RAND School of Public Policy

What is the history of RAND School of Public Policy?

RAND School of Public Policy is a graduate institution in Santa Monica, California, with roots in a policy-analysis doctoral program established by the RAND Corporation in 1970. It was formerly known as the Pardee RAND Graduate School. Its history explains its defining academic feature: students study public policy in close connection with RAND's research work rather than within a conventional undergraduate college.

RAND began as a research organization after World War II. The graduate school developed a way to train researchers to apply analytical methods to public problems. Prospective students reviewing older catalogs or alumni records may encounter the Pardee RAND name; they should use the current school name when checking today's admissions and degree policies.

What are the faculties and departments at RAND School of Public Policy?

RAND School of Public Policy is a specialized graduate school, not a university divided into undergraduate colleges or a broad range of academic faculties. Its best-established degree offering is the PhD in policy analysis, which combines coursework and dissertation research with work on policy problems.

The academic approach draws on fields such as economics, statistics, political science, and other social sciences. Research subjects can cut across RAND's areas of work, including health, education, national security, and social and economic policy. Applicants should check the current academic catalog for the credentials offered in their intended admission year and for the coursework, research, and residency requirements of each program.

What is the location of RAND School of Public Policy?

RAND School of Public Policy is based in Santa Monica, California, at RAND's headquarters in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. This is an urban-area research setting rather than a traditional residential college campus.

Santa Monica has bus and Metro rail connections to other parts of Los Angeles County, although travel times vary substantially by route and traffic. A student comparing housing options should consider both the cost of living and the practical commute to RAND's Santa Monica location. Access to a regional policy and research community is a potential advantage, but it does not remove the need to budget for transportation.

What is the mission and vision of RAND School of Public Policy?

RAND School of Public Policy's stated educational purpose centers on training people to use research and analysis to address public-policy questions. Its relationship with the RAND Corporation connects graduate study to the organization's broader mission of producing research intended to inform decisions.

In practice, that educational model emphasizes analytical methods and experience with research projects. It is a different proposition from a general public-administration degree or an undergraduate political-science major. Applicants should compare the current curriculum and research opportunities with the kind of policy work they hope to do; a mission statement alone does not establish an individual student's likely career outcome.