PPOL 0802 Principles of Microeconomics
Level: Graduate
Grading: Pass/Fail Default
Equivalent to PPOL 100
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 0803 Intro to Quant Reasoning
Introduction to Quantitative Reasoning. Description to be added.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Pass/Fail Default
PPOL 0804 Introduction to Policy Writing
This course provides the foundation in policy writing that enables students to succeed on their writing assignments in McCourt classes and in communication and writing in their careers. Students will learn to distinguish policy writing from other kinds of writing; get familiar with common forms of writing and communication in the policy field; and practice writing compelling policy memos. Students will benefit from free formative feedback on their work to improve holistically as writers and communicators. This course consists of four two-week modules, and students are required to complete the first module and at least two out of the three following modules.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Pass/Fail Default
PPOL 1800 Intro to Data Management I
STATA is the software application of choice for Public Policy. Students will learn how to use STATA through these recitations.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Pass/Fail Default
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in E, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment limited to students in the MIDP-IDPP, MPP-EPOL or MPP-PPOL programs.
PPOL 1801 Intro to Data Management II
Level: Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
PPOL 2000 How Public Policy Works 3 Credits
How is public policy made? Who makes it? And how does it shape the world around us? This engaging course will expose students to real world problems, exploring key themes, questions, and tensions within the world of public policy through varied disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches. The typical class meeting will feature an expert guest speaker in the field who will present a public policy question or example, followed by class discussion and activities. Students will see public policy from the range of disciplinary perspectives on the McCourt School faculty, including economics, political science, sociology, public management, and ethics. Topics may include a range of issues such as those around climate change and energy; artificial intelligence technology and related ethical questions; public assistance and the social safety net; housing policy and racial segregation; education; criminal justice and the carceral state; social movements such as Black Lives Matter or the Oath Keepers; urban policy and land use; political strategy, governance, and public opinion; public health and policy related to health disparities; international development; and more. The course will address how policy is made, focusing on issues of power, with an effort to understand how political institutions, stakeholders and interest groups, and social movements come together to create public policy and shape the policy process. We will highlight issues of equity, learning about how policy affects groups differently and how various actors have differential access to the policy process. Throughout the course students will be exposed to a range of evidence-based methodological approaches, including quantitative methods, ethnography and qualitative methods, case studies, spatial analysis, and data science approaches. Students will learn how to assess claims, with attention to values, distinguishing causation from correlation, and examining both intended and unintended effects with attention to their impact on equity. They will also learn to understand the range of contexts (city, state, federal, and international contexts incorporating varying political systems and income levels) in which policy matters, and how policy differs across them. Not only will students learn how to interpret policy research, they will learn practical skills to communicate effectively about public policy and engage in the policy process.
Level: Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
PPOL 2001 Public Policy in America 3 Credits
How is public policy made? Who makes it? How has it shaped the world around us, how does it continue to do so? This course will expose you to real world problems, exploring key themes, questions, and tensions within the world of public policy through varied disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches. Topics may include a range of issues such as those around housing policy and racial segregation; education; criminal justice and the carceral state; social movements; voting rights; urban policy and land use; education policy; public health policy; and more.
The course will address how policy is made, focusing on issues of power, with an effort to understand how political institutions, stakeholders and interest groups, and social movements come together to create public policy and shape the policy process. We will highlight issues of equity, learning about how policy affects groups differently and how various actors have differential access to the policy process. Throughout the course, students will be exposed to a range of qualitative methods and experiential learning through case studies and class exercises.
Students will also learn to understand the range of contexts (city, state, federal, and international contexts incorporating varying political systems) in which policy matters, and how policy differs across them. Not only will students learn how to interpret policy research, they will also learn practical skills to communicate effectively about public policy and engage in the policy process.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Undergraduate level students.
PPOL 3000 Intro to Stats Data Analysis 3 Credits
Effective public policy relies on access to high-quality data and rigorous evidence. Without good data and appropriate evidence, it is difficult to determine the most effective strategies for achieving policy goals. To make informed decisions, we must accurately describe the world and assess the impact of policies based on reliable information. In this class, students will learn how to analyze data and conduct statistical analyses to understand policy issues. They will also learn about the obstacles to getting good answers to policy questions.
The course begins with an in-depth analysis of the important distinction between correlation and causation. Students will learn about different types of data, how to assess the quality of data, and the particular challenges that arise with observational data. The course will then focus on statistical inference and the use of regression methods to study relationships among variables. At the end of the semester, students will have an appreciation for the role of high-quality data and appropriate statistical methods in evaluating public policies. They will also be well-prepared for courses in advanced quantitative methods for policy.
Level: Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Undergraduate level students.
PPOL 3001 Intro to Economics for Pub Pol 3 Credits
As part of the core sequence within the Joint Program in Public Policy at Georgetown University, this course will offer a rigorous development of foundational concepts in microeconomics. We will consider the tools of microeconomic theory used to model individual consumer behavior and the behavior of firms. This includes an examination of markets and how supply and demand interact to determine prices, the implications of market failure, and the role of government in a market economy.
After completing this course successfully, students will understand microeconomic principles and their applicability to real world problems involving consumers and producers. Students should be able to use microeconomic theory as a framework for evaluating a range of policy questions and issues including, but not limited to, tax policies, transfer program policies, and labor market policies.
Level: Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Undergraduate level students.
PPOL 3002 Political Analysis for Pub Pol 3 Credits
This is an overview of the U.S. political process and, specifically, how it creates public policy. A primary focus will be on scholars’ attempts to understand the reciprocal causal relationship between the political system and public policy. On the one hand, how does the structure and function of a political system shape the policies a country adopts? On the other hand, how do a country's past policies and general economic and social circumstances shape the political system and, thus, its future choices? While this course will primarily use U.S.-focused examples, it will, whenever possible, analyze these examples and evidence through a comparative lens—thinking about what other ways political institutions could be structured and the consequences for policy-making, drawing direct examples from other countries when appropriate.
Throughout the course, we will use examples from a wide variety of liberal, conservative, and moderate policies and some policies that are hard to classify ideologically. Students should be open to learning lessons about how the political process works from both policies and political movements that they agree with and those they believe are wrong.
Level: Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Undergraduate level students.
PPOL 3003 Policy Implementation 3 Credits
How do governments turn big ideas into results that improve the world? Who should steer these processes—elected legislatures or executive agencies, and under what conditions? These questions will guide our examination of the mechanics of policy implementation—how agencies work alone and with businesses and nonprofits; why tools like grants, partnerships, taxes, and regulation sometimes succeed and often fall short; how policies become programs people can actually use; and how we assess whether implementation delivers the outcomes we want. We'll also engage broader conversations, such as competing notions of democratic accountability, and how they shape current conflicts over the role of the administrative state.
Through interactive lectures, cases, and hands-on exercises, students will acquire practical skills in problem and stakeholder analysis, policy and program design, performance measurement and evaluation, clear policy communication, and applied implementation analysis. As a Georgetown Dialogues Initiative Spotlight Course, the course will also emphasize students' development of skills for productive dialogue across differences.
Level: Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Students cannot enroll who have a major in Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Undergraduate level students.
PPOL 3100 Environmental Policy Signature 3 Credits
This course provides a multi-disciplinary introduction to environmental policy, drawing from economics, political science, history, philosophy, the natural sciences, and more. Our aim will be to tackle the following seven questions together. (1) How has humanity re-shaped nature? (2) How have societies regulated their environmental impact? (3) How do we understand nature well enough to take action? (4) What are the values that motivate environmental policy? (5) What are the means of environmental policy? (6) How do environmental policies get made? (7) How do we evaluate environmental policies?
Level: Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Undergraduate level students.
PPOL 3101 Climate Politics Governance 3 Credits
Climate change is perhaps the defining challenge of this era. Because it critically affects every aspect of our lives, climate governance is a complex and contested issue. There are several ways climate policies can support economic growth and create new opportunities. However, climate policies can also create winners and losers, leading to social conflict. This undergraduate seminar will explore key policy issues in climate governance, including mitigation and adaptation policies, climate migration, climate justice, and climate finance. We will examine the effectiveness of existing approaches and identify new initiatives that can help us address the climate challenge.
Level: Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Students cannot enroll who have a major in Environment Sustainability, Environment Sustainability, Environment Sustainability, Environment Sustainability, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Undergraduate level students.
PPOL 3200 International Dev Signature 3 Credits
This signature elective provides a comprehensive survey of international development policy, structured in two complementary parts. The first part examines prominent theories explaining differences in living standards between countries, exploring how trade, geography, historical factors, and political institutions have shaped economic development over the past 500 years. The second part investigates contemporary policy responses designed to improve the functioning of labor, credit, and land markets; increase education attainment and health outcomes; boost firm productivity; and strengthen state capacity. Throughout the course, students will gain proficiency with key measurement concepts and master both theoretical and empirical tools commonly used in international development debates.
Level: Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Undergraduate level students.
PPOL 3300 Pol Strategy and Gov Signature 3 Credits
The goal of this course is to enable you to become a "player” in the politics of policymaking. Policy politics involves an array of actors playing various roles, inside and outside government. Playing any of these roles effectively requires that you understand how policy and politics interact and learn how to navigate the process. Policy politics is different from policy analysis. Policy analysis typically follows a straightforward path, grounded in evidence: identify a problem; develop and weigh various options to address it, and—based on policymakers’ objectives, values and judgment on tradeoffs—recommend a specific solution. By contrast, policy politics is contentious, and its outcomes, though affected by evidence, are dominated by interests and influence—that is, by the exercise of political power. This class will explore how this process works, connect you to different types of policy practitioners and engage you in the process itself, through a simulation of the development and promotion of a political campaign proposal. Over the course of the semester, small student groups will select an issue, formulate a policy goal, assess alternative policy solutions, develop a political and communications strategy to promote the solution they prefer, and both educate and persuade a 2026 congressional candidate (role-played by the professor or a guest) to adopt the recommended course of action . You will leave the class with a better sense of how policy politics works, the roles you can play in it, and what it takes to be successful in each— and with better skills to pursue whatever role you adopt as your own.
Level: Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Undergraduate level students.
PPOL 3400 Social Policy Signature 3 Credits
This course provides a survey of social policy, drawing on insights from economics, political science, sociology, and philosophy. The objectives of the course are four-fold. We will first overview trends in income, inequality, and government spending around the world over the past century. We will then discuss when, how, and why governments enact policies intended to improve individuals’ well-being. Third, we will examine case-study examples of interventions aimed at improving housing, health, nutrition, and income. Finally, we will explore how policies vary with historical factors and political institutions using a comparative perspective. Throughout the course, students will be introduced to a range of theoretical and empirical tools used in policy analysis.
Level: Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Undergraduate level students.
PPOL 3401 Disability Justice in Pub Pol 3 Credits
This course will provide an exploration of the disability justice movement that centers disabled Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC), equity, and public policy. People with disabilities create the largest marginalized group in the United States making up about a quarter of the population. This makes studying disability relevant for multi—faceted careers. The course will begin with an overview of the multiple federal disability laws that protect this community; it will also review the basics of social equity and the process of creating public policy. There will be extensive discussions on Intersectionality, race, sexual orientation, equity activism, and multi-marginalization. This undergraduate level course will provide a multifaceted understanding of the historical, social, cultural, socioeconomic, and political dimensions of disability. Students will be able to articulate the concept of disability as a social construction; engage in interdisciplinary inquiry about disability as diversity; and demonstrate an understanding of disability justice, laws and policies.
Level: Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Undergraduate level students.
PPOL 3500 Tech Policy Signature 3 Credits
This undergraduate course explores the relationship between technology and public policy. The course will be structured around the way that technology—both historical changes and modern innovations like AI—is embedded within public policy institutions that impact people across many policy domains. After an overview of frameworks for understanding the relationship between technology and public policy, we will examine policy domains including medicine, with technology shaping patients’ and clinicians’ experiences of birth, death, and major life events in between; housing, with technology shaping the way that people search for housing and the ways that landlords screen prospective tenants; the criminal justice system, with technology influencing how law enforcement is deployed, how defendants’ risk of violence is assessed, and how people are monitored and surveilled upon release to the community; the civil justice system, with technology impacting areas such as debt collection and family law; environmental policy, with technology shaping forecasts of climate change and assessments of environmental impacts; schooling, with technology being used by teachers as an aid to student learning and by districts to monitor student behavior; and more.
The seminar will be structured around readings that feature a mix of real-world case studies and academic perspectives, guest visitors who will share behind-the-scenes insight into the role of technology in shaping policymaking in their area of expertise, and hands-on student projects. By the end of the course, students will gain the skills to think critically about technology’s impact on policymaking, both its benefits and its pitfalls. Students will leave the course with a portfolio of project-based work that shows their engagement with the policy debates around technology that are currently unfolding.
Level: Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Undergraduate level students.
PPOL 3601 Data Visualization in Policy 3 Credits
Level: Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Undergraduate level students.
PPOL 3602 The World of Data 3 Credits
Many aspects of our lives have been converted to data. Once our lives and the world around us are datafied, the data can be converted into new forms of information and insight. In this class, we will learn about the basics of data science from data collection and cleaning to descriptive and predictive data analysis to visualization and storytelling. We will contemplate the insights we can learn about data and discuss principles for identifying and creating useful data that can be assessed to give insight into the world we live in. We will also discuss the limitations and biases associated with data and the ethical challenges that arise when using certain types of data. Through a data-centric lens, we will also learn the basics of python programming. No programming experience is required.
Level: Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Undergraduate level students.
PPOL 4900 Population Health: OpportChal 3 Credits
The efforts of societies to improve health and increase longevity have constituted a major on-going social revolution of the past 200 years. Our work this semester will be a wide-ranging survey of social, economic, demographic, and public health perspectives on that movement.
Lectures, readings, and class discussions will examine – as much as we can – the health of populations. We’ll look at how population health has evolved over time, examining how it can be measured, as well changes in the major causes and distribution (disparities) of disease over time, social and economic factors affecting the incidence and severity of illnesses, and societal consequences of changes in mortality and health.
Active participation in the discussions is a requirement for this class.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
PPOL 4901 Faith, Race, Politics 3 Credits
Faith and politics have always interacted in American political life—in both positive and negative ways. The questions have always been not if they will intersect but how—and whether those interactions are for the common good. Race has always been at the center of our public life, with religion used to either divide us or bring us together. When presidents and other political leaders make racial fear and division even more explicit, and some church leaders are silent or even supportive, how are both the soul of the nation and the integrity of faith at stake? How are the racial inequities revealed by COVID-19 and the deeper reckoning with systemic racism sparked by George Floyd’s killing changing our national narrative? We will analyze and reflect upon America’s “original sin” of racism and how it still lingers in both attitudes and institutions, as well as on the fundamental demographic changes underway in the country and what it will mean to build a bridge to America’s multi-racial future. How does religion at times make our nation’s extreme polarization even worse, and how it could help heal it? Could it contribute to asking moral questions of all sides and faith traditions? How do we not go left or right—but deeper? This course will examine the intersections of faith, race, and public life in the United States across a series of critical issue areas. Race has always been at the center of American life—historically, structurally, morally, and religiously. Therefore, this class will have a strong focus on racial justice, given the controversies over police shootings, the growing public interest in reforming the criminal justice system, the Black Lives Matter movement, the great significance of the nation’s first African American president—and reactions to it. As America’s original sin of racism—valuing white people over other people—still persists, how can we build a bridge to the new America that our changing demographics are bringing? What are both the challenges and the hopes? Related topics will include immigration and both domestic and international poverty. We will also look at some of the divisive social and moral questions like life and dignity, family, and religious liberty across racial and religious lines. How does religion impact public policy, in positive and/or negative ways, and how do we examine and evaluate the difference? Historical examples—like the churches’ vital role in the civil rights movement—will all be discussed. We will examine current examples of diverse faith communities impacting ongoing debates on voting rights, immigration reform, federal budget choices, policing and criminal justice, and interfaith conflict and collaboration. The roles of particular faith communities will be compared, including Evangelicals, Pentecostals, Catholics, Mainline Protestants, Black, Hispanic, and Asian American churches; Jews, Muslims, and others (including “spiritual but not religious” and the “none of the above,” the fastest growing religious affiliation in America). Biblical texts and visions of “social justice” will be explored, along with Catholic social teaching language of “the common good.” We will take up the roles of government, civil society, and religion; and what “a moral economy” might look like in business, political, and ethics discussions. Frequent guest presentations will expose students to a variety of interesting policy makers, scholars, and practitioners in social movements. The style of the course will be very interactive.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
PPOL 4902 Relig Values Future of Dem 3 Credits
This course considers the intersection of religion, values and democratic norms.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
PPOL 4903 Environmental Policy 3 Credits
This course provides a multi-disciplinary introduction to environmental policy, drawing from economics, political science, history, philosophy, the natural sciences, and more. Our aim will be to tackle the following seven questions together.
(1) How has humanity re-shaped nature?
(2) How have societies regulated their environmental impact?
(3) How do we understand nature well enough to take action?
(4) What are the values that motivate environmental policy?
(5) What are the means of environmental policy?
(6) How do environmental policies get made?
(7) How do we evaluate environmental policies?
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
PPOL 4904 History of U.S. Public Policy 3 Credits
This course will examine the history behind three hot button federal policy debates: social welfare, civil rights, and immigration. For each policy area, we will track the histories of political and legislative debate as well as policy implementation and impact from before World War II into the present century. Which policy approaches were adopted and why? What factors led to major changes in policy? What were the relative roles of legislators, presidents and the executive branch, the judicial system, interest groups and lobbyists, grassroots activists, etc. What role did local, regional, national and international actors play in the formulation and implementation of new policies? Did federal policy changes work as intended and what were the unintended consequences of new policy initiatives?
In addition, we will track debate over each policy area through the fall election season. To what extent is the history of policymaking in each area reflected in current political debate? How might broader historical knowledge of policy history improve political debate on a given issue?
At the end of each course module, students will write a short historical background briefing paper on an aspect of one of the three policy areas.
This course is intended for graduate students and advanced undergraduates. Students are expected to keep up with the course readings, participate in class discussion, and conduct historical research in both primary and secondary sources.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
PPOL 4905 Infrmtion Intgrity US Elctions 3 Credits
In the wake of the 2020 U.S. Election, public confidence in accurate vote counting has declined, with many, including elected officials, believing elections are rigged against their preferred candidates. Growing distrust in political candidates, government officials, and the media, combined with rising threats and harassment of election workers, is straining U.S. democracy and raising concerns about democratic backsliding.
At the heart of these issues is the spread of election misinformation, which both mobilizes and suppresses voters. Misinformation has corrupted the election information ecosystem, making voters susceptible to false narratives. Generative AI tools, which can create and spread misleading content, pose an additional threat to the integrity of election information. The use of AI in elections is already evident, with instances of AI misleading voters about candidates and voting procedures.
These developments spark debates over responsibility for ensuring accurate voter information and whether federal regulation of big tech or techno-solutions can address the challenges of misinformation and AI use. This course explores these debates, examining scholarly research on election science, political behavior, and political psychology. Students will engage with the role of key stakeholders, like government and election officials, and assess strategies to combat misinformation and AI-generated content. The course will also evaluate current policy frameworks and provide recommendations for policymakers, candidates, civil society, and the private sector.
By completing this course, students will: - Understand the U.S. election information ecosystem and its key stakeholders - Analyze the policy landscape around misinformation - Critically assess research on misinformation’s impact on democracy - Develop mitigation strategies and policy interventions - Produce policy recommendations for relevant stakeholders
Through a series of assignments, you will build skills that pro-democracy civil society organizations, government organizations, but also election offices desire: strong writing skills across a variety of mediums; independent work ethic; knowledge of democracy policy; knowledge of communications and technology policy; data collection and analysis; problem-solving skills; work independently and as part of a team.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Equivalent to PPOL 6767
PPOL 4906 Social Isolation Pub Policy 3 Credits
A growing number of individuals live alone, dine alone, work remotely, have no close friends or spouse, and do not participate in local associations. Social isolation is more lethal than smoking 15 cigarettes a day. It lurks behind today’s anxiety epidemic, plays a prominent role in deaths of despair, and is the lived experience of most mass shooters. The lack of social capital predicts lower social mobility. And atomized societies, with reduced capacity for collective action, are more susceptible to authoritarianism. Social isolation has been called “the most important social fact of the 21st century” and “one of the defining challenges of our time.” We begin this seminar attempting to bring into focus what scholars worry we are losing—friendship, social glue, social capital, strong/weak ties, fraternity, solidarity, community. We then take an interdisciplinary approach to diagnosing social isolation, reading accounts from different disciplines that (a) identify distinct causes, (b) offer distinct reasons to care, and (c) propose distinct remedies. The seminar culminates in each participant developing and defending a policy proposal aimed at alleviating social isolation. This course will appeal to students concerned about social isolation and to anyone drawn to the challenge of comprehending a complex social ailment and using public policy to remedy it.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
PPOL 4907 Prog Policies:US Labor Market 3 Credits
This course will review policies designed to affect employment outcomes in the U.S. Topics will include minimum wage and overtime laws, job training, career and technical education, community college, unemployment insurance, immigration policies, equal opportunity laws and Affirmative Action, and occupational safety and health regulation.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
PPOL 4908 Social Media Pol Behavior 3 Credits
Social media has become one of the most powerful forces shaping contemporary politics, economics, and culture. This course examines how it influences the attitudes, beliefs, and actions of citizens and policymakers, and how political behavior in turn shapes the platforms themselves. We will explore: Under what conditions does social media bring people together or drive them apart? How does it affect political participation and news consumption? What psychological factors explain these patterns? Students will gain an understanding of the research methods scientists use to study social media's impact, from causation to big data – no prior technical experience necessary. We will examine real-world solutions that governments and platforms are actively testing to reduce harms and harness social media constructively. By the end of the course, students will be equipped to analyze social media's role in shaping political behavior, assess policy implications, and communicate their findings while tackling pressing questions at the intersection of technology, society, and democratic governance.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
PPOL 4909 European Public Policy 3 Credits
This course focuses on public policy in the European Union (EU) and its member states. The first part of the course focuses on the EU as a policy actor. The EU is an unprecedented experiment in economic and political integration, and EU public policies shape global standards in many domains. The course will provide students with an understanding of the structure and dynamics of EU policy-making, and will introduce them to a number of salient public policy issues in the contemporary EU, including environmental policy, market regulation, digital policy, and defense of the rule of law. The second part of the course turns to the realm of social policy - where the 27 EU member governments are the primary actors - and explores the underpinnings of and challenges to the European model of Social Democracy. We explore how European countries with variants of the European Social Model have sought to combine capitalism with robust government intervention to regulate the economy and reduce inequality. We explore how they have addressed a host of contemporary policy challenges such as poverty reduction, health care, childcare, public transit, and education and training.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
PPOL 4910 Better Government by Design 3 Credits
Better Government by Experience Design. A mom with a new baby need not figure out that health coverage comes from the Center for Medicaid Services; cash assistance comes from the Administration for Children and Families; food assistance comes from Agriculture; medical leave is protected by the Department of Labor. A disaster survivor should not tell the government 80% of the same information on five different forms. Our government is the result of more than 200 years of different appropriations committees, levels, agencies, bureaus, even IT shops – and is one of the most complex service delivery organizations in the world. Now more than ever, at critical moments in peoples’ lives, we have to demonstrate the very basic tenant a democracy requires: that government is accountable to and responsive to the needs of its people. This class will focus on how improving customer experience can do that, and how to navigate the complexity of delivering services in the public sector. We will mix learning the theory of and practicing methods (in class “studio time”) from the social and behavioral sciences, public management and administrative burden, agile technology development, human centered design, service + system design, and experimental design and evidence building.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
PPOL 4911 Poverty, Race the US Economy 3 Credits
The course will review the causes and consequences of poverty in the US, and a range of antipoverty policies and programs, with a heavy emphasis on racial disparities and employment outcomes as both causes and consequences of poverty.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Undergraduate level students.
PPOL 4912 The Power of the Purse 1.5 Credits
Spending and taxation is the domain of Congress, or is it? A main source of power for Congress has been its constitutional authority to direct spending for the general welfare of the United States. With the steady accumulation of power by the Executive Branch the fight over the federal purse has huge implications for the balance of power among our branches of government. We will explore how the modern day budget process works, or doesn't; the key institutions and players involved in the budget process; and how politics trumps process.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Undergraduate level students.
PPOL 4913 How to Win Elections in the US 3 Credits
This course provides a practical overview of electoral politics in the United States, with an emphasis on presidential, congressional, and gubernatorial elections. We will examine the macro-level determinants of electoral outcomes as well as the political behavior of individual Americans. You will learn how social scientists study elections. Throughout the course, we will focus on how candidates and campaign professionals can impact the outcome of elections. We will examine how candidate quality and issue positions impact elections. And we will examine the effects of specific campaign tactics. Finally, we'll talk about the consequences of elections for the wider political system.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Undergraduate level students.
PPOL 4914 Effective Advocacy Comms 1.5 Credits
Policy expertise means little without the ability to communicate it effectively to diverse audiences—from legislators to the public. This course bridges the persistent gap between technical policy knowledge and persuasive advocacy by teaching you to translate complex issues into clear, compelling arguments that drive real-world change. Through hands-on projects, you'll master both the strategic and practical skills needed to influence decision-makers. You'll emerge able to explain policy changes succinctly to lay audiences, identify key decision-makers and build stakeholder coalitions, craft targeted messaging that moves policy forward, and strategically deploy advocacy tactics while understanding the distinctions between advocacy and lobbying.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 4915 Principles of Randomized Evals 3 Credits
This course examines the principles underlying randomized evaluations and their analysis. Students learn how randomization enables causal identification, how treatment effects are estimated using regression and likelihood-based methods, and how real-world complications (such as noncompliance, attrition, and missing data) threaten causal inference. Building on prior conceptual exposure to causal inference in
PPOL 3000, we dive into the statistical foundations of experimental analysis, heterogeneous treatment effects, and identifying assumptions, and apply these methods to real data throughout the course. By the end of the course, students will be able to design a randomized experiment, estimate and interpret causal effects using R, assess the validity of their findings, and communicate evidence-based policy conclusions.
Level: Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Undergraduate level students.
PPOL 4949 PPOL Tutorial 0-3 Credits
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
PPOL 4950 PPOL Internship Seminar 4 Credits
The internship seminar serves as companion coursework for seniors in the Joint Public Policy Program who are completing external policy internships. In the course, students will gain practical workplace skills, explore potential career paths, and map policy landscapes that will inform their understanding of the public policy ecosystem in Washington, D.C. and beyond. Course activities include professional skills workshops, site visits and outside speakers, and class discussions centered on the future direction of public policy fields. By the end of course, students will be able to translate their internship experiences into pursuing and securing future career opportunities.
This course is limited to JPPP Seniors with policy relevant internship placements.
Level: Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Undergraduate level students.
PPOL 5000 Stat Meth for Policy Analysis 3 Credits
This is the first course in the three-course quantitative methods sequence. The sequence is designed to increase understanding of empirical analyses — both as a consumer of empirical analyses and as a producer of such analyses. This course introduces students to descriptive and inferential statistics often used in public policy research. The course aims to provide students with a solid foundation for analyzing data, conveying analyses in convincing and appropriate ways. Topics covered include: measures of central tendency and dispersion, probability and probability distributions, random variables, hypothesis testing and confidence intervals, statistical power, correlation, simple regression, and an introduction to multivariate regression. Students use Stata (a statistical software application) to develop their data analysis skills.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
PPOL 5001 Reg. Meth. for Policy Analysis 3 Credits
This class is the second of a three-part sequence in Quantitative Methods. In this course, students further study multivariate regression analysis with a main focus on ordinary least squares (OLS) regression and a modest focus on probit and logit regression. Topics include hypothesis testing, heteroskedasticity, omitted variable bias, measurement error, and topics related to model specification. The course concludes with section on research methods. Topics include causality, internal validity and external validity, sampling and weighting, measure validity and reliability, and missing data. The statistical package Stata is used.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
PPOL 5002 Adv Regression/Prog Eval Meth 3 Credits
This course is an introduction to advanced, but commonly used, methods of statistical analysis. The emphasis is on applied learning; formal proofs and mathematical rigor are presented but not the principal focus of the course. Instruction will concentrate on how to determine the appropriate econometric approach in addressing various types of policy questions. Topics covered include: random assignment experiments, nonexperimental methods such as regression discontinuity designs, instrumental variables, difference-in-difference models, and propensity score matching. Also covered are maximum likelihood estimation, multinomial and ordered logit and probit, truncated/censored dependent variables (tobit models), panel data, and time-series analysis. The statistical package Stata is used.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
PPOL 5004 Intermediate Microeconomics 0-3 Credits
This course provides an in-depth analysis of supply and demand, the theory of the consumer and theory of the firm. The course focuses on the determinants of consumer behavior by studying the role of utility maximization and constrained optimization. Firm behavior is studied by investigating the role of profit maximization when firms operate in perfectly competitive markets and when they are monopolies. Key concepts include efficiency, opportunity cost, the role of incentives and marginal analysis. Applications to public policy issues are emphasized.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
PPOL 5005 Microecon II:Mkt Fail Pub Econ 3 Credits
This course serves as a continuation of Intermediate Microeconomics. It explores the impact of a variety of factors that may result in market failures, including public goods, externalities, information asymmetries and uncertainty. A rationale for government policies as a corrective device for market failures is then developed. This framework is then used to discuss a variety of government transfer programs and their financing, with particular emphasis on the incentive effects of such programs and policies. An introduction to cost/benefit analysis is incorporated as a mechanism for evaluating various programs.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
PPOL 5006 The Politics of Policy-Making 3 Credits
This course analyzes the politics, institutions, norms, and actors involved in the agenda-setting, legitimation, and decision-making of public policy in the US. Students learn how to use analytical frameworks that explain how the policymaking process works, relates to the substance of policy, and applies to real world issues. Students also investigate how the policy making process varies across different issue areas. As one of several assignments, students write a policy memo suitable for submission to a member of Congress or other key political actor.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
PPOL 5007 Comp Politics of Policy-Making 3 Credits
This course provides a cross-national perspective on the institutions and processes of public policy-making. The first section of the course examines a series of theoretical perspectives for analyzing constraints on and opportunities for policymaking, including political culture, globalization, and feedbacks from past policy choices. The central section of the course focuses on political institutions as venues and vehicles for policymaking. The final section of the course looks at case studies of specific policy sectors, such as pensions, health care, and the environment. Throughout the course, there will be a balance between general and theoretical materials and a more intensive examination of a small number of countries.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
PPOL 5008 Public Management 3 Credits
This course introduces students to public management: the art and science of planning and implementing public programs. Participants will examine the constraints public managers face in a democratic society; how the challenges of public management vary across different organizational and policy settings; and how public management and policy analysis frequently intersect. A key objective is to offer students a useful mix of theoretical knowledge and practical skills. Throughout the course, emphasis is placed on management as a generic function performed in all sectors (public, nonprofit, and private) but participants are encouraged to focus on what factors make public management distinctive and more challenging. Some of the specific topics covered include: forms and styles of decisionmaking; the role of front-line operators and middle managers; organizational culture; the organizational environment (including Congress, the President, and the courts); managing people; management reform efforts (budget reform; privatization and contracting out; performance management). Case studies are used to explore specific challenges and scenarios.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in E, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
PPOL 5009 Mgmt Implem in Dev Countries 3 Credits
A key component in the study of public policy is the ability to work through how it gets put into action. Successful policy implementation requires more than technical policy analysis; it requires a critical understanding of the underpinnings of good management and governance. This course uses theoretical concepts, case study materials and simulations to introduce students to the difficulties of public management in the international realm. We will focus specifically on the challenges facing less developed countries as well as the options and resources available to effectively implement policies in those countries. Through class discussion, cases and a client-based management project, students will apply concepts in comparative public management to actual situations.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the MPP-PPOL or MS-DSPP programs.
PPOL 5010 Ethics/Values/Public Policy 3 Credits
This course provides an introduction to the following course themes: 1) Values (and not just interests) are fundamental to public policy, and so sophisticated policy analysts should understand the roles that values can play in policy analysis and the policy process; 2) Values are contested in that political actors interpret core values (e.g., equity, liberty, justice, security, efficiency) in conflicting ways and also place different weights on different values; 3) Differing institutional arrangements (markets, democracy, authority) enhance certain values and potentially suppress others; 4) Differing forms of reasoning (e.g., utilitarianism, deontology, or casuistry) offer differing ways to reach conclusions regarding value choices, but that no method can be demonstrated to provide the answer to these choices; 5) The systematic analysis of values can provide policy recommendations that are superior to those made without systematic reflection; 6) Policy analysts should be able to provide a reasoned explanation regarding the values embedded in the policy recommendations they make. These principles can usefully be applied to the policies of individual countries as well as multilateral organizations. In this class, we will focus on how these values apply to countries other than the United States as well as to international organizations.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
PPOL 5011 Policy Analysis:Client Capston 3 Credits
Students use their knowledge and skills, working with a small group of fellow students, to analyze a real?world policy question for a client organization. In consultation with a faculty member, students conceptualize and examine the question in an analytically rigorous manner. By interacting with a client organization, students develop an understanding of the policy issue facing the organization and determine the appropriate approach to addressing it so that they can provide a systematic analysis. Students gain an understanding of the many steps and decisions that are needed to produce a policy analysis with real-world problems and organizations. They also gain an appreciation of the nuances and challenges of different organizations and the unique approaches that are needed to provide useful information in different settings.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
PPOL 5012 Plcy Anlys:Clnt Basd Capstn II 3 Credits
Students use their knowledge and skills, working with a small group of fellow students, to analyze a real?world policy question for a client organization. In consultation with a faculty member, students conceptualize and examine the question in an analytically rigorous manner. By interacting with a client organization, students develop an understanding of the policy issue facing the organization and determine the appropriate approach to addressing it so that they can provide a systematic analysis. Students gain an understanding of the many steps and decisions that are needed to produce a policy analysis with real-world problems and organizations. They also gain an appreciation of the nuances and challenges of different organizations and the unique approaches that are needed to provide useful information in different settings.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
PPOL 5013 Thesis Workshop 3 Credits
Working individually in consultation with an advisor, students use their knowledge and skills to study a policy question of their choosing, using appropriate statistical techniques on large-sample datasets. Students learn about the research process generally and in the context of their own research. They formulate a research question, develop a conceptual framework and undertake empirical work to find an appropriate answer. Through this process, students gain an appreciation for the many steps and decisions that are needed to produce research and analysis in general terms and in the context of their own and their classmates’ projects.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
PPOL 5014 Thesis Workshop II 3 Credits
The thesis is a two-semester project required of all public policy students for graduation. For the thesis, students conduct original research on a government or public program or issue of their choosing, and summarize their findings in a thesis to be completed during the second semester. GPPI faculty have developed The Thesis Guide on the Web as a reference and aid for students who are completing their thesis projects.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
PPOL 5100 Statistical Methods for Develo 3 Credits
This is the first course in the three-course quantitative methods sequence. The sequence is designed to increase understanding of empirical analyses — both as a producer of such analyses and as a consumer of empirical analyses as an input to development policy decisions. This course introduces students to descriptive and inferential statistics often used in international development policy research. The course aims to provide students with a solid foundation for analyzing data, conveying analyses in convincing and appropriate ways. Topics covered include: measures of central tendency and dispersion, probability and probability distributions, random variables, hypothesis testing and confidence intervals, statistical power, correlation, simple regression, and an introduction to multivariate regression. The course includes a final project on which students work together in small groups applying the methods learned throughout the semester to work with an actual database to inform a policy memorandum. Students learn advanced Excel programming and Stata (a statistical software application) as tools used to conduct data analysis.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy or Int'l Development Policy.
PPOL 5101 Reg. Meth for Development 3 Credits
This course builds on the material covered in Statistical Methods for Development Policy by further developing the student’s understanding of the motivation for, and application of, statistical techniques to policy analysis in developing countries. The course introduces ordinary least squares regression models (OLS), the assumptions underlying OLS, and the consequences of violating those assumptions. The course also presents the treatment of limited dependent variables that don't lend themselves to OLS techniques. Students gain hands-on experience exploring policy questions using data and examples from developing countries, and a deeper understanding for how econometrics can be used to draw key policy insights. The course provides students with a framework for selecting an econometric model to evaluate policy, generating and interpreting results, and identifying the limitations of the model. PREREQUISITE: PPOL 506: STATISTICAL METHODS FOR DEVELOPMENT.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy or Int'l Development Policy.
PPOL 5102 Impact Evaluation for Developm 3 Credits
This course is the third in the sequence of courses exploring quantitative research methods in the context of policy analysis, emphasizing the application of econometric models to evaluate development policies and programs. The course goes beyond OLS to expose students to a broad range of state-of-the-art econometric techniques in policy evaluation, including randomized experiments, matching methods, panel data methods, instrumental variables, and regression discontinuity designs. Special emphasis is placed on using these techniques effectively in designing and evaluating development projects/policy. (Prerequisites: PPOL 531/532)
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy or Int'l Development Policy.
PPOL 5103 Intermediate Micro for Develop 3 Credits
This course provides an in-depth analysis of supply and demand, the theory of the consumer and theory of the firm, with particular emphasis on developing country contexts. The course focuses on the determinants of consumer behavior by studying the role of utility maximization and constrained optimization. Firm behavior is studied by investigating the role of profit maximization when firms operate in perfectly competitive markets and when they are monopolies. Key concepts include efficiency, opportunity cost, the role of incentives and marginal analysis. Applications to public policy issues are emphasized.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy or Int'l Development Policy.
PPOL 5104 Public Finance for Development 3 Credits
This course builds on the material covered in Intermediate Microeconomics for Development and develops a set of tools for analyzing the role of government in a developing economy. In particular, we will examine justifications for government intervention, and study the impact of government programs and taxation systems on the welfare and behavior of its citizens. We pay special attention to the role of information asymmetries, uncertainty and externalities in the design of policy; as well as the role of non-tax revenues as a means of financing expenditures.
1ST YEAR MIDP STUDENTS ONLY
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy or Int'l Development Policy.
PPOL 5105 Social/Economic Development 3 Credits
This course provides a framework for understanding the process of development, with an emphasis on the scope for policy to affect this process. The course begins by considering theories and evidence of growth processes as applicable to developing countries, including the role of innovation, structural transformation, geography, political institutions, international trade and capital flows, and foreign aid. Turning then to microeconomic underpinnings of development, the course highlights areas of market failure that provide a rationale for policy intervention in development: in credit, in insurance, in land, and in labor. Specific attention will then be drawn to the accumulation and impacts of human capital – education and health in particular. Finally, the course discusses the political economy of development policy, with a focus on the role of corruption and conflict. Throughout, the course will draw upon historical and contemporary examples from a range of developing countries, and will contrast policy challenges arising in both low income and rapidly growing emerging market economies.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy or Int'l Development Policy.
PPOL 5106 Sustainable Development 3 Credits
This course explores the meaning of "sustainability" in the context of development. It considers recent dynamics that have pushed climate change to the top of the global policy agenda and their relevance for national policy planning processes in developing countries. The course examines what the demands of climate change mean for regulatory frameworks, incentives, and the creation of new markets around the world. It explores sustainability as applied to agriculture and urban development, how vulnerable groups fare in the tension between progress and environmental protection, and the scope for public-private partnerships in enhancing sustainability. Throughout, the course draws on case studies from low and lower-middle income countries to look at how the demands of sustainability are challenging and altering the way that public policy decisions can be optimized in the context of development.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy or Int'l Development Policy.
PPOL 5107 Pol Econ in Developing Cntries 3 Credits
This class explores some of the central debates in the application of political economy to development policy. We will examine how political institutions influence economic development and how economic factors, in turn, impact politics in developing countries. We will also explore why governments employ policies that may actually hinder development. The goal of this course is for students to think critically about development both in theory and in practice. As such, we will study the main theories of development policy from both political and economic perspectives. And, students will become well acquainted with development policy by studying real world cases and developing practical policy recommendations of their own.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy or Int'l Development Policy.
PPOL 5108 Mgmt Ldrshp:Dev Countries 3 Credits
A key component in the study of development policy is the ability to work through how policies are put into action. Successful development policy implementation requires more than getting technical analysis right; it requires a critical understanding of the underpinnings of good governance and a mastery of the management techniques that yield results on the ground. This course focuses specifically on the challenges facing mangers in less developed countries, as well as the options and resources available to effectively implement policies in those countries. Through class discussion, simulations and assignments, students will apply theoretical concepts in management to actual development policy challenges, gaining familiarity and practice with the management and leadership tools that will lead to effective development policy implementation.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy or Int'l Development Policy.
PPOL 5109 Ethical Issues in Development 3 Credits
International Development is conventionally understood to entail the economic and political transformation of developing countries for the intended purpose of improving the lives of the men, women and children in those societies. However, all development activities rest upon a complex and contestable normative foundation. The intention of this course is to draw attention to, and illuminate the ethical and moral textures of development’s economic and political policies and practices.
** 2nd Year MIDP Students Only
This course will critically evaluate international development’s fundamental objectives as well as the prevailing means pursued to achieve those objectives through the prism of normative reasoning and ethical criteria. We will proceed by first introducing the student to some of the moral principles, values, and theories that are relevant to today’s prevailing development challenges. We will subsequently apply these principles to specific development policies and practices through scholarly readings and case studies. The course will explore the ethical threads that run through the major public policy concerns of domestic governance, international trade, migration, technology development and transfer, climate change, as well as the politics of donor aid.
At the conclusion of the course the student is expected to be knowledgeable of the moral foundations of international development, and sensitive to the ethical choices and dilemmas that development theoreticians and practitioners face. The student will gain an appreciation of the current debates swirling around foreign aid and be able to enter into that debate cognizant of both its ethical and empirical dimensions.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy or Int'l Development Policy.
PPOL 5110 MIDP Capstone 1 3 Credits
This two-semester course guides students through the process of completing an original analytical report related to international development policy for a real world client. The course provides an opportunity for students to apply their acquired knowledge and research skills from the MIDP program to actual policy problems faced by key development actors and learn how to provide technical support consistent with an organization’s needs and capabilities. Students work in small groups in consultation with a faculty member and a client. The classroom component of the course focuses on research design, data collection and analysis, as well as the consulting process, including key challenges related to working in groups and with clients. The client component of the course consists in the development and presentation of a professional-quality report analyzing the problem an organization is seeking to tackle, suggesting different alternatives, and making recommendations for implementation.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy or Int'l Development Policy.
PPOL 5111 MIDP Capstone II 3 Credits
This two-semester course guides students through the process of completing an original analytical report related to international development policy for a real world client. The course provides an opportunity for students to apply their acquired knowledge and research skills from the MIDP program to actual policy problems faced by key development actors and learn how to provide technical support consistent with an organization’s needs and capabilities. Students work in small groups in consultation with a faculty member and a client. The classroom component of the course focuses on research design, data collection and analysis, as well as the consulting process, including key challenges related to working in groups and with clients. The client component of the course consists in the development and presentation of a professional-quality report analyzing the problem an organization is seeking to tackle, suggesting different alternatives, and making recommendations for implementation.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy or Int'l Development Policy.
PPOL 5200 Accelerated Stat for Pub Pol I 3 Credits
This course provides the foundation for effective statistical analysis of policy data by introducing students to multivariate linear regression, with a particular emphasis on distinguishing causal effects from spurious relationships. By the end of the semester students will be able to:
1) Understand research methods and be able to formulate statistically testable hypotheses;
2) Interpret the results of multivariate linear regressions and think critically about the potential problems that arise when trying to draw conclusions from such results, including omitted variable bias, multicollinearity, interaction effects and transforming variables;
3) Understand maximum likelihood estimation for limited dependent variables;
4) Be comfortable coding in R for statistical projects. Tools include loops, functions and lists.
This course is taught in R. As part of our effort to teach effective communication skills, students will make presentations about applications using techniques being studied. For MS-DSPP students only.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
Enrollment limited to students in a Master of Policy Management or Master of Public Policy degrees.
PPOL 5201 Accelerated Stat for PubPol II 3 Credits
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
PPOL 5202 Data Visualization for Data Sc 3 Credits
This course introduces students to the tools, methods, and skills necessary for making compelling quantitative graphics for the analysis and communication of public policy research. Students will be trained in programming and software applications useful for data visualization including R, Python, and Tableau. Upon completion of the course students will have gained:
1. A foundation in the theoretical, practical, and aesthetic elements of data visualization.
2. Skills in multiple software tools for making both static and dynamic visualizations.
3. An understanding of different data visualization techniques, trends, and challenges they are likely to encounter.
Students will have the opportunity to develop and profile their skills in data manipulation and visualization design through an online portfolio. Prior experience with R or Python, while beneficial, is not required. A laptop running MacOS or Windows must be brought to all class sessions.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy or Data Science for Public Policy.
PPOL 5203 Data Science I: Foundations 3 Credits
This first course in the core data science sequence teaches Data Science for Public Policy (DSPP) students how to synthesize disparate, possibly unstructured data in order to draw meaningful insights. Topics covered include the fundamentals of object-oriented programming in Python; literate programming; an introduction to algorithms and data types; data wrangling, visualization, and extraction; and an introduction to machine learning methods. In addition, students will be exposed to Git and Github for version control and reproducible research. The objective of the course is to teach students how to incorporate data into their decision-making and analysis. No prior programming experience is assumed or required.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy or Data Science for Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
PPOL 5204 Data Science II: App Stat Lng 3 Credits
This second course in the core data science sequence offers students an applied understanding of three key data science skills: data collection, data wrangling, and machine/statistical learning. Students will learn to gather raw data (using web scraping techniques and APIs); clean, structure, and manipulate data in a variety of formats; effectively explore and visualize data; and analyze datasets using a variety of machine learning models including regression, naive Bayes, K-nearest neighbors, decision trees and random forests, and support vector machines. Throughout the course, emphasis will be placed on effective visualization, model refinement and validation, and ethics. Students will engage with a number of policy-relevant data case studies throughout the course and will work on a policy-focused data science project.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy or Data Science for Public Policy.
PPOL 5205 Data Science III: Adv Mod Tec 3 Credits
This final course in the core data science sequence focuses on unsupervised learning techniques, natural language processing, and network analysis. The course builds off of the modeling concepts covered in Data Science II by teaching students how to effectively explore, model, and predict with unstructured data, such as text or data streams like those encountered in social media. Students will engage with a number of policy-relevant data case studies throughout the course and will work on a policy-focused data science project in which to apply their statistical learning toolkit.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy or Data Science for Public Policy.
PPOL 5206 Massive Data Fundamentals 3 Credits
Massive Data Fundamentals equips students to analyze datasets that exceed the capabilities of traditional computing tools. In this hands-on course, students master cloud computing, distributed systems, and the big data technologies essential for understanding modern data challenges in public policy.
Students build practical skills with industry-standard tools including SQL, Apache Spark, Databricks, graph databases, and Snowflake, using Python as the primary programming language. The curriculum progresses through three phases: cloud infrastructure fundamentals, SQL and data engineering, and distributed computing. Students also navigate the evolving landscape of data governance, exploring privacy laws, security protocols, and disaster recovery planning.
The course combines project-based learning with analyses of big data history and discussions of privacy and data governance issues. Students develop end-to-end data capabilities, using cloud platforms to ingest, transform, analyze, and present data, creating portfolio-ready work that demonstrates both technical expertise and policy insight. Prerequisites:
DSAN 5000 or equivalent, working knowledge of Python and the Unix command line. Students need to own a laptop computer with at least 100GB of free disk space and 8GB of RAM.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy or Data Science for Public Policy.
PPOL 5207 Data Ethics 1.5 Credits
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy or Data Science for Public Policy.
PPOL 5208 Communication for Data Science 1.5 Credits
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy or Data Science for Public Policy.
PPOL 5300 MPM Public Management 3 Credits
This course explores the nature of management itself and then identifies what is distinctive about public management. Among the concepts and issues in this course are organizational culture, management reform and innovation, performance management, and human resources management.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
PPOL 5301 The Public Policy Process 3 Credits
Almost everybody in the United States wishes that our public school system were better. So what can be done? This course focuses on two important trends in American education policy: the movement to focus on school "outputs" rather than "inputs" in designing education policies that emphasize "accountability;" and the growing emphasis on changing entire school systems, rather than implementing isolated changes in the schools.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
PPOL 5302 Research Methods 3 Credits
This course introduces the logic of research design and methods in the social sciences. The goal of the course is to prepare students to formulate research questions and conduct literature reviews; design, analyze, interpret, and report on their research; and to evaluate critically the work of others. Emphasis is placed on the logical bases of measurement, research methodologies, and statistical inference. MPM ONLY
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management or Policy Management.
PPOL 5303 Ethics Public Policy 3 Credits
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
Enrollment limited to students in a Master of Policy Management or Master of Public Policy degrees.
PPOL 5304 Econ Analysis for Public Polic 3 Credits
Economic principles provide a foundation for and are incorporated into policy development and analysis in a broad range of fields including environmental, social welfare, healthcare, education, and are critical to labor market analysis. This course focuses on how a range of economic principles including consumer and producer theory, social welfare economics, public goods and externalities, market failure, market structure, production theory, and fiscal policy provide insight into and help derive solutions for public policy challenges.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management or Policy Management.
PPOL 5305 Decision Making Public Policy 3 Credits
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management or Policy Management.
PPOL 5306 Mgmt of Program Evaluation 3 Credits
The course objective is to develop students’ abilities in the crucial executive functions of managing the evaluation of policy programs. Although there will be significant devotion to academic consideration, the course is designed to focus principally on the executive practitioner—less so on the scholar. For example, although there will be serious treatment of statistical concepts, the successful student will not become a statistician; he or she will become comfortable and confident with the most important professional usages of statistics. Perhaps more importantly, the course will attempt to “inoculate” the student from inappropriate use—intentional or otherwise—of quantitative techniques. This graduate level class will stress (1) conceptualization, (2) design methodology (qualitative as well as quantitative), (3) conduct (collection of evidence) and oversight of the evaluation process, (4) critical analysis, including a focus on oft-underestimated implementation issues, and (5) interpretation and apolitical communication of findings. MPM ONLY
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management or Policy Management.
PPOL 5307 Advanced Policy Mgmt Project 3 Credits
This course culminates in a substantial paper that demonstrates the student's ability to integrate consideration of analytic, management, and advocacy issues in the pursuit of solutions to a specific policy issue. It is taken in the final semester of the student’s program.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management or Policy Management.
PPOL 5308 MPM NUF Capstone I 1 Credit
The Policy Management Project (PMP) is the “capstone” piece of the Masters of Public Management, designed to apply the skills and knowledge gained in the program to a particular policy problem. Here, you will become an expert on your topic of choice, writing a detailed paper that defines your policy problem, identifies and evaluates alternative approaches to solving this policy problem, identifies one or more of these options as the most efficacious and/or practical, and devising programs to address the policy problem. As your advisor, I will help you refine your topic, point you towards resources, and guide you as you write this capstone paper.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the MPM-EMPM program.
PPOL 5309 NUF Practicum Seminar 3 Credits
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the MPM-EMPM program.
PPOL 5310 MPM NUF Capstone II 2 Credits
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the MPM-EMPM, MPM-PMPM or MPM_PMPM programs.
PPOL 5311 MPM NUF Practicum Seminar II 3 Credits
MPM NUF Practicum Seminar II
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the MPM-EMPM or MPM-PMPM programs.
PPOL 5313 Comparative Public Management 3 Credits
A key component in the study of public policy is the ability to work through how it gets put into action. Successful policy implementation requires more than technical policy analysis; it requires a critical understanding of the underpinnings of good management and governance. This course uses theoretical concepts, case study materials and simulations to understand the strategic management challenges facing both advanced industrial and less developed countries, as well as the options and resources available to effectively implement policies. Through class discussion, cases, and a policy management project, students will apply concepts in comparative public management to actual situations.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management or Policy Management.
Enrollment limited to students in the MIDP-IDPP, MPP-PPOL or MS-DSPP programs.
PPOL 5314 Comparative Policy Process MPM 3 Credits
Why don’t policymakers always choose the most efficient policies? Why do policymakers in neighboring countries facing similar policy dilemmas make different choices? How do actors inside and outside of government mold their policy proposals and actions to
achieve their political and policy objectives? What sorts of strategies do they use? Using a
combination of theoretical understanding and case studies, this course provides a comparative introduction to public policymaking.
This course attempts to build students’ skills in analyzing policymaking from two distinctive perspectives. The “Macro Perspective” (also known as the “Structural Perspective”) focuses on broad structural causes of and constraints on policymaking. These causes and constraints include economic development, political culture and ideas, patterns of interest group regulation and interaction with government, feedback effects from past policy choices, and globalization. We will also focus on political institutions as venues for policymaking. We examine these macro factors through different types of policies (e.g., health policies, moral policies, and policies such as climate change that address “common pool” problems), focusing on how distinctive policy sector characteristics may affect the policymaking process as well as the strategic choices made by political actors and policy outcomes.
A second “Micro Perspective” (also known as the “Agency Perspective”) on the policy process focuses on the strategic choices that political and societal actors (party leaders, interest groups, heads of government departments, etc.) make in trying to achieve their political and policy objectives while responding to a variety of political and social constraints. We examine strategies such as issue framing, agenda setting, building coalitions among diverse societal interests, and building legislative governing coalitions in multi-party systems. We also try to develop the skills required for success at those tasks through memo-writing, and group simulations.
Throughout the course, we will also try to develop developing students’ capacity to understand a variety of political systems holistically by looking in detail at specific countries and policymaking cases. This course gives particular attention to comparing policymaking processes and outcomes in five countries (the United States, China, Brazil, Germany, and India), plus the European Union. Rather than a “country by country” approach, however, the course is organized thematically. Each class session will utilize materials from one or more of these political systems to understand how the strategies employed by political actors and the constraints on political action they face influence policy choices, outputs and outcomes.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management or Policy Management.
PPOL 5400 The Politics of Policymaking 3 Credits
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in a Exec Master Policy Leader degree.
PPOL 5401 Leading Public Policy Reform 3 Credits
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
Enrollment limited to students in a Exec Master Policy Leader degree.
PPOL 5402 Economic Analysis for Execs 3 Credits
Economic Analysis for Executives
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in a Exec Master Policy Leader degree.
PPOL 5403 Budgeting and Financial Mgmt 3 Credits
The federal budget has implications for nearly every major policy issue under the sun, from health care and economic opportunity to national security and human rights. More than numbers in a table, the federal budget is a reflection of national priorities, a set of choices about how to generate and utilize shared resources, and a product of a uniquely complex set of inputs and actors. And because of its centrality to so much decision-making, the budget is also very often a battlefield of ideas, ideologies and interests. Throughout this week, we will learn how to navigate that battlefield. We will delve into the substance of the federal budget, discovering where the money goes and where it comes from, with particular attention paid to the many ramifications of those choices. We will also investigate the processes by which the budget is proposed, enacted and executed, to better understand how budgeting decisions get made and by whom. And we will apply those lessons to some of the key fiscal and budgetary issues facing the federal government today. While this week will focus on the federal budget, many of the general concepts and ideas can be applied to public budgeting in general, though the specifics will vary.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
Enrollment limited to students in a Exec Master Policy Leader degree.
Enrollment limited to students in the Exec. Masters in Leadership department.
PPOL 5404 Ethical Issues in Policymaking 3 Credits
This course examines political and professional ethics and values for leaders working in and around public service. The course covers (1) prescriptive aspects of contemporary public policy issues; (2) professional ethics with an emphasis on accountability and responsibility; and (3) the role of the policy executive in a democracy. The methods include case studies, historical interpretation, and conceptual analysis. The emphasis throughout is on concrete problems and questions faced by leaders.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
Enrollment limited to students in the Exec. Masters in Leadership department.
PPOL 5405 Public Policy Leadership 3 Credits
This module explores leadership as the art of dynamic change within public policy, emphasizing that effective leadership is inseparable from "courageous followership." Moving beyond management, the course defines leaders as persuasive agents of change who navigate complex institutional landscapes, from government and civil society to the private sector. The course then moves forward to explore how best to formulate, advocate for, and implement policy changes. Students will examine the multifaceted roles of a leader and the leader's vision for change, balancing the charismatic ability to envision and inspire with the instrumental necessity of organizational design and strategic execution. Central to this study is the conviction that true leadership must be both effective and ethical, rooted in a foundational respect for human dignity and the common good. The curriculum takes a candid look at the "dark side" of leadership, analyzing traits like corruption and insularity, while challenging students to develop their own capacities for moral reasoning and authentic advocacy. By learning to navigate a landscape of conflicting values, such as equity, liberty, and efficiency, students will cultivate the integrity and vision required to lead diverse stakeholders toward sustainable, equitable, and positive change.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in a Exec Master Policy Leader degree.
PPOL 5406 Program Evaluation for Execs 3 Credits
This course focuses on the roles of policy analysis and program evaluation of public policy problems, especially as it pertains to leading change in policies and organizations. It provides managers with an introduction to the tools and techniques of policy analysis and program evaluation so that they can more effectively and systematically seek, organize, and decipher relevant information needed to address policy problems and lead policy analysis.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in a Exec Master Policy Leader degree.
PPOL 5409 Public Pol Leadership Capstone 3 Credits
Applied Policy Leadership Project
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in a Exec Master Policy Leader degree.
Enrollment limited to students in the Exec. Masters in Leadership department.
PPOL 5902 Relig. Values Future of Dem. 3 Credits
This course considers the intersection of religion, values and democratic norms.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
PPOL 5925 PPOL Internship 0.25 Credits
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Pass/Fail Default
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6000 Asian Economic Development 3 Credits
The principal objectives of this course are twofold: (i) to familiarize students with the most important economic development issues confronting and challenging Asian countries today; and (ii) in the course of doing this, to help students acquire and apply the skills needed both to identify and evaluate a country’s major development constraints and challenges and to offer policymakers effective and realistic policy advice.
The Asian region is the largest and one of the most economically diverse regions in the world. It offers a virtual smorgasbord of different growth and development experiences with countries ranging from some of the poorest to some of the most successful in the developing world. The course compares and contrasts these records with a view to explaining the differences and drawing some general lessons. Some of the key topics covered include: the miracle vs. myth controversy surrounding the unprecedented economic performance of the so-called “East Asian Tigers;” the causes and aftermath of the Asian Financial Crisis and the region’s efforts to restructure and reduce its vulnerability to external financial shocks; the promotion of innovation and other productivity-enhancing measures to accelerate economic growth and thereby move from middle income to high income, developed country status; the prospect of the Philippines becoming the next Asian Tiger or remaining an outlier among its more successful neighbors; China’s economic reform, assent and integration within the global economy; the nature, strategy and pace of transition from central planning to a more market-based economic system in the so-called transition economies of Asia (TEAs),---China, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Mongolia and Myanmar; the unfolding human drama in South Asia (Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) as these countries continue to face enormous development challenges despite considerable progress over the last couple of decades; Japan’s economic stagnation, jagged recovery and future long-term structural challenges; the scope for regional economic cooperation; and the region’s competitiveness and future in the global economy. In addition, the course covers the performance of global capital markets in Asia, and the issues associated with the activities of the world’s multilateral trade, finance, and development institutions (WTO, IMF, World Bank and Asian Development Bank) as they relate specifically to the Asian region.
The course format is a combination of seminar-styled class discussions, team debates, and class lectures. Students are expected to do the required readings in advance of class, submit a few short papers, and actively participate in class discussions and debates.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6001 Policy Iss:CSR Impact Invest 3 Credits
This course examines the role of the public and nonprofit sectors in supporting corporate and investor activities that are intended to have social and environmental in additional to financial benefits. These activities -- often referred to as “Corporate Social Responsibility” (CSR) and “impact investing” -- have been described as having significant potential to create social benefits in addition to being in the financial best interests of the corporation or investor. At the same time, some critics of these activities have said that they are less about producing social benefits and more about marketing private sector activities that are primarily designed to produce corporate financial gains. The course explores what is meant by these two terms, what steps the public and nonprofit sectors have taken to support the wide range of activities that these terms encompass, and what have been the results of this work both in the United States and in other countries. The course also addresses emerging trends that are likely to affect the public and nonprofit role in CSR and impact investing in the future. Although the course includes a discussion of financial terms used in the CSR and impact investing fields, no previous finance or investing experience is required. In addition to lectures, in-class discussions, and case studies, the course features interactive discussions with leading practitioners currently working on these issues in the public sector, at nonprofit organizations, and at for-profit firms.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6002 Intrnl Social Devt Policy 3 Credits
International Social Development Policy provides an overview of the issues, challenges and constraints faced by global and national policy makers in increasing the performance of health and education systems in developing country contexts. The education and health sectors maintain and boost human capital, a vital factor in determining income and overall well-being. The course lays out a case for why government intervention may be necessary and provides a quick review of the history of public provision. The course presents a useful theoretical structure that frames the challenges and opportunities in the health and education sectors. This framework allows for a rich discussion of the role of household constraints, school/health facility inputs and the debate about public/private provision of these services. To motivate these discussions, we present case studies and evaluations of randomized interventions that suggest avenues for policy intervention. This course will require comfort with micro-economics and the second-course in the quantitative methods sequence. While some of the readings will contain advanced material, we will focus mostly on the ideas, insights and assumptions communicated. This course has a moderate amount of reading and students are expected to keep up with the reading.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6004 AI Development 3 Credits
In today's rapidly evolving technological landscape, Artificial Intelligence has become integral to solving global challenges in health, education, agriculture, and more. This course delves deep into AI and machine learning applications to policymaking, offering students a hands-on journey through the entire policy intervention process. Through a mix of lectures and hands-on exercises, students will build a strong theoretical foundation of AI concepts and methods such as reasoning, causal analysis, big data analysis, knowledge-based modeling, machine learning techniques, and generative AI. The course will draw on various case studies such as predicting agricultural yields with satellite data and improving urban transport with cell phone records.
The class aims to be highly interactive. It will include engagement with expert guest lecturers, peer discussion on applications of AI and Machine learning in design and evaluation of policies and interventions as well as potentials and risks of AI, ethical considerations, biases, and privacy concerns. As a final project, students will work together in groups on developing an AI solution to a real-world problem. Upon completion of the course students would be able to decide which AI methods and tools are relevant and useful in the context of a specific development problem where big data may or may not be readily available. No prerequisites.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6005 Community Development Policy 3 Credits
This course examines the policy and practice of community development, including how public, private, and not-for-profit organizations work to strengthen the economic, physical, and social environments of low- and moderate-income communities. The course explores a range of community and economic development programs and policy issues, including those related to financing affordable housing, community facilities, and small businesses. With respect to affordable housing, it explores the affordable housing programs of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, and state/local housing programs. The course also addresses emerging trends that are likely to affect community development policymakers and practitioners in the future, including new ways of raising capital for community development projects, partnerships between affordable housing providers and job training/financial coaching providers, and the role of fintech firms in financing small businesses and consumers. The course also explores job opportunities for McCourt students in community development policy and banking jobs. Although the course includes a discussion of public policy analysis and underwriting techniques used by public and private sector community development practitioners, no previous community development finance or public policy experience is required. The course is taught by Joseph Firschein, an officer at the Federal Reserve Board of Governors who leads the Fed’s supervision and regulation of bank lending in low- and moderate-income communities and the consideration of the community impact of bank mergers and acquisitions.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6006 Growth Diagnostics Dev Strat 1.5 or 3 Credits
PPOL 658: GROWTH DIAGNOSTICS & DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES.Growth diagnostics (GDs) have become an essential tool for developing country governments to help focus their own development strategies, and for professionals in the field of economic development. This course examines the theory and application of GDs against the backdrop of the latest thinking by practitioners in development policy. We will discuss specific challenges in using the tool, and will spend time applying it to different countries, including fragile states. By the end of this course, you will have developed analytical tools that will enable you to contribute to new and ongoing GDs in the field that have been requested by developing countries, and that are increasingly being financed by donor agencies. PRE-REQUISITE: PPOL 506 OR PPOL 536
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6007 History of Development 3 Credits
The history and theory of economic development provides an overview of economic development in historical perspective. We explore the ultimate and proximate causes of modern economic growth by comparing the growth experiences of Europe and European offshoots with the experiences of other parts of the world such as Japan, China, Africa and Latin America. We will pay particular attention to the role of geography, institutions, culture, trade and technology as ingredients for economic growth. There are no pre-requisites for the course. While some of the reading will contain some technical material, we will focus mostly on the ideas and insights and not the mathematical/econometric representations. This course has a moderate amount of reading and students are expected to keep up with the reading.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6008 Multilateral Development Banks 3 Credits
The World Bank and other multilateral development banks (MDBs) have quietly evolved from their traditional development role to become sophisticated partners for governments, investors, and NGOs across a wide spectrum of issues and industries. This course examines the major MDBs from a practitioner’s perspective and gives students a practical understanding of the policy, business, and development tools these institutions offer as they deploy billions of dollars through co-financing, private equity, early-stage technology investments, innovative risk sharing structures, and many other activities in emerging markets.
Students will emerge with a pragmatic toolkit that allows them to contribute immediately in their future roles as international affairs practitioners. Students interested in international business will be able to produce action plans that answer real-world questions such as: “My multinational employer wants to enter the Nigerian prepared food industry through acquisition of a fast-growing local player. How can an MDB support us with capital and expertise to ensure our success?” International development students will be able to identify MDB-financed development projects that impact their NGOs or CSOs, as well as providing grant or contracting opportunities. Policy students will learn how to leverage MDB programs and leadership in support of U.S. and other government objectives. Students will work together on cross-disciplinary activities that require them to analyze challenges and find solutions combining the resources of MDBs, the private sector, NGOs, and governments.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6009 Monitoring Eval in Develpmnt 3 Credits
This course aims to build the foundations for a strong understanding of the role and practice of Monitoring and Evaluation in policy making and international development. Over the past few decades, there has been a tremendous growth in the demand for evidence-based decision making in government and development. The M&E course will introduce participants to the essential analytical framework used in evaluation and a variety of monitoring and evaluation tools. While the course does not cover any one evaluation method in great depth, it should prepare participants to understand and apply key concepts and methods in real world settings, whether as users of evaluations, or as members of a project or evaluation team. Prerequisites: PPOL 501 or PPOL 531. Ability to interpret a regression table.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
Enrollment limited to students in a Master of Policy Management or Master of Public Policy degrees.
PPOL 6010 Behavioral Econ in Development 3 Credits
How should policymakers in developing countries take account of the fact that people are not hyper-rational, individualistic utility-maximizing machines? In this class we will examine the tools of behavioral economics and its consequences for development policy. Each week, we will examine specific ‘behavioral’ departures from the neoclassical model, discussing how lab- and field-experiments provide ways of measuring this phenomenon, evidence of its importance, and implications for policymaking. Specific topics will include attitudes toward risk and uncertainty; learning; attention and bandwidth; present bias; trust and altruism. These will be applied to policy areas ranging from the adoption of agricultural technologies, to the management of health and income risks, the encouragement of savings, the motivation of public servants, and the provision of public goods. Students will acquire knowledge of the theory, methods, and development policy implications of behavioral economics
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6012 Sustainability Transitions 3 Credits
Full title: Just Sustainability Transitions in Complex Economies
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6013 Innovative Program Design 3 Credits
Innovative Financing & Program Design for Development. In this course, students will learn methods for designing programs using Results-Based Financing and other innovative program design approaches. Throughout the semester, students will take the perspective of funders in the program design process – be it governments, donors, development banks, or foundations. Students will learn how to diagnose problems, design incentive schemes (metrics, verification, targets, and prices), and develop innovative financing and funding modalities. The course covers specific RBF instruments with diverse applications such as Results-Based Loans by the World Bank, incentives for frontline workers, Impact Bonds for NGOs, Prize-Based Challenges, and Advanced Market Commitments. The course also covers program design alternatives to RBF: fostering community-driven accountability, venture capitalist-like grant-making, as well as adaptive performance management. All the approaches strive to enhance the impact of public resources on the lives of intended beneficiaries using the course’s core concepts. The course’s cases are predominately drawn from social sectors such as health and education in developing countries; however, many of its techniques also apply to developed countries and other disparate topics issues as climate change mitigation or vaccine development.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
PPOL 6014 Economic Complexity 1.5 Credits
In most successful economic development stories, countries travel a path from producing low complexity products such as agricultural commodities to producing more complex products such as electronics or machinery. This course examines how countries travel that path. We will examine: why countries produce what they do, what does the path toward higher complexity tend to look like, and what role does government play. The course first presents a basic theory of economic complexity that helps build intuition for what makes a product complex. Then we will examine how a product's complexity affects the difficulty and value of producing it in a given country. Key factors affecting diversification and complexity will also be examined, including the role of cities and human capital. Case studies of governments that have successfully promoted diversification and increased their economic complexity are included throughout to ensure course material is connected with real world applications. Students will develop familiarity with a variety of tools that are useful for understanding economies. They will learn to examine a country’s economic history, current constraints, and future opportunities. Students will also develop the ability to connect economic analysis with realistic and implementable policy-making. While the course focuses on developing and transitional countries, many insights from the course are also applicable to developed countries.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6015 Sustainable Development 3 Credits
This course explores the meaning of "sustainability" in the context of development. It considers recent dynamics that have pushed climate change to the top of the global policy agenda and their relevance for national policy planning processes in developing countries. The course examines what the demands of climate change mean for regulatory frameworks, incentives, and the creation of new markets around the world. It explores sustainability as applied to agriculture and urban development, how vulnerable groups fare in the tension between progress and environmental protection, and the scope for public-private partnerships in enhancing sustainability. Throughout, the course draws on case studies from low and lower-middle income countries to look at how the demands of sustainability are challenging and altering the way that public policy decisions can be optimized in the context of development.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6200 Fed Budget: Policy,Pltcs,Prcss 3 Credits
PPOL 6200: FEDERAL BUDGET: POLICY, POLITICS, & PROCESS. The federal budget has implications for nearly every policy issue under the sun, from climate change and economic opportunity to national security and human rights. More than numbers in a table, the budget is a reflection of national priorities, a set of choices about how to generate and utilize shared resources, and a product of a uniquely complex set of inputs and actors. And because of its centrality to so much decision-making, the budget is also very often a battlefield of ideas, ideologies and interests. In this course, we will learn how to navigate that battlefield. We will delve into the substance of the budget, discovering where the money goes and where it comes from, with particular attention paid to the many ramifications of those choices. We will also investigate the processes by which the budget is proposed, enacted and executed, to better understand how budgeting decisions get made and by whom. And we will apply those lessons to some of the key fiscal and budgetary issues facing the federal government today.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6201 Public-Private Partnerships 3 Credits
Public-private partnerships are an increasingly common strategy to address important public problems, both domestically and internationally. This course is a comprehensive overview and examination of these partnerships and their implications for public policy and nonprofit and public management. In particular, the course will examine the diverse array of partnerships in the US and abroad and analyze the management challenges and opportunities involved in the development and implementation of different partnership strategies. In addition, the course will identify and discuss the key characteristics of successful partnership strategies. Specific cases of partnerships in the US and in other countries will be used to illustrate key concepts and issues in the class. These cases include multi-sectoral partnerships and government partnerships with nonprofit and for-profit organizations in a wide variety of policy areas including: social services, health care, infrastructure, parks, international development, and community regeneration. The cases will also be used as a basis for class discussion. Assignments include memos on the assigned cases and a semester long project on a public-private partnership. Professor Smith.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6202 Prog Policies:US Labor Market 3 Credits
This course will review policies designed to affect employment outcomes in the U.S. Topics will include minimum wage and overtime laws, job training, career and technical education, community college, unemployment insurance, immigration policies, equal opportunity laws and Affirmative Action, and occupational safety and health regulation.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6203 Public Policy in the Priv Sect 3 Credits
In this course, we’ll examine the increasingly tricky intersection of corporations and public policy. Societal changes – cultural, technological, informational and economic – have upended the traditional corporate playbook for influencing public policy and engaging in political debate. No longer can companies rely simply on direct lobbying and donations to influence Washington and state governments, which are passing laws and approving rules that can have an enormous impact on companies, costing or saving them billions of dollars while adding or eliminating barriers to doing business in the U.S. The fallout of public policy change – either positive or negative – is real, and companies, which always want to mitigate risk and crave long-term certainty, must know very quickly where they stand on an issue, figure out how to influence the process and prepare to adapt quickly in any scenario.
Today, businesses large and small are being forced to confront a different reality, with shareholders, consumers, the public and increasingly their own employees demanding they take positions on policy issues that sometimes at first glance seem to have little to do with the bottom line – but really have everything to do with it. At the same time, new societal challenges have emerged, and corporations are both providing solutions for these issues and seeking to profit by influencing public policy. In this course, we’ll examine how corporations determine where they stand on policy issues and advocate for them to achieve their business objectives – and protect their reputations. We’ll review how they balance a desire to help solve some of the world’s thorniest issues with a need to deliver value for shareholders and investors.
Throughout the course, we’ll explore how different leadership in Washington sets different parameters for corporations engaging in public policy based on the political philosophy of the party in power as well as on current events – and the nation’s general mood. We’ll look at the immense change companies have been facing for the past decade, a period filled with uncertainty and upheaval that has reordered how business in Washington is done. And we’ll examine factors that companies have had to consider: a polarizing news media; faith in institutions at bottom-barrel levels; extreme partisanship; globalization under attack; income inequality driving populism; shareholder revolts and consumer boycotts common place; an unprecedented access to information; and disruption in both the technology and media industries, where anyone can instantaneously publish information, whether true or false.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
PPOL 6204 Strat Advocacy: Lobby/Intst Gr 3 Credits
Strategic Advocacy: Lobbying and Interest Group Politics in Washington will critically examine American politics and government through the prism of interest group participants to reveal how public policy is formulated in our nation’s Capital. Particular emphasis and attention will be focused upon the policies and procedures of the House of Representatives, the United States Senate and the Executive Branch of government as well as the lobbyists and interest group political participants that seek to shape the laws, rules and regulations that govern us all. Moreover, course participants will engage in a thorough and in-depth examination of new interest group participants such as “527” advocacy groups and “Super PAC” groups that have emerged early in the 21st century in light of the Citizens United decision. Students will also explore and analyze the impact of political contributions in recent federal elections along with Congressional and Presidential efforts to reform and refine the campaign contribution system. The course will combine significant analytical analysis of current political science scholarship on the role and influence of interest group politics along with firsthand insights and observations gleaned by the instructor’s substantive experience at the highest levels on Capitol Hill, the White House and as a practicing strategic advocate. The course will be taught in a traditional seminar format with active participation required by each student.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6205 Adv Topics in Micro Macro 3 Credits
This course will examine topics in macroeconomics and microeconomics. Each week will feature a separate topic, and student groups will be chosen to give presentations on the topic of the week. Areas covered will include, for example, unemployment, discrimination, fiscal and monetary policy, income distribution, economic growth, financial markets and financial stability. Pre-requisites: PPOL 506 and PPOL 507 or PPOL 536 and PPOL 537 AND PPOL 649 or an undergraduate Macroeconomics course. Students' prerequisites/academic background in Macroeconomics will be verified before registration is approved.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
PPOL 6206 Macroeconomics 3 Credits
Macroeconomics examines the aggregate outcomes that result from the many interactions among the main economic actors in the economy. The course will start by focusing on the main measures of the different aggregate components of the economy. The course will then dive into how equilibrium is reached in different markets in the macroeconomy, including the labor market, the credit market and the monetary system. Then, the course will explore what drives short term fluctuations in economic performance and the role of countercyclical policies (including fiscal and monetary policies), paying close attention to the Great Recession and the Pandemic Recession and their aftermaths. The course will then turn to how economies interact with each other through trade and capital flows. Importantly, the course will consider the determinants of long-run growth and development and why some countries have better economic performance than others.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6207 Tax Policy 3 Credits
Tax Policy will teach students the principles of tax policy analysis through a broad outline of extant tax policies and practices, the economic effects of various tax policies, and the political environment surrounding tax reform.
The course will begin by establishing an understanding of the features of taxes, the types of taxes most commonly used (and some less-commonly used), and the various reasons for taxation. It will offer an overview of the United States system of taxation, to establish a practical baseline for detailed analysis of the economic effects of taxation, the impact of taxation on equality, and tax expenditures.
Students will learn about behavioral effects, economic incidence, distributional effects, and macroeconomic effects of various tax policies. Students will also learn about how to properly classify and analyze tax expenditures, and make determinations regarding how appropriate tax policy is for carrying out spending programs in different scenarios.
The class will then proceed to review tax administration and enforcement strategies and their economic impacts. It will then proceed to a discussion of common misconceptions about tax policy, and an overview of the policy process surrounding tax legislation and regulation. The class will conclude with an extended examination of a variety of proposals for tax reform in the US, including to what extent the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act meets criteria for reform, and an analysis of its prospective impacts.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6208 Race Labor Markets 1.5 Credits
This module will analyze some of the most troubling and persistent racial disparities in US labor market outcomes and their correlates (like employment and earnings, education, and crime/incarceration), why these disparities persist, and a range of policies (both race-conscious and not) to reduce them.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT) or Policy Management (PT).
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
PPOL 6210 Consumer Fin Consumer Protect 3 Credits
Consumer financial products play a central role in the financial lives of most people in the United States and in the nation’s financial well-being. Consumers rely on these products to make, and often to finance, the purchases that help drive economic growth and help households build wealth. For financially fragile households, credit plays an especially important, and sometimes problematic role in their daily lives.
Not surprisingly, consumer finance poses important policy questions regarding the role government should play in regulating the offering of these products by financial institutions and in itself providing financial products such as student loans. These questions are as consequential as they are contentious. By focusing on specific products such as checking accounts, credit cards, mortgages, small dollar loans, and student loans, this course will examine the role government has played, and the role it should play, with respect to each market. Particular emphasis will be placed on exploring alternative regulatory approaches, and alternative government roles, including their potential costs, benefits and risks in light of the available empirical evidence regarding how these markets are functioning and the outcomes consumers are experiencing.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6211 Tax Law Pub Finance Worksho 3 Credits
This course is a colloquium on recent academic work in tax law, public finance economics, and related fields. It is intended to introduce you to current research in tax policy and to give you an opportunity to develop skills in reading and critiquing contemporary legal and economic scholarship and policy position papers. After an introductory component, the workshop shifts to a series of weekly paper presentations by leading public finance economists, tax law scholars, and government experts. Professor Dayanand Manoli (McCourt School of Public Policy) and Professor Emily Satterthwaite (Georgetown Law) will lead the workshop. This is a small and focused course and thus reading and active participation are essential. The format for the paper presentations will be 15-25 minutes of presentation by the speaker followed by a group discussion. The primary goal is student-centered discussion and participation, but students will also be exposed to views provided by other Georgetown faculty and members of the larger DC-area tax community who attend the workshop.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6212 Antitrust Public Policy 3 Credits
This course provides a survey of current antitrust public policy issues. Students will learn analytical frameworks for approaching antitrust issues that combine microeconomics, econometrics, and the law. Throughout the course, we will focus on practical, real-world examples drawn from current policy debates. The course is divided into four main topic areas: (i) cartels and collusive behavior; (ii) unilateral conduct, including monopolization and exclusionary conduct; (iii) mergers and acquisitions; and (iv) contemporary topics in antitrust, including tech platforms, vertical relationships and mergers, the intersection of antitrust and intellectual property, and antitrust in pharmaceutical markets.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
Enrollment limited to students in a Master of Policy Management or Master of Public Policy degrees.
PPOL 6213 Economics the Social Sectors 3 Credits
With more evidence linking adult outcomes to investments in human capital, healthcare and education are poised to become one of the largest sectors of the global economy over the next 10 years. This course introduces students to the economics of the social sectors with an emphasis on how economics can be used to improve health and education outcomes for the poor. The focus throughout is on low-income countries, with frequent comparisons to the U.S. and other high-income countries.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6250 International Financial Instit 3 Credits
This course will provide an overview of the international financial institutions (the World Bank, regional development banks, and the International Monetary Fund) from a policymaker's perspective. Students will gain a better understanding of the diversity of roles the international financial institutions (IFIs) play in the global economy, ranging from bailouts in Europe to conditional cash transfer programs in Honduras to hotel construction in Ghana. The course will explore the history of the IFIs, their governance structures, and their instruments of engagement as a basis for understanding their approaches to today's international policy issues. Students will be encouraged to examine the IFIs from a policymaker's perspective through policy-oriented writing assignments and simulations of IFI-related policymaking exercises.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6251 Intl Trade PolicyNegotiations 3 Credits
International trade policy has recently experienced some of its most significant changes since the beginning of the post-WWII era. Debate over modern trade policy, and the impact of globalization more generally, has always been an element of domestic political and economic discourse. However, the policies and positions put in place under the Trump Administration and continued or evolved under the Biden Administration potentially signal a significant and lasting change of direction of U.S. domestic consensus on international trade public policy. In the face of global economic challenges including the COVID pandemic, climate change, supply chain disruptions and the return of inflation in advanced economies, the role of trade policy, national security, and multilateral cooperation to address these challenges is being reexamined. This class will examine modern trade policy in light of these questions and critiques of globalization’s impact on domestic economies, workers and industries. How is U.S. trade policy evolving regarding bilateral and multilateral trade? How have other trade partners, such as China and the European Union, reacted to changes in U.S. trade policy? Will the WTO continue to be an effective and relevant body for managing multilateral trade? International trade agreements have evolved from relatively simple agreements into comprehensive treaties that cover most aspects of economic relations between countries—such as trade in goods, services, investment, intellectual property, food standards, labor, and the environment. Consequently, trade agreements are often politically contentious and have become lightning rods for a wide-range of concerns about globalization. Understanding how trade agreements work and how they have been critiqued has perhaps never been more relevant. International Trade Policy and Negotiations will provide students with a comprehensive understanding of modern international trade policy-making, trade agreements and trade negotiations. The class will explore countries’ motives for negotiating trade agreements; the evolution of these agreements at a multilateral, regional and bilateral level; the typical structure of trade agreements; the range of diverse areas they cover; and the domestic policy debates around trade. The class will also enhance students’ practical skills in negotiating and conveying complex information through concise and effective writing.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6252 MoneyFin Dev/Globalized World 3 Credits
The course will assess the long-term mechanics of household, enterprise and national finance as well as financial behavior and policy choices across business cycles. There will be specific coverage of the core issues in micro-finance and other targeted lending, informal finance, shadow banking, and managing financial stability in today's integrated financial markets. At the end of the course, students should have a solid understanding of monetary and financial policies and choices in the context of today's globalized financial markets. We will examine current evidence-based policymaking directed at increasing financial depth, diversification, inclusion and stability in both developed and developing countries. Undergraduate-level economics is a prerequisite.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6253 African Economic Development 3 Credits
Sub-Saharan Africa has been described as the development challenge of the 21st Century. This region comprises over a billion people in some 48 mostly low-income countries where extreme, abject poverty is still a major problem. It is under these conditions that African countries strive to develop their economies and improve standards of living. This most important and urgent work is the subject of this course.
The main objectives of the course are to familiarize students with the most important economic development issues confronting and challenging African countries today and to demonstrate how economic analysis may be used to better understand and address these development issues.
With this overall focus, the course begins with a brief historical account of the economic impacts of slavery and colonialism in Africa. This is followed by an analysis of Africa’s post-independence development experience, often characterized as a growth tragedy, and the economic policies and other factors that help to explain that performance. The course then turns to its main subject—current African development issues, including: the region’s transition to more market-friendly economies; Africa’s unfinished structural reform agenda, particularly downsizing and changing the role and functions of the state in the economy, including the establishment of new regulatory systems and divestiture and privatization of state-owned enterprises; the goal of macroeconomic stabilization, including expenditure and taxation policies, external debt management, and the role of Africa’s central banks and exchange rate regimes; strengthening health and education programs to shore up human capital development; the role and effectiveness of social safety net programs in directly combating poverty and income inequality; the capacity and quality of public sector institutions and the difficulties of governance and economic policy making in ethnically divided and war-torn African states; Africa’s participation in world trade and access to private capital markets; the challenges of expanding Africa’s physical infrastructure and the scope for public-private partnerships; the task of widening and deepening the financial sector in African countries; the agricultural sector’s potential role in supporting rural development and economic growth more broadly; the effectiveness of official development aid (ODA), including the role of the African Development Bank and other development aid agencies, and finally the scope for regional economic cooperation and integration among African countries, including the potential role of the newly established African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA).
The classes will comprise both lectures and seminar-style discussions, including several organized class debates, panel discussions and student presentations. Students are expected to prepare for each class by doing the required readings and participating actively in class discussions, presentations and debates.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6254 Global Migration Policy 3 Credits
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Students cannot enroll who have a major in Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT) or Policy Management (PT).
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
Enrollment limited to students in a Master of Policy Management or Master of Public Policy degrees.
PPOL 6255 Latin America Econ Pol Challen 3 Credits
Latin America Economic Policy Challenges. The course will go over the most important economic policy challenges faced by Latin American and Caribbean countries in the last 25 years. The course will focus on macroeconomic, social, and microeconomic and structural policy challenges reviewing the main analytical tools used to understand these problems as well as regional data and case studies. The first section will discuss the main hypotheses that explain the mediocre growth performance of the region, its multiple financial and debt crises, how different countries handled the volatility of commodity price and its relationship with the international financial institutions. In the second section we will focus on the evolution of the main social indicators such as poverty, income distribution, education and health and analyze the different policies implemented to improve living conditions of the most vulnerable groups in society. We will focus the discussion on how to design public policies to address these challenges. Finally, the course will focus on the main microstructural challenges and policies. We will start with a broad discussion on the evolution of the participation of the public sector in different economic activities and the effects of privatization processes, the effects of different trade policies implemented in the region and the design of appropriate mitigation and adaption policies to climate change. Although the course will focus on data and case studies from Latin America and the Caribbean, the analytical and policy design discussions are relevant for any developing and emerging economy.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6256 Issues in Political Economy 3 Credits
The current pandemic and rising geopolitical tensions remind us just how vulnerable societies around the globe have become to politico-economic forces determining the fate of nation-states and the viability of global cooperation. Deciphering the complex politico-economic mechanisms and the influence of myriad factors driving economic and political outcomes is paramount when designing and navigating complex policy solutions. Building on these insights, the course centers on the dynamic interplay between politics and economics in selected areas such as international finance, trade, and diplomacy. The course aims to introduce participants to concepts that enable them to identify political factors driving the evolution of economic governance regimes, the institutional design of the international economic governance architecture, and subsequent politico-economic dynamic
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6300 Education Equity, Law PubPol 3 Credits
This course originates from the premise that today’s educational inequities along racial lines within the U.S. K-12 public education system are not aberrations, but instead are reflections of this nation’s history of slavery, imposition of Jim Crow law, persistent de facto segregation, and systemic racism. Working from that premise, students will explore how public policies, by their design, implementation, or legal interpretation, can have the effect of eradicating or deepening educational inequities for students of color. Students will examine policies across a range of issues that disproportionately impact the educational experiences and outcomes of students of color, including school discipline, integration and segregation, school choice, and school finance. Students will do this by exploring the full dimensions of policy, including how data can inform policy interventions and expose or mask inequities, or how courts’ interpretations of policy can modify meaning and impact. Students will obtain an understanding of the complexities of educational inequalities along racial lines, as well as an appreciation of the promise and limits of public policy to eradicate them. Professor Janel George
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6301 Education Finance Policy 3 Credits
This course examines several key components of education finance from a policy perspective. Students will be guided in an examination of the financial and related resource allocation issues that are integral parts of public education policy in the United States. Students will gain exposure to different leaders in the field of education finance and learn to think about resource allocation from the perspective of the student experience, equity, and student success. Material will equip students with skills needed to be better consumers and users of education finance information at all levels in the system. Students will gain familiarity with budgets, spending related policies, and data sources for financial information and wrestle with challenges of productivity and tradeoffs. Learning will take place via class discussions, assignments and readings, an interactive class blog on timely policy dilemmas, and will culminate in the presentation on an education finance topic of choice or a hands-on analysis project with a state or local education agency.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6302 K-12 Ed Policy Implementation 3 Credits
From policy to implementation to practice, the course explores the intersection of students, parents, and educators in American K-12 public schools. The course includes a practical exploration of how district, state, and federal policies affect what happens in the school building while examining the myriad of influences, players, and interest groups. Students will analyze how policies such as school choice, mayoral control, universal preschool, and early college access intersect to create equity issues, focusing on deficiencies in people rather than policy. Students will critically analyze research, evaluate authors' motives, and explore how current events and politics influence education policy. Students will engage in real-world applications of content through short assignments and apply principles learned to their own policy questions.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6303 Ed Policy:Leadership in Crisis 3 Credits
The thrust of this case-based, discussion-based course is to challenge students to problem-solve the widely varied challenges that education leaders and policymakers face. By working through specific cases, this course will illuminate larger operational and strategic issues that are part and parcel of the work of education leadership and policy. Cases will be drawn from the instructor’s direct experiences in leading NYC Department of Education's response to Hurricane Sandy and supporting states, districts, and schools on Covid-19 response. Additionally, cases will be drawn from the direct experiences of education policymakers and leaders who have navigated challenging issues including but not limited to: gun violence and economic crisis. The class will feature prominent guest lecturers—including former federal education policymakers, elected officials, state education leaders, district superintendents, and school leaders—who will engage in analysis and dialogue with students. The issues addressed will be central for students aspiring to work in education policy or directly with schools. Readings will be drawn from several sources that focus on the nature of leadership, crisis management, and policy making in education and beyond.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
PPOL 6304 Current Topics in Edu Policy 3 Credits
Today, American education is in turmoil. What is the future of public education? What is the future of higher education? In this course, students are encouraged to ask the big questions about education policy while at the same time acquiring the skills and knowledge necessary to be astute policy analysts and problem solvers. The course is open to students with no prior policy background as well as those who have policy-making experience. Students will explore such topics as the history of education policy in the United States, the ongoing struggle for racial educational equity yesterday, today, and tomorrow, how schools and colleges are funded and how it shapes the opportunity structure in the United States, the political dynamics of school choice, the role of state and the federal government in shaping education policy, and how the electronic revolution has changed the educational landscape. Good education policy is evidence-based; what constitutes good evidence and how we can distinguish valid and reliable evidence from speculation and opinion will bring an analytic lens to our work. The class is organized as a seminar designed to maximize student participation and voice. Students will complete a final project on a current education policy question.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6305 Policies of Edu Inequality 3 Credits
Uncovering Policies Behind Educational Inequality. The US education system is plagued by devastating gaps in opportunities and outcomes, that are based on race, income and other factors. For example, in Washington DC, public schools teach some of the highest performing White students in the country and some of the lowest performing Black students in the country, all learning in the same city and school system. Across the country, students in high-poverty schools and students of color are less likely to have access to experienced teachers, sufficient resources, advanced courses, and technology compared to their peers in more affluent schools.
While the study of how to close gaps, or “what works” for educational equity represents an important contribution to the field, the question of how discriminatory policies create gaps in the first place, deserves more significant attention. The course will cover drivers of educational inequality that are rooted in contemporary educational policies and attempt to answer the question of how and why our school systems continue to manufacture gaps between different groups of students. Topics will include segregation, resource distribution, access to good teachers, school choice and others.
In addition, using the topic of educational inequality, we will discuss innovative research approaches and methodologies that are useful for uncovering policies of inequality in general. This includes greater attention to mixed research methods and using a combination of qualitative and quantitative tools to understand complex relationships and recipes for creating and exacerbating inequality in public policy.
The course will equip students with tools to understand structured discrimination in educational policy, as a foundation for developing tools to close opportunity gaps.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6350 Issues:Sexuality Law Policy 3 Credits
This course will explore how American law and policy has confronted and continues to confront issues of sexuality. Topics will include, but are not limited to, sexual orientation and gender identity. While 2015 brought a major Supreme Court win and marriage rights for same-sex couples, the fight for full LGBTQ equality continues. Debates rage over what the policy goals for the LGBTQ rights movement should be now and how to prioritize them. In addition to addressing the continued discrimination many LGBTQ people experience every day, such as in employment and education, the course will explore some of the current debates, Constitutional and otherwise, around topics such as polyamory, sex work, the First Amendment, LGBTQ family formation, and the intersection of sex, gender identity and sexual orientation. The course will provide a grounding in the contours of current sexuality law and policy, while also delving into some emerging areas that remain ripe for new policy formation. We will also look at the regulatory process and the role that has played in American sexuality policy. Where appropriate, how sexual minority rights have been framed and addressed in some international jurisdictions will be considered to properly place our discussions in a globalized world. The course will be approached with a legal lens, but prior legal education or experience is neither required nor expected.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6351 Policy/PoliticsOf Entitlements 3 Credits
“Entitlements” are at the heart of ongoing debate about our nation’s fiscal future and our commitment and approach to social welfare. This course examines the policy and politics of "entitlements"—engaging students in debates regarding how best to manage the role of the federal government in spreading risk and distributing resources. We will look not only at direct spending programs traditionally viewed as “entitlements” (particularly, Social Security, Medicare, SNAP, public education and others) but also at “tax expenditures” that similarly establish budgetary commitments and individual “rights” to benefits. For this broader scope of entitlements, we will explore issues such as income redistribution, intergenerational equity, means-testing vs. universality, compulsory participation vs. individual choice, individual vs. social responsibility, and state vs. federal authority that are common to entitlement programs. The course will examine these issues (both within and across programs) through consideration of technical options for policy design and broad concepts of social justice.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6352 Child Development 3 Credits
The optimal development of children is central to the goals of a humane society and to the future of our nation. The course will provide an overview of child development drawing primarily from the perspectives of developmental psychology and sociology. Assigned readings and lectures will explore approaches to and challenges for measuring healthy child development and highlight their applications in current scholarly research and government policy. Along with laying a foundation of the contexts that contribute to favorable child outcomes, the course will examine circumstances that place the nation’s children at risk - including high poverty rates, growing inequality, fragile families, teenage childbearing, divorce, and imbalances in work and home responsibilities. Within each topic area, students will critically evaluate relevant current policy responses as well as identify new avenues that would be suggested by a child development perspective.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
Enrollment limited to students in the Main Campus or Medical Center campuses.
PPOL 6353 Urban Law Policy 3 Credits
This course will explore a range of legal and policy issues affecting American cities in areas ranging from housing and land use, concentrated poverty and racial segregation, expanded efforts to police crime, innovative efforts to encourage economic development, and the authority of cities to regulate in areas of state and federal concern (e.g., public health, civil rights, immigration), among others. We will analyze the underlying social, economic, and political causes of these problems and the responses made by policymakers and courts. We will examine the limits of existing legal doctrines concerning local government powers at a time when local government units are being asked to take on more and more responsibility for improving society and regulating the conduct of citizens in local jurisdictions. The material for the course will be a mix of readings from urban planning, sociology, law and political theory. Students will also be exposed to select legal principles affecting the role of cities in shaping a range of public policies. Grades will be based on active participation in class discussion, short weekly reaction papers, and a final research project. The last few weeks of the term will be dedicated to in-class presentations of student research projects.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6354 War on Drugs:Causes ConseqAlt 3 Credits
The United States faces today the most lethal drug epidemic in American history. The massive scale of fatal drug overdoses – due to the presence of dangerous amounts of fentanyl now present in almost all illegally sold drugs – requires a reinvention of the country’s drug policy, especially regarding domestic drug enforcement and drug treatment/public health programs. However, despite some important innovations which will be explored in the course, we are still saddled by outdated approaches and attitudes developed over fifty years ago. The course will examine:
· The initial formation of domestic drug laws and international drug control treaties, · Centralization of U.S. drug policy making in the White House starting under President Nixon, · Policy responses to rising drug use in the 1960s and 1970s, · The enforcement focused/mass incarceration approaches to the crack cocaine epidemic in the 1980s, · The formation, organization and activities of the Office of National Drug Control Policy in 1989, · The emergence of the opioid crisis in the 2000s, starting with massive prescription drug misuse fostered by the ruthless marketing of Purdue Pharma of OxyContin, · A review of proposed drug policy reforms – what the evidence shows is effective and what the prospects are for their enactment on the Federal and state level.
Class lectures and discussion will scrutinize outcomes of these policies, including mass incarceration, racial disparities, evolving drug abuse trends, increasing overdose rates, and violence domestically and abroad. The course will examine both traditional prevention, treatment, drug enforcement and supply reduction policies and newer approaches, including alternatives to incarceration and harm reduction policies designed to break the cycle of addiction, arrest, and incarceration. Proposals for the legalization of various drugs will be reviewed and debated. During weekly class discussion students will have an opportunity to share their views.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
Enrollment limited to students in the Main Campus or Medical Center campuses.
PPOL 6355 Race US Criminal Legal Policy 3 Credits
This course will examine the roots of the US mass incarceration crisis through a racial analysis of 150 years of criminal “justice” policy. The first half of the course will focus on the US criminal legal system issues such as policing, crime control and public safety policies, as well as their disparate impact on African American and Latinx communities. The second half of the course will be spent evaluating trending 21st century reforms for their ability to balance public safety, proportionality in punishment, as well as racial justice. In this course, students will be responsible for digesting and interrogating social science research, state and federal legislative initiatives and other public policies, and political and advocacy campaigns. Students will be introduced to and adopt the role of various stakeholders in setting out policies of the distant and recent past for hands on experience vetting and implementing policies in the furtherance of their final project, a blue-ribbon commission on a policy intervention of their choosing. Subject matter discussions in this course, as well as readings and multimedia material, may be triggering. All students must show respect and practice grace and diplomacy.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6356 Urban Inequality 3 Credits
In this course we will study urban inequality and the social processes and policies that both sustain and dismantle it. Why are American cities so racially and economically segregated? What are the consequences of these divisions? What can social policy do to address urban inequality? An interrogation of the role of space, race, and policy will be central to our inquiry throughout the semester. We will examine both the historical roots as well as the contemporary causes of concentrated poverty and racial segregation in the American city, considering explanations related to macroeconomic change, policy, and social processes such as discrimination. The course will cover a range of policy domains, especially those that focus on housing and neighborhoods. We will learn how the neighborhood acts as a mechanism shaping individual outcomes. Students will develop an understanding of urban social problems such as poverty, segregation, joblessness, housing affordability, residential mobility, crime, and related policy interventions including public assistance, public housing, housing vouchers, urban redevelopment, the criminal justice system, and more. We will interrogate the changing landscape of urban inequality and consider processes such as suburbanization, gentrification, and privatization. The course relies heavily on cases studies in local contexts across the United States. Readings are arranged both chronologically and thematically, in order to highlight the interplay of historical changes in the American urban landscape with policy perspectives and practices.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6357 Identity Politics 3 Credits
Identity has played a significant role in American politics and policy, as Americans have often sought to achieve political goals by organizing on the basis of a common “social" identity, such as race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, class, or gender. Many, but not all, identity-based movements have achieved dramatic successes in reducing legal barriers to equality. Despite these successes, prejudice, stereotype, intolerance and inequality persist, and some people have blamed identity politics itself for perpetuating these problems. In this course, we will explore the social and political experiences of various identity-based minority groups in the U.S., and consider the role that government policy has played in their experience, whether through subordination or empowerment. We will study the strategies used by different minority groups as they have sought to mobilize members and supporters, and we will evaluate their successes and failures in achieving their political goals. Finally, we will analyze the debate over whether identity politics and policy serves to divide and polarize Americans, or if it increases tolerance and support for diversity in an increasingly multicultural nation. Though the primary focus of this course will be identity-based interest groups, we will also examine their similarities and differences compared to interest groups that are not organized around identity.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6358 Poverty the Social Safety Net 3 Credits
This course examines the nature and extent of poverty in the U.S., and looks at public policies aimed at creating a social safety net as protection against the effects of poverty. Anti-poverty policies - social insurance, income maintenance and other programs- are discussed with an emphasis on the behavioral impacts of the policies and their ultimate effectiveness in reducing poverty. Education and labor market policies for the disadvantaged are considered as well.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6359 Ident Undo Bias in Pub Pol 3 Credits
Identifying & Undoing Bias in Public Policy. This course examines the implicit and overt biases that inform policy-makers. Students will be responsible for digesting and interrogating the history of a number of major 21st century US policy areas to identify structural bias in policy-making. Topics to be covered span health, housing, justice, and environmental policies. Students will also begin to understand their own personal biases, and those of previous policy-makers, and how they also inform the policies that govern society. Students will be introduced to and adopt the role of various stakeholders in setting out policies of the distant and recent past for hands on experience vetting and implementing policies in the furtherance of their final project, a blue-ribbon commission on undoing bias in a previous policy intervention of their choosing. Subject matter discussions in this course, as well as readings and multimedia material, may be triggering. All students must show respect and practice grace and diplomacy.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT) or Policy Management (PT).
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6360 National Services Programs 1.5 Credits
National Services Programs
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6361 Disability Justice Equity Pol 3 Credits
This course will provide an in-depth exploration of disability justice, a movement that centers disabled Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC), equity, and public policy. People with disabilities create the largest marginalized group in the United States making up about a quarter of the population. This makes studying disability relevant for multi-faceted careers in the areas of medicine, business, advocacy, communications, and policy. The course will begin with an overview of the multiple federal disability laws that protect this community; it will also review the basics of social equity and the process of creating public policy. There will be extensive discussions on Intersectionality, race, sexual orientation, equity activism, and multi-marginalization. This graduate level course will provide a multifaceted understanding of the historical, social, cultural, socioeconomic, and political dimensions of disability. Students will be able to articulate the concept of disability as a social construction; engage in interdisciplinary inquiry about disability as diversity; demonstrate an understanding of disability justice, laws, and policies; prepare for creating public policy and community engagement.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6362 Inequality Public Policy 3 Credits
This course considers inequality as a central challenge for public policy and democracy. The first half of the course analyses the measurements of inequality, its history, competing perspectives on causes, public opinion concerning it, and institutions and actors shaping it, and the importance of it for our democracy, as well as a deeper dive on different demographics. The second half of the course considers the shape of the welfare state in the US, as well as a host of different policy areas. Students will analyze the structure of the system that has created these inequalities as well as variation across different issue areas and potential for reform. As one of several assignments, students write a policy memo suitable for submission to a member of Congress or other key political actor.
Level: Graduate, Master of Laws
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
PPOL 6363 Voting Rights 1.5 Credits
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6364 Strategizing Gender Justice 3 Credits
In this class, students will examine the formal and informal structures and rules that influence gender justice efforts across domestic and international institutions. Students will become familiar with feminist institutionalism theories and frameworks for analyzing changes in gender equality policies and outcomes. They will use this theoretical understanding to frame a case study of gender justice policy change (success or failure) as tied to the efforts of a local gender justice advocacy coalition. This course will be valuable for students seeking to understand the logic of progress on gender equality and how to further transformational change through institutions across the foreign policy and development sectors.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6365 US Infrastructure Policy 3 Credits
The purpose of this course is to explore the federal, state, and local dimensions of U.S. infrastructure policy, with an emphasis on recent policy debates. Infrastructure systems vary widely in their design, operation, and function, including transportation, water, energy, and broadband networks. These systems, in turn, vary widely in their planning approaches, investment needs, and impacts on the U.S. economy. Infrastructure is also part of a larger built environment—both human-made and natural—that has significant climate impacts. Given this complexity, there is a need to enhance existing plans, better measure and target improvements, develop new funding and financing approaches, and more.
Students will gain an understanding of the major infrastructure issues facing policymakers and practitioners across the country. The course will combine lectures and group discussions to help students navigate the complexity of U.S. infrastructure policy, especially around its economic development and climate dimensions. It will do so by (1) introducing the actors, institutions, and policy frameworks involved in overseeing different infrastructure systems; (2) examining planning and investment needs in specific infrastructure sectors; and (3) analyzing current and emerging issues around new federal funding, workforce demands, and technological changes. In particular, students will gain an applied perspective on these issues, including: familiarity with state and local planning challenges and federal legislation; experience working with data on infrastructure; and opportunities to distill and present information on infrastructure.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6366 National Science Policy 3 Credits
U.S. science policy has an enormous influence on our nation’s economy and environment, security, academic institutions and culture. Through readings, case studies and conversations with guest lecturers, this course will provide students with: 1) An understanding of the context in which U.S. science policy is developed to address important national objectives, and how “policy for science” is formulated; 2) An appreciation for the role of the executive branch science agencies, of Congress and interest groups in making and implementing U.S. science policy; and 3) An engagement in key contemporary science policy issues about scientific ethics and integrity, the role of scientific advice in policy making and the “politicization” of science.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6400 Envi Resource Economics 3 Credits
Beginning with the concept of “sustainability”, the course develops a framework for assessing environmental problems including the notion of market failures, policy design issues associated with using alternative economic incentives and instruments (e.g., pollution taxes, cap and trade, standards) and the valuation of environmental resources. The second part of the course examines principles of the management of renewable and depletable resources (e.g., fisheries and forests/petroleum). The issue of climate change is a key focus throughout the course. A number of applied settings are used to demonstrate the principles taught in the course. The main text is Environmental and Natural Resource Economics, 11th Edition, by T. Tietenberg and L. Lewis. Pre-requisites: PPOL 501 & PPOL 506 or PPOL 531 & 536, or PPOL 556.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6401 Environmental Policy 3 Credits
This course provides a multi-disciplinary introduction to environmental policy, drawing from economics, political science, history, philosophy, the natural sciences, and more. Our aim will be to tackle the following seven questions together.
(1) How has humanity re-shaped nature? (2) How have societies regulated their environmental impact? (3) How do we understand nature well enough to take action? (4) What are the values that motivate environmental policy? (5) What are the means of environmental policy? (6) How do environmental policies get made? (7) How do we evaluate environmental policies?
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6402 Environ Policy Politics US 3 Credits
The purpose of this course is to understand the political dynamics that shape the debate, enactment, and implementation of environmental policy in the United States. We will explore theories and conceptual frameworks from political science, public policy, economics, and sociology, and we will apply theories from these fields to current and historical environmental policy cases. The course will help students develop a nuanced understanding of the ideas and institutions that structure the environmental policy process and apply this understanding to ongoing environmental policy debates. The course does not require prior knowledge of environmental policy, but it does assume basic familiarity with the U.S. public policy process. PPOL 510 (or equivalent) is sufficient background.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6403 Natural Resources Energy Pol 3 Credits
This seminar will delve into key elements of natural resources and energy law and policy, past and present, with an additional focus on future directions. Students will consider the historical underpinnings and contexts of these policy fields and will study relevant law and underlying policies. The seminar is primarily domestic in its focus, but some discussion of international natural resources and energy policy will be included. We will discuss recent changes in law and policy, past and current successes and failures of natural resources and energy law and policy, the implications of climate change, the trade-offs between development and natural resources conservation, and issues surrounding energy availability and security. Students will complete a short paper on a specific topic of interest and produce a final project as part of a team with written and oral presentations on a key area of natural resources or energy policy.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6404 Climate Change Policy 3 Credits
The purpose of this course is to provide an introduction to the main concepts of climate change science, mitigation, and adaptation and the current policy debates about the main approaches to addressing climate change. The course will draw on case study examples both domestically and internationally and at various levels of government from countries, regions, and cities. Attention will be given to the political, international development, and equity dimensions of climate change policy. The course will combine lecture, group discussion of papers, and the use of interactive tools. Students will gain experience in writing persuasive arguments on policy approaches to climate change. The course does not require prior knowledge of environmental science, policy, or economics.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6405 Climate Investment Policy 3 Credits
The Inflation Reduction Act and related legislation enacted in the 117th Congress represented a new investment-led approach to addressing climate change, environmental injustice, and energy costs. This course will examine the legislation from multiple perspectives both as a window into the current state of climate change policy and as a practical example of policy making. Coursework will cover prior legislative efforts to address climate change, the coalitions that formed to shape and advance an investment-led approach, the role of Presidential campaign platforms, the use of the budget reconciliation process and its implication for policy choices, and how institutional structures and varied goals among policymakers resulted in compromises and agreement. The course will also explore the details of the investment programs, their projected effects, the implementation choices and responsibilities of the executive branch together with state and local governments, their interaction with federal environmental regulations, and the implications for international trade and climate policy. The course will feature class discussion, supplemental reading assignments based on primary documents, and practical writing assignments. No prior knowledge of climate policy, economics, or the legislative process is required.
Goal: After completing this course, students will understand how an example of major legislation came to pass, and how this legislation is shaping the context for future climate, environmental, and energy policy.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6406 Gender, Climate, Security 3 Credits
Gender dynamics, climate change, and security considerations are interconnected in complex and impactful ways. The policy and programming implications of the so-called “gender-climate-security nexus” for the promotion of gender equity, the mitigation of climate change, and the advancement of peace and security are increasingly being recognized. This seminar examines the key concepts, theories, and approaches underpinning the field of Gender, Climate and Security from policy, scholarship, and practice perspectives. Thematically, we will cover issues such as intersectionality, gendered climate security in the Global South, masculinities, ecofeminism and environmental justice, the securitization of the environment, climate (in)security and environmental disasters, migration as a climate change adaptation strategy, and environmental peacebuilding. Discussions and materials will also cover the emergence of legal and normative frameworks adopted by the UN system to address these issues and their relevance for policy-making. We will examine how global agendas (e.g., UNSCR 1325 and UNSCR 2250; the SDGs) are incorporated into National Action Plans (NAPs) and related initiatives in the US and abroad. Case studies will illustrate how the connections between intersectional gender, climate and security are being experienced in specific locations across the globe. Classes are run on an active discussion basis and full participation of students is expected. The course is suitable for everyone with an interest in issues of intersectional gender and climate security, and in conducting policy-relevant research in environmentally and politically fragile contexts, regardless of discipline or theoretical orientation.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6407 Economics of Climate Change 3 Credits
This course will show how economic principles can help determine what climate policies to pursue. The goal is to become familiar with environmental benefit-cost analysis as applied to climate change, as well as with the scientific and ethical justifications and critiques for this approach. Students should be prepared to engage with formal economic and statistical methods as well as with more philosophical issues. We will explore these topics through a combination of readings, lectures, class presentations, case studies, and experiential assignments.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
PPOL 6500 Hlth Care Qual: Rec Pol Issues 3 Credits
This course provides an introduction to how public policy can be used to improve health care quality and the public reporting of quality. Topics include: (1) Quality of care under the COVID-19 pandemic, including the effects of forgoing care; (2) Racial/ethnic disparities in quality—did they persist before COVID?; social determinants of health; (3) quality of care under the rise in telehealth; underserved communities and access to telehealth; (4) The Opioid Epidemic; (5) The National Quality Strategy under the Affordable Care Act (ACA); quality under "Medicare For All" proposals; the Quality Payment Program in Medicare; the quality of Medicaid; (6) Designing incentives for rewarding quality: pay-for-performance models versus behavioral economic models (Nudge Theory, default theory, peer group effects, shame); shared-savings models; accountable care organizations (ACOs) and other Alternative Payment Models; (7) Protecting the patient: patient safety and medical errors; the Checklist Manifesto; alternative tort reforms, the Apology Initiative; payment policies for hospital-acquired conditions and readmissions; (8) Coordinating care: electronic health records and digital health care; interoperability of IT; the medical home model; bundled payment design; (9) Measuring preventive care quality: debates over screening guidelines; the science of measuring the cost offsets and outcomes of preventive care and pharmaceuticals; (10) Reporting quality: report cards; consumer use of public reports; physician use of internal reports; crowd-sourced quality ratings; (11) Measuring overuse, underuse, waste, and the costs-savings from quality; geographical cost and quality variation; (12) Current policy issues in personalized medicine and genomics; and (13) The impact of insurer/provider competition and consolidation on quality. By the end of the course, students should be able to think critically about the key health policy issues related to improving healthcare quality.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6501 Health Policy, Politics Law 3 Credits
This course, available to students in both the McCourt School of Public Policy and Georgetown Law, explores health policy, politics, and the law by involving students in issues related to critical debates on the Affordable Care Act (ACA), private employer-sponsored health insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid. In this class you will learn:
● How politics has shaped our public-private mix of health financing arrangements–with significant consequences for access and costs; ● How our legal system increasingly affects our policy choices and their implementation; and ● How politics in the Congress and the courts together pose significant hurdles to reforming health financing that will assure access to affordable quality care.
The class will begin with an overview of the U.S. health financing system—its policy failings and how they came about—and the political efforts to improve it–as handled in the Congress and the courts. Drawing on national expert “guests” as well as on assigned readings, we will then explore specific policy and legal issues related to Medicaid, the ACA, employer-sponsored health insurance, and Medicare. In two exercises confronting real-world challenges that policymakers are currently grappling with, teams of policy and law students will collaborate on oral briefings, followed by written memos, to guide “policymakers” (faculty who will role-play members of Congress) in making decisions.
Students will leave the course with a better understanding of the policy choices and legal strategies that play a role in whether people can benefit from meaningful health insurance protection and affordable health care costs. Through this course, students will also learn key concepts in administrative law and constitutional law, and how past and future legal clashes will affect the implementation of the ACA, the private employer-sponsored health insurance programs, and the major public health care programs. By the end of the course, students will develop a greater awareness of the constraints that politics and the judicial branch place on meaningful health care reforms and of the trade-offs associated with varying approaches policymakers could adopt in the years ahead.
Level: Graduate, Master of Laws, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6502 Health Care Access:Demand Issu 3 Credits
This course provides an introduction to the fundamental issues in health economics and health services research related to health care demand. In the first part of the course, models are developed to analyze the demand for health and medical care, health production and health behaviors. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of insurance in affecting the market for medical care by analyzing employment-based insurance, Medicare, Medicaid and the problems of the uninsured and underinsured. The second part of the course uses these theoretical foundations to evaluate the key health policy issues in the United States, including the Affordable Care Act. Students will read a variety of articles ranging from classic analyses in health economics and health services research to up-to-date current analyses. By the end of the course, students should be able to think critically about the key health policy issues related to health care costs and health care access.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6503 Health Care Supply 3 Credits
The objective of this course is to use the basic principles of microeconomics to study the health care system with particular emphasis on providers (physicians, hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, the pharmaceutical industry, the medical device industry). Throughout the course, current issues and problems that exist in the health care marketplace today will be emphasized. The course will cover the latest developments in the health care sector including private equity and purchases of hospitals, nursing homes and physician practices; the controversy surrounding Medicare Advantage; and Medicare’s ability to negotiate prices for Part B. Drugs. We will use economic tools to help gain a better understanding of each of these issues. The course will focus on the payment system for each provider type and how the financial incentives inherent in each reimbursement structure influence provider behavior.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6600 The Press the Presidency 3 Credits
**President Trump 2.0:** Not since Grover Cleveland lost the White House in 1889, only to return four years later in 1893, have we seen a president lose the presidency and then regain it four years later. As we begin 2026 – a mid term election year, we, as Americans, are starting a new chapter in our history. Will this chapter reflect the Trump years, characterized by a strong focus on policy shared through social media and less interaction with traditional press? Are his strong views about the conventional press a breath of fresh air, or do they signal a different relationship with a healthy media that challenges checks and authority? This course examines the historical and current relationships between presidential communication, audiences, and the President's Executive Office, especially during a president's first year. The course is particularly relevant in today's political climate, where the role of media and communication in shaping public opinion is more crucial than ever. Students in the public policy field will benefit greatly from this class, as it emphasizes that policymakers operate within a government system where policy affects almost every aspect of their daily work. This course provides students with the theory and real-world examples needed to understand and evaluate the impact of rhetoric on policymaking. Readings will include selections from public policy and communications literature. While the Executive Branch coexists with the legislative and judicial branches, it is well-known that the President often dominates and influences news cycles with every move and statement— especially in the age of social media. This course will analyze the communicative aspects of the American presidency and the communication styles of several American presidents classified as "great communicators." We will also familiarize ourselves with the communication tools used by presidents and the rhetoric that defines the presidency, applying the skills of rhetorical criticism.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6601 Campaign Mgmt:An Insiders View 3 Credits
Over twelve weeks, students will be introduced to the essential components of campaign management including candidate recruitment and evaluation, campaign staffing, budget, public opinion research, fundraising, targeting, policy proposals, paid communications, press management and, especially, message development and management. Tactics and strategies from previous campaigns seldom dominate or determine the dynamic and effectiveness of the next. For example, virtually every assumption of the 2016 Presidential race was proven wrong and time-honored assumptions were debunked. Students will learn to assess real life campaigns -- 2019 and 2020 races -- in real time, determine how to improve them and assess the likelihood of victory. Skills required to manage a successful political campaign are applicable to virtually all professions, including development of strategic goals, building and leading a team, adjusting budgets and messages. All are critical requirements of a campaign, but also of managing any Congressional, not-for-profit or business enterprise. A detailed 12-week curriculum will be developed including assigned readings and expected class participation.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6602 Federalism/Intergovmntl Rel US 3 Credits
Federalism is one of the key features of our system of government, yet it is poorly understood. In this course, we discuss how federalism works and how it might work better. Although this course is taught from a political science perspective, we will pay some attention to economics (fiscal federalism) and law (court decisions). Our principal goal is to understand how federalism and intergovernmental relations vary across policy domains. But we will also devote some thought to how the division of labor between governments might be redesigned in specific sectors, to promote greater effectiveness or efficiency or justice. In this course, we will devote substantial attention to education policy, health policy, environmental policy, and welfare policy. We will also devote some attention to homeland security policy and the politics of disasters. Enter this course with an open mind!
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
Enrollment limited to students in a Master of Policy Management or Master of Public Policy degrees.
PPOL 6603 Women and Leadership 3 Credits
This course examines the unique challenges and opportunities faced by women in leadership positions in government, business, non-profit organizations and the military. The course looks at women’s leadership roles in the context of the general literature on leadership, and addresses barriers faced by women on the path to leadership. We will study theories of leadership, women leaders in historical context and case studies of past and present women leaders. While the course will primarily focus on the United States, women’s leadership roles in other countries will be discussed as well.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
Enrollment limited to students in the Main Campus or Medical Center campuses.
PPOL 6604 Strategy Public Policy 3 Credits
It seems that new national or departmental strategies of sorts are released every few weeks. But are these foundational documents expected to drive change throughout entities within their scope, or are they simply marketing pieces? More fundamentally, what, exactly, is strategy (or what should it be)? Why is strategy important? How is it developed? This class seeks to answer such questions by examining topics ranging from grand strategy to strategy/strategic planning in the policy arena; differences between strategy, strategic planning, operational planning, and budgeting; net assessment and futures analysis; table-top exercises/war-games; the use of strategy/strategic planning in business (as a counterpoint to policy); and criticisms of strategy and examples of good and bad strategies across government.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6605 Policy Politics the Media 3 Credits
Few questions are more vexing or inherently controversial than the relationship of the media to politics and policymaking. There is even dispute over what constitutes “the media.” The course is organized around specific areas of coverage, the financial challenges facing traditional media institutions, the interaction between the media and political actors—and, more generally, the relationship of the media to democracy. Specific classes look at the impact of the media on the policymaking process, specific institutions such as public radio, and the media’s impact in the international arena. The course also examines important changes in the media, including the shift of readers’ attention from print to various online sources, the role of social media, changing patterns of media consumption and whether readers and viewers are dis-proportionally consuming information that reinforces their views. This year, we will pay particular attention to the challenges to the media in the Trump Era. Guests with particular expertise and experience have been invited to help lead sessions devoted to their areas of interest. The reading list includes both scholarly and popular work on the media as well as contributions from journalists and scholars who will meet with the class.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6606 American State Legislatures 3 Credits
PPOL 660: AMERICAN STATE LEGISLATURES: AN INSIDER’S ANALYSIS. The 50 State Legislatures across America are praised as the “laboratories” of American government, testing out innovative policies while the U.S. Congress is mired in partisan gridlock. In fact the earliest State Legislatures predate Congress by a hundred years, and Adams, Jefferson and Franklin, all drew on their experiences in their assemblies of Massachusetts, Virginia and Pennsylvania, when they designed the role of Congress in the U.S. Constitution. Despite their important historic and continuing role in American government, State Legislatures are arguably the least studied and understood element in the U.S. political landscape. This course will look at the pressures and tensions driving individual members of the various Legislatures around the nation. For example, how can a candidate shift from attacking his opponent in the other party to building consensus to pass legislation? What balance should a Representative strike between responsibility to constituents, the entire population of the State and personal judgement and conscience? We will also look at the challenges behaving ethically, while being forced to raise ever larger campaign war chests. In the second part of the course, we will look at the various State Legislatures throughout the nation, and consider why these institutions have developed structures and traditions so differently from one another. For example what is it like to be a New Hampshire State Representative working in a Chamber with 399 other members, as opposed to the Alaska Senate with only 19 others? That same New Hampshire House member represents only 3,350 constituents, while a California House member represents 493,750 people. While most states struggle with often bitter partisan battles and tension between House and Senate members, Nebraska organizes on a non-partisan basis and dispenses with the House altogether, with a 49 member Senate as its sole legislative body. Finally, in the third section of the course, we will look in detail at creating, negotiating and enacting legislation from a practical point of view. Where do lobbyists, staff and legislative leaders fit in? Why is it so difficult to pass a bill? What are the secrets to successfully fighting through to getting a bill passed and signed? I will be drawing on my 20 years experience as a State Representative in the PA House and with the Council of State Governments, which provides a forum for those legislators from around the country to share best practices. I will also be inviting a variety of guests to join us in-person or by video link. The course will rely on discussion rather than lectures, so your participation is important. There will be two graded papers of about 5 pages each, and three in-class role-playing simulations where the class will be divided into teams to negotiate an issue, a redrawing of legislative districts and a recreation of the actual issues surrounding the 2015/16 PA budget impasse.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6607 Public Leadership 3 Credits
What better time to be studying leadership than now? This course is designed for students seeking to become effective public leaders, regardless of institution or position. Students will be challenged to think critically about the moral responsibilities and ethical dilemmas of public leadership; to understand the competing demands on leaders trying to accommodate politics, institutional constraints, and the multiple agendas of interested parties; to examine your own capacity for leadership; and to discover new ways to think about and exercise leadership for the public good. We will explore leadership in a variety of ways: analysis of the current political scene, key actors, and forces influencing leadership decisions; case studies of leaders, ranging from grassroots organizers to presidents; class discussions with experienced public leaders; and participation in class activities designed to allow you to practice your own leadership skills. Students will have an opportunity to interview two leaders about the issues they face, the strategies they use, and the advice they offer to emerging public leaders.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6608 Risk Management 3 Credits
Resources are finite, and policy-making commands trade-offs. For example, an agency or department might focus on the prevention of nuclear terrorism at the expense of other priorities, such as violent crime policing or pandemic planning and response. But such a decision might not represent the best use of scarce resources, depending on the risk associated with each priority. This course examines risk management in the public policy context. It introduces students to the concepts and methods of risk, risk assessment, and risk management; and it presents examples of applications of these concepts and methods in policy settings including national/homeland security, foreign policy, financial regulation, public health, and the environment.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6609 Judicial Politics/Policy 3 Credits
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
PPOL 6610 Org Change/Mgmt Strategies 3 Credits
The need to change is a constant in organizations of any size that want to adapt to internal and external challenges. Skills in change management are a core competency for those who aspire to executive positions or to industry leadership. The objective of this course is to give students practical management skills that will make them a competitive candidate for upper-level positions. During this course participants will learn the essential concepts of transformation and develop critical skills that will set them apart, preparing them to manage challenging situations in the workplace. The course will focus on how to anticipate change and manage transformation in public organizations. Change management is a subset of organizational development. The course will cover change management for the purpose of learning the core concepts, developing key skills, and practicing how to use those skills in the real world.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
Enrollment limited to students in a Master of Public Policy degree.
PPOL 6611 Congressional Politics Polic 3 Credits
Congress is defined by Article One of the Constitution for a reason: it was intended to be the primary policy-maker in the federal government of the United States, but thepublic rarely gets to see what actually goes into getting things done on Capitol Hill. From the scribbles on the final piece of the tax reform package the Senate passed in the middle of the night to Committee deliberations, leadership fights and elaborate negotiations, Congressional success and failures are determined not just by good policy or smart politics but by so much more. This course builds on the work of the Public Policy Process course to focuses on the nuts and bolts of passing legislation into law -- from running for Congress, to staffing an office, writing a bill, the Congressional Leadership and Committees, the Budget and Appropriations processes, Whip operations, the mechanics of the Floor, Conference Committees, and dealing with the White House. With more two decades of bipartisan, bicameral experience in some of the biggest Congressional battles of the Bush and Obama eras, we will take students inside “the room where it happens” – where the deals that set the course of our country’s history come together or fall apart.
We will look at significant legislative achievements of the past century – including the National Recovery Act in the 1930s, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and ‘No Child Left Behind’ in the early 2000s – to see how the process has changed over time. But this isn’t a history course – it will be a real-time study of public policy as it develops. Students will not just analyze the methodology and solutions to make Congress work, they’ll be working to break down the legislative developments on the next big Congressional priority after tax reform that will be happening all spring - and developing potential strategies to help pass it.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6612 Nonprofits, Philanthrpy, Polcy 3 Credits
This experiential course will provide a hands-on opportunity to act as a philanthropist. Over the semester, the class will award $20,000 to nonprofit organizations. You will meet philanthropists and nonprofit/NGO leaders on both sides of an issue, i.e., climate change policy, voting rights, education reform, social media regulation, etc. You will learn how philanthropists and nonprofits influence public policy, and experience the behind-the-scenes workings of nonprofits: their missions, programs and impact. Finally, you will identify your own philanthropic values and priorities.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
Enrollment limited to students in the Main Campus or Medical Center campuses.
PPOL 6613 Leadership Communications 3 Credits
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Students cannot enroll who have a major in Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT) or Policy Management (PT).
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6614 Administrative Burdens 3 Credits
Red tape, confusing paperwork, and complex regulations often introduce delay and frustration into our experiences with government agencies. These 'administrative burdens' diminish the effectiveness of public programs and can even block individuals from fundamental rights like voting. This course documents how the administrative burdens citizens regularly encounter in their interactions with the state have large effects on people's access to public services and rights, reinforce patterns of inequality, and are often the product of deliberate policy choices. Using analyses of case studies and different policy areas - such as voting access, immigration, social security, and healthcare programs - students learn to identify and categorize administrative burdens. The course will feature policymakers and policy advocates talking about techniques to make government simpler, more respectful and accessible. Students will be asked to work on an applied project where they analyze and seek to reduce burdens in a specific public service.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6615 Becoming a Policy Leader 3 Credits
Are you ready to be a public policy leader? We know that good leadership is essential to policy success, especially in the volatile and uncertain environment we face. This course recognizes that anyone can learn the skills necessary to be a leader. There is no need to wait until achieving a particular grade or position to make positive leadership contributions in the workplace or to lead policy change. This course provides the foundations of being, thinking, and doing that make a talented policy professional a leader, better prepared for new roles and greater responsibilities.
Part I introduces models, tools, frameworks, and approaches for building self-awareness and for influencing up, down, and across the organization.
Emphasis on the current policy environment highlights the benefits of approaching tasks with creativity rather than just reacting. Insights into individual preferences, facilitating meetings, professionalism, motivation techniques, strategies to leverage individual differences, and teaming approaches lay a strong foundation for being an effective policy leader.
Part II focuses on leading successful policy change.
Emphasis on leading the people side of change moves beyond traditional change management approaches. Insights into why people resist change, communications techniques, ways of thinking, social networks, how to build collaboration across boundaries, planning for change, and gauging success prepare you to make change happen.
Throughout the course, you will have multiple opportunities for self-reflection and for planning your professional growth as a policy leader.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Students cannot enroll who have a major in Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT) or Policy Management (PT).
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6616 Negotiation 3 Credits
(FALL SEMESTER -- ROGOWSKY) This course focuses on the art of negotiation and on critical analysis of conflicts and problems-solving strategies that lead to agreements. It begins with the neuro-science of communicating. It moves quickly to negotiation as a value-building and problem-solving exercise; cross-cultural, gender and cross-generational differences; and the hard-nosed tactics of creating and claiming value from ‘the deal.’ The course emphasizes the public policy process, domestically and internationally, political advocacy tools and techniques to assure support for desired outcomes and the skills needed to successful negotiations. Instruction includes lectures-discussions and cases studies, but emphasizes simulation exercises and critical debriefing to hone skills through ‘real world’ experience.
SPRING SEMESTER (MILNER-GILLERS) - (Spring Break, 3-credit course)
Negotiation is an intensive, skills-based seminar-style class that emphasizes the ability to think analytically about the process of negotiating. Readings and class discussions will provide students with a theoretical framework to prepare, conduct, and review negotiations and several strategies to enhance their abilities as negotiators. Through participation in a series of simulations and critical reflections, students will increase awareness of their negotiation behavior and their ability to negotiate more skillfully in a range of sectors in bilateral and multilateral settings. As this course meets for just a few sessions over spring break, full attendance is required.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6617 Innovation Public Policy 1.5 or 3 Credits
Technology and innovation have powered an unprecedented rise in human welfare over the last three centuries. Today, AI and other rapidly evolving technologies are driving disruptive changes through all sectors of the economy. We live in one of the most consequential eras of technological and economic transformation in history: Technological change is rapid, competition between companies and nations is fierce, and the societal stakes could not be higher. Building the innovation capability of our organizations is more important than ever, as is understanding the various tools of innovation policy and how they can be used to promote prosperity and welfare. After taking this course, students will understand how innovation works in practice, how to lead innovation in any organization, and which public policies can be used to promote innovation at the national level and beyond. We will discuss the current drive to reindustrialize the USA, and how industrial and innovation policies are intertwined. We will debate the societal issues and policy challenges posed by new disruptive technologies, including the need for AI and bio ethics, automation job losses and what they mean for the future of work, unequal progress, loss of human agency and privacy, and the challenges to individual freedom.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6618 Speechwriting for PublicPolicy 3 Credits
It doesn’t matter what you know if you can’t describe it, and it doesn’t matter what you say if no one remembers it. That’s why every student, regardless of policy and career interest, should learn the elements of great speechwriting. In this course, Former White House and Pentagon speechwriter Sean O’Brien identifies the common elements that enabled speakers from Aristotle to Oprah and Roosevelt to Reagan to seize the opportunities presented by the given moment and audience. Students will hear from guest speakers and read key texts that break down the elements of effective messaging, then they will put these ideas into practice by writing talking points, op-eds, testimony and a final keynote address. Students will also learn by critiquing the work of their classmates through intensive classroom and online workshops.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6619 Lead/Prob Solving Digital Age 1.5 Credits
The structures of most state, local, federal governments and many non-profits were developed over a century ago and are struggling to adapt and deliver services in the age of big data, digital platforms and hyper-connectivity. This course introduces students to the challenge of public-problem solving in the digital age and dives deep into key leadership and problem-solving tools, methods and skills necessary to deliver for the public in a changing environment. Students will focus on: putting humans at the center of public policy-making (user-centered design), using data (big and small) to assess challenges and monitor progress, and delivery/implementation. The course draws on case-studies and theoretical concepts in public problem solving with selected guest lectures from practitioners working in non-profit and public sector management (Mayor’s teams/White House staff/agency leaders/social entrepreneurs). Students will leave this course with a familiarity with the pioneering ways some nonprofits and governments deliver services along with a concrete understanding of the tools necessary for policy ideation and implementation.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6620 Politics Is A Contact Sport 3 Credits
How would you like to be a Cabinet official making policy from the Situation Room at the White House? Or perhaps play a US Senator negotiating a major tax reform bill? This course will permit you to do all those things, while learning practical policymaking skills you can use in your career. Taught by a former senior policymaking official in both the White House and Congress, this course is designed to give students hands-on experience in policymaking. The course uses simulations in which students play actual policymakers facing life-like policy situations. The course focuses on “money politics” issues, like international trade, tax reform, budget politics, and monetary policy. The simulations are specially designed to force students to confront the hard challenges facing senior policymakers every day. Class simulations will include: • A meeting in the Situation Room of the White House to determine international trade policy toward China.
• A United Nations international climate change negotiation, with software graphically demonstrating just how much your negotiations helped the global environment. This will be followed by simulations of a Senate hearing, then a Senate mark-up of the agreement.
• A mark-up in the Senate Finance Committee to hammer out final details of tax reform legislation.
• Other simulations featuring the 2008 financial crisis, Congressional budget negotiations, and election prediction skills. Each simulation is designed to teach certain core and essential policymaking skills. These include: 1) Framing Policymaking Options; 2) Making Smart Policymaking Decisions; 3) Political Negotiation; 4) Political Communications; 5) The Use of Game Theory in Policymaking; 7) Crisis Policymaking; 8) International Policymaking; and 9) the Human Dimensions of Policymaking. Students of the course will emerge with an elevated “touch” for the policy process and an enhanced ability to manage the multi-dimensional complexities of top policymaking. Although the course will be based on U.S. Government simulations, non-U.S. students will also benefit. They will gain greater insight into the workings of the U.S. Government. As one non-US student commented, “This course elevated my understanding of the U.S. political system.” Also, the lessons learned in this class are applicable to any country’s political system – and to any future professional career.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6621 Emergency Disaster MGMT 3 Credits
This course examines current and proposed concepts, strategies and practices for responding to and recovering from severe disasters that befall the United States. In doing so, the course will answer the vexing question as to why the United States, having experienced such a wide variety of disaster and terrorism events throughout its history, still today seems prepared for some, but woefully underprepared for others. Students will review and assess the theory, strategies, tools, and techniques of response and recovery against a wide variety of natural, technological and terrorist events from the federal, state, local, private, and non-profit sector perspectives. The course will also examine the impacts severe disasters have on the economy, populations, and institutions. Both successes and failures in response and recovery will be examined, with the goal of providing the student a set of concepts and techniques for analyzing and understanding this important subject matter, its impacts on the nation, and on the individuals that reside in it.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6622 Publc Budgetng/Congres Oversig 4 Credits
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT) or Policy Management (PT).
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6623 Nonprofit Mgmt and Soc Entrepr 3 Credits
This course offers a comprehensive exploration of essential issues in nonprofit management and social entrepreneurship, using the Ecosystem Framework developed by the instructor (Han and Shah, 2020), specifically designed to equip students for careers in the growing impact sector. We begin by defining and examining core actors – nonprofit organizations, social enterprises, and impact investors – within the broader ecosystem. Students will analyze their forms, components, scale, and current trends, gaining foundational knowledge essential for diverse roles in the impact space. Throughout the course, we delve into critical operational and strategic topics directly relevant to professional practice, including organizational strategies, institutional infrastructure, Impact Measurement and Management (IMM), and the application of artificial intelligence for social impact. We will also explore cutting-edge research areas like marketization, economic mobility, policy change, and major trends shaping the future of impact work. Designed with career readiness in mind, the course prepares students for opportunities across nonprofits, social enterprises, impact investors, mission-driven consulting, and international organizations.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6624 Communications for Public Pol 3 Credits
Today's leaders must have the ability to communicate with clarity and integrity. This course seeks to strengthen the capacity of each student to do so in public and private settings while navigating a diverse range of leadership challenges. Approximately one-third of our time together will be devoted to lessons and discussions to introduce students to strategies of communication and models of public presentation. The other two-thirds will consist of smaller sections, in which students will have the opportunity to practice and improve their public speaking skills.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6625 Lobbying Advoc in a Dis Congr 3 Credits
This seminar brings students face to face with how a previously bipartisan issue became a major political clash in a disruptive Congress. Started by Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Export
Import (Ex-Im) Bank provides direct loans and loan guarantees at low-interest rates to foreign entities to buy American products. However, despite a long history of bipartisan support, in 2015, the Export-Import Bank became a target for tea party and conservative activists, and on June 30 of that year, Congress failed to renew its charter and the agency shut its doors. Keeping the program alive required a multi-faceted campaign that outmaneuvered the power centers of Washington. This seminar explores how a successful advocacy campaign resurrected this government program amid opposition from some of the most powerful voices in Washington including the Speaker of the House, the Senate Majority Leader, Chairmen of the committees of jurisdiction, powerful think tanks, and interest groups. This class will examine the planning of the campaign, the use of modern advocacy tools, and the execution of the strategy. Students will learn how the revival was aided by cultivating congressional champions, engaging private sector leaders, recruiting local voices from around the country, executing grassroots and local media campaigns, taking a legislative hostage in the Senate, and using a rare procedural tool, the discharge petition, in the House of Representatives. Upon completion of the course, students will have gained knowledge and skills in modern advocacy techniques including the ability to develop, adjust, and implement effective lobbying campaigns. Moreover, students will have a greater understanding of the inside lawmaking process and the mobilization of outside support through coalition building in both the House and Senate.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6626 Urban International Politics 3 Credits
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6627 Evolution of Pol Campaigns 3 Credits
.The Evolution of Political Campaigns and Reform Policy - Learnings from the past, present, and future of politics and election policy. Politics and reform policy for political campaigns is always changing and adapting, from the types of competitive campaigns to their tactics to what rules candidates and interest groups need to play by. This course will dive into the changing landscape of political campaigns and explore what the evolution of political campaigns looks like including the policies that are enacted to change elections. We will delve into campaigns of all types and sizes, the power of incumbency, outside groups, primary campaigns, nonpartisan elections, instant runoff voting, independent expenditure campaigns, ballot measures, and issue-based campaigns. Through the course we will investigate the changing role of candidates, lawmakers, committees, and interest groups in campaigns, as well as the role and input of voters themselves.
This course is taught from a practitioner’s point of view, using tools, and working with professionals who make decisions on all kind of political campaigns, on a partisan and non-partisan basis.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6628 The Art of Diplomacy 1.5 Credits
Whether it be international public policy engagement, conflict negotiations or sensitive bilateral engagement, the most important diplomacy efforts often take place behind closed doors, in private, and often, over fine food and wine. It is the formal, or informal meal, that allows even the most challenging counter-parties to “break bread” and find a path forward. In many ways, the “art of diplomacy” is the meal – or even the reception – that allows for key dialogue that brings parties together. This special 1.5 credit, pass/fail class will explore this key diplomatic feature, through the diplomats who leverage it, every day. Taking advantage of the policy, international, security and diplomatic backgrounds of the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium and a Georgetown alum and adjunct professor who served as United Nations war crimes prosecutor-turned White House Fellow and World Bank official and UNESCO advisor (and who is now focused on private diplomacy efforts), this course will be conducted in the Embassies and Ambassadorial Residences of Washington, bringing together two co-professors, as they co-host seven dinners over the course of the semester, with various Ambassadors in Washington, for ten master’s degree students at Georgetown’s McCourt School of Public Policy and School of Foreign Service. Focused on Public Policy and Diplomacy, this paper course will prepare students to resolve conflict and build bridges, with an emphasis on negotiation, mediation and facilitation. Building on Georgetown’s commitment to social justice, this course will explore some of the most challenging issues that countries and governments face, from complex public policy issues, political prisoners and hostage situations, to cultural diplomacy and military-security engagement. Over the course of the semester – and over diplomatic dinners with some of the leading Ambassadors in the world – this course will underscore Georgetown’s motto – Utraque Unum – and its desire to “drive to reconcile, to use conflict as an opportunity to bring together diverse points of view and create greater strength through understanding.”
This course meets over seven weeks (as described above), understanding that meeting dates will likely shift, based upon the schedules of various Ambassador-hosts. This course will allow students to draft a paper, focused on the class topic. Please note that the class will be PASS/FAIL only.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Pass/Fail Default
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6629 Public Diplomacy 3 Credits
Public diplomacy is the management of international political communication in the interests of foreign policy. Its objective is the exercise of influence on international society, which is global in nature. Technologies, new media and the dissolution of geographical boundaries for the transmission and production of messages have transformed public diplomacy. The message is global, it is communicated both to its own publics (constituents, nationals) and to foreign publics.
Public diplomacy is a foreign policy tool. In the abstract, it is an instrument that structures messages to legitimize, attract, and collaborate in the global public sphere. In detail, it is the public policy that articulates communication strategies, educational programs, institutional information, relations with journalists, cultural activities, and other similar actions.
The course has three objectives:
1) To understand political influence through communication and culture. Through reputation, countries (cities or regions) gain or lose the ability to influence decision-making. Political campaigns for the defense of interests, ideas, or objectives.
2) Connecting economics and diplomacy. Public diplomacy attracts investment and talent and boosts the internationalization of economies and industries.
3) When the culture is the message. Cultural agenda in the making: culture, book fairs, sports, food, architecture, music, cinema.
Through this course, the student acquires the skills to design and execute a public diplomacy plan. The student will learn how to define objectives, design an institutional architecture, foster public-private collaboration, identify unique opportunities, and manage culture as an asset of international policy.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6630 Aggressive Policy Enforcement 1.5 Credits
This course provides an overview of periods where US policy makers and agencies break with the status quo and move to dramatically change and enforce public policy. Areas of discussion include topics such as civil rights, competition, consumer protection, criminal justice, education, energy, environmental, health and welfare, immigration, labor and employment, and monetary policy. Throughout the course we will focus on practical, real-world examples drawn from current and historical policy debates and learn analytical frameworks for assessing the effectiveness of these potentially transformational changes.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6631 Science of Crisis Comms 3 Credits
In this immersive course on modern crisis communications, we go beyond theory to master the real-time triage and data-informed decision-making required to preserve trust and protect reputations. Through case study analysis, high-stakes simulations, and evidence-based frameworks, students will learn to construct and control narratives when chaos strikes, counter misinformation before it spreads, and turn organizational threats into opportunities. Learn directly from practitioners in crisis response—senior government officials, corporate leaders, and communications strategists who have managed headline-making incidents. This course builds the instincts and expertise that define elite crisis communicators in an era when credibility can be lost in a TikTok and rebuilt through strategic precision.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6632 HRM in the Public Sector 3 Credits
Reaching any goal through government action is impossible without people. Regardless of how much money is involved or how much power of the law is wielded, it is people who have to design, implement and evaluate policy. This makes human capital into perhaps the most important resource at the government's disposal to reach its policy goals. What’s more, almost every McCourt student will, eventually, find themselves in a management position. When that time comes, it is pertinent to be skilled in managing teams, recruiting new and evaluating current staff, caring for staff wellbeing, and many other facets involved with Human Resource Management (HRM). HRM includes all tools which help to get the right people into the right jobs, and to have them perform at their highest level, all in order to maximize the organization's impact on outcomes for citizens and society. Think of recruitment, performance management, career structures and career development, culture and diversity, managing labor relations, pay and benefits, and so on. Mastering these elements is essential for all who wish to make a career in the civil and public service, as well as for those who aim to take on a leadership role. This course will introduce you to HRM policies and processes in government entities, and delve into ongoing debates such as those on how easy it should be to fire civil servants based on performance. It will also show how different organizations, contexts and countries might require different HRM practices.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6633 Electoral Policy and Politics 3 Credits
"Can non-US citizens vote? How about dead people? Does mail voting allow for voter fraud? Are voting machines vulnerable to hacking? Can votes be switched? These questions dominate discussions among election integrity skeptics, but also policy makers who want to reinforce election security. Election security has been framed as incompatible with voter access - that making it easier to register and vote causes the election system to be less secure. If that is true, then restrictions on who can vote and how can be justified in the name of election security. The same logic applies to the tradeoff between efficient elections and secure elections: if voting machines are vulnerable, we need to go back to paper ballots, and manual vote counting. But, are these policy alternatives actually making elections secure? While the US Constitution grants power to Congress to set the “times, places and manner of holding elections,” state legislatures have jurisdiction over who gets to vote, how, and when, and how votes are cast and counted, and authorize election officials with the conduct of elections. This results in a patchwork of election policies and practices, with increasingly high rates of common practices around election integrity, and voter access. In this class, we will evaluate the U.S. and state election infrastructure, and will closely investigate what it takes to design election policies that ensure both access and integrity. We will also “stress test” election systems to identify which policies have the potential to “break” the election infrastructure. We will prioritize concerns that can be evaluated by empirical evidence, leveraging research from the field of election science. At the end of this class, students will have a thorough understanding of federal and state election policy, and the core actors involved in making elections work. Students will delve deep into data-driven election policy evaluation, conduct original research, and engage with election systems directly through in-person and online simulations facilitated by election practitioners. "
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6634 State and Local Govt Policy 3 Credits
As Congress is increasingly gridlocked, much of the policymaking in the United States actually happens at the state and local level. This course will introduce you to the mechanics and politics of state and local governments in the United States. We will begin by surveying what state and local governments actually control: what policies are within their jurisdiction, what they spend money on, and how they raise that revenue. We will unpack what social science can tell us about who gets what and why in the state and local context. Throughout the course, we will explore specific policy areas, addressing current debates using the social science lens we’ve developed. Along the way, you will write a policy paper on a topic of your choice using political science theory to understand why things are broken and how to help fix them.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6635 Cases in Soc Entrepreneurship 3 Credits
This course will introduce students to an array of dynamic organizations and individuals who are creating and sustaining social enterprises to address significant social problems. Whether it is climate change or education, performing arts or mental health, civil rights or elder care, there are major social problems in our world today that can be addressed with the techniques of social entrepreneurship. Through case studies, guest speakers and team projects, students will deeply explore the creation of new and innovative social enterprises that can address these problems and improve the conditions of the world of our collective future.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6636 Promoting Behavior Change 3 Credits
Why do parents sometimes resist immunization and other public health campaigns? Why do people in Chile pay their taxes more than those in Argentina? Why did some people obey the mandatory evacuation order to leave New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina hit while others did not? What all of these questions have in common is that they concern why individuals and businesses fail to comply with requests or demands made by government for specific behaviors. This course will draw upon social psychology, behavioral economics, law and political science to understand barriers to compliance and investigate strategies that policy designers and implementers can use to change behavior and increase compliance. We will consider a variety of strategies to change behavior, including social marketing campaigns, incentive approaches, manipulation of choice architecture, and efforts to address resource barriers to compliance. Political constraints on the choice of strategies will also be addressed.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Leadership, Policy Leadership, Policy Leadership, Policy Leadership, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Policy Leadership (PT), Policy Leadership (PT), Policy Leadership (PT) or Policy Leadership (PT).
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6637 AI-augmented Leadership 3 Credits
With the rapid development and expanding use of artificial intelligence tools, and other similar emerging technology resources being made available to leaders and managers in the world of public policy, becoming adept at accessing and applying these is both desirable and progressively necessary to enhance a leader’s decision-making, strategic options, communications, data management, and team effectiveness. Leaders can use AI quickly to process large volumes of data, identify trends, evaluate risks and opportunities, and detect biases. Communications can be tailored though AI to acknowledge stakeholder preferences or public sentiment, helping leaders to navigate tone, timing, and content. Real-time feedback loops can be generated to gauge reactions from followers and other stakeholders.
The applications of AI and similar technologies also have important limitations. Leaders must learn to understand, manage, and compensate for the absence of moral and ethical judgement capacities within AI, as well as addressing and being continuously vigilant to the serious ethical implications of AI use, especially in areas concerning privacy, surveillance, job automation, and accountability. Ultimately, leaders will need to learn that AI is a tool in service of a broader public policy mission, whether that centers on improving equity, innovation, sustainability – all in service to advancing the public good.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Leadership, Policy Leadership, Policy Leadership, Policy Leadership, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Policy Leadership (PT), Policy Leadership (PT), Policy Leadership (PT) or Policy Leadership (PT).
PPOL 6700 U.S. Defense Policy Making 3 Credits
The foremost responsibility of the United States government is to provide for the common defense. This seminar style course examines the context for U.S. national security, the making of defense policy, and the implementation of that policy. Part I surveys the context of American defense and national security. It will emphasize the post 9/11 security environment. Part II studies the defense policymaking process, with emphasis on who participates and how. Part III examines the implementation of defense policy within the Department of Defense. It will stress current activities and processes. Part IV looks at contemporary issues in U.S. national security and defense policy.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6701 Technology National Security 3 Credits
What is Artificial Intelligence and how is it changing our understanding of national security? What’s the difference between unmanned and autonomous weapon systems? How can we effectively wage cyberwars? How will quantum computing change the speed and encryption of information? What’s the purpose and future of the US Space Force? How does Artificial Intelligence impact disinformation and data analytics? What are the perils and the promise of these technologies, and how will these emerging technologies on their own or collectively change the conduct of wars? How do ethics figure into these emerging technologies? These questions point to the uncertainty and importance of the impact of these technologies on national security.
PPOL 686 Technology and National Security provides a non-technical conceptual and policy foundation to study the exclusive and collective impact on national security of Artificial Intelligence, Cyber defensive and offensive operations, Space security issues, Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems, Quantum Technology, and associated technologies.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6702 Homeland Security: Prep Res 3 Credits
Homeland security has taken on new and important dimensions in societies across the globe. From pandemics like COVID-19 to immigration policy, from natural disasters to technological disasters and cyber protection, and from accidents to terrorism and war, students will examine homeland security from a multi-dimensional perspective as to how society prepares for and attempts to become resilient to the wide range of natural, technological and intentionally caused disasters, events or aggressions. Students will analyze in detail the vexing question as to why countries like the United States are continually under prepared and what concepts, strategies and programs are needed to rectify this situation. Students will examine and assess a specific aspect or program of homeland security that is of particular interest to them as part of the course’s focus on the interplay between theory and practice, the subsequent development of strategy and policy, and its implementation through specific programs. Both successes and failures will be studied, with the goal of providing the student with a set of concepts and techniques for understanding and analyzing the important components of homeland security and the impacts on nations and the individuals that reside within them.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6703 Bldg Partner Capac in Def FP 3 Credits
Building Partner Capacity in Defense and Foreign Policy. Throughout its history, the United States has consistently committed its political, economic, and military resources to build the political and military capacity of allied and partner nations as central tenet of its foreign policy. Not surprisingly, this policy tends to be borne more out of political self-interest and utilitarianism than of altruism or humanitarianism. U.S. security--economic, territorial, and physical--is the primary driver for this approach and for decades, along with the convenient geography of two massive oceans, it has served us well. However, globalization, technology-enabled communication, and shifting cultural demographics have elevated a time-honored tactic—terrorism by state and non-state actors--to a strategic consideration by both the United States and its adversaries, even as the geopolitical landscape demands careful navigation among state actors. Each year the U.S. deploys national assets such as capital, personnel, development organizations, private foundations, NGOs, and non-profits in an attempt to stabilize, reconstruct, or even completely develop the political institutions, economy, and security of a failing or fragile state. Even in the best case, such interventions may prove ineffective; worse they may exacerbate conflict they aim to placate. In this environment, federal agencies, diplomats, and NGOs are the logical lead for these capacity building efforts, yet the real and present security threat of terrorism has resulted in militaries and intelligence agencies playing a seemingly ever-expanding role in security and institution-building (and even other assistance where access by others is limited by capacity or will). This course aims to examine some of the fundamentals of U.S. capacity building activities in partner nations (and, by default, state-building) and asks how approaches to achieve U.S. security policy outcomes vary across countries, within both the intervening and the intervened. We will consider these policy priorities within the context of the persistent global terrorist threat and the strategic shift away from counterterrorism and toward state actors.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6704 Cyber Conflict Nat Sec Pol 3 Credits
This class examines US cybersecurity posture and threats in the context of national security policy. In this course, students will become familiar with current and historic US cybersecurity policy and design new policies to meet the evolving challenge to secure critical infrastructure, counter foreign cyber actors, and protect privacy. Students will exit the course with a firm grounding to identify and examine cyber policy issues and their implications for national security.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6705 Natl Sec Pol: Strat/Dec Making 3 Credits
The wave of change and transition overtaking the global strategic environment remains breathtaking. This environment and these changes are exponentially accelerated and impacted by the diffusion of highly consequential technologies and the resultant de-centralization of the control of information. As a result, this strategic environment presents unique challenges in defining what is meant by “national security” and determining what are suitable national security policies. The challenges for the U.S. are acute given its unique role in the world; a new Administration will importantly take new approaches to shape and implement its vision for U.S. national security. We can expect continuing re-examination of the post-World War II domestic security reflected in the current configuration of U.S. government Departments and Agencies.
With respect to the U.S., its leadership – and actions – since 1991 raises profound questions about the current global order and what is a realistic role for the U.S. in the future. The post-Cold War world remains more sharply defined by multi-polarity and a re-examination of the strength of the nation-state model (and the underlying multi-lateral governance frameworks in place since the end of World War II) than at any other time since 1990.
This context makes understanding long-standing (and stressed) fundamentals, mechanics, and workings of the current U.S. interagency system vital for national security professionals. Implementing and operationalizing national security policy now and in the future will be further complicated by knowing how to define what is truly a national security challenge to the U.S. and how to prioritize efforts to address those challenges.
Contemporary examples of such challenges are plentiful: the Russian invasion of Ukraine; Chinese accelerating ambitions vis-à-vis Taiwan, expansion in the South China Sea and its increasing power projection and competition with the U.S.; countering Iranian “malign” influence and continued pursuit of a nuclear weapon; the intractable conflict between Israelis and Palestinians; Sunni extremist non-state actors (Al Qaeda, Al Shabbab, and the Islamic State in Iraq and the Syria); continuing political and ethnic instability across Africa; and the proliferation of capabilities with application to artificial intelligence, cyberweapons and weapons of mass destruction.
With the above in mind, this course will focus on: (i) defining national security, understanding the theoretical underpinnings of national security, and reviewing the United States’ national security framework and processes; (ii) examining key national security issues over the past seventy years, reviewing the decision making processes in developing policies to address these issues, and evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of those policies; and (iii) applying the course review of national security policy making processes and substantive national security areas of concern (historical and contemporary) into a written and practical exercise context.
This course will place both bureaucratic mechanics and substantive issues into an operational framework that will enable students to understand and appreciate their implications for U.S. and international security, as well having the students consider tangibles ends, ways and means to address this evolving national security landscape.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6706 Public Interest Technology 3 Credits
Over the past 20 years or so, a surge of work at the nexus of technology and the public good has emerged across industries, disciplines, and borders, stretching from the grassroots to the grasstops. As intrepid teams and enterprising people explored how to leverage the upside potential of technology for social impact, and others pursued an understanding of risk and harm, a new field of work and study emerged: Public Interest Technology. This class will introduce and explore the field of Public Interest Technology, diving into 4 key components of the work: Digital Fundamentals - the basics of technology from a purely technical and operational perspective; Tech in Government - how technology can make the government work/deliver better outcomes to the public; Government in Tech - how governments engage with the technology industry, especially in terms of regulating/managing tech; and Tech + the Common Good - the relationship between technology and the common good, largely in the activism / advocacy arena. The course will include some speakers with a depth of first-hand experience in each of 4 components, and will also explore what career pathways look like in Public Interest Technology.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Non-Credit CEU level students.
PPOL 6707 Disruption, Innovation Democ 3 Credits
Technology is rapidly advancing and evolving—and in increasingly shorter iterative cycles. The interaction of disruptive technologies with public, private and civic actors, is changing too. Today we are a part of the first generation of policymakers faced with the urgency to understand the right balance between innovative technology—most of it accessible to the public—and responsible regulatory and market frameworks. You are part of this first generation. There are many related challenges, opportunities, and policy implications, with new elements emerging every day. We need a body of knowledge, and a cadre of leaders, to capture these issues, lessons and outcomes in real time, to inform and equip policymakers so they may responsibly and effectively navigate this newest frontier. Combining the McCourt School’s expertise in data science and public policymaking, along with Georgetown’s focus on values and ethics, we can develop and explore new ways to think about the role of policy in this time of fast-paced innovation. Our framework for this exploration is based on the three adoption “curves” of disruptive technology: cultural, regulatory and actuarial. We will explore the intricate ways in which such disruptive innovation impacts policymaking and the evolution of our democracy. Each week during the "Disruption, Innovation and Democracy" Seminar we will hear from real leaders in public and private technology, from executives at big tech companies, to founders of billion dollar startups; from Presidential appointees that oversee technology policy, to sitting members of congress. This Seminar is just the first phase in a deliberate journey to establish the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown as the thought leader and flagship institution at the intersection of tech innovation, disruption, and public policy. We aim establish the McCourt School as a borderless hub that leverages its physical location in DC, its reputation of excellence beyond, and the power of technology, to convene the brightest minds at the intersection of innovation and public policy. As we maintain our rigorous focus on the policy questions, implications, challenges, and opportunities presented by technology and innovation, we will remain steadfast in our analysis and advocacy of diversity, equity, access, and inclusion which remain critically important as we consider the role of technology in our lives. Seminar Objectives - Understand and apply the Adoption Curves Model to disruptive technologies, and understand how they interact and affect public decisions; - Identify and explore the roles of the primary actors in these interactions—the companies, regulators, legislators, private equity, financial institutions and you; - Examine and critique the proper role of government with regards to disruptive technology; - Use a regulatory risk lens to evaluate market opportunities and diligence for emerging startup ideas; - Assess the supporters, enablers, and opponents of disruptive tech companies; - Explore the strategies legacy companies susceptible to disruptive technology employ to respond to innovation and change; - Evaluate the strategies companies use to identify and overcome entrenched interests standing in their way to achieve legality and advantageous position in the market
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6708 Global Hot Spots 3 Credits
How would you like to be a senior policy maker confronting some of the most vexing foreign policy issues of our time? Would you like to help solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? Or negotiate a resolution of the Iran nuclear issue? Or meet in the Situation Room at the White House to respond to a North Korean missile test, while addressing the growing challenge of a Chinese digital yuan? You can tackle all these issues and more in this course, Global Hot Spots. Taught by a former White House official with the National Security Council, this course is intended to provide an introduction to some of the central foreign policy issues likely to dominate the 21st Century. Most top foreign policy officials have a basic grounding in all of these issues; this course is intended to give you that background. This course will use life-like simulations to give you hands-on experience with these challenges. You will play senior White House officials, UN representatives, top officials from other countries, and other roles to confront these challenges. In the process, you will learn a great deal about each foreign policy issue, while perfecting key policymaking skills, such as negotiation, mediation, framing policy options, and others. Whether you intend to become a foreign policy official or simply want to become an informed citizen possessing a foundation of foreign policy knowledge, this course will help you do so in an engaging and interactive manner.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6709 Civ-Mil Relations Star Wars 3 Credits
THIS IS THE COURSE YOU ARE LOOKING FOR! Civil Military Relations have long been taken for granted in societies such as the United States. As a retired military officer, I can honestly say I never gave civil-military relations much thought until attending my Ph.D. courses. I was fascinated to learn that 1) there are numerous theories on civil-military relations and 2) they matter! In the face of continuing challenges globally, I decided to combine what I consider to be one of the more important topics for our current and future leaders, with my lifelong passion for Star Wars! Yes: you heard it here first. This course will analyze civil-military relations through the lens (maybe tinted eye visors of Lord Vader) of Star Wars.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
This course helps fulfill the McCourt School of Public Policy learning goals of:
To develop critical and systems thinking skills related to civil-military problems; formulating and implementing appropriate solutions for civil-military challenges; and making effective decisions at the international, national, regional, state, or local level regarding how to best implement civil-military policy.
To develop a set of core skills in civil-military relations to include understanding the role of government, the military, society, and the individual in the context of military operations.
To develop effective communication skills as a policy professional in the public, private, or nonprofit sectors regarding the challenges and opportunities of civil-military relations.
To utilize the in-depth world of Star Wars to delve into a complex topic in a fun way!
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6710 Artificial Intelligence Policy 1.5 Credits
Algorithms are proliferating across society: From healthcare to social media; from manufacturing to government surveillance; from public benefits to military applications. As algorithms continue to make more, and more important, decisions, their expansion is creating novel challenges for how governments invest in, regulate, and deploy algorithmic systems. Many leading governments—including the United States, the European Union, and China—now have artificial intelligence strategies which they see as key to national success.
This course intends to deliver: (1) Algorithmic literacy, meaning a core understanding of algorithmic systems, including their limitations, and how they are deployed; (2) A survey of the most important topics in artificial intelligence policy, including algorithms used for public services; digital authoritarianism; economic impacts of automation; regulation of algorithmic processes; online platform governance; and funding AI research and infrastructure; and (3) an understanding of the government interventions, both established and experimental, in response to emerging algorithmic landscape.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6711 National Space Policy 1.5 Credits
U.S. civil, military, and commercial space activities are significant contributors to our nation's economic, scientific, and national security interests. This class will explore key issues in the development of policy for each of these sectors and how they interact.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6712 Big Tech Democracy 1.5 Credits
Commercial technology is rapidly advancing and evolving—and in increasingly shorter iterative cycles. The interactions of disruptive technologies and tech companies with public, private and civic actors, are changing as well. We are living through the first generation of policymaking faced with an urgent need to understand the right balance between innovative technology and responsible regulatory and market frameworks.
Our framework for this exploration is based on three “adoption curves” of disruptive technology: cultural, regulatory and actuarial. We will explore the ways in which such disruptive innovation impacts policymaking and the evolution of our democracy.
Over this 7-week module we will explore—at a high level—some of the challenges, opportunities, and policy implications created by the exponential growth of technologies and tech companies. We will examine how they are transforming our businesses, government, politics and lives in society. And we will debate new ways in which to think about the role of policy in this time of fast-paced innovation.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6713 Better Tech Pol for Better Dis 1.5 Credits
Responsible Revolution: Better Tech Policy for Better Disruptions. This next phase of the Digital Era, very early hallmarks of which include cryptocurrency (distributed computing), ChatGPT (Artificial Intelligence), and augmented and virtual reality, will bring massive disruption to the economy and by extension, society. The technologies are advancing faster, and consumers are adopting them faster than policymakers are able to understand and regulate them in ways that serve society’s best interests. Indeed, the very institutions of democracy are challenged by the scale, scope and speed of the Digital Age.
This state of affairs has long been true for phases of technological evolution, but the speed, scale and scope at which our newest innovations of this Digital Age are emerging and being embraced by the public is leaving policy, and thus considerations foundational to a healthy democracy such as the equality of economic opportunity, the rule of law and consumer protections, and inclusivity, further behind than ever. Public policymakers are defaulting to enforcement of outdated regulations while the companies producing these innovations either don’t understand the need to prioritize stewardship alongside growth, or want to collaborate with government but have few frameworks for doing so. Hanging in the balance are American economic competitiveness but more importantly, innovations that could advance democratic values such as economic fairness across the country and around the world.
This course will give students practical insight into the role up-and-coming policymakers in both the private and public sector can play in the near future of the Digital Era. Students will gain a baseline understanding of the emerging technologies, the political dynamics driving their adoption, and the potential for policymakers to close the gap and produce beneficial outcomes. They also will learn skills necessary to communicate effectively about policies to key stakeholders.
Each week, we will hear from leading practitioners and discuss readings and real-time events to inform students’ capstone assignment—to propose new frameworks for tech policymaking. Examples of covered technologies could include distributed computing/web3, artificial general intelligence, quantum computing, and/or social media (augmented/virtual reality).
This seminar is designed to build upon the Fall I module
PPOL 6712 Technology and Democracy, though it is not a prerequisite. Both seminars are the next phase of a deliberate journey, launched in Fall 2022, to establish Georgetown’s McCourt School of Public Policy as the thought leader and flagship educational institution at the intersection of tech innovation, disruption and public policy. We aim to leverage the School’s location in DC, and its reputation for excellence beyond DC, to create a new body of knowledge and cadre of leaders using tech policymaking to bring about a more socially beneficial, equitable, and inclusive future.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6714 Government Digital Transform 3 Credits
Government Digital Transformation. The course will explore how digital technologies are transforming the core functions, accountability and transparency, power dynamics, and international positioning of modern states. As governments shift to digital, the course examines the strategic implications of this shift for public service delivery, operations, sovereignty, governance, democracy, and development. Students will analyze how states build digital capacity through tech talent, platforms, data systems, and policy frameworks, and how these capacities shape government, institutions, democracy, economic development, and resilience. Through global case studies, role-plays, and policy design exercises, students will assess the promise and peril of digital government in an era of geopolitical competition, emerging technologies, and cross-border regulatory debates.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6715 Social Media Misinformation 3 Credits
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6800 Methods of Policy Analysis 3 Credits
Methods of Policy Analysis coaches and mentors students to apply their core skills in economics, quantitative and qualitative research, and political processes, to develop pragmatic alternatives for improving policy outcomes. The course presents policy analysis as a clinical profession in which practitioners search for diagnoses that explain less acceptable outcomes, and then build on those diagnoses to formulate interventions designed to yield better outcomes. There are four major units to the course. Unit one focuses on general aspects of policy analysis and works through a major example. Unit two covers a wide range of process models useful for diagnosing why less acceptable outcomes occur. Unit three develops skills at constructing theories of change (also known as logic models), as informed by process models, that become the basis for concrete policy alternatives. Unit three also presents methods for forecasting the consequences of interventions and justifying recommendations. Unit four focuses on how to use data, analysis and well-crafted exhibits to convey recommendations effectively into policymaking processes that are overwhelmed with competing messages. Throughout the course, students will spend nearly every session doing policy analysis in class, with hands-on coaching by a professional policy analyst who works as an independent consultant to governments and nonprofit organizations. Every student will exit the course with a substantial policy analysis portfolio of value to future employment searches and to other course work at the McCourt School.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6801 Text As Data: Comp Linguistics 3 Credits
This course introduces students to the quantitative analysis of text as data. With the increasing availability of large-scale textual data – from government documents and political speeches to social media and online news – the potential to extract meaningful insights from text has expanded greatly. In this course, students will learn to transform text into data and apply it to social science questions and theories. Key topics include text representation, sentiment analysis, scaling text on ideological and policy dimensions, using machine learning for text classification, word embeddings and using Large Language Models (GPT, Bert, Llama, Gemini, etc..) for social science research. Although we will cover LLMs, the focus will be on applied methods and transfer learning rather than an in-depth coverage of building LLMs from scratch. The course includes hands-on exercises using real-world data to reinforce lecture content. By the end, students will have a toolkit for text analysis useful in roles as policy experts and computational social scientists. Students should have completed at least an introductory statistics course and have a basic understanding of probability, distributions, hypothesis testing, and linear models. Students are also expected to have experience working with R, the programming language and software environment of this course, and Python for the LLM's components of the course.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6802 Data Visualization 3 Credits
This course introduces students to graphical methods of discovering and communicating public policy and politics insights from data. Students will become familiar with the fundamentals of visual perception and design, develop skills in multiple visualization software tools, and gain a foundation in programming for exploratory data analysis. Although much of the work is done in R, the course emphasizes creative problem solving and general principles that apply to most data visualization platforms. The course highlights the use of Wilkinson’s grammar of graphics as implemented in R as well as some R packages for specialist visualizations. Students will also create interactive visualizations, including maps, in Tableau. This is an active learning course. Students will work individually and collaboratively to consider subjective design tradeoffs and existing research on visualization best practices, and how to use technical skills to implement these principles. By the end of the semester, each student will create an aesthetically compelling and analytically sound visualization portfolio. No prior experience with R or coding is required. All students should be prepared to bring a laptop to each class session.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6803 Intro to Data Science 3 Credits
This course teaches students how to synthesize disparate, possibly unstructured data to better understand and characterize the world around us and to draw meaningful inferences from data. Topics covered include fundamentals of programming, data wrangling and probing, data extraction (via web scraping and APIs), data visualization, and data ethics. The course will survey commonly used data science approaches, such as text analysis, machine learning, network, and geospatial analysis. Students will work on a policy-focused data science project that starts with question formulation and data collection and goes through all stages of the life cycle, culminating in data storytelling. The objective of the course is to equip students with the skills to allow data to take an active role in policy and strategy by teaching them to how to tell compelling stories with and draw substantive conclusions from data. No prior programming experience is assumed or required. Pre-requisites: PPOL 502 OR PPOL 532.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6804 Human-Centered Design 3 Credits
Governments around the world are tasked with delivering value to millions of citizens, yet often fall short of their intended outcome. This course provides a framework for developing new approaches to building things—products, programs, policies, organizations—that better serve people. This course is focused on understanding how the same methodology (Human-Centered Design) that firms use to design and build revolutionary products can be (and is being) applied in government to deliver better outcomes to the public. Design is not just making things pretty—it is a critical approach to problem-solving. In recent years, as the value of design for addressing complex human problems has grown in popularity, many have tried to structure and package design as a repeatable process. Yet what is especially effective about design is that it is actually not a linear process. As a creative endeavor, it is really more of a framework that provides an environment in which creative chaos can unfold, and eventually yield clarity in the form of a solution/hypothesis that can be verified. Deep understanding creates the foundation for creative exploration, which in turn leads to a hunch/hypothesis/concept that is then tested, refined, and implemented. While the staying power of the exact terminology (like “Human-Centered Design” and “Design Thinking”) remains to be seen, this basic framework has existed throughout human history and has gone by different names. Whatever label we put on it, it is a core competency of creative problem solving. The goal of this course is to prepare students for working creatively in a policy environment, and finding new solutions to complex human problems, in a manner that prioritizes people over politics and bureaucracy. To this end, the course takes a blended and hands-on approach to learning, combining reading and lectures with design studios, and guest speakers who will provide a first-hand narrative of their experience with innovation in government. What is a design studio? A design studio is a problem-solving workshop rooted in design principles. The word “design” does not indicate visual design. “Design” in this context signifies a particular approach to problem-solving which is the foundation of much of the work currently underway in government. The Stanford d.school and IDEO have championed the studio in their work. What will we be doing in the studio? We will use studio time to apply the principles and methodologies we learn to a specific problem that students face. This will include a “Discovery Sprint,” interviews, synthesis, and prototyping. Students who take this course will become familiar with: The definition of Human-Centered Design How / why HCD is useful in a policy environment The difference between “big D” and “small d” design Design principles, and why design is critical to our ability to effectively solve complex human problems How design can be used to develop better policies, programs, services, and products Why design is an effective risk mitigation strategy The “product” mindset How agile can help government develop the right solutions for people, save money, and avoid massive risk
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT) or Policy Management (PT).
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6805 GIS Geospatial Data Analysis 3 Credits
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are used as tools for describing, analyzing, managing, and presenting information about the relationships between geographical and spatial locations, sizes, and shapes. This is known as attribute data. GIS uses techniques that can represent social and environmental data as a map, with a significant number of applications including those in engineering, architecture, public health, environmental science, and business. GIS data will be created through a variety of methods including those offered by global positioning system (GPS) technologies. This course will assume knowledge of R and Python.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6806 Survey Research Methods 3 Credits
The course objectives for this are as follows:
● Identify and select the appropriate survey methodology for any research project by taking into account the research questions, the design of the study, the sample, and limitations of survey research methods.
● Operationalize the study research questions into survey questions using current best practices for design by mode, and gain the ability to evaluate the quality of a survey instrument.
● Understand and practice the implementation of the various survey methods, including instrument design by mode, data collection, coding and data processing, analysis, and writing.
● Identify sources of bias and error that occur in each stage of the survey research process.
● Identify issues around ethics in survey research, including awareness of vulnerable populations and socio-economic and cultural differences.
This course takes students through the stages of designing and conducting a survey research project, including the selection of the sample, design of the survey instrument, understanding survey mode (paper, telephone, in-person, web, and mixed modes) by sample and with regard to survey design features, conducting and managing survey data collection, coding and analyzing data, and writing of the findings by audience-type. The course will cover sources of error and bias in survey research, limitations of this methodology, and ethics in human subject research, including vulnerable populations and socio-economic and cultural differences. The course allows students to apply and master survey research through readings, discussions, and practice.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6807 Qualitative Research Methods 3 Credits
This course will engage students with the design, collection, and evaluation of the methodological approaches we commonly think of as “qualitative,” emphasizing interview-based research, ethnography, and comparative research. As we learn to use qualitative methods, we will explore a range of important topics in the world today including political polarization, racial and ethnic identity, immigrant experiences, sexual harassment, extreme poverty, homelessness, employment discrimination, natural disasters, and eviction. The course takes students through the stages of various qualitative methods including research design, sampling, data collection, coding and data analysis, and the writing and presentation of findings. We also consider ethical responsibilities and the role of social distance in the researcher-respondent relationship. Students will learn how to conduct qualitative research, considering questions such as: How do you go about starting a project? How do you develop a data collection strategy that flows from the research design? What is the best sampling strategy? How do you gain entrée into the field site? How do you create an interview guide? How many interviews are enough? What about validity and reliability? How do you observe social phenomena? How do you write fieldnotes? What is coding? How do you write up results from qualitative research? We will also consider more theoretical questions related to the design and evaluation of qualitative data for understanding the social world and applying to real-world policy questions. We will ask: What is qualitative research best suited for? What are the criteria used to evaluate whether it meets the standards of scientific evidence? How can qualitative research be used for hypothesis generation and verification? Can qualitative research explain social phenomena, or only interpret them? How many cases are needed? Is there a role for replication? What role can qualitative methods play in policy-related research? Students will learn these methods by directly engaging in research design, data collection, analysis, and writing assignments throughout the course of the semester. Class will be organized in a discussion / workshop model where each week we read articles and book chapters that employ the method in question.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6808 Data, Policy Product Mindset 3 Credits
In this class we will introduce product skill sets that will help you scope and execute on open-ended problems in the data-driven policy space. Our focus is on the details in implementation. The details of a policy are often the most important ethical considerations in the implementation, which are easily overlooked. We will also cover how to identify and navigate those challenges. You will also learn about human-centered design principles and how to use those principles to align policy solutions to real needs in a variety of environments (government, public-private partnerships, consulting, NGOs, etc.). Classes will center around real-world use cases - both those that have yielded results and those that have not.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT) or Policy Management (PT).
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
PPOL 6809 Game Theory Public Policy 3 Credits
The objective of this course is to enable students to use game theory as a tool of public policy analysis. In today’s world many public policies are formulated and implemented in settings where multi-agents interact strategically. Game theory is a method that supports a careful analysis of interactive behavior among agents. Therefore, game theory provides valuable tools to evaluate policy recommendations and policy implementations when implementation depends on the strategic decisions of several agents. This course doesn’t rely on advanced mathematical uses. Instead, we focus on the uses of game theory as a formal modelling approach that adds structure and rigorous to public policy analysis. In order to take full advantage of this course, at least one semester of calculus is required, and basic knowledge of probability theory is strongly recommended. Pre-requisite PPOL 501 or PPOL 531.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6810 Relational Database Sys SQL 3 Credits
This course will explore several aspects of modern database management systems, database programming, relational databases, semi-structured databases, and SQL. The course will begin with an introduction to relational models, normal forms and schema design, relational algebra, and SQL Programming. The course will focus on application development using relational databases and will introduce Big Data concepts and discuss Big Data Processing. Both structured and semi-structured data will be considered, such as XML, JSON, and record-style. Query processing methods will be applied and evaluated. Topics will also include recursion in SQL, constraints and triggers, indices and transactions, data storage including column-oriented and distributed storage, noSQL, and different types of databases, such as non-relational, scientific, parallel, and streaming. The course will discuss types of database-system architectures, including cloud-based services. Applications will coincide with data science and analytics, as well as public policy, intelligence generation, and narratives. Tools may also include cloud-based DBMS. Only open to MS-DSPP students.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in E, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy or Data Science for Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6811 Advanced Applied Econometrics 1.5 Credits
PPOL 754: ADVANCED APPLIED ECONOMETRICS. This module has two purposes. The first is to delve deeper into some topics from introductory econometrics in order to gain a fuller understanding of how various estimators work and what they are actually estimating, including under cases of misspecification. The second is to learn about some models and estimators that are not typically studied in an introductory econometrics course, including quantile regression and the regression discontinuity design. Throughout the module we will use, “Mostly Harmless Econometrics: An Empiricists’s Companion” by Angrist and Pischke to illustrate concepts and produce empirical research on policy-relevant topics.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6812 Time Series 3 Credits
Time series analytics focuses on trends that occur in data over time. The Time Series class will use R to perform time series analysis for a variety of applications, including financial, econometrics, policy, health, engineering, forecasting, etc. Time series data can be used to better understand temporal forces and to generate predicative models. Often, underlying or latent effects can lead to observable trends.
Analytics techniques will include model fitting, statistical methods, visualization, and storytelling. This course will include structured programming with the R language, statistical computing, the use of models to make forecasts, data formatting, cleaning and manipulation of data, solving statistical and time series equations, building predictive models, utilizing graphical applications, and applying applicable machine learning methods and models. It is recommended that students know multivariate calculus, linear algebra, and probability and statistics at the undergraduate level.
**DSPP STUDENTS ONLY
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in E, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy or Data Science for Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6813 Political Polling Methods 3 Credits
Polling is used to study a broad range of things in the world of government and public policy. These include measuring the public's policy preferences, predicting elections, mobilizing supporters when lobbying for change or trying to win elections, and planning and evaluating government policies. However, methods of polling are changing rapidly because of the prohibitive difficulty of interviewing people on the phone, requiring new sampling and interviewing methods to keep up with changing technology and lifestyles. This course introduces students to modern methods for conducting and interpreting public opinion polls. Specific skills covered include writing good questions, drawing a survey sample, weighting the results and creating basic presentations of findings. They also include an introduction to the psychology of how people respond to survey questions and why the opinions expressed change over time.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6814 Policy Issues: Big Data and AI 3 Credits
This seminar explores the policy issues surrounding the advent of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence, such as privacy, data fairness, future of work, warfare and policing and other issues impacting how policymakers are approaching the exponential increase in data volume, variety, and velocity, as well as the rise of machine learning. We will first set a foundation by learning about the current (and future) scale and computational power brought by Big Data and AI. We then will explore how policy principles are being applied and reevaluated today, including the ongoing debate about how -- and whether -- these principles continue to retain their vitality in the age of AI and exponential data. Students will learn a variety of skills, such as analyzing policy in the hi-tech arena and communicating their analysis and arguments through writing and oral presentations, including participating in a mock workshop and an in-class policy advocacy exercise. Our goal will be to understand the vibrant debate surrounding Big Data and AI policy, and how policymakers' choices will impact this rapidly evolving technology and society overall, for better or worse.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6815 Blockchain Tech for Data Sci 3 Credits
Blockchain Technologies for Data Science. This course is designed to provide hands-on experience in building public and private blockchains. Students will gain the critical insight, practical knowledge, and technical skills required to design and integrate successful blockchain technologies into a business domain. The course covers the basics of Blockchain technologies including decentralized ledgers, consensus mechanisms, Public and Private key cryptography, smart contracts, etc. The class also examines the public policy and social issues addressed by and arose from adopting blockchain technology in finance, supply chain, and healthcare. The course utilizes Blockchain services (such as Azure) to teach blockchain development on platforms such as Ethereum (or other) and provides the necessary path for learning to build Blockchain networks at scale. Blockchain technologies (distributed ledger, smart contracts, etc.) are a new paradigm in data management and sharing technologies. Gartner Technology hype cycle predicts blockchain to be the industrial ready phase in the next five years. Students will take a deep dive into organizations with integrated blockchain technologies as part of their business strategy. Blockchain’s mainstream use by firms like Walmart, Merck, BlackRock will mean that our Data Analytics program graduates will be interacting with the technology often and will require expertise in handling, extracting, converting data to and from the blockchain. This course will provide an early introduction to the graduates, making them Blockchain-ready. 3 credits.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the MS-DSPP program.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6816 Social Network Analysis 3 Credits
Networks help us measure and quantify how we are connected to one another and understand the consequences of those connections. Network analysis can shed light on a variety of social problems and their trajectories, such as the origins of social segregation, the balance of geopolitical alliances, the structure of organizations, the spread of diseases and rumors, and the emergence of political polarization. This class will introduce core concepts, methods, and applications of social network analysis. Class sessions will be a mixture of discussion, lecture, and in-class “lab” exercises. We will conduct analyses of empirical data, run simulations of social processes, and design visualizations of network data. Students will also conduct their own network-based research. The course will be primarily in R and Python.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy or Data Science for Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
Enrollment limited to students in the Public Policy or Public Policy departments.
PPOL 6817 Cost-Ben Cost-Effective Anal 3 Credits
Cost-Benefit & Cost-Effectiveness Analyses. This course is designed to provide the students with the analytic frameworks and tools for conducting cost-benefit, cost-effectiveness, and cost-utility analyses. The course emphasizes the application of these methods to public policy with special focus on education. Students will learn how to evaluate the tradeoff between cost and gains in resource allocation for policy interventions (such as those aiming to improve student performance), covering both the methodology and the practical tools necessary to conduct these analyses. The course relies on a combination of theoretical and practical work, both in the U.S. and in the international development contexts, that will ensure the proper preparation for those students interested in education, evaluation, administration, and public policy.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6818 Experimental Desgn Implement 3 Credits
Experimental Design & Implementation. This course aims to provide the fundamentals of conducting social science research in practice. Complementing training in econometrics and statistical inference, this course will take students through all the steps of conducting a successful field research study, from research and survey design to data collection and analysis. Students will learn the fundamentals of study design, collaboration using Git and GitHub, data manipulation, analysis, visualization and programming with Stata, and survey coding and deployment with SurveyCTO. This class is highly practical and is meant to prepare students for professional roles in either international research institutions (including academia and labs) or monitoring and evaluation firms. Students will have the opportunity to develop a research project from beginning to end and acquire actionable skills through hands-on assignments each week. They will learn from the real-life experience of two experienced gui2de researchers. No prior programming experience is required or assumed; students should have a basic knowledge of statistics at the undergraduate level.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6819 Advanced Data Sci for Pub Pol 3 Credits
This course aims to provide advanced skills and knowledge in data science and exposure to specific applications and challenges of these methods in policy analysis and governance.
Designed to complement training in econometrics and statistical inference, the course will explore advanced R programming, tools for reproducible research, non-parametric statistics, simulation methods, machine learning, and cloud computing. Building on the Introduction to Data Science course, this course places more emphasis on advanced statistical methods and applications. This class is highly applied and is meant to prepare students for roles in either computational social science or applied data science in the public sector.
Students are expected to have a familiarity with the R programming language, Quarto, Git, and the fundamentals of predictive modeling. Introduction to Data Science (PPOL 670,
PPOL 6803, or
GOVT 8009) is a prerequisite.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6820 Demographic Methods Pub Pol 3 Credits
The course is designed to introduce students to formal demographic techniques, which utilize demographic measurement and modeling to study changes in population size and composition. While some of the most evident usages of demographic techniques are for measures of fertility (e.g., birth rate, total fertility rate) and mortality (e.g., life expectancy), demographic principles and techniques can be applied to other events and populations. For example, demographic techniques have been used to study the efficacy of contraceptive use, risk period of drug involvement, labor force participation, senate careers, and to simulate the effect of intended policies on populations. Students will be exposed to ways demographic methods can serve as a powerful tool in public policy, and will be expected to apply demographic principles and methods to an issue in public policy to demonstrate their understanding.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6821 Applied Neural Networks 3 Credits
This course provides a gentle and applied introduction to the theory and practice of artificial Neural Networks (NNs for short). NNs refer to a specific subset of AI and ML algorithms designed to mimic the learning processes of a biological brain. During this course we will explore current NN models and architectures with real world applications.
The course begins with a discussion of the NN fundamentals, including the basic mathematical concepts for understanding nonlinearity and feedback loops. We will then transition to topics such as feed forward NNs and multilayered perceptrons, backpropagation and training, regularization and overfitting, SVMs, stochastic networks, and (un)supervised learning. The course continues with a cursory overview of more advanced NN architectures – such as CNNs, RNNs, GANs, and encoders – before ending with a discussion of the substantive, ethical, and policy implications of implementing NNs to solve real life problems. Pre-req: students must have completed an introduction to data science course (ex.
PPOL 6803 Intro to Data Science).
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy or Data Science for Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6822 Applied Civic Data Science 3 Credits
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 6823 Applied Generative AI 3 Credits
Generative AI (GenAI) is reshaping public policy by streamlining internal government operations, improving the efficiency and responsiveness of public service delivery, and enhancing regulatory and compliance functions through advanced digital capabilities. This course prepares students to identify and assess high-impact GenAI use cases in the public sector, build practical skills in AI engineering through hands-on experience, and ensure the
responsible and justifiable use of AI through rigorous evaluation, governance, and implementation practices.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Policy Management (PT), Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
PPOL 7949 Thesis Workshop 1-5 Credits
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 7950 PPOL Internship II 0.25 Credits
This is the second module course for Internships in Public Policy.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Pass/Fail Default
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Policy Management, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Int'l Development Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Law/Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy, Public Policy or Public Policy.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 9991 Continuous Registration
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: No Grade
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 9992 Continuous Registration
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: No Grade
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 9993 Continuous Registration
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: No Grade
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 9994 Continuous Registration
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: No Grade
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
PPOL 9999 Thesis Research
Level: Graduate
Grading: No Grade
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
