process that is important to emergency management organizations. Introduces participants to issues related to managing personnel, including volunteers, workforce diversity, decision-making, leadership, and stresses critical thinking skills.

Knowledge of theory, organizational functions and structures, phases of emergency management, resource management, ethics, politics, and threats and hazards; Develops ability to solve complex problems and engaged with a wide variety of organizations that support emergency management

Outcomes

PSLD 422 Disasters and Vulnerable Populations (3 Credit Hours)

Pre-requisites: Only open to students admitted into the MA in Public Service Leadership (PSLD-MA)

Disasters create lasting impacts for communities large and small. This course introduces students to emergency management concepts that ensure the needs are being met for citizens with access and functional needs, those living in areas with high social vulnerability, and other vulnerable populations throughout the community. Teaches students to include vulnerable populations in all phases of emergency management and provides students with the opportunity to learn critical communication and problem-solving skills.

Understand the make-up of the community being served, ensure plans, processes, and disaster response includes vulnerable populations within the community; Knowledge of tools and resources available to assist in preparedness activities to ensure they involve the community in its entirety

Outcomes

PSLD 423 Integrated Social-Medical Issues in Emergency Management (3 Credit Hours)

Pre-requisites: Only open to students admitted into the MA in Public Service Leadership (PSLD-MA) Outcomes: Identify social and medical issues in EM practices; Apply the concepts of EM within a social-medical context; Describe EM social and medical organizations and structures and their relation to public service; Apply concepts of leadership to public service, EM, and other sectors

This course builds on existing leadership and public service knowledge with the application of emergency management principles under the shared perspectives of social-medical outlooks. It analyzes current trends and issues within emergency management through a social-medical paradigm and their impact on the public service models and leadership outcomes, including leadership challenges, ineffective communication and processes, and emergency response software, and their impact on medical and social infrastructure,

PSLD 430 Understanding and Mitigating Poverty (3 Credit Hours)

Pre-requisites: Only open to students admitted into the MA in Public Service Leadership (PSLD-MA)

This course examines the nature, extent, and causes of poverty and inequality in the US while relying on literature from sociology, political science, economics, psychology and other disciplines. It analyzes the anti-poverty initiatives and policies launched over the past five decades and examines the role of culture, discrimination and classism as well as policy issues.

Understand key issues regarding causes and consequences of poverty; Describe approaches to understanding and providing solutions to poverty; Explore the dynamics of commitment to social change and anti-poverty initiatives through grantmaking

Outcomes

PSLD 431 Foundations of Social and Sustainable Development (3 Credit Hours)

Pre-requisites: Only open to students admitted into the MA in Public Service Leadership (PSLD-MA)

Addresses global design for economic and social development via the UN adoption of Sustainable Development Goals and targets. Examines policies and programs that aim to achieve inclusive, people-centered and sustainable development. Covers the basics of narrative policy analysis, measures and outcomes. Explores environmental, social, and economic concerns and their impact at local, national and global levels.

Identify challenges in social and sustainable development especially in transition to renewable resource use in specific populations; Assess the complex overlap of current science, economics, and geopolitics underlying the overuse of resources, impact on population, and considerations of economic growth

Outcomes

PSLD 432 Gender Diversity & Sustainable Social Development (3 Credit Hours)

Pre-requisites: Only open to students admitted into the MA in Public Service Leadership (PSLD-MA)

This course uses the UNWomen's approach to gender diversity and sustainable development to encompass the issues that hinder and those that contribute to the progress of women and gender diversity within sustainable development. The course reviews the environmental, social, and economic relevance and impact on gender. The specific topics will include, the intersectionality of gender and sustainability in the context of agriculture, forestry, water, health, investment and corporate social responsibility and each topic will highlight a specific region or nation. The course will provide an overview of the underlying intersectionalities of class, age, region within Asia, Latin America, and Africa.

Describe sustainability and the significance of its interaction with gender; Critically review the history of global development agenda from a gendered perspective; Utilize interdisciplinary frameworks of gender inequity and sustainability; Assess variations in women's contributions to social development - historically, culturally, and politically; and Analyze women and gender within issues of Agriculture, Forestry, Water, Health and Investment in sustainable development

Outcomes

PSLD 433 Social Analysis Inequality Poverty and Development (3 Credit Hours)

Pre-requisites: Only open to students admitted into the MA in Public Service Leadership (PSLD-MA)

This course will introduce students to some of these key concepts and debates to enable critical evaluation of how well sociological understandings of development inform the social analysis of exclusion, poverty and inequality, as well as what implications this might have for development policy especially when focusing on underserved communities.

Describe the key concepts and debates surrounding poverty and inequality; Evaluate sociological understanding that inform the social analysis of exclusion; and Assess implications for policy regarding underserved communities

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School of Continuing and Professional Studies