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Office: First Floor, SIEPR Gunn Building, 366 Galvez Street
Mail Code: 94305-6050
Phone: (650) 725-0109
Email: publicpolicy@stanford.edu
Web Site: http://publicpolicy.stanford.edu

Courses offered by the Public Policy Program are listed under the subject code PUBLPOL on the Stanford Bulletin's ExploreCourses website.

The Public Policy program offers a Bachelor of Arts, an honors program, a minor for undergraduates, a coterminal M.A. in Public Policy, a two-year professional Master of Public Policy (M.P.P.) degree, and a one-year non-professional Master of Arts in Public Policy (M.A.).

Admission to the M.P.P. and M.A. programs is restricted to current Stanford undergraduates and graduate students, recent (class of 2009 to current) Stanford alumni, and external applicants seeking a joint degree.

Mission of the Undergraduate Program in Public Policy

The mission of the undergraduate program in Public Policy is to provide students with the concepts and tools used in evaluating policy options and outcomes, and to prepare students for entry-level positions in organizations concerned with such analysis. The focus is chiefly on issues such as health, education, environmental, regulation, and science and technology policy, applicable anywhere in the world.

Courses in the major provide students with a background in economics and quantitative methods, political science, law, philosophy, ethics, organizational behavior, and social psychology. Economics and quantitative analyses are central to but not sufficient for modern public policy analysis; political science, law, philosophy, organizational behavior, and psychology are among other necessary disciplinary perspectives. Political science offers insights to the decision-making process and information needs of a democracy. Political philosophy and ethics form the foundations of public policy. Organizational behavior focuses on the decisions made outside the market environment in hierarchies, bureaucracies, and teams. Nearly all public policy is formulated as law, and economic analysis of legal rules and institutions is key to effective implementation of policy decisions.

Seniors have a research capstone requirement consisting either of an honors thesis or participation in a team practicum project, conducting applied policy research for an outside client, typically a nonprofit or government agency. Students majoring in Public Policy are prepared for careers in a wide variety of fields, including elected or appointed public office; business, law, and governmental agencies; research institutes; or for further study in graduate programs.

Learning Outcomes (Undergraduate)

The Public Policy Program expects its undergraduate majors to be able to demonstrate the following learning outcomes. These learning outcomes are used in evaluating students and the program. Students are expected to:

  1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of public policy analytical tools.
  2. Communicate complex ideas clearly and persuasively in written and oral forms.
  3. Evaluate applied theoretical and empirical work in policy-relevant research.
  4. Apply skills and knowledge acquired in the curriculum to analyze policy issues and make policy recommendations.
  5. Demonstrate mastery of the above outcomes in the senior capstone project.

Mission of the Graduate Program in Public Policy

The mission of the graduate program in Public Policy is to provide students with the advanced skills necessary to assess the performance of alternative approaches to policy making and implementation, evaluate program effectiveness, understand the political constraints faced by policy-makers, and appreciate the conflicts in fundamental human values that often animate policy debate. After completing the graduate core curriculum, students apply these skills by focusing their studies in a two-quarter, 10-unit practicum for the M.P.P. degree or a 5-unit master's thesis for the M.A. degree. Each student in the M.P.P. program also completes at least one concentration tailored to the student's primary degree program or the student's interests and skills. Current concentrations include:

  • Education Policy
  • Health Care Policy
  • International and National Security Policy
  • Legal and Regulatory Intervention
  • Political and Moral Philosophy
  • Resources, Environment, and Energy Policy
  • Science and Technology Policy
  • Self-designed
  • Urban and Regional Policy
The graduate program in Public Policy offers two master's degrees:
  • Master of Public Policy (M.P.P.), a two-year professional degree program; available to current Stanford students and recent Stanford alumni
  • Master of Arts (M.A.), a one-year program, not intended as a professional degree; available to current Stanford students
The following joint degree programs, which permit students to complete requirements for two degrees with a reduced number of total residency units, are also offered:
  • Juris Doctor with a Master of Public Policy (J.D./M.P.P.)
  • Juris Doctor with an M.A. in Public Policy (J.D./M.A.)
  • Doctor of Medicine with a Master of Public Policy (M.D./M.P.P.)
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Economics, Education, Management Science and Engineering, Psychology, Sociology or Structural Biology with a Master of Public Policy (Ph.D./M.P.P.)
  • Master of Business Administration with a Master of Public Policy (M.B.A./M.P.P.)
  • Master of Arts in Education (Policy, Organization, and Leadership subplan) with a Master of Public Policy (M.A./M.P.P.)
  • Master of Arts in International Policy Studies with a Master of Public Policy (M.A./M.P.P.)
  • Master of Science in Management Science and Engineering with a Master of Public Policy (M.S./M.P.P.)

Requirements for the joint degrees differ from the requirements of completing the two degrees separately. See the "Master's Degrees in Public Policy" section for more details.

University requirements for the master's degree are described in the "Graduate Degrees" section of this Bulletin.

Learning Outcomes (Graduate)

The purpose of the master's program is to develop knowledge and skills in public policy and to prepare students for a professional career or doctoral studies. This is achieved through completion of courses, in the primary field as well as related areas, and experience with independent work and specialization.

The M.P.P. or M.A. degree is conferred upon candidates who have demonstrated substantial scholarship and the ability to conduct independent research and analysis in public policy. Through completion of advanced course work and rigorous skills training, the graduate program prepares students to make original contributions to the knowledge of public policy and to interpret and present the results of such research.

Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy

The Public Policy undergraduate major develops the skills necessary for understanding the political constraints faced by policy makers, assessing the performance of alternative approaches to policy implementation, evaluating the effectiveness of policies, and appreciating the sharp conflicts in fundamental human values that often animate the policy debate. 

There are four course elements to the major: preparatory, core, concentration, and senior capstone. Freshman and sophomore years are generally devoted to completing preparatory courses offered in economics, math, and psychology. After completing core courses during the junior year, students apply these skills by focusing their studies in one of several areas of concentration. The areas of concentration address a specific field of public policy, various types of institutions, or a deeper development of the tools of policy analysis. Seniors may complete the senior capstone either by participating in a practicum, a team policy research project for an outside client and/or by writing an honors thesis. 

Completion of the Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Policy requires a minimum of 77 units of course work.

Students must complete the Public Policy core, concentration, and the senior capstone requirement for a letter grade and with an overall grade point average of 2.3 (C+) or higher.

Public Policy students are encouraged to secure a faculty adviser within the first two quarters in the major, and must secure a faculty adviser no later than the end of Winter Quarter of the junior year. The director, student services staff, and peer advisers can assist by suggesting suitable faculty advisers. Advisers must be approved by the program director. The adviser need not be affiliated with the Public Policy program, but does need to be a member of Stanford's Academic Council.

The Public Policy program encourages students to attend the Bing Stanford in Washington Program and to participate in appropriate Stanford internship programs, especially those available through the Haas Center for Public Service and Stanford in Government.

Preparatory Courses (34 units)

Units
ECON 1Principles of Economics5
ECON 50Economic Analysis I (must be taken for a letter grade)5
ECON 51Economic Analysis II (must be taken for a letter grade)5
ECON 102AIntroduction to Statistical Methods (Postcalculus) for Social Scientists5
ECON 102BApplied Econometrics5
MATH 51Linear Algebra and Differential Calculus of Several Variables (must be taken for a letter grade)5
Select one of the following:4
Organizations: Theory and Management
Introduction to Social Psychology
Wise Interventions

A maximum of 10 units of preparatory course work, with the exception of MATH 51 Linear Algebra and Differential Calculus of Several Variables, ECON 50 Economic Analysis I, and ECON 51 Economic Analysis II, may be taken as credit/no credit.

Core Courses (23-25 units)

All core courses must be completed for a letter grade. Variable unit courses must be taken for 5 units.

Units
PUBLPOL 101Politics and Public Policy5
PUBLPOL 103CJustice5
or PUBLPOL 134 Ethics On the Edge: Business, Non-Profit Organizations, Government, and Individuals
Ethics on the Edge Public Policy Core Seminar (students who take 134 must also take 103E)
PUBLPOL 104Economic Policy Analysis5
Select one of the following WIM courses:5
Law and Economics
Politics and Policy in California
Health Care Policy and Reform
Select one of the following advanced empirical methods courses:3-5
Advanced Topics in Econometrics
Empirical Methods in Public Policy (preferred course)
Applied Econometrics for Public Policy
Data Mining and Analysis

Concentration (15 units)

Majors must complete at least 15 units of course work for a letter grade in an area of concentration. This post-core course work must be approved by the student's faculty adviser and the program director no later than the end of Spring Quarter of the junior year. Any subsequent changes made to a student's concentration must be approved by the student's faculty adviser. Students select their concentration in Axess as a degree subplan. Subplans are printed on transcripts. Areas of concentration include, but are not limited to:

  • Advanced Policy Analysis
  • Design of Public Institutions
  • Development and Growth Policies
  • Discrimination, Crime, and Poverty Policy
  • Education Policy
  • Healthcare Policy
  • International and National Security Policy
  • Law and the Legal System
  • Political and Moral Philosophy
  • Resources, Environment, and Energy Policy
  • Science and Technology Policy
  • Urban and Regional Policy

Capstone Research Requirement

Seniors are required to demonstrate competency in applied policy research. This requirement is fulfilled either by participating in a practicum project in which small student teams analyze real world policy problems faced by a government or nonprofit organization and produce a report for use by the client or by writing an honors thesis. A seminar for honors students is offered Autumn Quarter (PUBLPOL 200H Senior Honors Seminar, 3 units). The Practicum is offered Autumn, Winter and Spring quarters (PUBLPOL 200A Senior Practicum, 5 units; PUBLPOL 200B Senior Practicum, 5 units; and PUBLPOL 200C Senior Practicum, 5 units). The capstone research requirement must be completed for a letter grade.

Honors Program

The Public Policy Program offers students the opportunity to pursue honors work during the senior year. The honors thesis must address a policy issue and demonstrate mastery of relevant analytical tools.

Eligibility and Preparation

In order to be eligible to write an honors thesis, students must achieve a grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 or above in the Public Policy core courses and concentration courses taken by the time of application for the honors program. If accepted, the student must maintain a GPA of 3.5 in the course requirements for a B.A.H. in Public Policy (Public Policy core courses, concentration courses, PUBLPOL 200H Senior Honors Seminar and PUBLPOL 199 Senior Research). Please note that courses not taken at Stanford are not included in calculating the GPA.

Students who intend to pursue honors work should plan their academic schedules so that most of the core courses are completed before the beginning of the senior year, and all of the core and concentration courses are completed by the end of Winter Quarter of senior year. It is strongly encouraged that students pursuing honors work complete their advanced empirical methods course by the end of Spring Quarter of the junior year. All students pursuing honors are required to take PUBLPOL 200H Senior Honors Seminar during Autumn Quarter of their senior year. This scheduling gives students both the time and the necessary course background to complete their honors thesis during senior year. In addition, prospective honors students are encouraged to attend Bing Honors College and enroll in the PUBLPOL 197 Junior Honors Seminar. This course focuses on developing a research plan and learning the skills necessary to complete an honors thesis.

Application Process

A student must submit a completed application to the Public Policy Program office with a brief description of the thesis no later than October 9, 2015. Honors applications are found online. Prior to submitting an application to the honors program, the student must meet with the director of the honors program and obtain the sponsorship of a faculty member who approves the thesis description and agrees to serve as a thesis adviser. Students intending to write a thesis involving more than one discipline may wish to have two advisers, at least one of whom is affiliated with the Public Policy Program. Staff, executive committee members, lecturers, and affiliated faculty in Public Policy are available to provide assistance in selecting a thesis topic and adviser. At least one of the faculty advisers must be a member of Stanford's Academic Council. A student's proposal must be approved by the thesis adviser and the director of the honors program.

Enrollment and Milestones

During senior year, the student must enroll in at least 8 but no more than 15 units of PUBLPOL 199 Senior Research, with the thesis adviser. The student needs to contact the program office to have his or her thesis adviser listed as a 199 instructor. An 'N' grade will be given by the adviser in quarters prior to Spring, when the thesis is completed and presented. All PUBLPOL 199 Senior Research units must receive a final grade of at least a 'B+' in order to graduate with honors. In addition, the student must maintain a GPA of 3.5 in the course requirements for a B.A.H. in Public Policy (Public Policy core courses, concentration courses, PUBLPOL 200H Senior Honors Seminar and PUBLPOL 199 Senior Research). Courses not taken at Stanford are not included in calculating the GPA in order to graduate with honors from the Public Policy Program.

Units
Public Policy Core Courses23-25
Concentration15
PUBLPOL 200HSenior Honors Seminar3
PUBLPOL 199Senior Research8-15

A set of preliminary results on the research question is due to the thesis adviser and the honors program director by February 15. A first draft of the thesis is due to the thesis adviser and honors program director by April 1. The thesis adviser sets the deadline for receiving the final draft of the thesis. The final draft of the honors thesis must be submitted electronically and in a bound copy to the thesis adviser, the director of the honors program and the Public Policy Program office. In order to be considered for University and department awards, the final thesis must be submitted to the program office no later than the second Wednesday in May. Each student will give an oral presentation of their thesis the following week. All other theses must be submitted by the last Friday in May.

Graduation with honors requires that the thesis be approved by both the adviser and the honors program director. The role of the honors program director is to assure that the thesis addresses an issue of public policy and satisfies the program's standards of excellence. However, the grade for the honors thesis (PUBLPOL 199 Senior Research units) is determined solely by the adviser.

Minors in Public Policy

The Public Policy Program offers a minor that is intended to provide undergraduates in other majors with interdisciplinary training in applied social sciences.

Students who pursue the minor are required to take the courses listed below for a total of 35 units in Public Policy and its supporting disciplinary departments. Because University rules prohibit double-counting courses, the requirements for a minor differ according to the student's major requirements. Public Policy minor requirements may vary depending on a student's major requirements, therefore it is required that you review your course plans with a program administrator. Note:Economics majors are permitted to double-count ECON 1 Principles of Economics, ECON 50 Economic Analysis I, and ECON 51 Economic Analysis II because such courses satisfy only introductory skill requirements for the Economics major.

All courses for the minor must be completed for a letter grade.

Public Policy students are never required to take a course that duplicates material they have already mastered. Students may, by petition, substitute a different course for a requirement whose material would be duplicative. This flexibility does not reduce the number of units required for the minor.

Students who pursue the minor must complete the Multiple Major/Minor Form and have it reviewed by all applicable departments/programs the beginning of the quarter in which the degree is conferred.

Required Course Work

Units
ECON 1Principles of Economics5
ECON 50Economic Analysis I5
ECON 51Economic Analysis II5
ECON 102AIntroduction to Statistical Methods (Postcalculus) for Social Scientists5
ECON 102BApplied Econometrics5
PUBLPOL 104Economic Policy Analysis5
Select one of the following depending on major requirements:
PUBLPOL 101Politics and Public Policy5
PUBLPOL 103CJustice5
or PUBLPOL 134 Ethics On the Edge: Business, Non-Profit Organizations, Government, and Individuals
Ethics on the Edge Public Policy Core Seminar *134 and 103E taken together
PUBLPOL 106Law and Economics5

Coterminal M.A. in Public Policy

The coterminal M.A. in Public Policy is a degree program designed to impart the basic analytical tools of public policy analysis, or to permit Public Policy majors to specialize in an applied field of policy analysis. Most students complete their M.A. in a fifth year at Stanford; occasionally students may be able to complete both their B.A. and coterminal M.A. in the fourth year.

Undergraduates with strong academic records may apply for admission upon completion of 120 units, but no later than the quarter prior to the expected completion of the undergraduate degree. The University requires that units for a given course may not be counted to meet the requirements of more than one degree; that is, no units may be double-counted. However, Public Policy students are never required to take a course which duplicates material they have already mastered. Students may, by petition, substitute a different course for a requirement whose material would be duplicative.

The coterminal M.A. is also a gateway to the M.P.P. degree program. Stanford undergraduates may apply to the coterminal M.A. in Public Policy and then, after one quarter in the M.A. program, apply to the M.P.P. program by submitting an unofficial transcript and statement of purpose to the program director. Students accepted to the M.P.P. program must confer their bachelor's degree, submit the Graduate Authorization Petition in Axess, withdraw from the M.A. degree program, and complete the requirements for the 90-unit M.P.P. degree. This does not reduce the total number of units required for the bachelor's or master's degree. Earning the B.A. and M.P.P. typically takes at least five years. Students considering this option should be familiar with the University's coterminal degree policies and procedures and should consult the director and staff of the Public Policy program early in their planning. There is a $125 fee for submitting the Graduate Authorization Petition to change the M.A. to the M.P.P degree.

University Coterminal Requirements

Coterminal master’s degree candidates are expected to complete all master’s degree requirements as described in this bulletin. University requirements for the coterminal master’s degree are described in the “Coterminal Master’s Program” section. University requirements for the master’s degree are described in the "Graduate Degrees" section of this bulletin.

After accepting admission to this coterminal master’s degree program, students may request transfer of courses from the undergraduate to the graduate career to satisfy requirements for the master’s degree. Transfer of courses to the graduate career requires review and approval of both the undergraduate and graduate programs on a case by case basis.

In this master’s program, courses taken two quarters prior to the first graduate quarter, or later, are eligible for consideration for transfer to the graduate career. No courses taken prior to the first quarter of the sophomore year may be used to meet master’s degree requirements.

Course transfers are not possible after the bachelor’s degree has been conferred.

The University requires that the graduate adviser be assigned in the student’s first graduate quarter even though the undergraduate career may still be open. The University also requires that the Master’s Degree Program Proposal be completed by the student and approved by the department by the end of the student’s first graduate quarter.

All courses counting towards the master’s degree not considered core requirements must be approved by petition by the Public Policy Program.

Degree Requirements

All applicants should have completed, or be currently enrolled in, the required preparatory course work prior to applying. These courses do not count towards the 45 unit M.A. requirement:

Units
MATH 51Linear Algebra and Differential Calculus of Several Variables5
ECON 1Principles of Economics5
ECON 50Economic Analysis I5
ECON 51Economic Analysis II5
ECON 52Economic Analysis III5
ECON 102AIntroduction to Statistical Methods (Postcalculus) for Social Scientists5
ECON 102BApplied Econometrics5

To graduate with a coterminal M.A. in Public Policy, students must:

  1. Follow one of three tracks (A, B, or C) through the program, as described below.
  2. Take all courses applied to the coterminal master's degree for a letter grade (with the exception of PUBLPOL 311 Public Policy Colloquium, which is only offered S/NC). For courses with variable units, coterminal students should, in their graduate career, enroll in the course for 4 units. Courses offered only for C/NC or other non-letter grade system may be applied upon approval of a petition to the program director.
  3. Secure a faculty adviser by the end of the first quarter enrolled in the coterminal M.A. degree program. The director and student services staff can assist by suggesting suitable faculty advisers. The adviser need not be affiliated with the Public Policy Program, but does need to be a member of Stanford's Academic Council.
  4. Achieve a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (B) or better for all courses taken towards the M.A.
  5. Coterminal M.A. students who are admitted to the M.P.P. must transfer all applicable M.A. units to the M.P.P. degree.
  6. Comply with all relevant University and program deadlines and policies.

Track A

Public Policy majors follow Track A, which consists of at least 45 units of course work, including:

  1. 29 or more units in an area of concentration. The concentration is referred to as a degree subplan. Subplans are printed on the transcript and are elected via the Declaration or Change to a Field of Study form.  Current concentrations include:
    • Education Policy
    • Health Care Policy
    • International and National Security Policy
    • Legal and Regulatory Intervention
    • Political and Moral Philosophy
    • Resources, Environment, and Energy Policy
    • Science and Technology Policy
    • Self-designed (requires detailed statement of study goals, relationship of each proposed course to those goals, and commitment by a supervising faculty member)
    • Urban and Regional Policy

    Each concentration includes a set of gateway courses and a variety of electives. Gateway courses may vary year to year based on availability. Review the Concentration Elective List for current gateway courses. Students must present a coherent written study plan to support concentration course choices, designed in consultation with a faculty adviser and approved by the program director. At least one faculty adviser must be a member of the Academic Council.

  2. All Public Policy graduate students are required to attend and enroll in three quarters of PUBLPOL 311 Public Policy Colloquium (3 units). Attendance and participation are mandatory.
  3. Completion of PUBLPOL 309 Practicum or a faculty-supervised internship or thesis (5-10 units).
  4. All 45 units must be taken in upper division (100-level) courses, and at least 25 of those units must be at the graduate level (200-level and above).

Track B

Economics majors typically follow the requirements detailed below in Track C; however, some Economics majors take courses for their major that also satisfy the content requirements of the Public Policy coterminal M.A. The following Economics courses, if taken for the undergraduate degree, can be used to fulfill content requirements, but not unit requirements, for the Public Policy coterminal M.A. In place of these courses, students may take advanced policy skills courses, or an approved (by petition) policy-related elective.

Units
ECON 150Economic Policy Analysis (fulfills the PUBLPOL 204 or PUBLPOL 301B requirement)4-5
ECON 154Law and Economics (fulfills the PUBLPOL 206 or PUBLPOL 302B requirement)4-5
ECON 102CAdvanced Topics in Econometrics (fulfills the ECON 102C, PUBLPOL 205, PUBLPOL 303D, or STATS 202 requirement)5

Track C

Students who are not pursuing a major in Public Policy or Economics follow Track C, which consists of at least 45 units of course work in the analysis of public policy.

  1. The following core courses are required and count toward the required minimum 45 units:
    Units
    PUBLPOL 201Politics and Public Policy4
    or PUBLPOL 308 Political Analysis for Public Policymakers
    PUBLPOL 206Law and Economics4
    or PUBLPOL 302B Economic Analysis of Law
    PUBLPOL 301BEconomic Policy Analysis for Policymakers4
    or PUBLPOL 204 Economic Policy Analysis
    PUBLPOL 307Justice4
    Select one of the following courses:2-5
    Decision Modeling and Information
    Behavioral Decision Making
    Introduction to Decision Analysis
    Decision Analysis I: Foundations of Decision Analysis
    Groups and Teams
    Decision Analysis Applications: Business Strategy and Public Policy
    Problem Solving and Decision Making for Public Policy and Social Change *preferred course
    Select one of the following courses:4
    Organizational Behavior: Evidence in Action
    Wise Interventions
    Select one of the following advanced empirical methods courses:3-5
    Advanced Topics in Econometrics
    Empirical Methods in Public Policy *preferred course
    Applied Econometrics for Public Policy
    Data Mining and Analysis
  2. Complete a concentration of at least 15 units, under the guidance of a faculty adviser and the Public Policy program director.
  3. All Public Policy graduate students are required to attend and enroll in three quarters of PUBLPOL 311 Public Policy Colloquium (3 units total). Attendance and participation are mandatory.
  4. Students must petition to count additional advanced policy skills courses (if needed) to meet the 45-unit degree requirement. All 45 units must be taken in upper division (100+ level) courses and at least 25 of those units must be taken at the graduate level (200-level and above).

Coterminal M.A. students must select a faculty adviser upon acceptance to the program. Advisers must confirm that the courses proposed are likely to be taught during the applicable period, or that appropriate substitute courses are available. Students may refer to the Concentration Electives List, as well as to the Concentrations Page for Track A coterm students, for a selection of pre-approved elective courses. Public Policy student services staff can verify scheduling of courses. At least one faculty adviser must be a member of the Academic Council.

Application and Admission

There are two coterminal degree application deadlines for the 2015-16 academic year: November 12, 2015 and February 18, 2016. Applicants may be contacted for an interview. A $125 fee is charged when adding the M.A. degree program in Axess.

To apply for admission to the Public Policy coterminal M.A. program, students should submit the following materials directly to the Public Policy office by the appropriate deadline:

  1. The coterminal application
  2. Statement of purpose, 500 words maximum (indicate interest in M.P.P. degree, if applicable)
  3. One-page resume
  4. GRE Scores; official GRE scores sent to Stanford University and an unofficial copy submitted with the application
  5. A preliminary program proposal
  6. A current unofficial undergraduate transcript
  7. Two confidential letters of recommendation from Stanford faculty members familiar with the student's academic work

Financial Aid

The Public Policy Program does not provide financial assistance to coterminal students. For information on student loans and other sources of support, consult the Stanford Financial Aid Office. Students who enter public service employment with local, state, or federal agencies; schools; or certain not-for-profit organizations may obtain forgiveness for educational loans, based on years of public service employment.

Master's Degrees in Public Policy

The program offers two master's degrees in Public Policy. The Master of Public Policy (M.P.P.) is a two-year professional degree, and the Master of Arts in Public Policy (M.A.) is a one-year non-professional degree.

At this time, eligibility for admission to the M.P.P. and M.A. programs is restricted to current Stanford undergraduate and graduate students, recent (Class of 2009-current) Stanford alumni, and external applicants seeking a joint degree. If you do not meet these criteria, you are not eligible for admission to the M.A. or the M.P.P. degree programs.  

  1. Public Policy Joint Degrees. Students enrolled in or applying to certain degree programs in the Schools of Business, Education, Engineering, Humanities and Sciences, Law, and Medicine are eligible to apply for Public Policy joint degrees. For further information, see the "Joint Degree Programs" section of this Bulletin and the University Registrar's site. All Public Policy joint degree programs, with the exception of the J.D./M.A., require at least one year of study at Stanford beyond the requirements for the other joint or dual degree.
    • Juris Doctor and Master of Public Policy (J.D./M.P.P.)
    • Juris Doctor and Master of Arts of Public Policy (J.D./M.A.)
    • Doctor of Medicine and Master of Public Policy (M.D./M.P.P.)
    • Doctor of Philosophy in Education and Master of Public Policy (Ph.D./M.P.P.)
    • Doctor of Philosophy in Economics and Master of Public Policy (Ph.D./M.P.P.)
    • Doctor of Philosophy in Management Science & Engineering and Master of Public Policy (Ph.D./M.P.P.)
    • Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology and Master of Public Policy (Ph.D./M.P.P.)
    • Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology and Master of Public Policy (Ph.D./M.P.P.)
    • Doctor of Philosophy in Structural Biology and Master of Public Policy (Ph.D./M.P.P.)
    • Master of Business Administration and Master of Public Policy (M.B.A./M.P.P.)
    • Master of Arts in Education: Policy, Organization, and Leadership subplan and Master of Public Policy (M.A./M.P.P.)
    • Master of Arts in International Policy Studies and Master of Public Policy (M.A./M.P.P.)
    • Master of Science in Management Science & Engineering and Master of Public Policy (M.S./M.P.P.)
  2. Dual Degrees. Any other Stanford graduate student (i.e., not covered in '1' above), Stanford senior, or recent alumnus/a is eligible to apply for a Public Policy dual degree. Stanford graduate students may subsequently withdraw from their original degree programs, if desired.
    • Master of Public Policy (M.P.P.)
    • Master of Arts in Public Policy (M.A.): Available only to current Stanford graduate students

Prerequisites

Graduate students in Public Policy are expected to be literate in mathematics and microeconomics at a level equivalent to MATH 51 Linear Algebra and Differential Calculus of Several Variables and ECON 50 Economic Analysis I before beginning the curriculum. A no-credit refresher course in mathematics and economics is offered in the two weeks preceding the start of Autumn Quarter.

M.P.P. and M.A. Degree Requirements

  1. All graduate degree candidates must submit a Program Proposal for a Master's Degree to the Public Policy office by the end of Autumn Quarter and must amend this proposal formally if plans for meeting the degree requirements change.
  2. Public Policy students are never required to take a course which duplicates material they have already mastered. Students may petition a different course for a core requirement whose material would be duplicative. This flexibility does not reduce the unit requirements for any degree.
  3. All Public Policy graduate students must secure a faculty adviser within the first quarter they are enrolled in the M.A. or M.P.P. degree program. The director and student services staff can assist by suggesting suitable faculty advisers. The adviser need not be affiliated with the Public Policy Program, but does need to be a member of Stanford's Academic Council.
  4. M.P.P. degree students are not permitted to enroll in PUBLPOL 309 Practicum, without having completed the following core courses: PUBLPOL 301A MicroeconomicsPUBLPOL 301B Economic Policy Analysis for Policymakers, ECON 102A Introduction to Statistical Methods (Postcalculus) for Social ScientistsPUBLPOL 303D Applied Econometrics for Public Policy, and PUBLPOL 306 Writing and Rhetoric for Policy Audiences.

Curriculum Requirements

Units
PUBLPOL 301AMicroeconomics4
ECON 102AIntroduction to Statistical Methods (Postcalculus) for Social Scientists5
PUBLPOL 301BEconomic Policy Analysis for Policymakers4
PUBLPOL 206Law and Economics4
or PUBLPOL 302B Economic Analysis of Law
PUBLPOL 303DApplied Econometrics for Public Policy4
Select one of the following courses:2-5
Decision Modeling and Information
Behavioral Decision Making
Introduction to Decision Analysis
Decision Analysis I: Foundations of Decision Analysis
Groups and Teams
Decision Analysis Applications: Business Strategy and Public Policy
Problem Solving and Decision Making for Public Policy and Social Change *preferred course
PUBLPOL 306Writing and Rhetoric for Policy Audiences *requirement for MPP students only. MA students may take as an elective4
PUBLPOL 307Justice4
PUBLPOL 308Political Analysis for Public Policymakers4

.

All core courses listed above must be taken for a letter grade and must be completed with an overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better.

  1. Core Curriculum (shown above)

  2. At least two electives are taken during the first year. At least one must be from the Concentration Electives List.

  3. Colloquium: All Public Policy graduate students are required to attend and enroll in three quarters of PUBLPOL 311 Public Policy Colloquium (3 units) during their first year of the program. Attendance and participation are mandatory.
  4. Practicum (M.P.P. and Track A Coterminal M.A. students): Completion of the two quarter practicum course, PUBLPOL 309 Practicum (10 units, Autumn and Winter quarters), in which interdisciplinary student teams analyze real-world policy issues for outside clients.
  5. Master's Thesis (non-coterminal M.A. students): Completion of a 5-unit master's thesis, written under the guidance of a Public Policy-affiliated faculty adviser who is a member of Academic Council on a topic approved in advance by the program director. Students give the program office the name of their thesis adviser and enroll in PUBLPOL 310 Master of Arts Thesis units during quarter(s) of their choosing. The 5 units may be spread over multiple quarters, and an 'N' (continuing course) grade is given during any quarters prior to degree conferral. The thesis must be submitted to the Public Policy program office in both electronic and printed form no later than the last Friday before the end of the quarter. The final grade for PUBLPOL 310 is determined solely by the faculty adviser.
  6. Concentration (M.P.P. students only): Advanced coursework in a specialized field, chosen from the approved list of concentration courses with the prior approval of the student's faculty adviser and the program director. The Registrar will list your concentration as a "Degree Subplan." Subplans are printed on the transcript and are elected by the student via the Declaration or Change to a Field of Study form.

       Current concentrations include:

  • Education Policy
  • Health Care Policy
  • International and National Security Policy
  • Legal and Regulatory Intervention
  • Political and Moral Philosophy
  • Resources, Environment, and Energy Policy
  • Science and Technology Policy
  • Self-designed (requires detailed statement of study goals, relationship of each proposed course to those goals, and commitment by a supervising faculty member)
  • Urban and Regional Policy

Public Policy Joint Degree Requirements

  1. A joint degree is regarded by the University as distinct from either of its component degrees, and requirements for the joint degree differ from the sum of the requirements for the individual degrees.
  2. Up to a maximum of 45 units, or one year, of the University residency requirement can be credited toward both graduate degree programs (i.e., the joint degree requirements may contain up to 45 units less than the sum of each program separately). For example, a J.D./M.P.P. has a four-year residency requirement, one year less than the sum of the requirements for the separate degrees. This recognizes that there is a subject matter overlap between the fields comprising the joint degree.
  3. The Public Policy Program strives to encourage an intellectual, professional, and social community among its students. For this reason, joint degree students are strongly encouraged to devote one year of full-time study at Stanford entirely to the Public Policy Program rather than spacing Public Policy courses throughout their graduate careers. For joint degree Ph.D. students, the core requirements of the M.P.P. should be completed over two contiguous years of study, during which students may also be enrolled in courses from their Ph.D. program. Exceptions to this structure must be approved in advance by petition.
  4. Joint degree students are expected to have and to consult regularly with an academic adviser. The adviser is generally a member of the faculty of both degree programs and must be a member of Academic Council. The program director and staff are available to make adviser recommendations.
  5. In order to take advantage of the reduced residency requirement, joint M.P.P. students must define their area of concentration from among courses offered in their non-Public Policy program. Students wishing to concentrate in another field should apply for a dual, rather than a joint, M.P.P. degree.

Application and Admissions

Applications for graduate study in Public Policy are only accepted from:

  1. students currently enrolled in any Stanford graduate or undergraduate degree program
  2. external applicants seeking a joint degree, or
  3. recent Stanford alumni (2009-current).

External applicants for joint degrees must apply to the department or school offering the other graduate degree (i.e. Ph.D.., M.D., M.A., M.S., M.B.A., or J.D.), indicating an interest in the joint degree program; applicants admitted to the other degree program are then evaluated for admission to the M.P.P. or M.A. program.

To be considered for matriculation beginning in the Autumn Quarter 2016-17, all application materials must be submitted no later than April 15, 2016. The early deadline for applications is Friday, January 29, 2016 with a final deadline on Friday, April 15, 2016. Early submission of M.P.P. applications is encouraged. Student funding is very limited. Admission notifications will be sent to applicants by May 1, 2016. Admitted students are required to respond to offers of admission by May 15, 2016.

Stanford Alumni and Current Stanford Seniors

Visit the Stanford Office of Graduate Admissions. The online application for the M.P.P. is available beginning Sunday, November 1, 2015. The application fee is $125. The department is unable to refund an application fee, so prospective applicants are advised to refer to eligibility requirements before submitting an application.    

Only complete applications submitted by the deadline are reviewed. A complete application includes the following:

  1. Application.
  2. Official transcripts. Copies of student transcripts must bear the official seal of the institution and the signature of the registrar. Upload transcripts to the online application.
  3. GRE scores.
  4. Letters of recommendation: Three confidential letters of recommendation from a Stanford faculty member or an employer should be submitted electronically via the online application. See the Stanford Office of Graduate Admissions web site regarding letters of recommendation. At least two letters must be from Stanford faculty members.
  5. Statement of purpose (not to exceed two pages; upload to the online application).
  6. Academic writing sample (upload to the online application): This can be on any topic and may be either something previously written or something written specifically for the application. It should be 6-10 pages (double-spaced) and should showcase academic writing ability.
  7. Resume or curriculum vitae (upload to the online application).

Stanford Current Graduate Students

  1. Application for Current Stanford Graduate Students.
  2. Two confidential letters of recommendation, one of which must be from a Stanford faculty member familiar with applicant's academic work.
  3. Undergraduate and graduate transcripts.
  4. GRE, GMAT, LSAT or MCAT test scores.
  5. Statement of purpose, not to exceed two pages.
  6. Resume or curriculum vitae.
  7. Preliminary program proposal.
  8. Prerequisite completion statement, demonstrating completion of required prerequisite course work in multivariate calculus and intermediate microeconomics.

Applicants may be interviewed. If admitted, students will submit a Graduate Authorization Petition through Axess. A $125 fee is charged when adding the M.A. or M.P.P. degree program in Axess.

Director: Gregory L. Rosston (Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research)

Director of Undergraduate Capstone Program and Senior Lecturer: Mary Sprague (Public Policy)

Director of Graduate Practicum Program and Professor of the Practice of Public Policy: Joe Nation (Public Policy)

Director of Domestic Policy Studies and Lecturer: Lanhee J. Chen (Public Policy and Hoover Institution)

Director of Honors Program and Lecturer: Marcelo Clerici-Arias (Economics and Public Policy)

Executive Committee Chair: Mark Duggan (Economics, SIEPR)

Executive Committee: Laurence Baker (Medicine), Jonathan Bendor (Graduate School of Business), B. Douglas Bernheim (Economics, SIEPR), David Brady (Political Science, Hoover Institution, Graduate School of Business, SIEPR), Paul Brest (Law), Bruce Cain (Political Science, Bill Lane Center for the American West), Samuel Chiu (Management Science and Engineering), Thomas Dee (Education), David Kennedy (History, emeritus), David Grusky (Sociology), Eric Hanushek (Hoover Institution, SIEPR), Deborah Hensler (Law), Roger Noll (Economics, emeritus, SIEPR), Bruce Owen (Public Policy, emeritus, SIEPR), Madhav Rajan (Graduate School of Business), Gregory Rosston (SIEPR), Debra Satz (Philosophy), John Shoven (SIEPR, Economics)

Affiliated Faculty: William Abrams (Human Biology), Donald Barr (Medicine), Jonathan Bendor (Graduate School of Business), Eric Bettinger (Education), Jayanta Bhattacharya (Medicine), Coit Blacker (Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies), Lisa Blaydes (Political Science), Adam Bonica (Political Science), Michael J. Boskin (Economics, Hoover Institution), Paul Brest (Law), Jeremy Bulow (Graduate School of Business), M. Kate Bundorf (Medicine), Bruce Cain (Political Science, Bill Lane Center for the American West), Eamonn Callan (Education), Martin Carnoy (Education), John Cogan (Hoover Institution), Joshua Cohen (Political Science, Philosophy, Law), Gary Cox (Political Science), Robert Crews (History), Larry Diamond (Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Hoover Institution), Walter Falcon (Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, emeritus), Lawrence Friedman (Law), Francis Fukuyama (Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies), Lawrence Goulder (Economics, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies), Justin Grimmer (Political Science), Stephen Haber (Political Science, Hoover Institution), Deborah Hensler (Law), Pamela Hinds (Management Science and Engineering), Daniel Ho (Law), Nicholas Hope (Stanford Center for International Development), Caroline Hoxby (Economics, Hoover Institution, SIEPR), Daniel Kessler (Law, Hoover Institution, Graduate School of Business), Pete Klenow (Economics), Stephen Krasner (Political Science, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Hoover Institution), Jon A. Krosnick (Communication, Political Science), Mark Lemley (Law),  Susanna Loeb (Education), Thomas MaCurdy (Economics, Hoover Institution), David Magnus (Medicine), Robert McGinn (Management Science and Engineering; Science, Technology and Society), Milbrey McLaughlin (Education), Terry Moe (Political Science, Hoover Institution), Joan Petersilia (Law), James Phills (Graduate School of Business), A. Mitchell Polinsky (Law), Walter Powell (Education), Robert Reich (Political Science), Eunice Rodriguez (Medicine), Andrew Rutten (Political Science), Baba Shiv (Graduate School of Business), Ken Shotts (Graduate School of Business), Stephan Seiler (Graduate School of Business), Stephan Stedman (Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies), Jeff Strnad (Law), Barton Thompson (Law, Woods Institute, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies), Michael Tomz (Political Science, SIEPR), , Milana Trounce (Medicine), Michael Wald (Law), Greg Walton (Psychology), Jonathan Wand (Political Science), Barry Weingast (Political Science, Hoover Institution), John Weyant (Management Science and Engineering), Robert M. White (Materials Science and Engineering), Frank Wolak (Economics, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies), Cristobal Young (Sociology)

Lecturers:Newsha Ajami (Woods Institute), Tanya Beder (Law), Frank Benest (Public Policy), David Crane (Public Policy, SIEPR), Dennis Gale (Urban Studies), Jonathan D. Greenberg (Law), Russell Hancock (Public Policy), Adrienne Jamieson (Bing Stanford in Washington), Michael Kieschnick (Urban Studies), Lawrence Litvak (Public Policy, Urban Studies), Susan Liautaud (Public Policy), Eva Meyersson Milgrom (SIEPR, Sociology), Alyssa O'Brien (Public Policy, Program in Writing and Rhetoric), Christine Pal Chee (Public Policy), Katharine Ricke (Public Policy)

Overseas Studies Courses in Public Policy

The Bing Overseas Studies Program manages Stanford study abroad programs for Stanford undergraduates. Students should consult their department or program's student services office for applicability of Overseas Studies courses to a major or minor program.

The Bing Overseas Studies course search site displays courses, locations, and quarters relevant to specific majors.

For course descriptions and additional offerings, see the listings in the Stanford Bulletin's ExploreCourses or Bing Overseas Studies.


Units
OSPCPTWN 31Political Economy of Foreign Aid3
OSPFLOR 12Constituting a Republic: Machiavelli, Madison, and Modern Issues5
OSPFLOR 78The Impossible Experiment: Politics and Policies of the New European Union5
OSPFLOR 85Bioethics: the Biotechnological Revolution, Human Rights and Politics in the Global Era4
OSPISTAN 72Religion, Secularism and Democracy in the World4
OSPKYOTO 45Japan's Energy-Environment Conundrum4
OSPOXFRD 18Making Public Policy: An Introduction to Political Philosophy, Politics, and Economics4-5
OSPPARIS 153XHealth Systems and Health Insurance: France and the U.S., a Comparison across Space and Time5
OSPSANTG 31The Chilean Energy System: 30 Years of Market Reforms4-5
OSPSANTG 71Santiago: Urban Planning, Public Policy, and the Built Environment4-5
OSPSANTG 119XThe Chilean Economy: History, International Relations, and Development Strategies5

Courses

PUBLPOL 55N. Public Policy and Personal Finance. 3 Units.

The seminar will provide an introduction and discussion of the impact of public policy on personal finance. Voters regularly rate the economy as one of the most important factors shaping their political views and most of those opinions are focused on their individual bottom lines. In this course we will discuss the rationale for different public policies and how they affect personal financial situations. We will explore personal finance issues such as taxes, loans, charity, insurance, and pensions. Using the context of (hypothetical) personal finance positions, we will discuss the public policy implications of various proposals and how they affect different groups of people, for example: the implications of differential tax rates for different types of income, the promotion of home ownership in the U.S., and policies to care for our aging population. While economic policy will be the focus of much of the course, we will also examine some of the implications of social policies on personal finance as well. There will be weekly readings and several short policy-related writing assignments.
Same as: ECON 25N

PUBLPOL 101. Politics and Public Policy. 4-5 Units.

(Formerly PS 2) American political institutions (the Presidency, Congress, and the Court) and political processes (the formation of political attitudes and voting) have for some time now been criticized as inadequate to the task of making modern public policy. Against the backdrop of American culture and political history we examine how public policy has been and is being made. We use theories from Political Science and Economics to assess the state of the American system and the policy making process. We use case studies and lectures to analyze contemporary issues including environmental policy, taxes and spending , gun control , economic growth and inequality and mobility. In some of these issue areas we use comparative data from other countries to see how the U.S. is doing relative to other countries. In addition to class room lecture and discussion, student groups are formed to analyze policy issues of relevance to them. Undergraduate Public Policy students are required to enroll in this class for five units.
Same as: AMSTUD 123X, POLISCI 102, POLISCI 123, PUBLPOL 201

PUBLPOL 102. Organizations and Public Policy. 4-5 Units.

Analysis of organizational processes emphasizing organizations that operate in a non-market environment. Prerequisite: ECON 1.
Same as: PUBLPOL 202

PUBLPOL 103C. Justice. 4-5 Units.

Focus is on the ideal of a just society, and the place of liberty and equality in it, in light of contemporary theories of justice and political controversies. Topics include financing schools and elections, regulating markets, discriminating against people with disabilities, and enforcing sexual morality. Counts as Writing in the Major for PoliSci majors.
Same as: ETHICSOC 171, IPS 208, PHIL 171, PHIL 271, POLISCI 103, POLISCI 136S, POLISCI 336S, PUBLPOL 307

PUBLPOL 103D. Ethics and Politics of Public Service. 5 Units.

Ethical and political questions in public service work, including volunteering, service learning, humanitarian assistance, and public service professions such as medicine and teaching. Motives and outcomes in service work. Connections between service work and justice. Is mandatory service an oxymoron? History of public service in the U.S. Issues in crosscultural service work. Integration with the Haas Center for Public Service to connect service activities and public service aspirations with academic experiences at Stanford. [This class is capped but there are some spaces available with permission of instructor. If the class is full and you would like to be considered for these extra spaces, please email sburbank@stanford.edu with your name, grade level, and a paragraph explaining why you want to take the class.].
Same as: CSRE 178, ETHICSOC 133, HUMBIO 178, PHIL 175A, PHIL 275A, POLISCI 133, URBANST 122

PUBLPOL 103E. Ethics on the Edge Public Policy Core Seminar. 2 Units.

[Note: This two-credit seminar accompanies Ethics on the Edge (Public Policy 134) but can also be taken as a stand-alone course upon permission from the instructor. Enrollment preference will be given to Public Policy majors seeking to fulfill the core requirement (and are required to do so) or upon permission of instructor. (The required course, Public Policy 103C, can be fulfilled by taking Ethics on the Edge (Public Policy 134, 3 units) and this Ethics on the Edge Public Policy Core Seminar (Public Policy 103E, 2 units) for a total of 5 units.) This course is not required for students taking Public Policy 134 to gain Ways of Thinking credit or to gain credit towards Ethics in Society, Science, Technology and Society, or general course credit.] The seminar-style course will explore additional foundational readings on organizational ethics (business, non-profit, and governmental organizations) and policy ethics. Themes will include the Baltimore police brutality incidents, FIFA corruption scandals, and negotiations around the Iran nuclear agreement. Organizing themes include, among others: ethics of leadership; ethics of persuasion and compromise; the influence of bias in organizational and policy ethics; discrepancies between discourse and action; and interpreting and explaining ethics. In addition, the course will offer training in a wide variety of skills for effective communication of ethics for policy purposes (presentations, website discourse, commenting in meetings and conferences, interviews, statement of personal views, interacting with the media, prioritizing arguments, and mapping complex ethical analysis). Most of the assignments allow students flexibility to explore topics of their choice. The objective is to engage actively and improve skills in a supportive environment. A short, analytically rigorous final paper in lieu of final exam. Attendance required. Grading will be based on short assignments, class participation, and the short final paper.

PUBLPOL 104. Economic Policy Analysis. 4-5 Units.

The relationship between microeconomic analysis and public policy making. How economic policy analysis is done and why political leaders regard it as useful but not definitive in making policy decisions. Economic rationales for policy interventions, methods of policy evaluation and the role of benefit-cost analysis, economic models of politics and their application to policy making, and the relationship of income distribution to policy choice. Theoretical foundations of policy making and analysis, and applications to program adoption and implementation. Prerequisites: ECON 50 and ECON 102B. Undergraduate Public Policy students are required to take this class for a letter grade and enroll in this class for five units.
Same as: ECON 150, PUBLPOL 204

PUBLPOL 105. Empirical Methods in Public Policy. 5 Units.

Methods of empirical analysis and applications in public policy. Emphasis on causal inference and program evaluation. Public policy applications include health, education, and labor. Assignments include hands-on data analysis, evaluation of existing literature, and a final research project. Objective is to obtain tools to 1) critically evaluate evidence used to make policy decisions and 2) perform empirical analysis to answer questions in public policy. Prerequisite: ECON 102B. Public Policy students taking this course to satisfy a degree requirement must take the course for a letter grade.
Same as: PUBLPOL 205

PUBLPOL 106. Law and Economics. 4-5 Units.

This course explores the role of law in promoting economic welfare. Law has many meanings and many aspects, but some version of it is essential to cooperative human interaction and thus to civilization itself. Cooperation often is a positive-sum or welfare-enhancing activity, while competition among individuals, in contrast, is often zero- or negative-sum. Law, among its other functions, can serve as a mechanism to harmonize private incentives to achieve cooperative gains, to maintain an equitable division of those gains, and to deter "cheating." Economic analysis of law focuses on the welfare-enhancing incentive effects of law and law enforcement and on law's role in reducing the risks of cooperation by setting expectations of "what courts or the state will do" in various contingencies. Prerequisite: ECON 50. Undergraduate Public Policy students are required to take this class for a letter grade and enroll in this class for five units.
Same as: ECON 154, PUBLPOL 206

PUBLPOL 107. Public Finance and Fiscal Policy. 5 Units.

What role should and does government play in the economy? What are the effects of government spending, borrowing, and taxation on efficiency, equity and economic stability and growth? The course covers economic, historical and statical analyses and current policy debates in the U.S. and around the world. Policy topics: Fiscal crises, budget surpluses/deficits; tax reform; social security and healthcare programs and reforms; transfers to the poor; public goods and externalities; fiscal federalism; public investment and cost-benefit analysis; and the political economy of government decision-making. Prerequisites: ECON 51, ECON 52 (can be taken concurrently).
Same as: ECON 141

PUBLPOL 115. Practical Training. 1-5 Unit.

Qualified Public Policy students obtain employment in a relevant research or industrial activity to enhance their professional experience consistent with their degree programs. Prior to enrolling students must get internship approved by the Public Policy Program. At the start of the quarter, students must submit a one page statement showing the relevance of the employment to the degree program along with an offer letter. At the end of the quarter, a three page final report must be supplied documenting work done and relevance to degree program. Meets the requirements for Curricular Practical Training for students on F-1 visas. May be repeated for credit.

PUBLPOL 120. Social Science Field Research Methods and Applications. 5 Units.

This course teaches the basics of the design, implementation and interpretation of social science field research. Building on a basic knowledge of statistical methods and economics, the course first introduces observational field research and compares it with experimental field research. Significant attention will be devoted to explaining what can and cannot be learned each type of field research. The details of designing both types of field research projects will then be discussed. The basics theory of the design of statistical experiments will be introduced and applied. Topics covered include sample size selection, power and size of statistical hypothesis tests, sample selection bias and methods for accounting for it. Examples of best practice field research studies will be presented as well as examples of commonly committed errors. Practical aspects of field work will also be covered, including efficient and cost-effective data collection, data analysis, teamwork, and common ethical considerations. Students can apply to participate in a course project designing a field research project and implementing it in a developing country context during four weeks of the summer. Prerequisites: either ECON 1 or 1A or 1V and either STATS 60 or ECON 102A or equivalent.
Same as: ECON 121, PUBLPOL 220

PUBLPOL 121. Policy and Climate Change. 4-5 Units.

Science and economics, including recent findings. History and evolution of local, state, regional, national, and international policy. California's recent landmark climate change bill. Future policy prospects, emphasizing national and international levels.

PUBLPOL 121L. Racial-Ethnic Politics in US. 5 Units.

This course examines various issues surrounding the role of race and ethnicity in the American political system. Specifically, this course will evaluate the development of racial group solidarity and the influence of race on public opinion, political behavior, the media, and in the criminal justice system. We will also examine the politics surrounding the Multiracial Movement and the development of racial identity and political attitudes in the 21st century. STATS 60 or ECON 1 is strongly recommended.
Same as: AMSTUD 121L, CSRE 121L, POLISCI 121L

PUBLPOL 122. Biosecurity and Bioterrorism Response. 4-5 Units.

Overview of the most pressing biosecurity issues facing the world today. Guest lecturers have included former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former Special Assistant on BioSecurity to Presidents Clinton and Bush Jr. Dr. Ken Bernard, Chief Medical Officer of the Homeland Security Department Dr. Alex Garza, eminent scientists, innovators and physicians in the field, and leaders of relevant technology companies. How well the US and global healthcare systems are prepared to withstand a pandemic or a bioterrorism attack, how the medical/healthcare field, government, and the technology sectors are involved in biosecurity and pandemic or bioterrorism response and how they interface, the rise of synthetic biology with its promises and threats, global bio-surveillance, making the medical diagnosis, isolation, containment, hospital surge capacity, stockpiling and distribution of countermeasures, food and agriculture biosecurity, new promising technologies for detection of bio-threats and countermeasures. Open to medical, graduate, and undergraduate students. No prior background in biology necessary. This course satisfies the TiS requirement for Engineering students; please check with your major advisor to verify this. 4 units for twice weekly attendance (Mon. and Wed.); additional 1 unit for writing a research paper for 5 units total maximum. PLEASE NOTE: This class will meet for the first time on Wednesday, April 1.
Same as: BIOE 122, EMED 122

PUBLPOL 124. What's Wrong with American Government? An Institutional Approach. 5 Units.

How politicians, once elected, work together to govern America. The roles of the President, Congress, and Courts in making and enforcing laws. Focus is on the impact of constitutional rules on the incentives of each branch, and on how they influence law. Fulfills the Writing in the Major Requirement for Political Science majors.
Same as: POLISCI 120C

PUBLPOL 125. Law and Public Policy. 5 Units.

This course investigates the relationship between law, politics and public policy in the United States. What is the proper role of judicial decision-making in a democratic system? How do lawyers, judges and other legal actors impact society and shape policy? In turn, how is law impacted and shaped by social forces and movements? We will explore these questions in the context of longstanding debates on policy issues such as economic inequality, racial justice, voting rights, environmental regulation, gun control, sexual identity, immigration and refugees. The course will be taught as a seminar. Discussion will involve the close reading and interpretation of judicial opinions, legislation and other legal texts, interdisciplinary scholarship, and film.

PUBLPOL 126B. Curricular Public Policies for the Recognition of Afro-Brazilians and Indigenous Population. 3-4 Units.

Recently two laws in Brazil (10639/2003 and 13465/2008), which came about due to intense pressure from Black and Indigenous social movements throughout the 20th century, have introduced changes in public education curriculum policies. These new curriculum policies mandate that the study of Afro-Brazilian, African, and Indigenous histories and cultures must be taught at all educational levels including at the elementary, secondary, and post-secondary levels. As part of this mandate, educators are now directed to incorporate considerations of ethnic-racial diversity in relation to people's thinking and experiences. These policies aim to fight racism as well as other forms of discrimination, and moreover, encourage the building of more equitable pedagogies. This course will discuss past and current policies and practices in Brazilian education from the point of view of different social projects organized by Indigenous Peoples, Afro-Brazilians, Asian-Brazilians, as well as Euro-Brazilians. It will also focus on Latin American efforts to promote equity in education, as well as to articulate different points of view, and reinforce and build epistemologies that support the decolonization of thinking, behaviors, research and policies. As part of this process, the course will study the experiences of people demanding these new public policies in terms of the extent to which they were able to influence institutional structures and to establish particular policy reforms. The course will also analyze theoretical frameworks employed by opponents of these movements to resist policies that might challenge their privileged place in society. In doing this, the course will offer theoretical and methodological avenues to promote research that can counter hegemonic curricular policies and pedagogical practices. The course will be fully participatory and oriented towards generating ongoing conversations and discussion about the various issues that arose in Brazil in relation to these two recent laws. To meet these goals, we will do a close reading of relevant scholarly works, paying particular attention to their theoretical frameworks, research designs, and findings.
Same as: AFRICAAM 126B, CSRE 126B, EDUC 136B, EDUC 236B

PUBLPOL 128. International Problem-Solving Through NGOs: Policy, Players, Strategies, and Ethics. 2 Units.

This course will focus on advanced international problem-solving through the lens of international NGOs, while integrating other relevant players that address global issues within a lens of ethics and accountability. Particular aspects of NGOs that will be assessed are: policy, business, strategy, and engagement with other players. Students will consider the major issues that international NGOs face in their effort to effect positive change in an increasingly complex global environment. The course draws heavily on a series of sophisticated case studies involving a variety of NGOs, areas of specialization, and geographic regions. Topics may include: poverty and famine; the natural resources curse; terrorism; HIV/Aids and other epidemics and neglected diseases; natural disasters and emergencies; climate change; and contagion of unethical behavior. A final project tailored to each student's interest will be in lieu of a final exam. Students will have the opportunity to work with several internationally prominent guests.
Same as: INTNLREL 128B, PUBLPOL 228

PUBLPOL 132. The Politics of Policy Making. 3 Units.

Public policymaking in the United States is part of a political process that can take years or even decades to play out. A familiarity with the politics of policymaking is key to understanding why some reform attempts are successful while others are not. This course will give students a behind-the-scenes look at how policy actually gets made. Students will gain exposure to the theory and literature behind policy formulation, and engage in debates over historical and contemporary efforts at reform.
Same as: PUBLPOL 232

PUBLPOL 133. Political Power in American Cities. 5 Units.

The major actors, institutions, processes, and policies of sub-state government in the U.S., emphasizing city general-purpose governments through a comparative examination of historical and contemporary politics. Issues related to federalism, representation, voting, race, poverty, housing, and finances.
Same as: AMSTUD 121Z, POLISCI 121, URBANST 111

PUBLPOL 134. Ethics On the Edge: Business, Non-Profit Organizations, Government, and Individuals. 3 Units.

The objective of the course is to explore the increasing ethical challenges in a world in which technology, global risks, and societal developments are accelerating faster than our understanding can keep pace. We will unravel the factors contributing to the seemingly pervasive failure of ethics today among organizations and leaders across all sectors: business, government and non-profit. A framework for ethical decision-making underpins the course. The relationship between ethics and culture, global risks (poverty, cyber-terrorism, climate change, etc.) leadership, and the law and policy will inform discussion. Prominent guest speakers will attend certain sessions interactively. A broad range of international case studies might include: Ebola; Facebook's mood manipulation research and teen suicides from social media bullying; Google's European "right to be forgotten" and driverless cars; Space X (Elon Musk's voyages to Mars); ISIS' interaction with international NGOs; sexual assault on U.S. university campuses and in the U.S. military; the ethics of corporate social responsibility (through companies such as L'Oreal, Whole Foods and Walmart); corporate and financial sector scandals; and non-profit sector ethics challenges. Final project in lieu of exam on a topic of student's choice. Attendance required. Class participation important (with multiple opportunities beyond speaking in class). Strong emphasis on critical thinking and testing ideas in real-world contexts. There will be a limited numbers of openings above the set enrollment limit of 40 students. If the enrollment limit is reached, students wishing to take the course should contact Dr. Susan Liautaud at susan11@stanford.edu. The course offers credit toward Ethics in Society, Public Policy core requirements (if taken in combination with Public Policy 103E), and Science, Technology and Society and satisfies the Ways of Thinking requirement. The course is open to undergraduate and graduate students. Undergraduates will not be at a disadvantage. *Public Policy majors taking the course to complete the core requirements must obtain a letter grade. Other students may take the course for a letter grade or C/NC.
Same as: ETHICSOC 234R, PUBLPOL 234

PUBLPOL 135. Regional Politics and Decision Making in Silicon Valley and the Greater Bay Area. 3 Units.

Dynamics of regional leadership and decision making in Silicon Valley, a complex region composed of 40 cities and four counties without any overarching framework for governance. Formal and informal institutions shaping outcomes in the region. Case studies include transportation, workforce development, housing and land use, and climate change.

PUBLPOL 137. Innovations in Microcredit and Development Finance. 3 Units.

The role of innovative financial institutions in supporting economic development, the alleviation of rural and urban poverty, and gender equity. Analysis of the strengths and limits of commercial banks, public development banks, credit unions, and microcredit organizations both in the U.S. and internationally. Readings include academic journal articles, formal case studies, evaluations, and annual reports. Priority to students who have taken any portion of the social innovation series: URBANST 131, 132, or 133. Recommended: ECON 1A or 1B.
Same as: URBANST 137

PUBLPOL 143. Finance and Society for non-MBAs. 4 Units.

This interdisciplinary course will discuss the role of the financial system in the economy and its interactions with different parts of society. The course will introduce basic finance concepts, cover the basic economic principles essential for understanding the role of finance in the economy, provide an overview of the different institutions in the system, and discuss of policy issues around financial regulation. Topics to be discussed include: the basics of financial decisions and markets; from micro finance to global mega-banks: how and why finance can benefit society as well as endanger and harm; financial regulation: why and how; other people¿s money: the challenge of effective control, governance, and trust; the politics of banking and finance. Prerequisite: ECON 1.
Same as: ECON 143

PUBLPOL 144. Giving 2.0: Philanthropy by Design. 4 Units.

Seminar and practicum. Students drive an actual $10,000 philanthropic process and design their own social change strategy. Topics: strategic planning, nonprofit assessment and site visits, innovative social change models, and leadership development. Speakers include philanthropic leaders and social entrepreneurs. Class activities: group grant assessments and selection, creative problem solving, and decision-making simulations. Individual project: Social Impact Strategic Plan. Must attend first class; limited enrollment. Recommended: PUBPOL 183.

PUBLPOL 146. Policy, Politics, and the Presidency: Understanding the 2016 Campaign from Start to Finish. 2 Units.

In 2016, Americans will once again go to the polls to select a new president. But what will actually happen behind-the-scenes between now and then is largely a mystery to most. This course will introduce students to the nuts-and-bolts of a presidential campaign. Each week, we will explore a different topic related to running for the presidency -- policy formation, communications, grassroots strategy, digital outreach, campaign finance -- and feature high-profile guest speakers who have served in senior roles on both Democratic and Republican campaigns. Students, guests, and faculty will also participate in discussions on how these topics will relate to the 2016 presidential contest, which will begin in earnest over the course of the quarter.
Same as: POLISCI 72, PUBLPOL 246

PUBLPOL 151. Science Policy, National Security, and Cybersecurity. 4 Units.

Provides a basic overview of science policy and its connection to national security, with a strong emphasis on cybersecurity as an aspect of national security. Addresses biosecurity as a secondary focus. The course includes sessions on effective memo writing and presentation of policy proposals.
Same as: PUBLPOL 251

PUBLPOL 154. Politics and Policy in California. 5 Units.

State politics and policy making, including the roles of the legislature, legislative leadership, governor, special interests, campaign finance, advocacy groups, ballot initiatives, state and federal laws, media, and research organizations. Case studies involving budgets, education, pensions, health care, political reform, environmental reforms, water, transportation and more. Evaluation of political actions, both inside and outside of government, that can affect California policy and social outcomes. Meetings with elected officials, policymakers, and advocates in class and during a day-long field trip to Sacramento.

PUBLPOL 155. Disruption for Good- Technology, Innovation and Philanthropy. 2 Units.

A new breed of technologies and nonprofits are driving unprecedented innovation in how we create, deliver and measure social change. Innovative models and technology's extraordinary potential to transform billions of individual lives. Topics: social network campaigns, mobile platforms and international development, apps for good, crowdsourcing, crowdfunding, creative swarms, nonprofit evaluators, and new generation corporate philanthropy. Readings: articles, blogs, studies, book chapters and websites. Guest speakers include technology, nonprofit and philanthropic leaders. Individual Project: "Unusual Suspects" Technology Innovators interviews and paper. Must attend first class; limited enrollment.

PUBLPOL 156. Health Care Policy and Reform. 5 Units.

Focuses on healthcare policy at the national, state, and local levels. Includes sessions on international models, health insurance, the evolution of healthcare policy in the U.S., key U.S. healthcare topics (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Medicare, Medicaid, public employee retiree health care), the role of technology, reform proposals (single payer, national health care, consumer-based systems, regulated markets, state and local reform efforts), efficiency/cost drivers and prospects for future policy. The course includes sessions on effective memo writing and presentation of policy proposals.

PUBLPOL 157. Political Data Science. 5 Units.

Introduction to methods of research design and data analysis used in quantitative political research. Topics covered include hypothesis testing, linear regression, experimental and observational approaches to causal inference, effective data visualization, and working with big data. These topics will be introduced using data sets from American politics, international relations, and comparative politics. The course begins with an intensive introduction to the R programming language used throughout the course. Satisfies quantitative methods requirement for the Political Science Research Honors Track. Prerequisites: Stat 60 or instructor consent.
Same as: POLISCI 155

PUBLPOL 168. Global Organizations: Managing Diversity. 4 Units.

Analytical tools derived from the social sciences to analyze global organizations, strategies, and the tradeoffs between different designs of organizations. Focus is on tribal mentality and how to design effective organizations for policy implementation within and across institutional settings. Recommended: PUBLPOL 102, MS&E 180, SOC 160, ECON 149, or MGTECON 330.
Same as: PUBLPOL 268, SOC 168, SOC 268

PUBLPOL 170. Political Corruption. 2 Units.

Sources and effects of political corruption in the United States, with focus on potential solutions. Perspectives include political contribution and lobbying laws, rational and passionate collective action incentives, welfare effects of congressional control of the administrative state, voter behavior, agency theory, and the role of competition among politicians and interest groups. Grading based on participation and term paper. Enrollment is limited to 15 students and permission of the instructor required. Email bruceowen@stanford.edu.
Same as: PUBLPOL 270

PUBLPOL 174. The Urban Economy. 4 Units.

Applies the principles of economic analysis to historical and contemporary urban and regional development issues and policies. Explores themes of urban economic geography, location decision-making by firms and individuals, urban land and housing markets, and local government finance. Critically evaluates historical and contemporary government policies regulating urban land use, housing, employment development, and transportation. Prerequisite: Econ 1A or permission of instructor.
Same as: URBANST 173

PUBLPOL 183. Philanthropy and Social Innovation. 4 Units.

Philanthropic innovation, action and social transformation in the 21st century. Topics: individual giving; philanthropic landscape and models; foundation mission and infrastructure; philanthropic strategy and grantmaking; accountability and knowledge management; global, venture and corporate philanthropy; public policy and advocacy. Readings: business school cases and industry articles. Guest speakers include individual donors and foundation presidents. Class activities: case discussions, role-plays, breakouts, and debates. Individual project: $10 million Foundation Business Plan. Must attend first class; limited enrollment.

PUBLPOL 184. Poverty and Policies in Developing Economies. 5 Units.

Economic models of growth and poverty, differences in growth rates among countries, and the persistence of poverty. Models of physical and human capital accumulation, and recent theories of the importance of institutions, social capital, and political factors. The effectiveness of social policies in developing countries, emphasizing India, in the light of theories of growth and poverty, and in terms of immediate goals and long-term consequences. Policies include schooling and health, anti-poverty, banking, and political decentralization. Limited Enrollment. Prerequisites: ECON 1 and ECON 50.

PUBLPOL 194. Technology Policy. 3-4 Units.

How the U.S. federal government promotes, uses, and regulates new technologies; tensions between representative governance and the need for elite expertise in policymaking; contemporary debates over international security, energy, health, information technology, and economic competitiveness. Recommended: POLISCI 2.
Same as: PUBLPOL 294

PUBLPOL 197. Junior Honors Seminar. 5 Units.

Primarily for students who expect to write an honors thesis. Weekly sessions go through the process of selecting a research question, finding relevant bibliography, writing a literature review, introduction, and study design, culminating in the write-up of an honors thesis proposal (prospectus) and the oral presentation of each student¿s research project. Students also select an adviser and outline a program of study for their senior year. Enrollment limited to 15.
Same as: ECON 198

PUBLPOL 198. Directed Readings in Public Policy. 1-5 Unit.

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PUBLPOL 199. Senior Research. 1-15 Unit.

May be repeated for credit.

PUBLPOL 200A. Senior Practicum. 5 Units.

Small student teams conduct policy analyses requested by government and nonprofit organizations. With guidance from the instructor and client organization, each team researches a real-world problem and devises implementable policy recommendations to help address it. The project culminates in a professional report and presentation to the client organization. Prerequisites: core courses in Public Policy or consent of instructor.

PUBLPOL 200B. Senior Practicum. 5 Units.

Small student teams conduct policy analyses requested by government and nonprofit organizations. With guidance from the instructor and client organization, each team researches a real-world problem and devises implementable policy recommendations to help address it. The project culminates in a professional report and presentation to the client organization. Prerequisites: core courses in Public Policy or consent of instructor.

PUBLPOL 200C. Senior Practicum. 5 Units.

Small student teams conduct policy analyses requested by government and nonprofit organizations. With guidance from the instructor and client organization, each team researches a real-world problem and devises implementable policy recommendations to help address it. The project culminates in a professional report and presentation to the client organization. Prerequisites: core courses in Public Policy or consent of instructor.

PUBLPOL 200H. Senior Honors Seminar. 3 Units.

Honors students conduct original research for oral presentations and a paper on their policy-related Honors thesis topic. The course is designed to help students make progress on their theses and improve their analytical, research, and communication skills.

PUBLPOL 201. Politics and Public Policy. 4-5 Units.

(Formerly PS 2) American political institutions (the Presidency, Congress, and the Court) and political processes (the formation of political attitudes and voting) have for some time now been criticized as inadequate to the task of making modern public policy. Against the backdrop of American culture and political history we examine how public policy has been and is being made. We use theories from Political Science and Economics to assess the state of the American system and the policy making process. We use case studies and lectures to analyze contemporary issues including environmental policy, taxes and spending , gun control , economic growth and inequality and mobility. In some of these issue areas we use comparative data from other countries to see how the U.S. is doing relative to other countries. In addition to class room lecture and discussion, student groups are formed to analyze policy issues of relevance to them. Undergraduate Public Policy students are required to enroll in this class for five units.
Same as: AMSTUD 123X, POLISCI 102, POLISCI 123, PUBLPOL 101

PUBLPOL 202. Organizations and Public Policy. 4-5 Units.

Analysis of organizational processes emphasizing organizations that operate in a non-market environment. Prerequisite: ECON 1.
Same as: PUBLPOL 102

PUBLPOL 204. Economic Policy Analysis. 4-5 Units.

The relationship between microeconomic analysis and public policy making. How economic policy analysis is done and why political leaders regard it as useful but not definitive in making policy decisions. Economic rationales for policy interventions, methods of policy evaluation and the role of benefit-cost analysis, economic models of politics and their application to policy making, and the relationship of income distribution to policy choice. Theoretical foundations of policy making and analysis, and applications to program adoption and implementation. Prerequisites: ECON 50 and ECON 102B. Undergraduate Public Policy students are required to take this class for a letter grade and enroll in this class for five units.
Same as: ECON 150, PUBLPOL 104

PUBLPOL 205. Empirical Methods in Public Policy. 5 Units.

Methods of empirical analysis and applications in public policy. Emphasis on causal inference and program evaluation. Public policy applications include health, education, and labor. Assignments include hands-on data analysis, evaluation of existing literature, and a final research project. Objective is to obtain tools to 1) critically evaluate evidence used to make policy decisions and 2) perform empirical analysis to answer questions in public policy. Prerequisite: ECON 102B. Public Policy students taking this course to satisfy a degree requirement must take the course for a letter grade.
Same as: PUBLPOL 105

PUBLPOL 206. Law and Economics. 4-5 Units.

This course explores the role of law in promoting economic welfare. Law has many meanings and many aspects, but some version of it is essential to cooperative human interaction and thus to civilization itself. Cooperation often is a positive-sum or welfare-enhancing activity, while competition among individuals, in contrast, is often zero- or negative-sum. Law, among its other functions, can serve as a mechanism to harmonize private incentives to achieve cooperative gains, to maintain an equitable division of those gains, and to deter "cheating." Economic analysis of law focuses on the welfare-enhancing incentive effects of law and law enforcement and on law's role in reducing the risks of cooperation by setting expectations of "what courts or the state will do" in various contingencies. Prerequisite: ECON 50. Undergraduate Public Policy students are required to take this class for a letter grade and enroll in this class for five units.
Same as: ECON 154, PUBLPOL 106

PUBLPOL 220. Social Science Field Research Methods and Applications. 5 Units.

This course teaches the basics of the design, implementation and interpretation of social science field research. Building on a basic knowledge of statistical methods and economics, the course first introduces observational field research and compares it with experimental field research. Significant attention will be devoted to explaining what can and cannot be learned each type of field research. The details of designing both types of field research projects will then be discussed. The basics theory of the design of statistical experiments will be introduced and applied. Topics covered include sample size selection, power and size of statistical hypothesis tests, sample selection bias and methods for accounting for it. Examples of best practice field research studies will be presented as well as examples of commonly committed errors. Practical aspects of field work will also be covered, including efficient and cost-effective data collection, data analysis, teamwork, and common ethical considerations. Students can apply to participate in a course project designing a field research project and implementing it in a developing country context during four weeks of the summer. Prerequisites: either ECON 1 or 1A or 1V and either STATS 60 or ECON 102A or equivalent.
Same as: ECON 121, PUBLPOL 120

PUBLPOL 221. Sentencing, Corrections, and Criminal Justice Policy. 3 Units.

This introductory course will familiarize students with the history, structure, and performance of America's sentencing and corrections system. Sentencing is the process by which criminal sanctions are imposed in individual cases following criminal convictions. Corrections deals with the implementation and evaluation of criminal sentences after they are handed down. In fact, the two subject areas are inseparable. The course will examine sentencing and corrections from global and historical views, from theoretical and policy perspectives, and with close attention to many problem-specific areas. We will explore sentencing theories and their application, the nature, scope and function of corrections, the impact of mass incarceration on crime and communities, the effectiveness of rehabilitation, the relationship between sanctions and crime, and the consequences of prisoner reentry. These topics will be considered as they play out in current political and policy debates. Guest lectures may include presentations by legal professionals, victims, offenders, and correctional leaders. We also plan to visit a correctional facility. This course is open to 1Ls, 2Ls, and 3Ls in the Law School. Special Instructions: Grades will be based on class participation, and either: (1) three reflection papers of 5 to 7 pages each, or (2) a longer research paper. After the term begins, students accepted into the course can transfer from section (01) into section (02) which meets the research (R) requirement, with consent of the instructor. Elements used in grading: Class participation, reflection papers or research paper. Cross-listed with Comparative Studies in Race & Ethnicity (CSRE 221), Law (LAW 621), Public Policy (PUBLPOL 221).
Same as: CSRE 221

PUBLPOL 222. Biosecurity and Bioterrorism Response. 2-5 Units.

Overview of the most pressing biosecurity issues facing the world today. Guest lecturers have included former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former Special Assistant on BioSecurity to Presidents Clinton and Bush Jr. Dr. Ken Bernard, Chief Medical Officer of the Homeland Security Department Dr. Alex Garza, eminent scientists, innovators and physicians in the field, and leaders of relevant technology companies. How well the US and global healthcare systems are prepared to withstand a pandemic or a bioterrorism attack, how the medical/healthcare field, government, and the technology sectors are involved in biosecurity and pandemic or bioterrorism response and how they interface, the rise of synthetic biology with its promises and threats, global bio-surveillance, making the medical diagnosis, isolation, containment, hospital surge capacity, stockpiling and distribution of countermeasures, food and agriculture biosecurity, new promising technologies for detection of bio-threats and countermeasures. Open to medical, graduate, and undergraduate students. No prior background in biology necessary. 2 unit option for once weekly attendance (Wed only); 4 unit option for twice weekly attendance (Mon and Wed); 1 additional units (for a maximum of 5 units total) for a research paper.
Same as: EMED 222

PUBLPOL 228. International Problem-Solving Through NGOs: Policy, Players, Strategies, and Ethics. 2 Units.

This course will focus on advanced international problem-solving through the lens of international NGOs, while integrating other relevant players that address global issues within a lens of ethics and accountability. Particular aspects of NGOs that will be assessed are: policy, business, strategy, and engagement with other players. Students will consider the major issues that international NGOs face in their effort to effect positive change in an increasingly complex global environment. The course draws heavily on a series of sophisticated case studies involving a variety of NGOs, areas of specialization, and geographic regions. Topics may include: poverty and famine; the natural resources curse; terrorism; HIV/Aids and other epidemics and neglected diseases; natural disasters and emergencies; climate change; and contagion of unethical behavior. A final project tailored to each student's interest will be in lieu of a final exam. Students will have the opportunity to work with several internationally prominent guests.
Same as: INTNLREL 128B, PUBLPOL 128

PUBLPOL 231. Health Law: Finance and Insurance. 3 Units.

(SAME AS LAW 348, MGTECON 331) Provides the legal, institutional, and economic background necessary to understand the financing and production of health services in the U.S. Potential topics include: health reform, health insurance (Medicare and Medicaid, employer-sponsored insurance, the uninsured), medical malpractice and quality regulation, pharmaceuticals, the corporate practice of medicine, regulation of fraud and abuse, and international comparisons.
Same as: HRP 391

PUBLPOL 232. The Politics of Policy Making. 3 Units.

Public policymaking in the United States is part of a political process that can take years or even decades to play out. A familiarity with the politics of policymaking is key to understanding why some reform attempts are successful while others are not. This course will give students a behind-the-scenes look at how policy actually gets made. Students will gain exposure to the theory and literature behind policy formulation, and engage in debates over historical and contemporary efforts at reform.
Same as: PUBLPOL 132

PUBLPOL 234. Ethics On the Edge: Business, Non-Profit Organizations, Government, and Individuals. 3 Units.

The objective of the course is to explore the increasing ethical challenges in a world in which technology, global risks, and societal developments are accelerating faster than our understanding can keep pace. We will unravel the factors contributing to the seemingly pervasive failure of ethics today among organizations and leaders across all sectors: business, government and non-profit. A framework for ethical decision-making underpins the course. The relationship between ethics and culture, global risks (poverty, cyber-terrorism, climate change, etc.) leadership, and the law and policy will inform discussion. Prominent guest speakers will attend certain sessions interactively. A broad range of international case studies might include: Ebola; Facebook's mood manipulation research and teen suicides from social media bullying; Google's European "right to be forgotten" and driverless cars; Space X (Elon Musk's voyages to Mars); ISIS' interaction with international NGOs; sexual assault on U.S. university campuses and in the U.S. military; the ethics of corporate social responsibility (through companies such as L'Oreal, Whole Foods and Walmart); corporate and financial sector scandals; and non-profit sector ethics challenges. Final project in lieu of exam on a topic of student's choice. Attendance required. Class participation important (with multiple opportunities beyond speaking in class). Strong emphasis on critical thinking and testing ideas in real-world contexts. There will be a limited numbers of openings above the set enrollment limit of 40 students. If the enrollment limit is reached, students wishing to take the course should contact Dr. Susan Liautaud at susan11@stanford.edu. The course offers credit toward Ethics in Society, Public Policy core requirements (if taken in combination with Public Policy 103E), and Science, Technology and Society and satisfies the Ways of Thinking requirement. The course is open to undergraduate and graduate students. Undergraduates will not be at a disadvantage. *Public Policy majors taking the course to complete the core requirements must obtain a letter grade. Other students may take the course for a letter grade or C/NC.
Same as: ETHICSOC 234R, PUBLPOL 134

PUBLPOL 236. Law and Public Policy: Issues in Implementation. 3 Units.

(Same as LAW 636). This seminar will focus on issues related to achieving successful implementation of the goals of legislation. It is widely recognized that the goals of legislation often are not realized and that the failure frequently rests in breakdowns in the implementation process by the agencies and organizations charged with implementing the legislation. In response to problems in implementation, the institutional context of public policy implementation is changing. One category of innovations, known by names such as "management-based regulation" and "evidence-based" social service delivery, gives broad discretion to street-level service providers but subjects them to intensive monitoring and disciplined performance comparison. Another category applies market concepts to regulation or social services, for example, by creating tradeable rights (e.g., pollution allowances) or vouchers (for schools, housing, or healthcare). These, and other, new approaches are affecting both the contours of public law doctrine and the nature of lawyering in the public sector. Lawyers in the public sector are increasingly drawing on skills of institutional design and monitoring of the kind associated with private sector transactional practice. The seminar will examine some of the emerging general themes of innovative policy implementation and look at a range of case studies. Topics will include the conditions under which financial and other rewards and sanctions are useful in bringing about desired behaviors, the pluses and minuses of the creation of markets as alternatives to government run programs, and efforts at improving implementation by improving management activities. Examples will be taken from both regulation and social services, and are likely to include environmental protection, education, child protective services, healthcare. food and workplace safety, nuclear power safety, and regulation of financial institutions.

PUBLPOL 238. Wise Interventions. 4 Units.

Classic and contemporary psychological interventions; the role of psychological factors in social reforms for social problems involving healthcare, the workplace, education, intergroup, relations, and the law. Topics include theories of intervention, the role of laboratory research, evaluation, and social policy.
Same as: PSYCH 138, PSYCH 238

PUBLPOL 242. Design Thinking for Public Policy Innovators. 3-4 Units.

This class will explore how the methods and mindsets of design thinking - in particular its emphasis on a human-centered approach - can offer new insights that help lead to policy innovations. You will investigate the origins and impact of local policies, diagnose where opportunity for innovation and improvement lies, and redesign one facet of a recent and real policy currently being implemented. Your goal will be to design and test interactions that aim to fundamentally improve the way key public services or policies are being administered. nnThroughout the class you will tackle two design challenges, requiring collaboration with other students from across the university. You must be able to commit to team collaboration that happens outside of class while the design projects are in full swing, including trips off-campus. Be prepared to get beyond Stanford and engage people in surrounding communities to understand recent policy changes through their perspective. nnThe topics for the projects in this class will be driven by student interest; you will be pushed to pursue and frame challenges that are meaningful to you and your team. Given what's going on in the world today, we imagine that topics might range from immigration to marriage equality to zoning and property policies that affect gentrification and development... and beyond. This class is for you if you like to have a high degree of ownership and accountability for the projects you work on. Limited enrollment. Admission by application. See http://dschool.stanford.edu/classes.

PUBLPOL 246. Policy, Politics, and the Presidency: Understanding the 2016 Campaign from Start to Finish. 2 Units.

In 2016, Americans will once again go to the polls to select a new president. But what will actually happen behind-the-scenes between now and then is largely a mystery to most. This course will introduce students to the nuts-and-bolts of a presidential campaign. Each week, we will explore a different topic related to running for the presidency -- policy formation, communications, grassroots strategy, digital outreach, campaign finance -- and feature high-profile guest speakers who have served in senior roles on both Democratic and Republican campaigns. Students, guests, and faculty will also participate in discussions on how these topics will relate to the 2016 presidential contest, which will begin in earnest over the course of the quarter.
Same as: POLISCI 72, PUBLPOL 146

PUBLPOL 251. Science Policy, National Security, and Cybersecurity. 4 Units.

Provides a basic overview of science policy and its connection to national security, with a strong emphasis on cybersecurity as an aspect of national security. Addresses biosecurity as a secondary focus. The course includes sessions on effective memo writing and presentation of policy proposals.
Same as: PUBLPOL 151

PUBLPOL 268. Global Organizations: Managing Diversity. 4 Units.

Analytical tools derived from the social sciences to analyze global organizations, strategies, and the tradeoffs between different designs of organizations. Focus is on tribal mentality and how to design effective organizations for policy implementation within and across institutional settings. Recommended: PUBLPOL 102, MS&E 180, SOC 160, ECON 149, or MGTECON 330.
Same as: PUBLPOL 168, SOC 168, SOC 268

PUBLPOL 270. Political Corruption. 2 Units.

Sources and effects of political corruption in the United States, with focus on potential solutions. Perspectives include political contribution and lobbying laws, rational and passionate collective action incentives, welfare effects of congressional control of the administrative state, voter behavior, agency theory, and the role of competition among politicians and interest groups. Grading based on participation and term paper. Enrollment is limited to 15 students and permission of the instructor required. Email bruceowen@stanford.edu.
Same as: PUBLPOL 170

PUBLPOL 294. Technology Policy. 3-4 Units.

How the U.S. federal government promotes, uses, and regulates new technologies; tensions between representative governance and the need for elite expertise in policymaking; contemporary debates over international security, energy, health, information technology, and economic competitiveness. Recommended: POLISCI 2.
Same as: PUBLPOL 194

PUBLPOL 298. Directed Readings in Public Policy. 1-5 Unit.

.

PUBLPOL 301A. Microeconomics. 4 Units.

Microeconomic concepts relevant to decision making. Topics include: competitive market clearing, price discrimination; general equilibrium; risk aversion and sharing, capital market theory, Nash equilibrium; welfare analysis; public choice; externalities and public goods; hidden information and market signaling; moral hazard and incentives; auction theory; game theory; oligopoly; reputation and credibility. Prerequisites: ECON 50 and MATH 51 or equiv.
Same as: IPS 204A

PUBLPOL 301B. Economic Policy Analysis for Policymakers. 4-5 Units.

This class provides economic and institutional background necessary to conduct policy analysis. We will examine the economic justification for government intervention and illustrate these concepts with applications drawn from different policy contexts. The goal of the course is to provide you with the conceptual foundations and the practical skills and experience you will need to be thoughtful consumers or producers of policy analysis. Prerequisites: ECON 102B or PUBLPOL 303D.
Same as: IPS 204B

PUBLPOL 302A. Introduction to American Law. 3-5 Units.

For undergraduates. The structure of the American legal system including the courts; American legal culture; the legal profession and its social role; the scope and reach of the legal system; the background and impact of legal regulation; criminal justice; civil rights and civil liberties; and the relationship between the American legal system and American society in general.
Same as: AMSTUD 179, POLISCI 122

PUBLPOL 302B. Economic Analysis of Law. 3 Units.

(Same as LAW 528 .) This course will provide a broad overview of the scholarly field known as "law and economics." The focus will be on how legal rules and institutions can correct market failures. We will discuss the economic function of contracts and, when contracts fail or are not feasible, the role of legal remedies to resolve disputes. We will also discuss at some length the choice between encouraging private parties to initiate legal actions to correct externalities and governmental actors, such as regulatory authorities. Extensive attention will be given to the economics of litigation, and to how private incentives to bring lawsuits differs from the social value of litigation. The economic motive to commit crimes, and the optimal governmental response to crime, will be studied in depth. Specific topics within the preceding broad themes include: the Coase Theorem; the tradeoff between the certainty and severity of punishment; the choice between ex ante and ex post sanctions; negligence versus strict liability; property rules; remedies for breach of contract; and the American rule versus the English rule for allocating litigation costs. Because this course is taught jointly with LAW 528 in the Law School, it will not be mathematically oriented; there are no prerequisites to take the course.

PUBLPOL 303C. Bayesian Statistics and Econometrics. 5 Units.

(Same as LAW 243.) Linear and nonlinear regression, covariance structures, panel data, qualitative variable models, nonparametric and semiparametric methods, time series, Bayesian model averaging and variable selection. It explores Bayesian methodology including Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods, hierarchical models, model checking, mixture models, empirical Bayes approaches, approximations, and computational issues and gives some attention to foundations. Prerequisite: graduate-level econometrics or equivalent.

PUBLPOL 303D. Applied Econometrics for Public Policy. 4-5 Units.

This course aims to present the theory and practice of empirical research in economics with particular emphasis on topics relating to public policy questions. We will start with basic regression analysis and introduce the statistical software STATA. The course will put a substantial amount of effort on work with STATA in analyzing actual data sets, reproducing and criticizing results in scientific research and learning the actual practice of econometrics. We will focus on the identification of causal effects and the various econometric techniques available to learn about causality. While this is primarily a methodology module, most examples and applications will be drawn from the area of public policy. The final will be a 3-5 hour take-home exam. Prerequisite: ECON 102A.

PUBLPOL 304A. Collective Action Problems: Ethics, Politics, & Culture. 3-4 Units.

When acting on one's own, it is often easy to know what the morally right action is. But many moral problems arise from the fact that many individuals act together leading to dilemmas, in which what is individually rational is collectively irrational. For example, the collective result of our consumption decisions is to warm the planet. But individual decisions seem to have no effect on climate change. Such collective action situations give rise to moral questions: Are individuals required to take their contributions to wider systemic effects into account? Does it make a difference whether or not others are doing their share, for example with regard to fighting global poverty? In many cases, the best solution for collective action problems are institutions. But when these are deficient or non-existing, what should individuals do? Do they have a duty to assist in building institutions, and what would this duty imply in practical terms? Interdisciplinary perspective, reading authors from philosophy, politics, economics and sociology such as Elinor Ostrom, Peter Singer or Liam Murphy, relating to current questions such as global poverty and climate change. No background assumed; no mathematical work required.
Same as: ETHICSOC 180M, PHIL 73, POLISCI 131A

PUBLPOL 305A. Problem Solving and Decision Making for Public Policy and Social Change. 4-5 Units.

This course introduces skills and bodies of knowledge useful for careers in law, public policy, and achieving social change at scale. These include framing problems; designing, implementing, and evaluating strategies; system design; cost-benefit analysis; decision making under uncertainty; heuristics and biases that affect empirical judgments and decision making; methods for influencing people's behavior ranging from incentives and penalties to "nudges;" and human-centered design. The course will be taught through problems, cases, and a field project to solve real-world problems on or near the Stanford campus, with the goal of integrating strategic thinking and behavioral insights with human-centered design and systems design. The course may be of interest to students in Law and Policy Lab practicums who wish to broaden their policy analysis skills. Enrollment: Limited to 32 students, with priority given to students in Law School, the MPP program, and the IPS program in that order. Students other than law students must seek the consent of the instructor. Elements used in grading: Class participation, midterm assignment, and final assignment. Cross-listed with International Policy Studies (IPS 207A) & the Law School (LAW 333).
Same as: IPS 207A

PUBLPOL 305B. Public Policy and Social Psychology: Implications and Applications. 4 Units.

Theories, insights, and concerns of social psychology relevant to how people perceive issues, events, and each other, and links between beliefs and individual and collective behavior will be discussed with reference to a range of public policy issues including education, public health, income and wealth inequalities, and climate change, Specific topics include: situationist and subjectivist traditions of applied and theoretical social psychology; social comparison, dissonance, and attribution theories; stereotyping and stereotype threat, and sources of intergroup conflict and misunderstanding; challenges to universality assumptions regarding human motivation, emotion, and perception of self and others; also the general problem of producing individual and collective changes in norms and behavior.
Same as: IPS 207B, PSYCH 216

PUBLPOL 306. Writing and Rhetoric for Policy Audiences. 4 Units.

This course offers hands-on learning of effective writing and presentation techniques for audiences that include policy makers, decision stakeholders, interest groups, the media, and the public. Class time will be spent learning lessons in rhetoric, analyzing multiple written genres (memo, op-ed, report, media communications), participating in peer review, and practicing presentation strategies (elevator pitch, press conference, media interview, board meeting, formal presentation). Course texts include sample memos, op-eds, and white papers, as well as rhetoric handouts and videos. Students will draft, revise, and submit writing for policy audiences in the compilation of a final portfolio. Students will also produce oral and multimedia arguments, individually and in teams. Students will be responsible for timely peer review and short presentations on course materials. Enrollment limited. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.

PUBLPOL 307. Justice. 4-5 Units.

Focus is on the ideal of a just society, and the place of liberty and equality in it, in light of contemporary theories of justice and political controversies. Topics include financing schools and elections, regulating markets, discriminating against people with disabilities, and enforcing sexual morality. Counts as Writing in the Major for PoliSci majors.
Same as: ETHICSOC 171, IPS 208, PHIL 171, PHIL 271, POLISCI 103, POLISCI 136S, POLISCI 336S, PUBLPOL 103C

PUBLPOL 308. Political Analysis for Public Policymakers. 4 Units.

Policymakers in the United States, whether elected or unelected, operate in a governmental system where politics pervades nearly every element of their daily activity. This course provides students with both the theory and real-world examples they need to understand and evaluate the impact of politics, political institutions, and the political process on policymaking. Readings will include selections from the public policy, political science, legal, and economics literatures.

PUBLPOL 309. Practicum. 1-10 Unit.

Applied policy exercises in various fields. Multidisciplinary student teams apply skills to a contemporary problem in a major policy exercise with a public sector client such as a government agency. Problem analysis, interaction with the client and experts, and presentations. Emphasis is on effective written and oral communication to lay audiences of recommendations based on policy analysis.

PUBLPOL 309X. Public Policy Research Project. 1-10 Unit.

Supervised research internship. Individual students perform policy research for outside client, applying analytical skills from core curriculum. Requires permission of program director.

PUBLPOL 310. Master of Arts Thesis. 1-5 Unit.

Restricted to students writing a master's thesis in Public Policy. May be repeated for credit.

PUBLPOL 311. Public Policy Colloquium. 1 Unit.

Weekly colloquia speaker series required for M.P.P. and M.A. in Public Policy students. Themes vary each quarter.

PUBLPOL 313. Issues in Science Policy. 1 Unit.

Lecture series on significant issues in science and technology policy. Guest speakers will discuss issues including but not limited to: who should make science policy, educational dimension of science policy, manufacturing and science policy, California's stem cell policy, immigration and science policy, and the role of industry in science policy.

PUBLPOL 315. Practical Training. 1-5 Unit.

Qualified Public Policy students obtain employment in a relevant research or industrial activity to enhance their professional experience consistent with their degree programs. Prior to enrolling students must get internship approved by the Public Policy Program. At the start of the quarter, students must submit a one page statement showing the relevance of the employment to the degree program along with an offer letter. At the end of the quarter, a three page final report must be supplied documenting work done and relevance to degree program. Meets the requirements for Curricular Practical Training for students on F-1 visas. May be repeated for credit.

PUBLPOL 317. Comparing Institutional Forms: Public, Private, and Nonprofit. 4 Units.

For students interested in the nonprofit sector, those in the joint Business and Education program, and for Public Policy MA students. The focus is on the missions, functions, and capabilities of nonprofit, public, and private organizations, and the managerial challenges inherent in the different sectors. Focus is on sectors with significant competition among institutional forms, including health care, social services, the arts, and education. Sources include scholarly articles, cases, and historical materials.
Same as: EDUC 377, GSBGEN 346, SOC 377

PUBLPOL 319. Legislation. 3 Units.

(Same as LAW 319) Lawyers work in a legal system largely defined by statutes, and constantly shaped by the application of legislative power. This course is about statutes and the legislative institutions that create them. It discusses some of the key laws governing access to legislative power and the procedures that culminate in the production of statutes in the legislature. The course is divided into two parts. The first part will focus on the acquisition of legislative power. Key topics include bribery laws, lobbying and indirect influence on legislative activity, and campaign finance regulations. The second part will focus on the exercise of legislative power. Through a number of public policy case studies, students will better understand the organization of the U.S. Congress, the ways in which power is exercised in that institution, and the intersection between politics, the law, and policymaking. Elements used in grading: Class participation and final exam.

PUBLPOL 347D. Rebooting Government with Design Thinking. 3-4 Units.

Students apply tools of human-centered design to issues of government performance. Small project teams work with NGO and government partners (in the U.S. and abroad) on concrete design challenges focused on issues such as how to deliver services more effectively and ensure that citizens¿ voices are heard. Students identify needs, generate concepts, create prototypes, and test their appropriateness. Taught through the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford (http://dschool.stanford.edu). Enrollment limited. Application required. Prerequisites: consent of instructor(s).
Same as: POLISCI 347D

PUBLPOL 353. Science and Technology Policy. 3-4 Units.

How U.S. and international political institutions and processes govern science and technology; the roles of scientists, engineers, and physicians in creating and implementing policies; introduction to analytical techniques that are common to research and policy analysis in technology and public policy; and examples from specific mission areas (e.g., economic growth, health, climate, energy and the environment, information technology, international security). Assignments: analyzing the politics of particular legislative outcomes, assessing options for trying to reach a policy objective, and preparing a mock policy memo and congressional testimony.
Same as: BIOE 253

PUBLPOL 354. Economics of Innovation. 5 Units.

The role of innovation and technological change in long run economic growth and the sources of innovation in science, technology, and commercialization. Founding of new industries and new markets. Commercialization of new technologies. Incentives and organization of science. Entrepreneurship. Openness and proprietary/controlled innovation. Selected public policies toward invention and innovation. The industrial revolution, the shifting international location of innovation, and the information revolution. Focus of the second half of the course is on the newest research on the newest industries. Prerequisites: 51,102B.
Same as: ECON 113

PUBLPOL 364. The Future of Finance. 2 Units.

If you are interested in a career in finance or that touches finance (computational science, economics, public policy, legal, regulatory, corporate, other), this course will give you a useful perspective. We will take on hot topics in the current landscape of the global markets as the world continues to evolve from the financial crisis. We will discuss the sweeping change underway at the policy level by regulators and legislators around the world and how this is changing business models for existing players and attracting new players to finance. The course will include guest-lecturer perspectives on where the greatest opportunities exist for students entering or touching the world of finance today including new and disruptive players in fin tech, crowd financing, block chain, robo advising, algorithmic trading, big data and other areas. New challenges such as cyber and financial warfare threats also will be addressed. While derivatives and other quantitative concepts will be handled in a non-technical way, some knowledge of finance and the capital markets is presumed. Elements used in grading: Class Participation, Attendance, Final Paper. Consent Application: To apply for this course, students must complete and email to the instructors the Consent Application Form, which will be made available on the Public Policy Program's website prior to the beginning of Winter Quarter. See Consent Application Form for submission deadline. (Cross-listed as ECON252/152, PUBLPOL364, STATS238, LAW 564.).
Same as: ECON 152, ECON 252, STATS 238

PUBLPOL 413R. The National Environmental Policy Act:  Pushing the Reset Button. 2 Units.

(Same as LAW 413R). This policy lab will focus on recommendations for the reform and modernization of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)  -- the granddaddy of our environmental laws.  NEPA is a disclosure statute which requires that before federal officials can issue a permit, commit federal funds, or otherwise take an action that may have a significant impact on the environment, decision-makers must have the opportunity to review an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that analyzes the potential environmental consequences of the proposed action and its alternatives.  Many critics from both the right and left are dissatisfied with the way that NEPA and its state analogues are being implemented, prompting some legislators to advocate statutory overrides and agency officials to expand the use of categorical exemptions.  Meanwhile, NEPA proponents are interested in making the environmental review process more user-friendly and efficient, while preserving its core disclosure requirements.  In this policy lab, students will review, analyze, and develop positions on potential NEPA reform options.  Students will interact with NEPA experts at the White House¿s Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and produce work product that CEQ can use as it responds to Congressional and outside pressure to reform the NEPA process.  Students may normally receive no more than four units for a Policy Lab practicum and no more than a total of eight units of Policy Lab practicums and Directed Research projects combined may be counted toward graduation unless additional units for graduation are approved in advanced by the Petitions Committee. A student cannot receive a letter grade for more than eight units of independent research (Policy Lab practicum, Directed Research, Senior Thesis, and/or Research Track). Any units taken in excess of eight will be graded on a mandatory pass basis.  Elements used in grading:  Class Participation, Attendance, Final Paper.  Consent Application: To apply for this course, students must complete and e-mail the Consent Application Form available on the SLS Registrar's Office website (see Registration and Selection of Classes for Stanford Law Students) to the instructors. See Consent Application Form for submission deadline.

PUBLPOL 801. TGR Project. 0 Units.

Instructor and program consent required prior to enrollment.