Public Policy (PPOL)

PPOL 100. Individual Action and Democratic Citizenship. 3 hours.

Seeks to enhance understanding of the role of the individual as democratic citizen in shaping policy issues and outcomes in today’s world. Course information: Previously listed as PA 100. Class Schedule Information: To be properly registered, students must enroll in one Lecture and one Discussion/Recitation. Individual and Society course.

PPOL 105. Programming and Data Analysis for Public Policy I. 3 hours.

Introduces students to key programming skills in Excel and R for data management, data visualization, and descriptive statistical analysis for policy making.

PPOL 196. Special Topics: Public Policy. 3 hours.

Special topics in public policy such as: nonprofit management, racial equity analysis in public administration, deliberative democracy and civic analytics.

PPOL 205. Programming and Data Analysis for Public Policy II. 3 hours.

Provides students with the data, programming, and inferential statistical skills needed to inform basic policy and management decision making. Course Information: Extensive computer use required. Prerequisite(s): PPOL 105.

PPOL 210. Introduction to Public Policy. 3 hours.

Introduces students to public policy and the policy-making process. Course Information: Previously listed PA 210. US Society course.

PPOL 212. Evidence-Based Public Policy. 3 hours.

Introduction to theories of the policy process, types of evidence that are used in policy-making, and barriers and criticisms to evidence-based policy-making including policy domains in health, education and the environment. Course Information: US Society course.

PPOL 220. Introduction to Civic Technology. 3 hours.

Introduces students to smart cities, open data, government transparency, ethics, hacktivism, digital inclusion, civic innovation, and data-driven decision making. US Society course.

PPOL 230. Nonprofit Organizations and Civil Society. 3 hours.

Introduction to the US nonprofit sector and examines the social, political, and economic impact of these organizations in American society from roughly 1870 to today. Historical emphasis on events that have shaped the modern American nonprofit sector. Course Information: Previously listed as PA 230. Past course, and US Society course.

PPOL 231. Social Policy and Inequality in the U.S. 3 hours.

Provides a basic introduction to social policy and inequality in the United States, examines the history of social welfare policies and programs in the US, and explores American cultural values and attitudes. Course Information: Previously listed as PA 231. US Society course.

PPOL 232. International Development Policy. 3 hours.

Provides a basic introduction to globalization and international development, and how public policy can shape and address them. Course Information: Previously listed as PA 232. Individual and Society course, and World Cultures course.

PPOL 240. Environmental Policy. 3 hours.

Provides an introduction to political, economic and social dimensions of environmental policy and teaches methods needed to understand, evaluate, design and implement environment policies, especially in the United States. Course Information: Previously listed as PA 240. US Society course.

PPOL 296. Special Topics in Public Policy. 3 hours.

Special topics in public policy such as: nonprofit management, racial equity analysis in public administration, deliberative democracy and civic analytics.

PPOL 300. Urban Policy and Metropolitan Governance. 3 hours.

Basic structure of the policy process within the urban context including the nature of urban policy, its formulation, evaluation, and implementation. Emphasis on state and local policy development as it relates to urban areas. Course Information: Previously listed as PA 300. Field work required. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the BA in Public Policy or Urban Studies and college-level Microeconomics; or consent of the instructor.

PPOL 302. Policy Analysis II: Applications of Quantitative and Qualitative Methods. 3 hours.

Provides an introduction to the available sources of data and tools for developing and conducting quantitative policy analyses, emphasis will be placed on practical utilization of these resources for the conduct of policy analysis work. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): PPOL 202; and sophomore standing or above.

PPOL 303. Bureaucracy and Public Policy. 3 hours.

Personnel management, organizing, budgeting, finance, leadership, motivation, economic development, accountability, ethics, legal and constitutional foundations. Course Information: Previously listed as PA 303. Prerequisite(s): PPOL 210 and admission to the BA in Public Policy or Urban Studies; or consent of the instructor.

PPOL 305. Policy Analysis. 3 hours.

Policy analysis and approaches to assessing policy problems and alternatives in the U.S. context. Course Information: Previously listed as PA 305. Prerequisite(s): PPOL 210 and admission to the BA in Public Policy or Urban Studies or consent of the instructor.

PPOL 307. Policy Analysis III: Identifying and Developing Alternatives. 3 hours.

Policy analysis and approaches to assessing policy problems and alternatives in the U.S. context. Course Information: Previously listed as PPOL 211. Prerequisite(s): Grade of C or better in ENGL 161; and PPOL 210.

PPOL 309. Public Budgeting and Financial Management. 3 hours.

Government budgeting, financial, management and the reciprocal relationship between government and the economy. Course Information: Same as US 309. Previously listed as PA 309. Prerequisite(s): PPOL 210 and admission to the BA in Public Policy or Urban Studies; or consent of the instructor.

PPOL 330. Introduction to Managing Public and Nonprofit Organizations. 3 hours.

Provides a review of the ethical considerations that arise from the use of data science and technology in the public sector, including location-based services and spatial intelligence. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): PPOL 230.

PPOL 396. Special Topics in Public Policy. 3 hours.

Special topics in public policy such as: nonprofit management, racial equity analysis in public administration, deliberative democracy and civic analytics. Course Information: Recommended Background: PPOL 100 and PPOL 210.

PPOL 405. Evaluating Public Policies and Programs. 3 or 4 hours.

Designed to introduce students to research methods used in the social sciences to evaluate public programs. There is an overview of evaluation, understanding why we do evaluations and theories impacting evaluations and research design. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Previously listed as PA 405.

PPOL 430. Fundraising and Development for Nonprofit Organizations. 3 or 4 hours.

Designed to help students learn why and how US nonprofit organizations secure philanthropy through charitable giving. Students will be exposed to knowledge, strategies, best practice principles and scholarly research. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): PPOL 230.

PPOL 467. Civic Engagement. 3 or 4 hours.

Analytic frameworks and practical strategies for utilizing public participation in government and community decisions. Investigates interactions between civic participation, efforts to improve administration of programs and develop new public policies. Course Information: Same as PA 467. 3 undergraduate hours; 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MPA program or consent of instructor.

PPOL 490. Field Experience in Public Policy and Administration. 4 hours.

Students work in an organization such as a government agency, community group, or nonprofit organization. Students are required to submit written work and meet with professor on periodic basis to review work experience. Course Information: Same as PA 490. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. May be repeated. A maximum of 4 hours of credit may be applied to the Master of Public Administration program. Field work required. Students who have no prior work experience in the public or non-profit sectors are strongly recommended to register for this course. Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing required and admission to the MPA program or consent of the instructor.

PPOL 496. Special Topics in Public Policy. 3 or 4 hours.

Special topics in public policy, such as: nonprofit management, racial equity analysis in public administration, deliberative democracy and civic analytics. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Recommended Background: PPOL 100; and PPOL 210.

PPOL 499. Independent Study in Public Policy. 1-3 hours.

Provides an opportunity for students to pursue an independent project that is not available through the required Public Policy coursework. Course Information: Previously listed as PA 499. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 hours. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the BA in Public Policy program or consent of the instructor.