PLCY - Public Policy
PLCY100 Foundations of Public Policy (3 Credits)
A survey course, focusing on public policy institutions and analytical issues as well as on overview of key public policy problems. Students will be introduced to public policy as a discipline, with a brief overview of the actors and institutions involved in the process, and familiarize themselves with the kinds of problems typically requiring public action. The course will examine these problems from a multijurisdictional and multisectoral perspective. Specific policy areas examined include education policy, health policy, economic and budgetary policy, criminal justice policy, environmental policy, and national and homeland security policy. The course should permit students to have broad foundational exposure to the field that will give them a solid base for more advanced courses.
PLCY101 Great Thinkers on Public Policy (3 Credits)
Great ideas in public policy, such as equality, efficiency, sovereignty, liberty, bureaucracy, democracy and security are explored through the lens of great thinkers. An introduction to the intellectual foundations of public policy, from ancient theories on collective public action through the more contemporary development of public policy as a discipline. This may start as early as the ancient Greek philosophers and their views on public action through contemporary classics of public policy. At the conclusion of the course, students will have read classic works in the field and will master the key themes that have dominated the intellectual debates about public policy over its history. Emphasis will be on the interdisciplinary foundations of public policy, through examining core disciplinary contributions from economics, political science, management, philosophy, and other relevant disciplines.
PLCY201 Public Leaders and Active Citizens (3 Credits)
Aims to inspire, teach and engage students in the theory and practice of public leadership from the local to the national to the global level. Students will learn and apply diverse approaches to leadership in a multicultural society while developing an understanding of key frameworks and practices necessary to foster collective action across private, public, and nonprofit sectors. This course will allow students to become informed citizens able to reason critically and persuasively about public matters Students will also explore and assess their own personal values, beliefs, and purpose as they develop their leadership potential.
Credit Only Granted for: PLCY201 or PUAF201.
Formerly: PUAF201.
PLCY203 Liberty and Justice for All: Ethics and Moral Issues in Public Policy (3 Credits)
Students will broaden their understanding of the moral dimensions of public policy as well as their own individual moral perspective. Discussions will include the ideal of a just society, and the place of liberty and equality in it, while focusing on contemporary theories of ethics and justice. It will develop students' appreciation of the ethical challenges unique to the public service sector while building their skills in ethical analysis and decision-making. We will 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. A framework for ethical decision-making underpins the course.
PLCY213 Foundations of Nonprofit Leadership and Social Innovation (3 Credits)
Through discussions of contemporary trends, challenges and issues, this course provides an introduction to the nonprofit and NGO sectors, social innovation, and the leadership and management skills required to achieve social impact. The course will explore the history, theories, and roles of philanthropy, the nonprofit sector, and social innovation in societies and cultures. Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the process and principles of social entrepreneurship and social innovation. Additionally, the course will introduce students to topics in leadership, social innovation, resource development, community mobilization through networks, the role of policy-making in creating change, project management, and overall strategies for achieving social impact. The course will include mini hands-on learning experiences that allow them to apply key learning outcomes.
PLCY214 Leading and Investing in Social Change: Re-defining and Experimenting with Philanthropy (3 Credits)
Defines philanthropy as an exploration of how one develops a vision of the public good and then deploys resources (including donations, volunteers, and voluntary associations) to achieve an impact.
Credit Only Granted for: PLCY214, PUAF214 or PUAF359I.
Formerly: PUAF359I, PUAF214.
PLCY215 Innovation and Social Change: Creating Change for Good (3 Credits)
A team-based, highly interactive and dynamic course that provides an opportunity for students to generate solutions to a wide range of problems facing many communities today. Students in the iGIVE Program will deepen their understanding of entrepreneurship and innovation practices by creating and implementing projects or ventures that address an issue of their choosing while learning topics such as communications, project management, teamwork, leadership, fundraising, project sustainability and next steps in social change.
Credit Only Granted for: PLCY215 or PUAF215.
Formerly: PUAF215.
PLCY240 Ethical, Policy and Social Implications of Science and Technology (3 Credits)
Asks students to think about how society should manage complexity, transformation, and uncertainty with an eye on developing a broader sense of ethics and social responsibility. Introduces analytical frameworks, concepts, and data collection techniques that interdisciplinary scholars use to map relationships among science, technology and society and generate important questions about the future of society.
Cross-listed with: ENES240.
Restriction: Must be in the Science, Technology, Ethics and Policy minor.
PLCY288 Introduction to Public Policy Topics (1-3 Credits)
Introductory-level special topics focusing on a Public Policy problem or issue area.
Repeatable to: 6 credits if content differs.
PLCY300 Governance: Collective Action in the Public Interest (3 Credits)
Examination of societal responses to public problems, including actions by government, non-profit and private sector actors, as well as civil society. Students will examine the roles of these various actors, as well as the nature of civic responsibility. The course will examine the various stages of the policy process, asking the following questions: How does something get defined as a problem that requires a public policy response? How do we think about what the options are for this response, and how do we choose among them? What are the factors that contribute to successful policy implementation? How do we evaluate the success of public policies? These questionswill be addressed using examples of current public policy problems, and students will be expected to engage in individual and collaborative work to design responses to those problems.
Prerequisite: PLCY100.
Restriction: Must be in a major in PLCY-School of Public Policy.
PLCY301 Sustainability (3 Credits)
Designed for students whose academic majors would be enhanced by the complementary study of a widely shared but hard-to-operationalize aspiration: that present choices should preserve or improve future options rather than foreclose or degrade them. How should we understand sustainability? How might we achieve it? How would we know if we had achieved it? And how could sustainability activists of a rising generation lead by example?
Cross-listed with: AGNR301.
Credit Only Granted for: AGNR301, PUAF301, or PLCY301.
Formerly: PUAF301.
PLCY302 Examining Pluralism in Public Policy (3 Credits)
Understanding pluralism and how groups and individuals coexist in society is an essential part of the public policy process. This course will examine the ways in which the diverse experiences of race, gender, ethnicity, class, orientation, identity, and religion impact the understanding of and equitable delivery of public policy. The examination of how identity development shapes our understanding of society and influences the decision-making process is central to students' shaping policy that is truly for the people. This course will equip students with the skills needed to analyze pluralism and draw conclusions about the application of various theories to public policy issues.
Credit Only Granted for: PLCY302 or PUAF302.
Formerly: PUAF302.
PLCY303 Public Economics Raising and Spending the People's Money (3 Credits)
Applied course in public finance, including introductions to resource mobilization (including taxation), macroeconomic policy, key public expenditure policies, and government budgetary processes and politics. The course will build on the foundations from ECON 202 to address the specific application of public finance principles to solving public problems. The course will focus on the principles of welfare economics (including market failure), economic principles as applied to particular spending programs and tax choices, and issues and institutions involved in the allocation and management of resources both at a national and subnational level. The focus of the course is on these issues from both a domestic and global perspective.
Prerequisite: ECON200.
Restriction: Must be in a major in PLCY-School of Public Policy.
PLCY304 Evaluating Evidence: Finding Truth in Numbers (4 Credits)
Enables students to understand the research done by others with a sufficiently skeptical eye to allow them to determine whether the findings of the research are valid given the assumptions made and methods used. This will involve, in part, thinking about the various problems in research design or conduct that could lead to faulty conclusions. It will also involve being able to differentiate between credible sources of information and those that are not objective. At the conclusion of the course, students should be able to differentiate objective evidence from political argumentation.
Prerequisite: STAT100.
Restriction: Must be in a major in PLCY-School of Public Policy.
PLCY306 Public Policy Analysis in Action (3 Credits)
Utilizes our unique location in the Washington, D.C. region to create a laboratory within which to analyze local, regional, national and international policy problems. Students will be put into teams and assigned to real and timely policy cases. The course will include meetings and field trips with local leaders in the field, ideally connected to the cases. Student will then expand and apply their use of policy analysis and evaluation skills to define those problems, analyze alternative responses, devise appropriate strategies for implementation, and evaluate the success of the proposed policy and implementation. The course will conclude with team presentations to local leaders and faculty. This distinctive course will serve to prepare students for their client- based senior capstone course.
Restriction: Must have earned a minimum of 60 credits; and must be in a major in PLCY-School of Public Policy.
PLCY309 Internship in Political Institutions: State and Local (3-6 Credits)
Offers students supervised internship placements in state and local political or public policy organizations.
Prerequisite: Permission of PLCY-School of Public Policy.
Repeatable to: 12 credits if content differs.
Formerly: PUAF349 and PLCY349.
PLCY310 Nonprofit Leadership and Social Innovation in Action (3 Credits)
Furthers students understanding of topics in leadership, social innovation, resource development, community mobilization through networks, and the role of policy making in creating change. This course will further students understanding of the creation and leadership of nonprofits, social ventures, governance and boards; strategic planning and partnerships; advocacy and public policy processes; community outreach; working in teams, effective communications, and cross-sector approaches to scaling up social impact.
Prerequisite: PLCY 213.
PLCY311 Women in Leadership (3 Credits)
Examines the role of women in the leadership process including the participation of women as activists, voters, advocates, public leaders and as agents of change through various avenues including, among others, public service (elected and appointed), the media, community service, political organizations, and the nonprofit sector.
Credit Only Granted for: PUAF311, PLCY311 or PUAF359W.
Formerly: PUAF359W.
PLCY313 Advocacy in the American Political System (3 Credits)
Introduces students to the creation of law through the legislative process with a special focus on the Maryland General Assembly.
Credit Only Granted for: PUAF313, PLCY313 or PUAF359C.
Formerly: PUAF359C.
PLCY359 Contemporary Issues in Political Leadership and Participation (3 Credits)
Special topics in political leadership and participation.
Prerequisite: Permission of PLCY-School of Public Policy.
Repeatable to: 9 credits if content differs.
Credit Only Granted for: PLCY359 or PUAF359.
Formerly: PUAF359.
PLCY380 Innovation and Social Change: Do Good Now (3 Credits)
Introduces students to the concept of social innovation while exploring the many mechanisms for achieving social impact. It is team-based, highly interactive and dynamic, and provides an opportunity for students to generate solutions to a wide range of problems facing many communities today. Deepens the students understanding of entrepreneurship and innovation practices by guiding them through the creation and implementation process as applied to a project idea of their choice.
Credit Only Granted for: ARHU380, BSOS388B, PLCY388D, or PLCY380.
Formerly: PLCY388D.
PLCY386 Experiential Learning (1-6 Credits)
Prerequisite: Permission of PLCY-School of Public Policy.
Credit Only Granted for: PLCY386 or PUAF386.
Formerly: PUAF386.
PLCY388 Special Topics in Public Policy (1-3 Credits)
Advanced special topics focusing on an interdisciplinary topic related to Public Policy.
Prerequisite: Permission of PLCY-School of Public Policy.
Restriction: Sophomore standing or higher.
Repeatable to: 6 credits if content differs.
Credit Only Granted for: PLCY388 or PUAF388.
Formerly: PUAF388.
PLCY396 Fellowship Program in Political Leadership (2-6 Credits)
Individual instruction course.
Prerequisite: Permission of PLCY-School of Public Policy.
Restriction: Must be enrolled in the full-time fellowship program.
Credit Only Granted for: PLCY396 or PUAF396.
Formerly: PUAF396.
PLCY398 Fellowship Program in Political Leadership (3-6 Credits)
Prerequisite: Permission of PLCY-School of Public Policy.
Restriction: Must be enrolled in the full-time fellowship program.
Repeatable to: 12 credits if content differs.
Credit Only Granted for: PLCY398 or PUAF398.
Formerly: PUAF398.
PLCY399 Directed Study in Public Policy (1-6 Credits)
Guidance for the advanced student capable on interdisciplinary study on special projects under the supervision of faculty.
Prerequisite: Permission of PLCY-School of Public Policy.
Repeatable to: 12 credits if content differs.
Credit Only Granted for: PLCY399 or PUAF399.
Formerly: PUAF399.
PLCY400 Senior Capstone (3 Credits)
Public Policy students will take the skills and knowledge gained through their curriculum and apply them through their senior capstone course. Students will work in teams on problems and issues presented by outside clients, with guidance from faculty facilitators and interaction with the clients. Each team will work with the client to address a particular problem and produce a mutually agreed upon outcome. These hands on projects will advance students' understanding of the analytical, leadership, communication and problem solving skills necessary to address today's policy problems while allowing them to gain professional level experience that could contribute to their success in their post UMD endeavors. The course will conclude with an event that allows all teams to present their findings and outcomes to their client while being evaluated by faculty and public policy professionals.
Prerequisite: PLCY306.
Restriction: Permission of PLCY-School of Public Policy; and must have earned a minimum of 90 credits.
PLCY401 Contemporary Issues in Public Policy (3 Credits)
An integrative course that allows policy students to explore the complexities of the policy-making process from the perspective of specific policy topics. They will learn about and discuss subject- based issues in a seminar format led by faculty and policy experts. Site visits to federal agencies, guest speakers, and round table sessions ensure that students receive a variety of real-world perspectives on their chosen policy area.
Restriction: Must have earned a minimum of 90 credits.
PLCY488 Advanced Special Topics in Public Policy (3 Credits)
Advanced special topics for upper level students focusing on topics related to Public Policy.
Restriction: Must have earned a minimum of 60 credits.
Repeatable to: 6 credits if content differs.