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Undergraduate Courses

Undergraduate Electives

Lower Division Courses

24. Freshman Seminar (1) 

Course may be repeated for credit as topic varies. One hour of seminar per week. Sections 1-3 to be graded on a letter-grade basis. Sections 4-6 to be graded on a pass/no pass basis. The Freshman Seminar Program has been designed to provide new students with the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member in a small-seminar setting. Freshman seminars are offered in all campus departments, and topics vary from department to department and semester to semester. Enrollment limited to 15 freshmen.

98. Group Study in Public Policy (1-4)  

Course may be repeated for credit. Must be taken on a passed/not passed basis. Group study on selected public policy topics. Open to freshmen and sophomores.

Upper Division Courses

101. Introduction to Public Policy Analysis (4)  

Three hours of lecture and one hour of discussion per week. A systematic and critical approach to evaluating and designing public policies. Combines theory and application to particular cases and problems. Diverse policy topics, including environmental, health, education, communications, safety, and arts policy issues, among others.

C103. Wealth and Poverty (4) 

Students will receive no credit for C103 after taking 103. Two hours of lecture and two hours of discussion per week. This course is designed to provide students with a deeper understanding both of the organization of the political economy in the United States and of other advanced economies, and of why the distribution of earnings, wealth, and opportunity have been diverging in the United States and in other nations. It also is intended to provide insights into the political and public-policy debates that have arisen in light of this divergence, as well as possible means of reversing it. Also listed as Letters and Science C180U.

117AC. Race, Ethnicity, and Public Policy (4)  

Three hours of lecture per week. The objective of this course is to use the tools and insights of public policy analysis as a means of understanding the ways in which policies are shaped by and respond to issues of race, ethnicity, and cultural difference. The course is organized around a series of discrete policy problems involving issues of race and ethnicity. It is designed to allow for comparative analysis within and across cases to explore the variety of ways in which policy intersects with different racial and ethnic groups. This course satisfies the American cultures requirement.

C142. Applied Econometrics and Public Policy (4)  

Three hours of lecture and zero to one hour of discussion/laboratory per week. Prerequisites: ECON 140 or ECON 141 or consent of instructor. This course focuses on the sensible application of econometric methods to empirical problems in economics and public policy analysis. It provides background on issues that arise when analyzing non-experimental social science data and a guide for tools that are useful for empirical research. By the end of the course, students will have an understanding of the types of research designs that can lead to convincing analysis and be comfortable working with large scale data sets. Also listed as Economics C142 and Political Science C131A.

156. Program and Policy Design (4) 

Three hours of seminar per week. Studio/laboratory in the design of nonphysical environments. Complements courses in policy analysis, public management, economics, and political science; especially intended to integrate elements of professional programs in public policy and related areas. Students will design, in groups and individually, programs and policies that create value in the public sector, including statutes, regulations, and implementation projects. Comparative reviews will feature invited guests. Undergraduate level of 256.

157. Arts and Cultural Policy (4)  

Three hours of lecture per week. Formerly 108. Survey of government policy toward the arts (especially direct subsidy, copyright and regulation, and indirect assistance) and its effects on artists, audiences, and institutions. Emphasizes "highbrow" arts, U.S. policy, and the social and economic roles of participants in the arts. Readings, field trips, and case discussion. One paper in two drafts required for undergraduate credit; graduate credit awarded for an additional short paper to be arranged and attendance at four advanced colloquia throughout the term. Undergraduate level of 257.

C164. Impact of Government Policies on Poor Children and Families (4) 

This course may be applied to the Demography major. Three hours of lecture per week. Formerly 164. Examination of the impact of policies of state intervention and public benefit programs on poor children and families. Introduction to child and family policy, and study of specific issue areas, such as income transfer programs, housing, health care, and child abuse. Also listed as Demography C164.

179. Public Budgeting (4) 

Three hours of lecture per week. Public sector budgeting incorporates many, perhaps most, of the skills of the public manager and analyst. The goal of this course is to develop and hone these skills. Using cases and readings from all levels of American government, the course will allow the student to gain and understanding of the effects and consequences of public sector budgeting, its processes and participants, and the potential impacts of various reforms. Undergraduate level of Public Policy 269. This course can be applied to the political science major.

182. Environment and Technology from the Policy and Business Perspective (4)  

Three hours of lecture and one hour of discussion per week. Most environmental issues involve technology, either in the role of "villain" or "hero." This course uses the lens of specific technologies to survey environmental policy and management, with an emphasis on the complexities of policy-making with diverse interest groups. The class includes case studies, guest practitioners, and a group project in which students employ a range of analytic tools and frameworks in order to develop creative, effective, and actionable environmental solutions.

184. The Economics of Public Problem-Solving (4)  

Three hours of lecture and one hour of discussion per week. Prerequisites: Economics 100A or 101A or equivalent. Lectures will cover extensions and applications of microeconomic theory as required for use in practical public policy analysis. Case studies of the techniques will be drawn from diverse policy applications: welfare reform, national health insurance, public employment, energy shortage; public regulation and others.

C184. Energy and Society (4)  

Three hours of lecture and one hour of discussion per week. Energy sources, uses, and impacts: an introduction to the technology, politics, economics, and environmental effects of energy in contemporary society. Energy and well-being; energy in international perspective, origins, and character of energy crisis. Also listed as Energy and Resources Group C100.

190. Special Topics in Public Policy (1-4) 

Course may be repeated for credit with consent of instructor. One to four hours of lecture per week depending on the topic. Course examines current problems and issues in the field of public policy. Topics may vary from year to year and will be announced at the beginning of the semester. Open to students from other departments.

198. Directed Group Study (1-4) 

Course may be repeated for credit. Must be taken on a passed/not passed basis. Prerequisites: Consent of instructor. Group study of a selected topic or topics in Public Policy. Meetings to be arranged.

199. Supervised Independent Study and Research (1-4) 

Course may be repeated for credit. Must be taken on a passed/not passed basis. Prerequisites: upper division standing. For upper division students wishing to pursue special study and directed research under direction of a member of the staff. Enrollment restrictions apply; see the Introduction to Courses and Curricula section of this catalog.