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Department of Public Policy Leadership
University of Mississippi

Welcome to the Department of Public Policy Leadership

Leaders are made, not born. To be effective in politics, law, and government, among other professions, they must learn how to think critically, solve complex problems, and make ethical decisions in an increasingly complex world.

Creating tomorrow’s leaders is the mission of the Public Policy Leadership (PPL) Department, a collaboration between the UM College of Liberal Arts and the Trent Lott Leadership Institute.

Our interdisciplinary program emphasizes the global nature of responsible decision making, the ethical imperatives of leadership, critical thinking, communication skills, and the conceptual and methodological skills necessary for careful policy analysis.

Our students draw on the many resources of UM, taking classes across disciplines including:

  • policy and public administration
  • economics
  • geography
  • history
  • philosophy
  • political science, and
  • public policy administration

Recent graduates include a press secretary, an attorney at a major law firm, a deputy chief of policy for the U.S. Department of Education, a communications manager at a leading tech company, a policy analyst, and a senior operations manager at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Students conversing outside the Lott Institute building with text - At The Trent Lott Institute, we're developing Mississippi's next generation of leaders. Learn more...