Master’s in Public Policy

This course introduces students to the historical and theoretical foundations of public policy process and administrative services considering key participants and the environmental context. Students learn how policy is created and reformed, how government services come into existence, how political agendas shape policy and services, the government decision-making process, societal influence on policy development and reform, ethical influences in the policy process and public sector organization, and the four main values in public policy and administration: equity, economy, efficiency, and effectiveness.

In this course, students learn the basic economic tools and microeconomic models relevant to current policy and public sector choices, including the role of government in a market-oriented economy, with an emphasis on market failures. Students learn about public goods, externalities, competition versus monopoly, opportunity cost, economic efficiency, and equity.

This course is designed to provide students with a solid foundation for the ethical practice of leadership and management in the public and nonprofit sectors.

This course explores the theories and practices in collaborative policy making and civic engagement. Students learn different dialogue modalities, including intergroup dialogue, the use of social media, co-intelligence or the mixing of personal intelligences and how these skills are essential tools used in the democratic process of finding solutions to complex problems and creating new policy.

This course examines the areas of policy that together affect the health of communities – healthcare and prevention, education, employment, crime, housing, urban land-use and planning, environmental preservation, sustainable and economic development.

This course reviews basic methods and theories of quantitative analysis in the social sciences. Students learn descriptive and inferential statistics as well as studying topics such as sampling, probability, correlations, variance, and statistical analysis.

In this course, students learn how to get detailed and significant information through research methods that use open-ended and in-depth interviewing, with a focus on the key components of qualitative research designs, methods, and analysis.

This course examines the relationship between business and government, the influence one has over the other; how governmental policies influence the decisions of corporations, businesses and industries and vice-versa, and the economic and development issues arising in an increasingly integrated global economy.

The Capstone/Fieldwork experience offers students the opportunity to work in an organizational setting such as a governmental agency, community group, or nonprofit organization, within the policy area of their choice that is part of students’ areas of concentration.

The Social Justice Practicum (SJP) is a first-year, nonclinical and non-discipline-specific experiential practicum that begins in the fall term. Students gain the knowledge, skills, and perspectives to utilize collective power and social justice strategies to build a more equitable society. The SJP is designed to help students learn how to work alongside different communities as agents of social change and serves as the catalyst for students to realize and understand their own strengths and responsibility to contribute to social equity.

The Social Justice Practicum (SJP) is a first-year, nonclinical and non-discipline-specific experiential practicum that continues through the spring term. Students gain the knowledge, skills, and perspectives to utilize collective power and social justice strategies to build a more equitable society. The SJP is designed to help students learn how to work alongside different communities as agents of social change and serves as the catalyst for students to realize and understand their own strengths and responsibility to contribute to social equity.

This course explores the history of mental health in cities and determinants that shape health outcomes, social distribution of health and disease, and health disparities. The determinants studied include, but are not limited to, social, economic, political, and environmental factors.

This course exams health policy and management through public health methods including diagnostic identification of mental illness, the links between mental and physical health, and using tools and strategies from the public health field to understand current mental health policies, practices, and services.

This course examines topics directly affecting the health of a community and its members. It provides students with an overview of the important public policy issues facing urban centers in the 21st century.

This course explores the criminalization of the mentally ill “offender”; how and why the mentally ill become involved with the criminal justice system; and responses from community, behavioral health, and the criminal justice systems.

This course examines current policies, practices, and organizational principles of the administrative structures, functions, and processes of the criminal justice system (e.g., law enforcement, courts and corrections, health).

Relatively few criminal justice policy decisions use scientific evidence to assist in making informed decisions. This course emphasizes the importance of evidence-based methods to prevent crime and reduce recidivism in communities.

This course introduces students to the field of human rights. Students develop a critical understanding of the main issues that characterize the conceptualization of human rights in today’s world.

The human right to health is protected in multiple human rights treaties. Several countries around the world, most notably South Africa, have used the human right to health to adjudicate the quality of life needs for all citizens.

This course examines themes directly impacting human rights of a community and its members. It provides students with an overview of the importance of human rights issues as they relate to public policy or the administration of public services.

This course focuses on formation and preservation of sustainable, healthy communities; the importance of leaders who understand the relationships between natural, built, and social environments; and the need to maintain these connections in holistic and integrative ways.

This course introduces students to skills needed for effective community leadership including tools, strategies, and skills needed when overseeing the creation and maintenance of sustainable communities.

In an increasingly complex world, leaders and managers in public and nonprofit organization plan strategies to fulfill the organizational mission and enhance stakeholder satisfaction. This course examines the roles and practices of strategic planning, including partnerships, cooperation, and coordination.