Cornell University Registrar

This course offers a jumpstart for Brooks School students majoring in Public Policy or Health Care Policy to facilitate in planning their college experience. The course will help students develop goals for their time as a Cornell Undergraduate, including how best to integrate curricular and extracurricular activities and begin exploring career options.

This is a course designed specifically for Brooks School undergraduates interested in exploring the range of careers that a Public Policy or Health Care Policy degree can provide. Careers may include business, consulting, finance, health, higher education, government, law, non-profit work, public policy, research, and much more. Alumni representing these disciplines will be invited to discuss how their policy degree influenced their work while addressing current issues, trends, and career opportunities.

At its core, systems thinking attempts to better align how we think things work with how the real world actually works. The real world works in systems-complex networks of many interacting variables. Often nonlinear, complex, and unpredictable, real-world systems seldom correspond with our desire for simplistic, hierarchical, and linear explanations. Systems thinking is the field of study that attempts to better understand how to think better about real-world systems, and the complex problems we face. The complex systems and wicked problems that are characteristic of the public, nonprofit and private sectors pose conceptual challenges when our mental models are out of alignment with the complexities, nonlinearities, unintended consequences, and multi-perspectival issues that leaders, managers, and policy makers face. Students need to develop deep understanding as well as useful proficiency with systems thinking to solve both everyday and wicked problems effectively.

This course explores the strategic, managerial, and policy issues related to information and communications technologies, and encompasses the knowledge and skills for analyzing, assessing, designing, and leveraging technology in diverse settings. The course integrates: I. managerial topics, such as technology acquisition, global sourcing, project management, risk governance, and digital strategies; II. emerging technologies and business models, including e-commerce, artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, and cryptocurrency; III. case studies from economies worldwide and analytical frameworks for problem-solving and decision-making in real-life scenarios. The course is designed for students both with and without technical background.

In this class, we will discuss how public policies can be understood and evaluated through clear, evidence-based writing. Assigned reading will focus on poverty alleviation in developing countries with the assistance of Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo's Poor Economics - a book which addresses the health, education, and financial lives of the poor. Students will be asked to write a series of essays identifying policy problems, detailing proposed solutions, and arguing in favor of specific policy proposals. Students will choose essay topics based on their own policy-related interests with no requirement that they be related to the reading. Students will be advised and evaluated on the strength of their writing with a special emphasis on clarity and cited evidence.

This first-year writing seminar will discuss how defense policy can be understood and evaluated through effective writing. Recent American wars have ended badly, with much doubt about the policies that created them. Modern American history is a long series of global conflicts, from the World Wars to Afghanistan. Through writing, this course will investigate: why so many wars? What policies created the conflicts? Readings include accounts of soldiers, civilians, and policymakers. Students will write a series of essays exploring American defense policies, and the wartime experience of ordinary people, finishing with an essay that draws larger lessons about US military engagement with the world. Students will be advised and evaluated on the strength of their writing with an emphasis on clarity and evidence.

This is a first-year writing course in which a specific component of U.S. foreign policy, the application of Soft Power, defined by political scientist Joseph Nye, Jr. as when a nation presents to the world its ideals, culture or values in an effort to influence or shape goodwill for its policies, will be understood and evaluated through writing in a range of genres appropriate to the field of policy study. Following decades of bipartisan Soft Power policy, momentous change to Soft Power institutions is underway in President Donald Trump's second term. Assigned readings will consist of journal articles that examine this break in Washington's foreign policy. In the course's central work, students will write a series of papers, including essays (four), one vision/mission statement or an op-ed. The objective of this course is evidence-based writing, assessing and evaluating Soft Power today in foreign policy, proposing revisions or alternatives, and expressing specific policy recommendations. Through readings and guest speakers, real-world applications and connections will be emphasized, ensuring that the resultant course writing is not just theoretical but also practical and relevant.

This Freshman Writing Seminar (FWS) will discuss the logic behind seemingly puzzling features of health policy, such as: why are large scale health policies so complex and strangely designed? Why are there so many separate siloes in health care and what are the implications for access to care? The course will leverage these key questions in the study of health policy to help students develop effective writing skills. Toward this goal, readings will focus on how people experience health care across ages and health needs, using examples from health insurance policy. We will discuss two primary purposes for policy writing: to inform and to persuade. Writing assignments will involve multiple styles of policy writing suitable for different kinds of policy jobs and purposes.

Topics include theory of demand and consumer behavior including classical and indifference curve analyses; theories of production and cost; models for the following markets-competitive, monopoly, monopolistic competition, oligopoly, and inputs; general equilibrium; welfare economics; public goods; and risk.

Population and Public Policy exposes students to the logic and skills of demographic research and policy analysis. The course emphasizes the nature, collection, and interpretation of demographic data, the application of demographic techniques, the major components (i.e., fertility, mortality, and migration) of national and global population change, and contemporary population problems (e.g., population aging, teen childbearing, the rise in non-marital childbearing, immigrant adaptation). The course also emphasizes public policies that can influence demographic change. The format primarily involves lectures and class discussion. Students are expected to attend each class and be prepared to discuss assigned materials.

The public sector now spends nearly two out of every five dollars generated as income in the U.S. economy. A thorough knowledge and understanding of this important sector is an essential part of training in policy analysis and management. This course provides an overview of the public sector of the U.S. economy, the major categories of public expenditures, and the main methods used to finance these expenditures. The principles of tax analysis and cost-benefit analysis are presented with a focus on the role of public policy in improving economic efficiency, promoting the goals of equity and social justice, and improving equity by altering the distribution of wealth and income.

This course offers an interdisciplinary approach to global health and policy, emphasizing health equity, community perspectives, and advocacy. Students will explore the complex interplay of theoretical, historical, economic, political, environmental, social, and behavioral factors that impact health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries. The course aims to broaden students' understanding of global health by engaging with key concepts such as the global burden of disease, global health governance, diplomacy, ethics, and advocacy. We will examine a range of health issues, from infectious diseases (e.g., HIV/AIDS, Mpox, COVID-19) to non-communicable diseases to mental health and environmental health, with a focus on how these are exacerbated by social and structural determinants. Additionally, the course will critically analyze the intersections of race, gender, and other social categories in shaping global health disparities. Students will bridge theory to practice through case studies by evaluating global health policies and interventions. By the end of the course, students will develop critical thinking, policy analysis, and advocacy skills, enabling them to assess and contribute to solutions for pressing global health challenges.

Urgent global challenges such as pandemics, climate change, and immigration cannot be solved by single nations alone. Global problems require global solutions. This course helps students answer the following fundamental questions: what is global policy? who are global policy actors? and what are the implications of global policy frameworks for economic and social development around the world? This course is an introduction to global policy and will utilize different disciplinary perspectives in the social sciences to analyze key global policy frameworks, and familiarize students with current debates in global policy across sectors. How do different disciplines address global challenges? Course discussion and assignments will focus on assessing the implications of diverse policies for improving the quality of life of vulnerable people around the world with special focus on social policy, health policy and the environment.

This course is an introductory overview of new innovations in data science, management, and programming, with accessible applications to a dynamic set of the most pressing social policy issues. Each semester, we will cover rotating topical modules ranging from income inequality to education to climate change to diversity and nativism to health. Students will learn about important policy issues through both the economics and sociological lenses, how big data are being used to address policy problems, and technical skills for how to begin using data in similar ways to address policy problems.

The course introduces students to standard methods of describing and analyzing data, probability theory, statistical inference, and ordinary least squares. Students will learn to describe data with summary tables and charts, understand and apply probability theory to data, understand sampling distributions, conduct hypothesis tests, estimate regressions, and interpret statistical findings. Students will also learn to use the basics of Excel to analyze data.

Statistics for Public Policy introduces basic statistical techniques used by researchers to investigate social, economic, and political phenomena. Topics include data presentation and descriptive statistics, measures of central tendency and dispersion, random variables and their probability distributions, joint and conditional distributions, expected value, conditional expectation, statistical sampling and inference, interval estimation and confidence intervals, hypothesis testing using t distributions, correlation, and bivariate regression analysis. A mandatory review section accompanies the course lectures. In problem sets and exams, students calculate statistics by hand to develop familiarity with data analysis. They also learn and apply basic commands using Stata statistical software.

Artificial Intelligence (AI), autonomous systems, robotics, and supercomputing, (to name but a few advanced technologies) present novel, disruptive, and often unforeseen challenges for policymakers globally. This full-semester course will explore the critical policy challenges faced by practitioners, with a focus on 4th Industrial Revolution technologies and their impact on national and international security. With great power rivalries intensifying, students will learn (including from guest experts) how technological innovation is no longer just an economic driver and societal ambition — it is central to a new age of great power competition and geopolitical tensions. Students will begin by exploring the theories of technological innovation and the history of geopolitics and disruptive and emerging technologies in practice. A focused case study approach is then adopted to present a week-by-week real-world analysis of the current pressing technological and security challenges faced by policymakers at a domestic and international level. As a means to prepare for the final assessments, students will produce a mid-term paper answering the question ‘How has the 4th Industrial Revolution impacted international peace and security in the 2020s?’ (8-10 pages of double-spaced text excluding tables, figures, and references). Students will then be required to conduct independent research on a technology or theme of their choice from the module. Towards the end of term, the students will present on this research through an in-class presentation, and write a policy report on the technology/theme of their choice from the module. The policy report should be written for a high-level policy audience (such as the UN Security Council, Department of State, Department of Defence, ECOWAS, and/or EU Commission) and focus on 'What are the key security challenges and potential societal opportunities presented by [insert the technology or theme chosen]?' The policy report should be 15-18 pages of double-spaced text excluding tables, figures, and references. Presentations: Each presentation will be 10 mins (max) and will focus on your chosen topic for the policy report (or a related topic). Groups of up to 5 people can work together on a single presentation. Each student is expected to contribute to the research and spoken presentation. Students will present in the final week of class.

In order to regulate and govern, states must marshall data: the whos, whats, and wheres of a nation get rendered in records and statistics, at least approximately, and they tell us a lot about identity and values. In this course we will use Census data as a jumping-off point for an investigation of data practices of governance. Students will learn tools for geospatial data science in Python/Geopandas and will learn principles of mapping. Readings include selections from geography, anthropology, science and technology studies, and urban sociology.

This course is designed for students interested in learning the foundations of data management and programming in R. The goal is to teach students how to obtain and curate real world data, determine its reliability, manage large databases, create variables useful for analysis, and more. Much of the work will be done using R libraries, which can help facilitate the functionality of R without increasing the complexity.

Step inside the heart of American policy making with DC Up Close: Policy, Politics, and Power—an immersive experience that takes you beyond textbooks to feel the real-world pulse of Washington, DC. In this course, you won’t just study policy—you will engage with it firsthand. Through thought-provoking readings, lively discussions, guest speakers, and exclusive events, you’ll interact with policymakers, strategists, and insiders shaping today’s most pressing issues. You’ll encounter the inner workings of Congress to behind-the-scenes political maneuvering, to explore the intellectual, practical, and personal dimensions of power. You’ll analyze key policy debates, question decision-makers from across the political spectrum, and uncover how ideas move from concept to law. Whether you're interested in governance, advocacy, or the forces driving national change, this course offers an unparalleled opportunity to experience Washington’s political landscape up close.

This course reviews contemporary approaches to understanding social inequality and the processes by which it comes to be seen as legitimate, natural, or desirable. We address questions of the following kind: what are the major forms of stratification in human history? Are inequality and poverty inevitable? How many social classes are there in advanced industrialism societies? Is there a ruling class? Are lifestyles, attitudes, and personalities shaped fundamentally by class membership? Can individuals born into poverty readily escape their class origins and move upward in the class structure? Are social contacts and luck important forces in matching individuals to jobs and class positions? What types of social processes serve to maintain and alter racial, ethnic, and gender discrimination in labor markets? Is there an underclass? These and other questions are addressed in light of classical and contemporary theory and research.

In recent years, poverty and inequality have become increasingly common topics of public debate, as academics, journalists, and politicians attempt to come to terms with growing income inequality, with the increasing visibility of inter-country differences in wealth and income, and with the persistence of racial, ethnic, and gender stratification. This course introduces students to ongoing social scientific debates about the sources and consequences of inequality, as well as the types of public policy that might appropriately be pursued to reduce (or increase) inequality. These topics will be addressed in related units, some of which include guest lectures by faculty from other universities (funded by the Center for the Study of Inequality). Each unit culminates with a highly spirited class discussion and debate.

Social Problems in the U.S. teaches students how to think like a social scientist when encountering claims about major contemporary issues. Through readings and assignments, students develop an analytical toolkit for evaluating the scope, causes, consequences, and proposed solutions to a wide range of complicated social problems, such as: childhood poverty, racial segregation and discrimination, job insecurity, family instability, discrimination by sexual identity, unequal pay for women's work, gender imbalances in family life, health disparities, food insecurity, drug abuse, and educational inequality. Rather than cover all of these (and other) social problems in depth, the course emphasizes a conceptual framework that can be applied broadly. The semester culminates with a written proposal examining a social problem and developing an approach to address it with public policy.

Policy analysis is an interdisciplinary field that uses theories, concepts, and methods from disciplines such as economics, sociology, and political science to address substantive issues in the public policy arena. Students are introduced to the functions of and interactions between the major institutions (public and private) at the national, state, and local level involved in the policy making process. The course focuses on public policy analysis in the social welfare, health, and education areas and also includes an introduction to the technical skills required to undertake policy analysis.

The pressing issues of our time-from climate change to national security, from immigration to policing, from global economic development to domestic voting rights-are deeply intertwined with public policy decisions made by governments. In this course, we consider how societal conditions come to be defined as problems for governments to solve, the role of public and private actors in influencing policy processes, and how we know whether policies achieve their goals. Course readings, lectures, discussions, and experiential learning assignments provide opportunities for students to critically analyze public policy processes and outcomes from multiple disciplinary perspectives, including economics, political science, and sociology. The course also introduces students to key areas of public policy including technology policy; environmental and sustainability policy; global security; health policy; inequality and social policy; international development; and race, racism and public policy.

This course explores trends in democracy around the world as both a product of public policy (which policies support and bolster democratic transitions and endurance), and as a factor that shapes representation, public policy and governance outcomes. How citizen interests translate into public policy outcomes is a key question of democratic practice. The course will identify variation across the world and use empirical analysis to identify patterns. It provides an opportunity to investigate the complex ways that regime politics (whether democratic or autocratic), public policies, and social inequalities shape one another.

This course examines the various stakeholders of the U.S. health care system and how the stakeholders interact with one another. We begin by examining the role of medical care in producing health and the costs and benefits of new medical technologies (e.g., medical devices, prescription drugs, and new surgical techniques). We then examine the objectives and behavior of key stakeholders in the system: patients, employers, and taxpayers who pay for health care; private and public (i.e., Medicare and Medicaid) health insurers who manage the funds; hospitals, physicians, and other health care professionals who provide medical care; and pharmaceutical and medical device firms that supply products that providers use. Students will also learn how to apply basic reasoning to examine health policy issues, including covering the uninsured, controlling the growth rate of medical spending, improving the quality of medical care, and reforming the malpractice system.

We will explore the U.S. legal system and major types of law in the U.S., including constitutional law, statutory law, administrative law and the common law. Cases examples will be taken from fields of civil rights law, criminal law, immigration and refugee law, environmental law, child and youth law, internet law, and U.S. approaches to international human rights law. This course will combine theory with practice and teach students the real-world analytical skills needed to understand U.S. law and the U.S. legal system. It will also teach students to craft effective legal arguments in a variety of contexts, both orally and in writing. The course is designed to provide students with enough substantive understanding of the fundamentals of the U.S. legal system to have a solid framework for public policy analysis and design, regardless of the substantive topic area.

Public policy is a fundamental mechanism for addressing the most vexing and important social problems of our time. Racial inequality and structural racism are chief among such problems. Policy is thus widely understood and frequently touted as a means for redressing the harms of racism. Yet, public policy has also been identified as a channel through which racism flows. These seemingly paradoxical understandings of the relationships between racism and public policy raise critical questions about equality, democracy, the economy, and politics. This course examines such questions. questions. We begin by theoretically grounding key concepts such as race racism and public policy. We then consider the historical record, highlighting the fundamental role of racism in shaping politics and policy. Next, we build on these conceptual and historical foundations through thematic investigation of core policy elements (e.g., policy design, policy implementation, policy feedback), key policy institutions (e.g., legislatures, parties) and significant policy actors (e.g., social movement organizations, interest groups). Finally, the class wraps up with a series of policy deep dives involving close examination of specific policy domains (e.g., housing, health, the enviornment). This course provides students with the knowledge and analytical tools necessary to better understand the realities and complexities of race, racism, and public policy in the United States.

In this course, we will examine one of the most cherished documents in American history – our Constitution. Course topics will include the foundations of the document from the Magna Carta to the Articles of Confederation and the Declaration of Independence as well as the conflict between strong supporters of this proposed new Constitution (Federalists) and their opponents (Anti-Federalists.). How did the Founders resolve their differences and what led the States to adopt a document limiting and balancing the powers of the President, Congress, and the Judiciary? From the inception of America to the present day, there have been constant challenges by one branch of government regarding the role and scope of power wielded by their respective co-equal branches of government. We shall discuss the role of the Constitution from both empirical and theoretical perspectives to answer the challenges presented in both preserving and strengthening the Constitution from 1788 to the present day. Special attention will be paid to the use of Amendments, particularly the Bill of Rights, to address events/circumstances unforeseen by the drafters. Finally, the course will discuss Court challenges where the Justices acted courageously to preserve and protect the Constitution – as well as instances where they failed from the Preamble to Establish Justice and Tranquility for All.

Donald Trump and Biden give us two visions of America and of the world: xenophobic nationalism and pragmatic cosmopolitanism. America and the world are thus constituted by great diversity. The first half of the course seeks to understand that diversity in American politics and foreign policy viewed through the prisms of region, ideology, region, race, class and religion. The second half inquires into the U.S. and American engagement of different world regions and civilizations: Europe, Russia, North America, Latin America, China, Japan, India and the Middle East. U.S. hard power and American soft power find expression in far-reaching processes of American-infused globalization and U.S.-centered anti-Americanism reverberating around the world. Advocates of one-size-fits-all solutions to America's and the world's variegated politics are in for great disappointments.

This course provides an overview of the evolving architecture, processes, and outcomes in global governance. It examines the ways in which global governance does (or does not) work in practice as well as possible ways of improving the capacity of the international community to deal with global challenges. We will explore these issues through case studies of today’s most pressing issues, such as climate change, wars of aggression, accountability for mass atrocity, global public health crises, cybersecurity, business and human rights, and refugee flows.

This full-semester course will provide an introduction to the diverse and contested field of security studies, including both the Traditional and Critical approaches. It covers the foundational theoretical approaches in the field of security studies - Realism, Liberalism, Constructivism, Critical Theory, Feminism and Gender Security, and PostStructural and Postcolonial Perspectives. It also questions how security policy is developed and implemented and the historical, economic, political, and social power dynamics that influence how 'security policy' is constructed and implemented by nation-states. Alongside the study of theory, the course covers a wide range of contemporary security issues - from the return of inter-state conflict and nuclear deterrence to terrorism, environmental security, and health security - and applies the theories and concepts of security studies to real-world examples.

Climate change is an urgent, multi-generational, global challenge. Public policy at the local, state, national and international level plays an important role in determining our emissions trajectory, the magnitude and location of investments in adaptation and resilience, and even whether climate engineering approaches are allowable and feasible. Thus, policy choices have a large influence on the ultimate damages from climate change and on the cost of addressing them. This course applies the tools of economics to the analysis of the climate challenge and climate policy. We will start with an introduction to the multiple market failures relevant to climate change, an overview of the climate policy portfolio, and a history of international climate negotiations. In part 2 of the course, we’ll learn how economists quantify the damages from climate change and consider the role of benefit-cost analysis designing climate policy. Part 3 will cover net greenhouse gas emissions reduction opportunities, including sectoral approaches and nature-based solutions. In part 4, we’ll study the economics of pollution control and learn what theory and empirical evidence imply for climate change policy instrument choice. We will finish the course focusing on the economics of climate adaptation and resilience (part 5), the distributional implications of climate change and climate policy (part 6), and the future potential for climate engineering (part 7).

The course examines the historical political landscape of American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States and the interplay between tribal interests, politics, and the federal government. The course also looks at contemporary Native issues, federal policy and programs, tribal governance, relations between Tribal Nations and states and between Tribal Nations and the federal government. Finally, the course will explore Indigenous pop-culture and its influence on federal policy.The majority of classes will have a guest lecturer related to that week's topic. Guest lectures will include, but not limited to, political appointees, congressional staff, political advocates, elected tribal leaders, and more.

Public policies are political outcomes determined by processes that are complex, convoluted and often controversial. The aim of this course is to equip students with the conceptual tools necessary to understand these processes. We will begin with a review of popular approaches to studying policy and then move on to explore the various stages of policy development: agenda-setting, policy design, policy implementation, policy feedback and policy change. We will consider the roles played by both institutions (congress, the bureaucracy and interests groups) and everyday people. Finally, we will closely study several specific policy arenas (a few likely candidates include: education policy, health policy, social welfare policy and housing policy). As we engage all of these ideas, students will be consistently challenged to grapple with the paradoxes of policy making in a democratic polity and to envision pathways for substantive political change.

This course addresses the major themes and controversies in United States immigration law and policy, including: Constitutional limits on legislative and executive power; the role of administrative agencies and the federal courts; the role of state versus federal decision-makers; the admission and removal (deportation) of noncitizens; protections of asylum-seekers and refugees; illegal immigration; strategies of immigration law enforcement; immigration detention; due process rights in removal proceedings; and civil rights of noncitizens. This course will also briefly address some key issues in alienage law and policy, including the rights of noncitizens (including noncitizens without immigration status) to education, work and public benefits.

In collaboration with refugee resettlement centers in New York State, this community-engaged course will explore: the global systems of inequality that produce forced migration; the politics of who gets to be a refugee; the uncertain pathways from conflict to internal displacement and/or non-permanent settlement; and the policies and process that inform refugee resettlement in Upstate New York. Students will work on collaborative projects with refugee-supporting organizations in Upstate NY and will be required to attend at least one course-organized site visit to a partner organization in either Syracuse or Utica.

This course will explore the history, research, and present-day usage of political messaging to achieve public policy aims - from elections to legislative battles in Congress. We'll break down how political actors craft messages across different mediums to activate matrices of voters scattered across the electorate. In doing so, we'll discuss the psychology of voter decision making, the influence of popular culture, changing patterns of media consumption, and how political messaging really works behind the scenes, from ad-making to earned media. Most importantly, we'll draw in outside experts from across the political spectrum to discuss their experience in political communications - offering students a practical view into real-life politicking and an enhanced understanding of the professional landscape. Students will put these ideas into practice through active participation in class discussions and rigorously researched written assignments analyzing real-life political messages.

The US and the global community face a number of complex, interconnected and enduring issues that pose challenges for our political and policy governance institutions and society at large. Exploring how the US and the world conceive of the challenges and take action on them is fundamental to understanding them. This course investigates such issues, especially ones in the critical areas of sustainability, social justice, technology, public health and globalization, security and conflict. Students will engage with these areas and issues and the challenges they pose, using multiple frameworks and approaches, through weekly class discussions and lectures.

This course provides an overview of the major programs that make up the social safety net in the United States. We will review the economic rationale behind social programs, identify the economic consequences of these programs, and assess the empirical research on these topics. A major emphasis of the course will be on understanding the strengths and limitations of the core methodologies used in the existing economics literature.

How is public policy really formed in the United States today? Who are the key actors and decision makers who shape the laws and regulations that impact us at the local, state and federal levels of government? Most importantly, how do private individuals (lobbyists, trade associations, media and other influencers) sway how laws, rules and regulations impact our daily lives? The goal of this course is to provide a foundation of how private influence impacts our public policy. Building upon this foundation, students will learn who the key policymakers are in the public sector alongside of those in the private sector who seek to influence them. Students will gain knowledge through academic texts looking at the role of interest group politics in America as well as the instructor's 30 years of experience working as a public policy practitioner working at the highest levels of government on Capitol Hill and the White House as well as being a former lobbyist and licensed attorney at law.

Introduces basic econometric principles and the use of statistical procedures in empirical studies of economic models. Discusses assumptions, properties, and problems encountered in the use of multiple regression procedures. Students are required to specify, estimate, and report the results of an empirical model.

This course provides an overview of the management and policy issues facing the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. This course perspective is global, with an emphasis on the U.S. as the largest and most profitable market.

The course will be a lecture course on Congress, introducing them to the political science literature on the topic and the major research questions and approaches. We will examine the development of the institution, including formal theories for congressional organization as well as historically and politically oriented accounts of rule changes, committee power, and party influence. We will also look at the determinants of legislative productivity and gridlock, approaches to measuring and analyzing congressional behavior, the changing role of the electoral connection, and the causes and consequences of polarization.

Standard economic theory assumes that individuals are rational decision-makers; however, that is often not the case in the real world. Behavioral economics uses findings from psychology to determine ways in which individuals are systematically irrational to improve upon existing models. The first part of this course reviews these theories, while the second part of the course focuses on how these findings have been used to design better education, health, and tax policies as well as many others.

This course aims to teach students the basics of global food systems, their governance, and the public policies that shape them across the globe. An emphasis will be put on understanding the interconnections between the developed world and the global south in food consumption and production.

This course will explore the traditional dynamic and norms of political press coverage in the United States, and the impact of those patterns on both the government and the nation; some of the ways longstanding norms have recently shifted, and continue to shift; the larger historical forces and long-term trends driving those changes; and the theoretical questions, logistical challenges and ethical dilemmas these changes pose for both political journalists and those they cover. The course will equally cover the practice of political reporting, including weekly analysis and discussion of current press coverage, in-class exercises and simulations, readings from academic and journalistic sources, and visits from leading political reporters and former spokespeople able to offer a firsthand perspective on the topics.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 states that countries should: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls by 2030. What is empowerment and how will we know when it has been achieved? Why is gender inequality a problem for countries? In this course, we formulate answers to these questions through an examination of gender and development policy past and present. We unpack different and often competing definitions of 'empowerment' and 'gender equality' deployed in global policy, and understand the historical lineages of development theory and feminisms that led to 'gender' as an important policy consideration. Importantly, students build analytical tools for evaluating how intersectional experiences of gender shape the impact of these policies on the lives of women, girls, and other gender minorities.

This course provides a survey of labor economics with an emphasis on policy issues. While the course teaches the analytical tools necessary to understand how labor markets work, it is structured around a number of prominent labor market policy issues, such as immigration, inequality, minimum wages, affirmative action and the role of unions.

This course will explore and seek explanations for the performance of the 20-21st century presidency, focusing on its institutional and political development, recruitment process (nominations and elections), relationships to social groups, economic forces, and political time.  We will also analyze the parameters of foreign & domestic policy making.

This course will examine how health disparities are defined and measured, sources of health disparities, and strategies to reduce health disparities. During the course students will learn of the complexities of factors that influence patterns of disease and health at multiple levels by analyzing studies of health outcomes, the social conditions that are related to the health of populations, and some of the mechanisms through which these patterns are produced.

In this course, students will design, conduct, and analyze a national-level public opinion survey. Students will determine all survey questions based on their research interests. All necessary survey research skills will be learned in the class.

The Nonprofit sector plays an important role in society and makes up a growing share of the U.S. economy. In this course, we use economic theory and econometric tools to examine the nonprofit market and how it gets shaped by public policy. Topics covered include theories of the nonprofit market, determinants of charitable giving and volunteering, the role played by religion, competition between nonprofits and for-profits in labor markets, and the effects of taxes, subsidies and regulations.

This course will address major challenges in international human rights law, policy, and practice. Specific topics include children's rights, women's rights, LGBTQI+ rights, the rights of refugees and migrants, the rights of people with disabilities, the rights of minorities and freedom from discrimination, freedom from torture, the right to life, the death penalty, modern slavery, and the right to sustainable development. We will also discuss the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and corporations with respect to human rights, as well as the impact of actions (and inactions) by states and institutions in the Global North on the realization of human rights in states in the Global South.

Many policy decisions are made in the middle of crisis and disaster, at short notice and under severe pressure. There are a variety of kinds of crises, from natural disasters to human-made ones, from international catastrophes to local ones, from slow-motion crises to split-second ones, and they all require different kinds of policy preparations and responses. To understand this kind of policy, this course will examine a variety of different kinds of crises, how they shaped the responses and the policy-making that came afterwards, and what kind of preparation was put in place for future crises. It will look at crisis leadership, emergency preparations, and disaster responses by examining a number of cases studies of catastrophes both modern and historical.

This course is designed to introduce students to important theories, concepts, and empirical findings in the study of aging and policy, giving them a deeper understanding of the issues people encounter as they grow older. While the course will primarily cover current U.S. policies and trends, we will also discuss some historical aspects and compare to policies found elsewhere.

This course considers the dynamics of housing markets and neighborhoods in American metropolitan areas and the public policies designed to regulate them. In the first part of the course, we examine the social and economic forces at work in metropolitan neighborhoods, focusing on trends in spatial inequality, segregation, and neighborhood effects. In the second part of the course, we examine the historical evolution of federal and local policies related to subsidized housing, homeownership, and land regulation and analyze empirical debates surrounding the effectiveness of such policies.

COVID-19 did not affect everyone equally. In fact, the opposite is true: the pandemic exposed dramatic health inequities by race, class, gender, and other factors. Not only were some groups more likely to catch and die from the virus than others, these same groups disproportionately suffered from its economic and social fallout, too. In the wake of this devastation, this course examines health (in)equities and what we can do about them. We explore what health equity means and how politics, policy, and power shape it -- both over time and across countries. Students will investigate how a wide range of social determinants (in addition to public health and health care systems) configure differences in health status across demographic groups. Three key touchstones of the class will be (1) a series of deep dives into specific policy areas, such as housing and environmental health, maternal and child health, and mental health and well-being (2) a consistent emphasis on politics, markets, and power (3) substantive opportunities for students to actively engage in health equity efforts beyond the classroom.

This course will explore how American law and policy have confronted and continue to confront issues of sexuality. The focus will primarily be on how law and policy treat lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. While 2015 brought marriage equality and 2020 brought federal protections in employment, the fight for full LGBTQ equality continues. The class will discuss this fight's legal history and current status. Current debates, Constitutional and otherwise, will also be explored around topics such as the First Amendment and LGBTQ family formation. The potential effects that the 2022 abortion rights decision may have on LGBTQ rights will also be addressed. This course will provide a grounding in the contours of current sexuality law and policy while delving into some emerging areas that remain ripe for new policy formation. Students will also learn how to read and brief legal opinions. The class will be taught primarily through a legal lens. Still, prior legal education or experience is neither required nor expected. The course will be taught through a hybrid combination of lecture and seminar-style discussion and a few guest speakers directly involved in the debate.

In this course, we will examine one of the most important documents in American history - our Constitution. Course topics will include the historical background of the document from the Magna Carta to the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation. We will look at the creation of the Constitution, including the conflict between strong supporters of this proposed new Constitution (Federalists) and their opponents (Anti-Federalists). How did the Founders resolve their differences and what led the States to adopt a document limiting and balancing the powers of the President, Congress, and the Judiciary? We shall look at the constant tension (from the beginning to the present) over the balance of power between the three co-equal branches. We shall discuss the role of the Constitution from both empirical and theoretical perspectives and look at how it has evolved from 1788 to the present day. Special attention will be paid to the use of Amendments, particularly the Bill of Rights, to address events/circumstances unforeseen by the drafters. Finally, the course will discuss critical cases where the Supreme Court defined and redefined what the Constitution meant.

Population health focuses on the health and well-being of entire populations. Populations may be geographically defined, such as neighborhoods or counties; may be based on groups of individuals who share common characteristics such as age, race-ethnicity, disease status, or socioeconomic status; or may be specific patient groups attributed to accountable healthcare organizations using a variety of methods. With roots in epidemiology, public health, and demography, key tools of population health include health measurement, risk stratification, chronic care management, identifying upstream social determinants of health, cross-sector collaboration to improve prevention and wellness, and increasing health equity. Given the shifting health care environment - from fee-for-service to value-based care - students who are able to apply tools to measure analyze, evaluate, and improve the health of populations (and achieve the Triple Aim) will be well-positioned for jobs in health care, health policy, public health, and medicine (among others) as the field continues to evolve.

This course takes an interdisciplinary approach to exploring societal, business, financial, technological, ethical, and policy implications of technology-related crimes. We examine crimes against individuals, businesses, governments, and threats to public safety and national security. Questions explored include: What is cybercrime? Who commits cybercrime and why? Are Deep Fakes a real threat? Is there actual crime in virtual reality? What tools and techniques are used to enable and prevent cybercrime? What impact does cybercrime have on business, and how can businesses detect, prevent, and communicate regarding, internal and external cybercrime threats? When are business leaders liable for failing to prevent cyber-attacks? What is the right balance between online privacy and security, free speech and protection from harassment/abuse, anonymity and transparency? How are international cybercrimes investigated and prosecuted? What is the impact of AI and machine learning on cybercrime? What are the considerations for sentencing cybercriminals? Do current laws provide the right amount of protection, or are new laws and policies needed as technology changes? Who should decide these questions and how?

In-depth treatment of methods for public policy analysis. The course focuses on cost-benefit analysis, a method grounded in microeconomics and applied welfare economics. Topics include market failures; willingness to pay; opportunity costs; discounting future costs and benefits; handling uncertainty and risk; incorporating distributional impacts; methods to value a statistical life; and methods to value environmental quality and other non-market goods. Numerous examples are taken from a variety of policy areas, including crime, education, health, welfare, and regulation.

This course will examine the various manifestations of modern slavery and other forms of severe labor exploitation that persist in the world today, including human trafficking, bonded labor, forced labor, and child labor. The social and economic forces that promote slavery will be analyzed, as well as an examination of how global supply chains are tainted by severe labor exploitation. The course will further probe the nexus of migration, gender-based violence, poverty, and the exploitation of minority communities in the context of modern slavery. National and international policy and legal frameworks meant to eliminate these offenses will be assessed. The course will also explore slavery in the past to better understand how and why slavery persists in the modern era.

Mental illnesses are common in the United States. More than 1 in 5 adults (greater than 50 million people) live with a mental health illness and 1 in 5 youth (ages 13-18) will have experienced a seriously debilitating mental illness in their lifetime. Yet, less than half of those who need treatment receive it: Depression is the leading cause of disability, suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among youth aged 10-14, and unmet mental health needs have profound long-term consequences including reductions in overall health and quality of life; substance use and addiction; family disruption; criminal justice system involvement; homelessness; unemployment and productivity losses; and early preventable mortality. This course provides an overview of the state of mental health in the United States with a focus on the drivers of mental well-being, mental illness, and mental health inequities. We will examine how mental health practice and policy can improve (or impede) community mental well-being, quality of mental health care, and mental health outcomes for those experiencing mental illness. Intentional focus will be given to topics such as stigma, historical trauma, and racism in addition to the importance of culturally intentional and patient-centered evidence-based care in order to collectively envision healthier and more equitable futures.

This class explores the most pressing legal and policy dilemmas in the field of children's rights. We will take a U.S. and international law approach to major topics including: protection from child abuse and neglect; alternative care and adoption; juvenile justice, police and community violence; education rights, including the rights of children with disabilities; internet freedoms and dangers, including cyberbullying and pornography; health and medical decision-making; sexual abuse, exploitation and trafficking; the rights of refugee and immigrant children; child poverty; the right to a sustainable environment; and issues of child voice, including children's rights to participate in the political process and the ethical obligations governing the legal representation of children.

Uses economic analysis to study the interaction of the market, the corporation, and the law and how these interactions affect the well-being of shareholders and consumers. Examines the costs and benefits of the corporate form of organization. The legal institutions defining the corporation, such as limited liability and shareholder voting, are analyzed along with regulations governing these institutions. A particular focus is mechanisms that control the behavior of managers. Those mechanisms include hostile takeovers, insider trading, outside directors on the board, the role of large investors, and executive compensation plans. Additional topics include government ownership of corporations and nonprofit enterprises.

Examines the social institution of the family, challenges to the institution's well-being and stability, and the role of public policy in these transformations. Topics include family structure and responsibilities; marriage as a traditional building block of the family and challenges to the institution of marriage, including divorce, nonmarital childbearing, cohabitation, and same-sex unions; children, and the impact of family change on their wellbeing, including the effects of child poverty, maternal employment, and paternal involvement. The role of public policy in managing and shaping these developments is discussed.

This course is a survey of environmental economics and policy, covering both general models and specific applications. We learn how economists estimate the demand for environmental goods and services and the costs of preserving them, and then study the efficient extraction of oil and minerals, economics of pollution control, climate change, fisheries, forests, and endangered species. We also cover the intersection of international trade and environmental regulation, as well as sustainability.

Familiarizes students with the economic analysis of consumer policy issues. Uses the tools of microeconomic analysis to investigate the interaction between government and the marketplace, with an emphasis on how that interaction affects consumers. Examines the rationale for and effects of regulation of industry. Considers alternative theories of regulation, including the capture, economic, and public interest theories. Applies those theories to specific types of regulation, including economic regulation of specific industries (e.g., telecommunications, electricity, trucking, railroads, postal services) as well as to broader social regulation (e.g., health, safety, environmental). The effects of regulatory reform in numerous industries are also examined. An attempt is made to examine current topics relating to consumer policy.

The course will focus on how legal rules and regulations impact consumers in the marketplace. A significant portion of this course will focus on how developments in tort law, contract law, property law, and regulatory law influence social welfare and serve to protect consumers in their interactions with the marketplace. The course will also focus on how the federal regulatory agencies function and analyze the effectiveness of these agencies in protecting consumers. The course will focus specifically on the Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission. In addition to students interested in public policy and economics, the course can be helpful to students who are interested in attending law school as students will get exposed to many of the concepts they will address in a first year law school curriculum.

This 4 credit course focuses specifically on legislative negotiations. Effective legislative negotiations share much in common with negotiations that arise in other settings. At the same time, there are key differences. Legislative bodies are generally governed by internal rules, guidelines and precedents. Politics and policy directly impact the negotiations process. There can also be an especially broad array of stakeholders and principals. Gridlock and paralysis have been hallmarks of legislative negotiations, particularly in recent times. Less well known is the fact that some deals are still getting done that usually keep the country running and, in some cases, address important problems facing the nation.This course will provide the opportunity to analyze critical negotiations techniques and strategies and apply them primarily through simulations, role playing, and case analysis in the legislative context. Key skills will include negotiation tactics, design and set up. In this class, you will have the opportunity to sharpen your negotiation skills and come away with a better understanding of the tools and dynamics of legislative negotiations and how to increase the chances of success in an often polarized environment.

Promotion and support of democracy is a well-established principle of U.S. foreign policy. However, even four decades after its insertion into Washington's approach overseas, it is misunderstood and still under challenge, internally within the U.S. Government and from external actors. In this course, the modern origins of democracy support, or promotion, will be examined, beginning with the values-based focus of the Carter Administration's foreign policy leading into its Cold War use in the Reagan presidency. The development of bipartisan democracy promotion through succeeding Administrations up to the challenges under Donald Trump and the Biden Administration's response, including the Summit for Democracy process, will be examined. Real-world applications and connections will be central. How democracy assistance is conducted and how it is perceived will be a focus of the course. Course participants will discuss the relationship between democracy promotion and its distinction with human rights and the concept of democracy prevention as a response by external actors to democracy promotion.

This course will address a wide range of information policy issues and their relationship to governance, government, and governmentality. While focused primarily on American political culture, it will include some international comparisons, particularly in areas such as privacy (both government surveillance and consumer), anti-trust, and regulatory compliance. We will also discuss information security, intellectual property, algorithmic fairness, (dis)misinformation, and, with emphasis, content moderation of social media platforms. Course outcomes will include familiarity with law and policy of the internet; a foundational understanding the market, social, legal, and technical dynamics that shape information policy; and, finally, how those dynamics affect the U.S. political landscape.

The course explores the organization, structure, elements and strategic imperatives involved in the 2024 Presidential and congressional elections. Students will learn the inner dynamics of both the Republican and Democratic campaigns. The course will analyze, in real time, the state of play in the 2024 election including caucuses and critical multi-state primaries. Students will learn the roles of campaign staff; how campaigns are financed; the electoral battleground; data analytics; and the unique dynamics of the 2024 election as it unfolds. Each session will feature bipartisan guest lecturers drawn from presidential and congressional campaigns. Students will be expected to track a specific candidate and analyze and assess that candidate's strengths and weaknesses at various points during the semester.

The 2024 presidential and congressional elections will be the most important in recent memory. In a highly polarized environment, against a backdrop of often shallow punditry and sound bites, this course will provide real-time analysis of the elections; and provide students with a deep understanding of the structure, organization, and strategic imperatives of the presidential and congressional elections. It will also analyze the presidential transition and the reorganization of a new Congress.

This course connects Cornell and USFQ students to study Sustainability Education Policy in the U.S. and Ecuador. Focusing on UN SDG 4, the course includes collaborative research, international exchange, and direct engagement with local educators and policymakers to address global education challenges and promote sustainable development.

In this course, we will work to transform research into action that advances housing affordability, equity, and sustainability. Student teams will work on projects identified by community partners and policy stakeholders to conduct research that informs housing policies and programs at local, state, and national levels. Students will develop analytic research skills while learning to communicate and collaborate with a diverse set of policy stakeholders, including those with lived experiences of housing injustice.

When did bipartisan become a bad word? Should we unfriend and unfollow people who have different opinions than our own? How did we become a country that grows more polarized and divided every year? Most importantly, can we change, or are we destined to continue down this path?

The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) brings both great promise and daunting challenges for the future of humanity. This course examines the impacts of AI from an economist's perspective. We will present the economic framework conventionally used for thinking about technology in the macroeconomy and extend it to analyze the implications of AI. A special focus will be on the disparate labor market consequences of AI and policy measures to address these challenges. Additionally, we will explore, at a more micro-level, the issues of machine bias and algorithmic fairness and discuss the policy implications.

An introduction to the U.S. Child Welfare System. Topics to be covered include legislation that has shaped child welfare practice, the impact on children of abuse and neglect, foster care, and adoption, including the long-term outcomes for children in residential treatment centers in congregate care facilities.

The economics of education is about understanding how and why people make decisions to invest in education, the effect of education on long-term social and economic outcomes, the behavior of those institutions that produce education, and how best to design and implement public policies affecting the level and distribution of education resources. The basic tools of economics provide a framework to evaluate education policies including K-12 school finance, student financial aid, and college admissions. Throughout the course, there will be an emphasis on examining empirical tests of the economic theory and measuring the effects of policy initiatives on educational outcomes.

This course introduces students to public policy applications of game theory and market design, including (i) matching algorithms for assignment problems such as school choice, public housing allocation, kidney exchange, refugee resettlement, and labor markets; (ii) auction design for allocation of natural resources, public radio spectrum, emission permits, and government procurement; (iii) platform/exchange design for online markets.

Why do some countries offer universal health care coverage, free higher education, or personal financial security, while others do not? What explains the alternative national approaches to similar global challenges, such as those posed by climate change, the gig economy, or migration? This course explores how the public policy strategies adopted in the United States compare to those adopted in other affluent democracies - through the lens of socio-economic inequality. Examining how different countries confront the same issue allows us to identify the policies that redress it, how their content can vary, and why so. The course therefore underscores the reason for these differences: politics and government. Together, we will examine the multiple political pathways to creating public policy across these societies, as well as their effects on the people that live in them.

Environmental justice, as defined by the U.S. EPA, refers to the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all individuals-regardless of income, race, color, national origin, Tribal affiliation, or disability-in agency decision-making and federal activities that impact human health and the environment. This principle ensures that all people are protected from disproportionate and adverse effects on their health and environment, including risks related to climate change, cumulative environmental burdens, and the legacy of racism and systemic barriers. It also emphasizes equitable access to a healthy, sustainable, and resilient environment for living, playing, working, learning, growing, worshipping, and engaging in cultural and subsistence practices (U.S. EPA, 2024). This hands-on seminar course explores key topics, policies, and themes in environmental justice, focusing on the disproportionate impacts of climate change and related adaptation and mitigation efforts, particularly on vulnerable groups, communities of color, and Indigenous communities. Additionally, the course examines policy drivers and levers that can create opportunities for meaningful change in the future.

This course surveys topics in crime and crime prevention, with a focus on thinking critically about empirical evidence. The first part of the course briefly introduces an economic model of crime and reviews relevant empirical methods. The remainder of the course is spent discussing a range of crime-related topics, including policing, incarceration, employment, drugs & alcohol, firearms, education, and health. Students will consider trade-offs to different crime prevention policies and gain experience framing and summarizing evidence for policymakers.

This course examines the policy-making roles of legislatures, courts, and executive agencies. How do different branches of government make policy? What makes good evidence for policy decisions? How do each of these branches consider and use empirical evidence? How can various approaches such as traditional law and economics or behavioral law and economics help us understand the potential impacts of a policy? In this course, we will consider these questions and more as part of our inquiry into the interplay between law, economics, and public policy. Using real-world case studies, we will trace the evolution of policies from state legislatures to Congress to their interpretations by federal agencies and the judiciary. Students will critically evaluate empirical research and use the tools of microeconomic theory to understand and assess policy effectiveness and unintended consequences. This course is designed for students interested in law, public policy, economics and the role of empirical evidence and economic theory in shaping policy-making.

Climate change presents a dilemma. Under the Paris Agreement, countries of the world committed to the goal of limiting warming to no more than two degrees Celsius from pre-industrial times. Scientists have warned that exceeding the threshold would increase the risks of heatwaves, drought, and extreme weather. Achieving the target, however, requires collective efforts to reduce emissions. Households, businesses, and governments would have to radically shift to cleaner energy supply and greener activities, which will take a great deal of financial resources. Sustainable finance attempts to address this challenge by integrating finance as a discipline into the sustainability framework. Designed for policy students, this course considers the perspectives of policymakers rather than business actors in navigating the green transition. Case studies will be drawn primarily from Southeast Asia, which is considered one of the most vulnerable regions to climate change, although much of the framework is also applicable to other regions around the globe.

Population problems are central to societal change in numerous areas- inequality, immigration and diversity, race relations, family life, health and aging, and social welfare systems. This class explores the causes and consequences of population change, paying particular attention to how population processes interact with the social, economic, and political context in which they play out. Particular attention will be paid to contemporary debates unfolding in Europe, how population problems are defined, and the policies intended to solve them.

Unmet health related social needs (HRSN) – such as unstable housing, food insecurity, and lack of reliable transportation – exacerbate poor health. Health care organizations are increasingly screening patients for unmet HRSNs and collaborating with local community-based organizations (CBOs) to address patient social needs to deliver whole-person care and advance health equity. Critical to the screen-and-refer process are trained community members – patient social care navigators – who contact patients who screen positive for one or more HRSN and connect patients to local CBOs to meet those needs. In this course, students will develop and practice in the classroom the skills that navigators in the field use to work collaboratively with patients, participating clinician practices, community health workers, and not-for-profit organizations to provide social care navigation to patients to improve health outcomes and health equity of Tompkins County residents.

In 2008, a new sector of technological opportunities emerged through the advent of cryptocurrency and blockchain with wide-reaching implications. In this course, we will examine the different types of cryptocurrencies, the underlying technology of blockchain, and the implications they have on public policy. To do so, we will go through a few steps, including a simulation of managing and updating a cryptocurrency portfolio. This will offer a unique opportunity to experience the different types of digital assets, custody solutions for digital assets, and the decentralized nature of the technology that drives data science and tech policies. In addition, you will learn about different types of cryptocurrencies and how they drive financial inclusivity through social policies to reduce inequality. Furthermore, you will analyze the process and operation of Bitcoin mining and its impact on sustainability and environmental policies. Other topics you will examine include blockchain's pseudo-anonymity, decentralized finance (DeFi), decentralized autonomous organizations (DAO), different types of tokens (e.g. non-fungible tokens and stablecoins), central bank digital currencies, the metaverse, and general regulations around the sector. Each of these areas impacts policy, politics, and economics. At the end of the course, you will write a policy paper on cryptocurrency and blockchain, explain the implications it has on public policy, and present your findings in class.

Introduction to the use of economics as a tool in forming and evaluating environmental policy, with a focus on how economists measure effects of environmental quality and regulation. Topics include: externalities in an environmental context; regulation methods such as command and control, Pigouvian taxation, and cap and trade; methods for measuring the costs and benefits of environmental policy; overview of current environmental legislation; environmental quality and health; regulation and environmental justice.

Democratic leaders are increasingly concerned with authoritarian attempts to alter long-established values and interests of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. Questions as to the abuse of Interpol against dissidents, the harsh reaction by China to WHO attempts to address the pandemic, and the rejection by Russia of its international obligations bring new policy questions but also solutions to this topic. As the international liberal order framework of the last 75 years shows its age, the question of which nations and value systems will shape the world for the next 75 years becomes more pressing. Are democracies capable of jointly addressing this challenge? How far do democratic alliances go before national interests take charge? In this course, students will draw upon real-life case studies and scenarios through interaction with diplomats, civil society, and other practitioners in this arena. Students in this course will be equipped to shape the debate of a framework of human rights, the rule of law, and democracy for the future and present their ideas through the use of a structured debate as a final project.

This introductory course introduces students to issues and debates related to international migration and will provide an interdisciplinary foundation to understanding the factors that shape migration flows and migrant experiences. We will start by reviewing theories of the state and historical examples of immigrant racialization and exclusion in the United States and beyond. We will critically examine the notions of borders, citizenship/non-citizenship, and the creation of diasporas. Students will also hear a range of perspectives by exposing them to Cornell guest faculty who do research and teach on migration across different disciplines and methodologies and in different world areas. Examples include demographic researchers concerned with immigrant inequality and family formation, geographic perspectives on the changing landscapes of immigrant metropolises, legal scholarship on the rights of immigrant workers, and the study of immigrant culture from a feminist studies lens. Offered each fall semester.

A community-engaged addiction medicine course that draws from experts in the field to address the neurobiology of addiction, risk and protective factors for substance misuse and disorder, barriers to treatment such as stigma, the recovery continuum, and a focus on drug policy and law in historical and contemporary context. Students will work in teams to complete a community engaged project and field trips will be offered. This course is geared toward future clinicians, policy makers, healthcare leaders, data analysts, and engaged citizens who care about human wellbeing and health equity.

This course focuses on environmental legislation such as the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Clean Air Act (CAA), the Clean Water Act (CWA), and others as a foundation for US environmental policy. Internationally, focus on Environmental Policy in multiple countries and comparative to US environmental policy. Over the course we will discuss how environmental policy directly impacts community, public health, natural ecological systems, concepts of justice, and socioeconomics. We will explore these major environmental policies in the US as a basis of comparison and then apply those mechanism domestically or internationally to address climate change and improve other environment conditions. Students who seek to work in the US will build an analytic skill set to be competitive for jobs in environmental consulting, government, public policy, public health, non-profits, and advocacy groups.

This course covers domestic copyright law, which protects creative expression; patent law, which protects novel and useful inventions; and trademark law, which protects brand identifiers. It also explores common law intellectual property rights like trade secret protections. The aim of the course is not simply to learn what the law is, but why.

This course provides an introduction into Comparative Health Care System Analysis. Using a unifying framework, students learn how to systematically analyze the institutional and organizational setup of different health care systems around the world. The structure and performance of several health care systems is benchmarked against the US health care system.

This course embodies community-engaged learning by positioning students as collaborative learners alongside community members, emphasizing mutual exchange, and addressing an issue that holds local significance. Students will not only conduct a community impact analysis but will also engage directly with residents and local stakeholders to understand their perspectives, experiences, and priorities. This interaction enables students to learn with and from the community, building skills in cultural humility, active listening, and responsive problem-solving. Throughout the course, critical reflection will be an integral component; students will regularly examine their assumptions, document their learning through field notes, and engage in reflective discussions. These reflective practices will challenge them to consider the social and ethical dimensions of their work, helping them refine their approach to ensure it aligns with community needs and fosters equitable, sustainable outcomes.

This intensive, week-long January fieldwork course immerses students in hands-on data collection for a community impact analysis. Working with a host organization and community partners, students conduct interviews, surveys, and observations, applying ethical fieldwork and participatory evaluation methods to gather insights that will inform their final analysis and recommendations.

In this course we will explore the origins and consequences of mass incarceration- extraordinarily high incarceration rates within particular demographic groups above and beyond historical levels in the United States. We will examine theories of social control and deviance to uncover how institutions and individuals use power to shape societies. This course also engages theories of state power to understand and to analyze how labeling is deployed to control groups of people, and, in doing so, we will conduct a genealogy of a contemporary driver of social inequality: the prison industrial complex. Current policy debates around the movement to reduce the number of men and women in American jails and prisons will also be covered. Contemporary social problems like homelessness and food insecurity will be discussed in detail, as well as how mass incarceration contributes to growing gaps in labor force participation, wealth accumulation, and familial instability.

Ethics asks what is good and bad, what is right and wrong, what is happiness, and what is the virtuous path? We will explore ethical dilemmas of society, how those questions translate into public policy, and how public policy is used to carve an ethic. We will focus on ethical questions future leaders in public policy could, should, or will be asking. We investigate some controversial questions that sit at the core of our own moral connection with public policy ethics and how those translate into action such as human interaction with society and nature, what is our moral responsibility as individuals and decision-makers, equity, and how ethical considerations translate into public policy. These ethical dilemmas public policy actors face, and their decisions can affect many domestically and internationally and impact in intended and unintended ways. Delving into understanding these ethical questions when developing public policies can help decision-makers craft policies that consider sound moral principles that impact stakeholders. This course builds a foundation of ethical principles and philosophies and then translates into action.

This undergraduate-level course is designed for students interested in learning how to better communicate using data. Students will learn the foundations of data use and visualization tools and gain experience using these tools for the purpose of creating a shared understanding with an audience. Students will learn to organize data and create clear, creative graphs, charts, and dashboards for the purposes of story-telling and effectively conveying information.

This course investigates the evolution of discourses surrounding gender and development, focusing on how women have gained economic independence, agency, and socio-economic mobility in developing country contexts and have thus emerged as successful entrepreneurs and leaders in their respective eco-systems. It examines how certain socio-economic factors have lifted women out of poverty, exclusion, and marginalization. By exploring both individual potential and collective power through dedicated activism, the course spans the fields of economics, sociology, and public policy.

This course covers economic evaluation methods used for decisions in the health care sector and health policy. Economic evaluations include cost analysis, cost-benefit analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, and cost-utility analysis. The course discusses how to measure opportunity costs, monetary benefits, and health outcomes such as quality-adjusted life years. Actual economic evaluations of pharmaceuticals, health care and public health interventions, and health and safety policy are reviewed and critiqued.

How can we practice critical dialogue to analyze and address complex policy issues? Increasing polarization in our political climate has underscored the importance of dialogue across differences in political beliefs, social identities, and experiences. In this course, we will explore how we can put this aim into action by: learning key dialogue skills for listening to different perspectives and sharing our own; reflecting on how our connections to one another and to societal structures inform our responsibility and agency as political actors; and practicing dialogue through exploration of key policy issues. This course will be experiential and engaged. Students will be active participants in dialogue and will take responsibility for sustaining a learning community throughout the semester. This community will extend beyond our class and will include invited guests from among Brooks School faculty and Ithaca community practitioners, who will provide greater insights into each of the key policy issues.

Debates over the proper aims, scope, and methods of environmental policy in America are as old as the conservation movement, from Gifford Pinchot's push for the responsible and productive use of public lands to John Muir's crusade for strict preservation. Over the last forty years, a growing number of scholars and policymakers have embraced a new approach to science-based conservation: rewilding. The term has been used by activists, ecologists, and policymakers to embrace a range of policy proscriptions, from the restoration of wide-ranging wilderness areas and large predators to restoring Pleistocene era megafauna or their ecological equivalents, to landscape restoration through the reintroduction of appropriate species, to productive land abandonment. However, a core principle uniting these disparate approaches is an emphasis on restoring biodiversity and promoting sustainability through the protection and enhancement of wilderness areas. The rewilding movement has also begun to influence public policy, offering innovative solutions to old and new policy challenges, including mitigating the impacts of climate change.

The purpose of this one-credit course is to provide a behind-the-scenes examination of the U.S. federal policy making process with examples primarily relating to labor policy. We will begin with a discussion of the statutory framework that shapes this process and defines the roles of the many entities involved. Understanding how policy is developed in law and regulation will be a major emphasis of the course. Policy implementation, administration, and oversight will also be addressed. We will focus on a variety of related topics, including the President's Budget, congressional appropriations, inter-agency collaboration, and the effect of good government initiatives on substantive policy making. Efforts to respond to the economic effects of the COVID-19 crisis will also be discussed.

Although the United States' economy is said to have a laissez-faire structure, there is a significant relationship between the government and how the market operates. Public policy impacts everything nowadays - legislation that interacts with healthcare, taxes, infrastructure, and other societal areas that demand government intervention is monitored by monetary and fiscal policy. This course will cover how the government intervenes in the market via public policy to control factors that range from inflation to GDP growth to spending on public programs. We will discuss how the government interacts with Wall Street, the regulations that are often imposed on firms, and how the debt and equity markets function and react to government interaction. We will accentuate political intervention during times of crisis and how the financial world's relationship with the government changed as a result. This class will include a combination of lectures and guest speakers to formally analyze course material and to provide real world scenarios and applications.

The course explores the intersection of policy and political strategies on Capitol Hill. Students will learn the inner dynamics of how Members of Congress select, pursue and achieve their policy objectives on Capitol Hill; how policy proposals are developed within various platforms (congressional leadership, committees, working groups and caucuses, the White House); the role of communications strategies in supporting legislative initiatives; the interplay of constituents; the incorporation of policies into amendments, committee markups, report language, managers amendments and other devices. Each session will offer a guest perspective from a Member of Congress or senior staff member. Students will be expected to choose a policy initiative and develop a legislative strategy to achieve implementation.

The course will explore elements of the reorganization of the 118th Congress, including leadership elections and structure; the setting of a legislative agenda; how committee assignments are determined; the structure of legislative caucuses, conferences and working groups; and the early organization of various legislative factions and impact on the legislative agenda. This will coincide with real-time developments in the new Congress and will feature periodic visits by prominent national political figures. Each class will feature a discussion of current events that are related to coursework. Each session will offer guest perspective from Democratic and Republican leaders in Congress, and well-known media analysts, among others.

Featuring periodic visits by Members of Congress and key congressional staff, and a unique learning experience on Capitol Hill, the class is designed to present students with an informed understanding of various staff functions within a Congressional office both in Washington and the Members district; the different management styles of congressional offices (i.e.: member driven versus staff driven); the relationship of personal, committee and leadership staffs. Students will monitor the progress of legislation as a way of integrating office dynamics into the legislative process. Each class will devote time to a discussion of current events in Congress to integrate policy developments into the curricula.

For study that predominantly involves library research and independent reading.

For study that predominantly involves data collection and analysis.

For study that involves both responsible participation in a community setting and reflection on that experience through discussion, reading, and writing. Academic credit is awarded for this integration of theory and practice.

For study that includes assisting faculty with instruction.

The core course at Cornell in Washington is an engaged learning class that focuses on understanding and analyzing the professional experience of being in DC. Its primary purpose is to give students a chance to sunthesize the lessons of their internship work by examining and reflecting on that work, investigating the context and structures of the policy and political world with which they are engaging, and learning and practicing the professional forms of writing that the community uses. This process occurs through readings, written assignments, guest speakers, and signature events. An internship is required for the class.

This course explores social change through demographic methods, addressing how public policies aim to impact societal outcomes-such as reducing crime rates, lowering poverty levels, or increasing voter turnout-rather than focusing on individual behavior. While quantitative social science often emphasizes understanding individual actions, this course provides methods that bridge the gap between individual patterns and broader societal trends. Building on foundational techniques from introductory social statistics courses-such as univariate, bivariate, and multivariate regression-the course covers life tables, Lexis diagrams, and decomposition methods. These demographic methods focus on population-level dynamics and the changing composition of national populations, making the course essential for social scientists and policy analysts interested in examining the trends, causes, and consequences of aggregate social change.

This course covers methods used by social scientists to identify causal relationships in data, with a focus on evaluating the effects of real-world policies. Many social science analyses--including in the economics fields of public, labor, health, and development-aim to answer these types of policy-related causal questions: What is the effect of having health insurance on someone's health? Does the death penalty reduce crime? Will lowering class sizes increase students' academic achievement? The goal of this course is to train you to become both a high-quality consumer and producer of this type of research. You will learn about several research designs and data analysis methods for identifying causal relationships in data, read and assess empirical papers that apply these methods, and apply these methods to datasets yourself.

In-depth discussion of the growing field of applied economics research on the relationships between pollution, climate, and human health. The course will be begin with a brief introduction to the application of modern applied microeconomic causal methods - students must have taken Multiple Regression Analysis (or a course equivalent) and have basic familiarity with the statistical analysis program Stata. Areas of study include pollution and climate impacts on mortality, morbidity, human capital development, productivity, and mental cognition, as well as the role of avoidance behavior and adaptation in mitigating such effects. This course requires a good deal of reading from academic journal articles and working papers. Discussion of the articles will focus on interpretation of outcomes, potential confounders and complications in establishing the pollution, climate, and health link, and the methodologies used in modern applied microeconomics to establish causal links.

This course explores poverty and inequality in American society through the lens of ethnographic and other field-based research. We will read classic and contemporary texts which have shaped our understanding of how social inequality and exclusion constrain people's daily lives and how groups develop innovative responses to these constraints.

In the coming decades machine intelligence will transform the economy, society, and global politics. This course will study these processes and the political challenges to the development of beneficial AI. Topics will include problems in AI safety; effects on- and of inequality and technological unemployment; the strategic and tactical impacts of autonomous weapons, cyberweapons, and AI-enabled intelligence operations; global institutions for providing global public goods, the legitimate aggregation of preferences, and the beneficial governance of AI development.

This course applies statistical and economic approaches to analyze risk, the approaches to managing risk by private and government actors, and the impact of government risk policies on the private economy. The course aims to provide students with a broad understanding of risk management problems and solutions, a greater appreciation of the importance of risk management and policy, and increased comprehension of the challenges and complexities of managing key societal risks. Students will enhance their capacity to analyze risk and appreciate the importance of managing risk; will gain working knowledge of important risk management terminology, tools, and institutions; will practice identifying and quantitatively measuring risk; increase their capacity for critical analysis of risk management approaches; and acauire capacity to contribute to discussions of risk governance and its implications.

Risky health behaviors such as cigarette smoking, alcohol abuse, risky sex, drug use, poor diet and physical inactivity (leading to obesity), and self-harm are responsible for hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths and impose billions of dollars in medical care costs each year in the United States. This course teaches the economic approach to studying risky health behaviors. The research literature on the economic causes and correlates of risky health behaviors will be studied in detail. Numerous policies to modify risky health behaviors, such as the minimum legal drinking age and recreational marijuana use laws, will be debated in class. A policy wargame is conducted, with students creating advertisements, giving oral presentations, and lobbying policymakers to advocate a specific policy position.

Risky health behaviors such as drug abuse, alcohol abuse, cigarette smoking, risky sex, poor diet, physical inactivity, and self-harm are responsible for hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths and impose billions of dollars in medical care costs each year in the United States. This course teaches the economic approach to studying risky health behaviors. The research literature on the economic causes and correlates of risky health behaviors will be studied. Numerous policies to modify risky health behaviors, such as the minimum legal drinking age and recreational marijuana laws, will be debated in class. Students will also participate in a policy wargame on the subject of taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages.

This course will review and enhance existing knowledge of health care delivery and related policy issues, using the lens and tools of microeconomics. The topics covered will span consumer behavior, sources and markets for health insurance, provider markets, provider incentives and regulation, as well as market consolidation across a variety of key industries (e.g., physicians, hospitals, and post-acute care providers). Importantly, a key differentiator as well as pedagogical feature of the course will be extensive exposure to classic and contemporary empirical (i.e., data-driven) research tied to these topics. This aspect allows students to be aware of and accumulate knowledge from the frontier of what is scientifically known about key and salient health economics and health policy topics. The selected academic studies incorporated into each lecture will reinforce the core economic theories and insights accompanying a given topic and demonstrate how existing theories can be formally tested as well as refined or expanded using strong empirical research designs. This course should be highly relevant to students planning to work for or with healthcare-focused companies as well as those wishing to pursue master’s (e.g., MBA, MHA, MPH) or doctoral level academic programs (e.g., JD, MD, PharmD, or PhD) tied to healthcare.

This course is designed for students interested in learning the foundations of machine learning. Our focus will be on applying these techniques to applications in specific policy related scenarios. We will cover the intuition of the theoretical underpinnings, with a focus on practical use of supervised learning tools.

Infrastructure provides essential services such as road and highway transportation, ports and airports, communications, electricity, clean drinking water, and wastewater treatment. This course examines policies related to operation, maintenance, and especially funding and financing of critical physical infrastructure. It includes regulatory issues such as controlling market power, ensuring adequate service quality, and maintaining the assets in question.

The course utilizes discussions, presentations, research papers, and simulations to explore the policy, financial, and business implications, opportunities, and risks, of climate change, specifically the energy transition to a low-carbon economy. We will explore potential public policies in the context of their business impacts, effectiveness, and political viability. How does different policy design encourage distinct long-term pathways within a highly capital-intensive industry? What industries are most impacted by a transition to a lower carbon economy? How do incentives and structures influence business actors toward a smoother transition, or wasted capital expenditures, and stranded assets? Are financial markets pricing in an energy transition? What is the role of financial and market regulators in ensuring long-term beneficial capital allocation? With an industry in decline, what are the business strategy options for the management of a fossil fuel producer? What are the policy, financial, and business implications for clean energy firms, electric vehicle manufacturers, and the metals and mining industry? Additional readings, research, and presentations are required of Master's students.

Through discussions, presentations, and research papers, we will examine increasing US inequality, and the interaction of business's role and impacts, alongside potential policy prescriptions (UBI, tax policy, job guarantees, etc.). Topics will also include potential sources of inequality. Areas explored include: Can public policy blunt inequality without unduly harming markets? What are the responsibilities of private sector companies to society, and what are their incentives? How does inequality affect business (through customers, workers - human capital), how does business exacerbate and exploit inequality? Does inequality reduce economic growth and productivity (due to rent-seeking activities, reduced opportunity)? Does corporate influence on the political system reinforce inequality? Is labor disadvantaged by social safety net structures, such as policies tying benefits to work requirements? Does inequality destabilize financial markets and fuel speculation ((e.g., 1920's margin investing, GameStop, etc.)? Additional readings and in-depth research paper required of Master's students.

This engaged learning course offers students the opportunity to integrate and apply knowledge and skills by addressing a real-world question presented by a community partner. Students will work collaboratively on an applied research project, produce a professional report, and brief community members on the outcomes and recommendations of their research.

We will learn how to design and advocate for specific state-level public policies by practicing these skills before the legislative and administrative branches of the State of New York. In consultation with the professor, student teams will design public policy proposals based on a review of the academic, governmental and think tank literature; conversations with subject matter experts at Cornell and various NGOs; research and analysis of similar proposals in other states and countries; conversations with state and local policymakers; and discussions with community members and organizations, including community partners with lived experience. Although we will engage in policy design and advocacy primarily in New York State, we will also provide research and policy design services to stakeholders in other states, especially when a comparative or multi-state approach offers strategic benefits.

As a continuation of our work in PUBPOL 4960/PUBPOL 5960, we will learn how to design and advocate for specific state-level public policies by practicing these skills with community partners and stakeholders and before the legislative and administrative branches of the State of New York. In consultation with the professor, student teams will design and advocate for public policy proposals based on a review of the academic, governmental and think tank literature; conversations with subject matter experts at Cornell and various NGOs; research and analysis of similar proposals in other states and countries; conversations with state and local policymakers; and discussions with community members and organizations, including community partners with lived experience. Although we will engage in policy design and advocacy primarily in New York State, we will also provide research and policy design services to Stakeholders in other states, especially when a comparative or multi-state approach offers strategic benefits.

This course is part of the Brooks School Capital Semester Program. During this program, students live and work in Albany as legislative aides to a New York State Senator or Assembly Member. They also attend a course on New York State Government and engage in discussion forums with key legislators and policymakers. Additionally, students receive mentorship from Cornell Government Affairs staff on-site. This mentorship includes opportunities to work on legislative priorities that align with students' interests and their assigned legislative tasks. The on-site staff help interns connect with state government officials in their areas of interest, including Cornell alumni and dignitaries. They also offer guidance on office work and internship coursework and provide background information on Albany's policies and politics, particularly related to higher education and Cornell's role as a New York State Land Grant University. Students receive a relocation allowance and a living stipend as part of the program.

This course is designed to provide students with guidance and resources as they design and conduct their honors thesis project. As part of this process, students will be introduced to a range of topics and skills related to engaging in research in the social sciences.

Provides students with the opportunity to undertake basic or applied research that will be preparation of a thesis representing original work of publishable quality. Intended for students who desire the opportunity to extend their interests and efforts beyond the current course offerings in the department. Furthermore, the program is designed to offer the student the opportunity to work closely with a professor on a topic of interest. The number of hours of thesis credit is determined by the student's research mentor. See the director of undergraduate studies for more details.

This course is for students who wish to conduct independent study under the guidance of a faculty member from the Brooks MPA Program.

This course prepares MPA students to enter the job market with the expertise and experience to launch a successful career as well as obtain professional skills necessary to be leaders in the field of public affairs workplace. Topics covered in this course include the importance of self-assessment, the independent job search, networking, and best practices in resume/cover letter writing and interviewing.

This full-semester course will provide an introduction to the diverse and contested field of security studies, including both the Traditional and Critical approaches. It covers the foundational theoretical approaches in the field of security studies - Realism, Liberalism, Constructivism, Critical Theory, Feminism and Gender Security, and PostStructural and Postcolonial Perspectives. It also questions how security policy is developed and implemented and the historical, economic, political, and social power dynamics that influence how 'security policy' is constructed and implemented by nation-states. Alongside the study of theory, the course covers a wide range of contemporary security issues - from the return of inter-state conflict and nuclear deterrence to terrorism, environmental security, and health security - and applies the theories and concepts of security studies to real-world examples.

This course prepares MPA students to enter the job market with the expertise and experience to launch a successful career as well as obtain professional skills necessary to be leaders in the field of public affairs. Topics covered in this course include the role of change management, leading people, results-driven leadership, business acumen, and coalition-building in successful public affairs practice.

Climate change is an urgent, multi-generational, global challenge. Public policy at the local, state, national and international level plays an important role in determining our emissions trajectory, the magnitude and location of investments in adaptation and resilience, and even whether climate engineering approaches are allowable and feasible. Thus, policy choices have a large influence on the ultimate damages from climate change and on the cost of addressing them. This course applies the tools of economics to the analysis of the climate challenge and climate policy. We will start with an introduction to the multiple market failures relevant to climate change, an overview of the climate policy portfolio, and a history of international climate negotiations. In part 2 of the course, we’ll learn how economists quantify the damages from climate change and consider the role of benefit-cost analysis designing climate policy. Part 3 will cover net greenhouse gas emissions reduction opportunities, including sectorial approaches and nature-based solutions. In part 4, we’ll study the economics of pollution control and learn what theory and empirical evidence imply for climate change policy instrument choice. We will finish the course focusing on the economics of climate adaptation and resilience (part 5), the distributional implications of climate change and climate policy (part 6), and the future potential for climate engineering (part 7).

In this class, we will use data-related case studies to understand the common problems organizations and policymakers face, how they use data to benefit their organization and key components that are driving the policy conversation. We will also get broad exposure to the related concepts behind data products and teams including data engineering, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and data visualization.

The course examines the historical political landscape of American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States and the interplay between tribal interests, politics, and the federal government. The course also looks at contemporary Native issues, federal policy and programs, tribal governance, relations between Tribal Nations and states and between Tribal Nations and the federal government. Finally, the course will explore Indigenous pop-culture and its influence on federal policy. Classes will all be in person and will be a mixture of lectures and discussion-based seminars. The majority of classes will have a guest lecturer related to that week's topic. Guest lectures will include, but not limited to, political appointees, congressional staff, political advocates, elected tribal leaders, and more.

In this course, you will master multiple strategies for creating social change through community organizing, legislative action, administrative processes, and media engagement. Starting with your chosen advocacy issue, you will develop clear mission and vision statements that become the foundation of your work. You will conduct strategic research and create detailed action plans that serve as your roadmap for mobilizing community support and initiating change. By planning and executing a community organizing event, you will transform your strategic vision into tangible community action. Armed with a strong community-based foundation, you will step into the legislative arena to navigate the complexities of policy change. Here, you will identify key decision-makers, draft legislation, and create compelling fact sheets that support your cause. As your advocacy skills deepen, you will build confidence in delivering legislative testimony and learn to draft public comments that influence administrative rule-making—essential tools for shaping public policy. With your policy framework in place, you will harness the power of storytelling to amplify your advocacy message. Through carefully crafted narratives, you will develop sophisticated media engagement strategies, create attention-grabbing press releases, and write persuasive letters to editors. Your mastery of both traditional and social media platforms will exponentially expand your advocacy's reach and impact.

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the various applications of data and health information technology (HIT) across a variety of health care settings and how different players within the health care ecosystem are embracing HIT to improve care delivery. As the health care system in this country evolves, it is becoming increasingly reliant on robust HIT systems to improve care delivery. This course is designed to be an immersion into health care information systems: how they have been enabled by an evolution of HIT policy in the U.S., how different health care players are utilizing HIT to improve outcomes, and how a favorable funding environment has enabled innovative companies to change the way we interact with the health care system.

Executive MHA students will be based in Copenhagen, Denmark for this week-long elective course. Students will have classroom lectures from health care leaders in various areas of Danish health care as well as several site visits to facilities. Additionally, this week will focus on innovation in health care and how best practices from Danish health care can be applied to health care in their home countries.

This course addresses the major themes and controversies in United States immigration law and policy, including: Constitutional limits on legislative and executive power; the role of administrative agencies and the federal courts; the role of state versus federal decision-makers; the admission and removal (deportation) of noncitizens; protections of asylum-seekers and refugees; illegal immigration; strategies of immigration law enforcement; immigration detention; due process rights in removal proceedings; and civil rights of noncitizens. This course will also briefly address some key issues in alienage law and policy, including the rights of noncitizens (including noncitizens without immigration status) to education, work and public benefits.

In collaboration with refugee resettlement centers in New York State, this community-engaged course will explore: the global systems of inequality that produce forced migration; the politics of who gets to be a refugee; the uncertain pathways from conflict to internal displacement and/or non-permanent settlement; and the policies and process that inform refugee resettlement in Upstate New York. Students will work on collaborative projects with refugee-supporting organizations in Upstate NY and will be required to attend at least one course-organized site visit to a partner organization in either Syracuse or Utica.

The core course at Cornell in Washington is an experiential learning class that focuses on engaging with the professional experience of being in DC. Its primary purposes are to give students to build their understanding of their internship work by analyzing and reflecting on that work, understanding the context and structures of the policy and political world with which they are engaging, and learning and practicing the professional forms of writing that that world uses. This process occurs through readings, written assignments, guest speakers, and signature events.

The US and the global community face a number of complex, interconnected and enduring issues that pose challenges for our political and policy governance institutions and society at large. Exploring how the US and the world conceive of the challenges and take action on them is fundamental to understanding them. This course investigates such issues, especially ones in the critical areas of sustainability, social justice, technology, public health and globalization, security and conflict. Students will engage with these areas and issues and the challenges they pose, using multiple frameworks and approaches, through weekly class discussions and lectures.

This course provides an overview of the major programs that make up the social safety net in the United States. We will review the economic rationale behind social programs, identify the economic consequences of these programs, and assess the empirical research on these topics. A major emphasis of the course will be on understanding the strengths and limitations of the core methodologies used in the existing economics literature.

How is public policy really formed in the United States today? Who are the key actors and decision makers who shape the laws and regulations that impact us at the local, state and federal levels of government? Most importantly, how do private individuals (lobbyists, trade associations, media and other influencers) sway how laws, rules and regulations impact our daily lives? The goal of this course is to provide a foundation of how private influence impacts our public policy. Building upon this foundation, students will learn who the key policymakers are in the public sector alongside of those in the private sector who seek to influence them. Students will gain knowledge through academic texts looking at the role of interest group politics in America as well as the Instructor's 30 years of experience working as a public policy practitioner working at the highest levels of government on Capitol Hill and the White House as well as being a former lobbyist and licensed attorney at law.

This course provides an overview of management and policy issues facing the pharmaceutical industry. The course begins with the US market, which is the largest and most profitable, and then explores the state of the industry in other high-income countries as well as emerging markets and developing nations. We also explore the actions of the pharmaceutical industry in the COVID-19 pandemic.

This course prepares students to work within government departments and agencies, state and local authorities, and nonprofit public benefit corporations; and with private firms working in the public interest at the interface with governments and public benefit corporations. While the emphasis is on local and mid-size organizations, some material will address international and domestic national level organizations. As a first-year graduate program course it prepares students to conduct research on public organizations leadership and management and to be effective in public careers. It also prepares upper-level undergraduate students for internships and entry into public-sector careers.

This graduate-level survey course addressing issues in public administration is designed for Executive Master of Public Administration (EMPA) students pursuing careers in government agencies, state and local authorities, and nonprofit organizations; and with private firms working in the public interest at the interface with government agencies. A central theme of the course is strategic planning-how leaders of mission-driven organizations can purposefully meet their organization's objectives in divisive political environments. The objectives of the course are to provide students with frameworks for analyzing various public management challenges from a strategic planning perspective, as well as a better understanding of the rationale and execution of strategic planning in public service. Concepts are paired with case studies from international, federal, state, and local mission-driven organizations to encourage learning through application.

This course provides an overview of the key management issues facing the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. The emphasis is on the United States because it is the largest and most profitable market, but we will briefly cover issues affecting global markets.

This course will provide MPA students with a graduate-level overview of key principles and techniques in applying systems thinking to organizational leadership, change and design in public and nonprofit contexts. Of particular note is the opportunity for students to present their original research at a public symposium/conference at the end of the semester.

This course addresses the role of leaders and leadership in public and non-profit institutions' organizational change. A focus of the course is on how leaders can facilitate diversity, equity, and inclusion in their organizations, how they can leverage diversity for performance improvement, and how they can negotiate identity-based conflict among staff.

This course, designed for Executive Master of Public Administration (EMPA) students, focuses on the role of leaders and leadership in public organizations, such as government entities. It is particularly valuable for students who are pursuing or currently have careers in government at the local, state, or national levels, as well as for those working in private firms that interact with the public sector.

The course will explore the theoretical foundations and politics of global citizenship, U.S. programs designed to promote global citizenship, as well as national and subnational policies in the U.S. and around the world that advance local solutions to global systems of inequality.

Public affairs is a field that is heavily shaped by conflict, as well as opportunities for collaboration. Learning how to negotiate conflict and collaboration is therefore essential for successful professional practice. In this course, you will learn how to improve your negotiation skills through applied tools, best practices, case studies and negotiations practice. Throughout this course, you will be asked to build your own negotiation case study using a scenario provided to you. These practical exercises will allow you to apply the ideas and concepts presented in each unit using case studies that will provide skills to prepare and manage negotiations.

Public affairs is a field that is heavily shaped by conflict, as well as opportunities for collaboration. Learning how to negotiate conflict and collaboration is therefore essential for successful professional practice. In this course, you will learn how to improve your negotiations skills through applied tools, best practices, and case studies. Students will also have the opportunity to practice their negotiations through live, active negotiation exercises with peers.

Debates on theories and practice of international development suggest that there have been serious challenges in ensuring aid effectiveness. Substantial investments made by 'donor' countries often fail to yield the intended development results. At the heart of such debates are varying, contested notions and frameworks to achieve 'development' and 'progress'. This short course attempts to familiarize students with how different actors perceive development and how that impacts development programming in local contexts. The course will assess the prevalent paradigms of development, from the United Nations system to the bilateral and multilateral frameworks and from international NGOs to the religious charities. Class participants will learn about the challenges faced and constraints reproduced by the international development bureaucracies. Each week, students would be expected to read and discuss the suggested readings, cite country contexts and address an applied development question. For final project, students will be given the option to apply course readings, discussions to a policy issue that they will complete with independent research and online inquires with development practitioners.

Standard economic theory assumes that individuals are rational decision-makers; however, that is often not the case in the real world. Behavioral economics uses findings from psychology to determine ways in which individuals are systematically irrational to improve upon existing models. The first part of this course reviews these theories, while the second part of the course focuses on how these findings have been used to design better education, health, and tax policies as well as many others.

This course introduces the application of legal concepts to decision-making processes conducted by governmental agencies, particularly at the federal level. It explores how constitutional law, statutory law, and judge-made law shape agency decisions. Attention is given, for example, to roles agencies play in American government, differences between rule-making proceedings and adjudications, rights of parties to obtain judicial review of agency decisions, how judges review factual and legal determinations by agency officials, and the rights of parties appearing before agencies.

As technology improves and global infrastructure grows in complexity and reach, government bureaucracies struggle to keep pace. Agencies must adopt and execute new policies while conforming their actions to the rules of law. Administrative decisions affect our daily lives in countless ways, including food safety, weather forecasting, internet speed and availability, and trash collection to name a few. This course takes a comparative approach, examining different countries' methods for addressing the legal aspects of public administrative agencies with regard to their purpose, operation, rule-making, and ethics.

This course aims to teach students the basics of global food systems, their governance, and the public policies that shape them across the globe. An emphasis will be put on understanding the interconnections between the developed world and the global south in food consumption and production.

This course will explore the traditional dynamic and norms of political press coverage in the United States, and the impact of those patterns on both the government and the nation; some of the ways longstanding norms have recently shifted, and continue to shift; the larger historical forces and long-term trends driving those changes; and the theoretical questions, logistical challenges and ethical dilemmas these changes pose for both political journalists and those they cover. The course will equally cover the practice of political reporting, including weekly analysis and discussion of current press coverage, in-class exercises and simulations, readings from academic and journalistic sources, and visits from leading political reporters and former spokespeople able to offer a firsthand perspective on the topics.

A vital skill in business and in life is being able to connect with other people by making your case and communicating genuine emotion, even in the most intimidating circumstances. In this course, you will learn through a cyclical pattern. You'll be instructed on a specific skill set, then asked to record and present yourself performing an activity or scripted behavior. You'll practice analyzing your performance, repeating and refining your work in exercises specially designed by Cornell Theatre Professor David M. Feldshuh.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 states that countries should: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls by 2030. What is empowerment and how will we know when it has been achieved? Why is gender inequality a problem for countries? In this course, we formulate answers to these questions through an examination of gender and development policy past and present. We unpack different and often competing definitions of 'empowerment' and 'gender equality' deployed in global policy, and understand the historical lineages of development theory and feminisms that led to 'gender' as an important policy consideration. Importantly, students build analytical tools for evaluating how intersectional experiences of gender shape the impact of these policies on the lives of women, girls, and other gender minorities. This course blends practice and theory, encouraging students to evaluate the material effects of diverse approaches to reducing gender inequality through case studies, writing, and readings in gender and global policy.

This course is designed for students interested in learning the foundations of data management and programming in R. The goal is to teach students how to obtain and curate real world data, determine its reliability, manage large databases, create variables useful for analysis, and more. Much of the work will be done using R libraries, which can help facilitate the functionality of R without increasing the complexity.

This course equips students with critical skills for leading in diverse, global organizations. By exploring public narratives, the politics of diversity, and cross-cultural leadership, students will learn to reflect on social identities, facilitate meaningful dialogue, and navigate the complexities of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in varied cultural contexts.

This graduate-level survey course addresses issues in market regulation and public policy. It reviews and applies tools acquired in prior economics and public administration classes to examine several important policy problems. This class will refine students' ability to use economics and statistics to illuminate the causes and consequences of several policy interventions. It will illustrate how those tools can help formalize and organize complex concepts and thus reveal both the intended and unintended effects of various policies. We examine several specific policies and their effects, including racial discrimination and deregulation in trucking, unintended effects of the Endangered Species Act, the move from a military draft to an All-Volunteer Military, and real-time, network-wide pricing of roads. A broader goal is a facility for reading relevant economic literature. As a graduate-level course, students are expected to have thoroughly read all materials prior to class and be well-prepared to discuss readings/cases/case memos with colleagues.

Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are increasingly being used as strategies to address significant public policy challenges, particularly in the developing world. This summer Executive Master of Public Administration residential intensive course will examine how governments are partnering with for-profit and nonprofit organizations, shaping public policy, redefining traditional methods of public administration, and solving some of the world's most intractable problems. The course addresses the multiple contexts in which public-private partnerships have been utilized, including transportation, infrastructure, education, smart cities, and public health. Here, we will look at whether multi-stakeholder partnerships are an effective means to relieve financial burdens on states and communities, when it is most appropriate for public entities to utilize private sector expertise, and when shared risk makes fiscal sense for both the public and private sectors. Discussions will also emphasize management challenges within multi-stakeholder partnerships and their impact on performance in the delivery of public services.

This course will provide an overview of operations within hospital and ambulatory settings. We will start with the development of a definition of “operations”. It is important for students to describe operational concerns and activities distinct from, but in relation to, other domains in the provider setting (e.g. strategy, capital planning, human resources). Lectures will include deep dives into resource planning, process design, policy and governance, financial management, and performance monitoring.

This graduate-level course covers the fundamentals of strategic planning applied to public and nonprofit sector contexts. We investigate the importance of strategic planning for organizational management as well as the fundamentals of how to develop an actionable strategic plan that supports organizational values and goals. Specifically, this course will teach basic skills in strategic thinking, stakeholder mapping, organizational analysis, and strategies for operationalizing growth. Special emphasis is on strategic planning as a policy and decision-making process with the potential to leverage underrepresented voices.

The Nonprofit sector plays an important role in society and makes up a growing share of the U.S. economy. In this course, we use economic theory and econometric tools to examine the nonprofit market and how it gets shaped by public policy. Topics covered include theories of the nonprofit market, determinants of charitable giving and volunteering, the role played by religion, competition between nonprofits and for-profits in labor markets, and the effects of taxes, subsidies and regulations.

This course will address major challenges in international human rights law, policy, and practice. Specific topics include children's rights, women's rights, LGBTQI+ rights, the rights of refugees and migrants, the rights of people with disabilities, the rights of minorities and freedom from discrimination, freedom from torture, the right to life, the death penalty, modern slavery, and the right to sustainable development. We will also discuss the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and corporations with respect to human rights, as well as the impact of actions (and inactions) by states and institutions in the Global North on the realization of human rights in states in the Global South.

The primary learning goals of this course are (1) to understand the core concepts of microeconomics and (2) to develop analytical/problem-solving skills. This course differs from typical intermediate-level microeconomic courses in that there will be more emphasis on the role of policy and the public sector in the economy, although understanding the role and effectiveness of markets will remain central. This course is not a substitute for a full-semester comprehensive course in public economics but is a good foundation for that field-level course.

The primary learning goals of this course are (1) to understand the core concepts of microeconomics and (2) to develop analytical/problem-solving skills. This course differs from typical intermediate-level microeconomic courses in that there will be more emphasis on the role of policy and the public sector in the economy, although understanding the role and effectiveness of markets will remain central.

This course covers topics in public economics and political economy. The course will use the tools of economics to consider when and how the government should intervene in the economy, and how different levels of government might intervene differently. Both theory and applications will be covered.

This course equips students to critically evaluate the role of education in society, analyze and compare global education policies, and assess their effectiveness. By applying theoretical perspectives and comparative methods, students will synthesize insights to propose informed policy reforms addressing social, economic, and political challenges in diverse contexts.

This course applies statistical and economic approaches to analyze risk, the approaches to managing risk by private and government actors, and the impact of government risk policies on the private economy. The course aims to provide students with a broad understanding of risk management problems and solutions, a greater appreciation of the importance of risk management and policy, and increased comprehension of the challenges and complexities of managing key societal risks. Students will enhance their capacity to analyze risk and appreciate the importance of managing risk; will gain working knowledge of important risk management terminology, tools, and institutions; will practice identifying and quantitatively measuring risk; increase their capacity for critical analysis of risk management approaches; and acauire capacity to contribute to discussions of risk governance and its implications.

This course considers the dynamics of housing markets and neighborhoods in American metropolitan areas and the public policies designed to regulate them. In the first part of the course we examine the demographic and economic forces at work in metropolitan neighborhoods, focusing on trends in inequality and segregation and how they have been influenced by macroeconomic trends and public policies. In the second part of the course, we examine federal and local housing policies related to subsidized housing, homeownership, and land regulation and we analyze the empirical and normative debates surrounding their effectiveness. Students will also gain experience locating and analyzing data about neighborhoods and housing policies.

This course will explore how American law and policy have confronted and continue to confront issues of sexuality. The focus will primarily be on how law and policy treat lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. While 2015 brought marriage equality and 2020 brought federal protections in employment, the fight for full LGBTQ equality continues. The class will discuss this fight's legal history and current status. Current debates, Constitutional and otherwise, will also be explored around topics such as the First Amendment and LGBTQ family formation. The potential effects that the 2022 abortion rights decision may have on LGBTQ rights will also be addressed. This course will provide a grounding in the contours of current sexuality law and policy while delving into some emerging areas that remain ripe for new policy formation. Students will also learn how to read and brief legal opinions. The class will be taught primarily through a legal lens. Still, prior legal education or experience is neither required nor expected. The course will be taught through a hybrid combination of lecture and seminar-style discussion and a few guest speakers directly involved in the debate.

In this course, we will examine one of the most important documents in American history - our Constitution. Course topics will include the historical background of the document from the Magna Carta to the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation. We will look at the creation of the Constitution, including the conflict between strong supporters of this proposed new Constitution (Federalists) and their opponents (Anti-Federalists). How did the Founders resolve their differences and what led the States to adopt a document limiting and balancing the powers of the President, Congress, and the Judiciary? We shall look at the constant tension (from the beginning to the present) over the balance of power between the three co-equal branches. We shall discuss the role of the Constitution from both empirical and theoretical perspectives and look at how it has evolved from 1788 to the present day. Special attention will be paid to the use of Amendments, particularly the Bill of Rights, to address events/circumstances unforeseen by the drafters. Finally, the course will discuss critical cases where the Supreme Court defined and redefined what the Constitution meant.

Population health focuses on the health and well-being of entire populations. Populations may be geographically defined, such as neighborhoods or counties; may be based on groups of individuals who share common characteristics such as age, race-ethnicity, disease status, or socioeconomic status; or may be attributed to accountable healthcare organizations using a variety of methods. With roots in epidemiology, public health, and demography, a key component of population health is the focus on the social determinants of health and collaborative, holistic, patient-centered and coordinated care to improve population health, identify and reduce health disparities, improve healthcare quality, and reduce healthcare costs. Given the shifting health care environment - from fee-for-service to value-based care - healthcare managers who are able to apply tools to measure, analyze, evaluate and improve population health (one aim of IHI's Triple Aim) will be well-positioned for positions in health care as the field continues to evolve.

Risky health behaviors such as drug abuse, alcohol abuse, cigarette smoking, risky sex, poor diet, physical inactivity, and self-harm are responsible for hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths and impose billions of dollars in medical care costs each year in the United States. This course teaches the economic approach to studying risky health behaviors. The research literature on the economic causes and correlates of risky health behaviors will be studied. Numerous policies to modify risky health behaviors, such as the minimum legal drinking age and recreational marijuana laws, will be debated in class. Students will also participate in a policy wargame on the subject of taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages.

Population health focuses on the health and well-being of entire populations. Populations may be geographically defined, such as neighborhoods or counties; may be based on groups of individuals who share common characteristics such as disease status, socioeconomic status, or race-ethnicity; or may be made of patients attributed to accountable healthcare organizations using a variety of methods. With roots in epidemiology, public health, and demography, key tools of population health management include risk stratification, chronic care management, identifying upstream social determinants of health, improving health equity, and cross-sector collaboration to improve prevention and wellness. Given the shifting health care environment - from fee-for-service to value-based care - healthcare managers who are able to apply tools to measure, analyze, evaluate, and improve the health of populations (and achieve the Triple Aim) will be well-positioned to achieve value as the field continues to evolve.

Risky health behaviors such as cigarette smoking, alcohol abuse, risky sex, drug use, poor diet and physical inactivity (leading to obesity), and self-harm are responsible for hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths and impose billions of dollars in medical care costs each year in the United States. This course teaches the economic approach to studying risky health behaviors. The research literature on the economic causes and correlates of risky health behaviors will be studied. Numerous policies to modify risky health behaviors, such as the minimum legal drinking age and recreational marijuana laws, will be debated in class. We will conduct a policy wargame, with students creating advertisements and giving oral presentations to advocate a specific policy position.

This class is an applied introduction to multivariate statistical inference that is aimed at graduate students with little prior statistical experience, and satisfies the Quantitative Methods and Analytics requirement in the MPA Program. We will begin with a brief introduction to basic statistical concepts and probability theory before introducing the linear regression model. We then review several tools for diagnosing violations of statistical assumptions, including how to deal with outliers, missing data, omitted variables, and weighting. We will next consider situations in which linear regression will yield biased estimates of the population parameters of interest, with particular attention paid to measurement error, selection on unobservables, and omitted variables. The course will end with an introduction to extensions of the linear regression model, including models for binary and categorical outcomes. While statistical modeling is the focus of the course, we proceed with the assumption that models are only as good as the theoretical and substantive knowledge behind them. Thus, in covering the technical material, we will spend considerable time discussing the link between substantive knowledge and statistical practice. The course is designed primarily for professional masters students.

An introduction to statistical methods commonly used in managerial decision making. Topics to be covered include the descriptive analysis of data, inferential methods (estimation and hypothesis testing), regression and correlation analysis, as well as quality control methods. The course will involve a research project designed to give experience in collecting and interpreting data.

Mental illnesses are common in the United States. More than 1 in 5 adults (greater than 50 million people) live with a mental health illness and 1 in 5 youth (ages 13-18) will have experienced a seriously debilitating mental illness in their lifetime. Yet, less than half of those who need treatment receive it: Depression is the leading cause of disability, suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among youth aged 10-14, and unmet mental health needs have profound long-term consequences including reductions in overall health and quality of life; substance use and addiction; family disruption; criminal justice system involvement; homelessness; unemployment and productivity losses; and early preventable mortality. This course provides an overview of the state of mental health in the United States with a focus on the drivers of mental well-being, mental illness, and mental health inequities. We will examine how mental health practice and policy can improve (or impede) community mental well-being, quality of mental health care, and mental health outcomes for those experiencing mental illness. Intentional focus will be given to topics such as stigma, historical trauma, and racism in addition to the importance of culturally intentional and patient-centered evidence-based care in order to collectively envision healthier and more equitable futures.

This course serves as an introduction to the art of model building, especially related to public sector planning and management issues. The course also introduces the quantitative approach for identifying, evaluating and estimating the physical, economic, environmental, and social impacts of alternative decisions planners and managers are asked to make.

This class explores the most pressing legal and policy dilemmas in the field of children's rights. We will take a U.S. and international law approach to major topics including: protection from child abuse and neglect; alternative care and adoption; juvenile justice, police and community violence; education rights, including the rights of children with disabilities; internet freedoms and dangers, including cyberbullying and pornography; health and medical decision-making; sexual abuse, exploitation and trafficking; the rights of refugee and immigrant children; child poverty; the right to a sustainable environment; and issues of child voice, including children's rights to participate in the political process and the ethical obligations governing the legal representation of children.

The term firm has very broad usage. It refers to any organizational form that people use to create teams or groups that focus on achieving a specific purpose. Firms provide a structure through which people can organize themselves into those groups or teams. They are categorized by the nature of the property rights owners hold in the firm, and by the details of the firm's contractual arrangements. Common firm types include partnerships, sole proprietorships, non-profits, mutuals, and publicly traded corporations, among others. This course focuses on one important firm type: the modern publicly traded, privately owned corporation. The course uses economic and statistical analysis to study the interaction of the public corporation, the market, and the law, and how those interactions affect the welfare of managers, shareholders and consumers. The costs and benefits of that standard corporate form of organization are examined. A variety of legal institutions, some of which have evolved over decades, are analyzed. Those institutions define and govern the corporation. They include limited liability, fiduciary duties, the business judgment rule, and shareholder voting. The mechanisms of corporate governance, i.e., those legal and market-based forces that help control the corporation and ensure that managers operate it in shareholders' interest, are examined. Corporate governance mechanisms include hostile takeovers, insider trading, outside directors on the board, the monitoring role of institutional investors, audits, and executive compensation plans. State corporate law and anti-takeover devices are also discussed. The role and impact of federal policies, such as the 1933-34 Exchange Acts, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the Dodd-Frank Act in affecting corporate structure and managerial behavior will be an important focus. Other institutions and policies related to publicly traded corporations, such as sovereign wealth funds and government-sponsored enterprises, will also be examined along the way.

Infrastructure provides essential services such as road and highway transportation, ports and airports, communications, electricity, clean drinking water, and wastewater treatment. This course examines policies related to operation, maintenance, and especially funding and financing of critical physical infrastructure. It includes regulatory issues such as controlling market power, ensuring adequate service quality, and maintaining the assets in question.

This course is a general introduction to evaluation research for assessing social programs and interventions. The course uses an evolutionary and systems thinking perspective on evaluation. Students will learn essential concepts in program evaluation that will enable them to design a high-quality evaluation plan for a program or intervention. The basic steps involved in creating any evaluation plan are explained, including: 1) Preparation (entering the system, developing a memorandum of understanding, identifying internal stakeholders, creating working group(s), and assessing evaluation capacity); 2) Program Model Development (stakeholder analysis, program review, program boundary analysis, program lifecycle analysis, logic modeling, program pathway models, setting evaluation scope, identifying relevant prior research); and 3) Evaluation Plan Creation (evaluation purpose, evaluation questions/hypotheses, measurement, sampling, design, data management and analysis, reporting and utilization).

This course examines results-based management of the programs and projects of international organizations, with an emphasis on evaluation. The course covers how results-based management concepts can be applied at the international level, the process of planning an evaluation, the main analytical techniques that are usually employed and, as a final step, undertakes evaluations of specific projects and programs made by the main organizations at the international level.