Affiliated Departments
The UNM MPP is one of the few public policy programs in the country housed within a College of Arts and Sciences rather than a standalone school. That structure is a deliberate choice. By drawing from four distinct disciplines — economics, political science, sociology, and public administration — the program gives students analytical tools that work across sectors and systems.
Most policy problems don't fit neatly into a single discipline. A housing shortage is an economic problem, a political problem, a sociological problem, and an administrative problem all at once. The MPP curriculum reflects that reality, exposing students to multiple ways of framing, analyzing, and solving public problems — and building the intellectual flexibility to move between them.
The Department of Economics
The Department of Economics at the University of New Mexico is home to 21 faculty members, over 200 undergraduate majors and more than 50 graduate students. Faculty expertise includes environmental and resource economics, public economics (with an emphasis on health), and international development and sustainability.
The Department of Political Science
The Department of Political Science is served by a diverse group of 16 full-time faculty members, two staff, and approximately 35 graduate assistants. Political Science offers courses in each of the main subfields of political science including American politics, comparative politics, international relations, political theory, and research methods.
The Department of Sociology
The Department of Sociology includes 21 full-time faculty members, approximately 50 graduate students, and 1,000 undergraduate majors in Sociology and Criminology. Faculty interests are wide ranging, from macrosocial comparative studies of globalization in different countries to qualitative research about gender and race interactions in schools to studies of crime patterns in urban neighborhoods.
The School of Public Administration
The School of Public Administration provides a solid academic foundation to prepare students for leadership and management positions in the public and non-profit sectors. From public management and organizational behavior, to health policy and management – the PA faculty provides insights into the numerous challenges facing our society and government and how they can best be managed.
