Master of Public Policy
Master of Public Affairs
Master of Development Practice
Doctoral Program
Global and Executive Programs
Undergraduate Programs
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
Student Groups
Alumni
Directories
Faculty
Publications
Working Papers
Centers
News Center
Policy Initiatives
For Students
For Employers
Career Events
Employment Statistics
Client-based Projects
About GSPP
Events
Make a Gift
Find a Program
Find a Faculty Member
Find a Center
Summer Core Courses
During Summer Core, MPA students generally take 10 units of required courses in-person.
PUB AFF 201: Public Policy Analysis through the Eightfold Path: An Ethical, Systematic, and Practical Approach
The course introduces students to classic methods for framing public policy problems, rousing public interest, and identifying policy goals and policy tradeoffs. In this course you will learn to apply a classic method of public policy analysis, the so-called Eightfold Path for Policy Analysis.
The course materials include highly influential books and one article that deal with the topics of motivation for human behavior (Weber), the competing goals of economic growth and social equity (Okun), the overuse of common resources (Hardin) government’s role in balancing the risks and benefits of scientific advances (Carson) and eightfold path analysis (Bardach). The course will also draw on the experiences and expertise of students enrolled in the course.
PUB AFF 215: Economics for Public Policy Makers
This course is designed to familiarize the student with the ways in which microeconomic analysis is brought to bear on public policy issues. You will learn (1) to identify the relevant economic questions concerning policy issues of interest to you, (2) to comprehend the economic arguments that bear on these issues, (3) to evaluate these arguments in terms of their strengths and weaknesses, and (4) when to utilize specific tools and methods from microeconomics to address the policy issues.
PUB AFF 235: Research Methods for Policy Leaders
This course presents an introduction overview of quantitative and qualitative research methods and an introduction to the research process in public policy decision‐making.
PUB AFF 245: Inferential Statistics for Policy Makers
In this course, we are going to study the use of research methods, statistics, and probability theory in public decision making. We will begin with case studies of important public policy topics where key decisions depend on the interpretation of results from empirical research or on probabilistic assessments of the likelihood of various outcomes. We will then study the basics of probability theory, statistical sampling, hypothesis testing, and inferring causality.
PUB AFF 287: Strategy, Innovation and Leadership in Public Organization
This course focuses on creating and implementing change within public organizations through the application of strategic planning, innovation and leadership. We will discuss where new ideas come from and how they can be generated, evaluated and implemented. The methods developed in other parts of the summer curriculum become the support for proving that new ideas are good ideas (or for finding out that they are bad ideas). We will explore how each method can be useful to a leader (both formal and informal) at various levels within a public organization through case studies and real world examples. The course will introduce leadership themes which will be explored further in PUB AFF 283: Leading People and Organizations.
Spring Semester Core
PUB AFF 207: The Capstone
Offered online or on campus
The Capstone Project will require that each student conduct a thorough analysis of a major policy question facing a real world organization, applying the interdisciplinary methods, approaches, and perspectives studied in the MPA Core courses.