Master of Public Diplomacy

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Follow your commitment to changing the world by developing the hands-on skills and analytical capabilities that will allow you to accelerate your career at the dynamic intersection of communication and global affairs.

It is more critical than ever to engage foreign and domestic publics in improving global communication and international security. Working with our faculty — with expertise across communication, journalism, foreign affairs, and public relations — you will learn to integrate the rich history of public diplomacy scholarship and long-standing practices of cultural programming and exchanges with multi-platform content creation and data insights to address complex challenges in contemporary global affairs.

Los Angeles, home to more than 100 foreign consulates, populations from all over the world, and creative industries with unprecedented international reach and influence, will be your canvas. Here, you will forge and pursue professional opportunities that can span government agencies in the national and supra-national foreign affairs system as well as non-state organizations with growing international consequence, including cities, companies and civil society.

By the numbers

foreign consulates in L.A.L.A. has the second-highest number of Consulates in the world: 62 career Consulates General and 33 honorary Consulates.

L.A. has the second-highest number of Consulates in the world: 62 career Consulates General and 33 honorary Consulates.

95% %

of our Class of 2023 employed within 12 months of graduationOur recent graduates have gone on to distinguished careers with employers such as The White House, JTA Pacific, the U.S. Department of State, Targeted Victory, and more.

Our recent graduates have gone on to distinguished careers with employers such as The White House, JTA Pacific, the U.S. Department of State, Targeted Victory, and more.

30+

countries are represented by our graduate student bodyOur master’s students hail from a diverse array of countries, including Argentina, Finland, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea.

Our master’s students hail from a diverse array of countries, including Argentina, Finland, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea.

1st st

graduate-level public diplomacy program in the worldIn 2005, USC created this first-of-its-kind program to teach the next generation of public diplomacy professionals.

In 2005, USC created this <a target="_blank" href="https://2001-2009.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2008/apr/103121.htm">first-of-its-kind program</a> to teach the next generation of public diplomacy professionals.

Student, alumni and faculty work

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What artificial Intelligence means for public diplomacy

Program Director Jay Wang writes about how AI is transforming public diplomacy, offering opportunities to maximize impact and efficiency despite ethical concerns.

The China Pavilion, with bamboo slips shaped like an unfolded calligraphy scroll.

World Expo in Osaka, Japan: A photo essay

Yao Li captured state-of-the-art pavilions and carnival-like atmospheres on their trip to the World Expo with the Master of Public Diplomacy program.

Meet Joshua Shen, Public Diplomat in Residence

Joshua Shen, a foreign service officer with extensive experience in Asia, researches Chinese international students in the U.S. to strengthen U.S.-China relations and believes public diplomacy’s future lies in better listening to Global South voices through technology-enabled, responsive outreach.

People, Places, Power

Professor of Communication Nicholas J. Cull co-hosts the USC Center on Public Diplomacy’s People, Places, Power podcast, featuring weekly discussions on international reputation, foreign policy and related issues.

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Skateboard Diplomacy

Neftalie Williams, alumnus of the USC Master of Public Diplomacy program, Assistant Professor of Sociology at San Diego State University, and U.S. Sports Envoy for Skateboarding, shares his distinct philosophy on sports as a tool for diplomacy.

APSIA scholarship opportunities

MPD is part of the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs. Explore their opportunities page for more information.

USC Center on Public Diplomacy

Now, more than ever, soft power and public diplomacy are critical to international relations, and USC’s Center on Public Diplomacy (CPD) is leading the way. CPD has long been recognized as the definitive go-to destination for research, analysis and professional education that furthers the study and practice of global public engagement and cultural relations. Public diplomacy students are an integral part of the center’s work and have opportunities to share their unique insights on the CPD Blog; to provide website, publicity and programming support; and to travel across the globe to conduct field research, just to name a few.

Learn more