Public Policy Program’s Fall 2025 Core Courses
PUPOL 100: Introduction to Public Policy
PUPOL 100 is an interdisciplinary course designed to introduce students to basic concepts in policy studies. It is taught by faculty from different disciplines. It will acquaint students with public policy as a field of study, the basic elements of the policy-making process, and a variety of approaches for applying distinct modes of analysis (political, economic, demographic, statistical, qualitative, normative). In addition to a textbook and select articles that have defined the field, the course uses practical case studies that address a range of policy problems. This course is open to students who declare the Public Policy Minor.
Section 1: Tuesday, 11:00am-1:45pm with Elizabeth Marcello, Public Policy Program Doctoral Lecturer
Section 2: Thursday, 1:00pm-3:45pm with Elizabeth Marcello, Public Policy Program Doctoral Lecturer
PUPOL 400: Public Policy Capstone Seminar
PUPOL 100 is an interdisciplinary course designed to introduce students to basic concepts in policy studies. It is taught by faculty from different disciplines. It will acquaint students with public policy as a field of study, the basic elements of the policy-making process, and a variety of approaches for applying distinct modes of analysis (political, economic, demographic, statistical, qualitative, normative). In addition to a textbook and select articles that have defined the field, the course uses practical case studies that address a range of policy problems. This course is open to students who declare the Public Policy Minor.
Wednesday, 11:30am-2:20pm with Joe Lowndes, Public Policy Program Director
Public Policy Program’s Fall 2025 Electives
URBS 4031B: Public Policy in New York City
This course will examine the governmental and societal processes for addressing major public policy problems and issues in America’s largest urban centers, with an emphasis on the New York City context. Discussions will encompass the economic, social, and political context as well as how cities function within the American federal system. The course will explore a range of urban policy areas drawn from New York City’s current challenges, including economic change; economic development and urban planning; state and local budgeting and tax policy; income polarization and the role of local policy levers in addressing polarization; housing; public safety; immigration; urban regeneration; transportation; and poverty, welfare, work, and work supports.
Monday, 1:00-3:45 PM with Elizabeth Marcello, Public Policy Program Doctoral Lecturer
POLSC 31723: Politics of Rage
In this seminar we explore the contemporary politics of the right and far right in the United States in order to understand what it is, how it emerged, and what its existence means for US democracy. We will define various political terms associated with right-wing politics, including conservatism, populism, and fascism. We will explore the history of the right as it occurs in party politics, institutions, social movements and online; we will examine the relationship of race, gender, sexuality, and class to right-wing initiatives and identities; and use the tools we develop to analyze the 2024 elections.
Monday/Thursday, 10:00-11:15 AM with Joe Lowndes, Public Policy Program Director
WGS 3001P: Women and Gender in U.S. Policy Formation
This course provides an overview of the major debates concerning women and politics. We begin by examining the historical evolution of women’s participation in American politics starting from the temperance movement and women’s suffrage through to the modern feminist movement. In the next section of the class, we analyze the experience of women as voters, candidates, and officeholders. This part of the course deals with such questions as: What is the gender gap? Are voters biased against female candidates? Do female politicians have different issue priorities than male politicians? This includes an analysis of women in Congress, the Executive branch and the Judiciary. The third section of the class analyzes relevant constitutional law in the areas of employment, family, and reproductive law.
Thursday, 4:00-6:45 PM with Korey Hughes
URBS 4032Z: Federal Power and Public School Policy
This course examines the historical development and contemporary manifestations of core educational issues in the United States. Topics include, but are not limited to, the history of the U.S. Department of Education, major federal and state policies, and the intersections of civil rights and schooling. Students will analyze key legislation, Supreme Court decisions, and historical reports (e.g., The Kerner Report) while critically engaging with the political and social forces that shape education. The course balances technical knowledge of education policy and law with critical theoretical perspectives, equipping students to understand both the structures of schooling and the broader contexts of the U.S. educational system.
Thursday, 11:30 AM-2:20 PM with Catherine Voulgarides
