MS in Social Policy

Course Descriptions

SP628.  Social Policy Analysis: Part 1 (1 CU)  
Understanding the development and implementation of legislation is critical to the policy analysis process. This work occurs in a political context. Thus, a social problem analysis framework will be the lens through which issues and policy initiatives will be critiqued. By reviewing both contemporary and historical social policy initiatives, this course will provide students with an understanding of the structure, function and processes of the legislative and executive branches, including the establishment of a legislative sanction, the role of the regulatory process, appropriations, methods of financing as well as strategies to effect social policy change.

SP631.  Social Policy Analysis: Part 2 (1 CU)  
This course introduces students to the structure of policy making in the U.S. in particular policy made via the judicial branch of government. The course will focus on a concrete understanding of the elements of case law including legal research and writing, judicial jurisdiction and forms of authority, the organizational flow of federal and state courts and other legal concepts. This course will help students to understand and interpret case law using a social problem analysis framework which critically evaluates the social and cultural contexts of such law. Students will also learn strategies to effect social policy change on the judicial side, including writing legal briefs, legal advocacy, and case vs. class action law suits.

SP630.  Quantitative Reasoning (1 CU)  
“Quantitative Reasoning” is designed to provide students with a broad range of quantitative methods and applications. The course provides a conceptual understanding of inferential statistics including probability theory, confidence intervals, and hypothesis testing. Topics covered are: operationalization and measurement of variables; exploration and categorization of quantitative data; generalization of research findings from samples to populations; and statistical data processing and analysis. Students will have hands-on experience in applying quantitative reasoning to address social policy issues and program evaluation using existing datasets. Students will have the opportunity to present data in different formats and to critique the application of quantitative data in technical reports and professional journals.

SP629.  Research & Evaluation Design (1 CU)  
“Research & Evaluation Design” introduces social research methods in the context of social policy and program evaluation. The course provides a conceptual and practical understanding in the design of experimental, quasi-experimental, and non-experimental research and in the application of quantitative and qualitative methods. Students learn about the application of the research process and skills in all phases of assessing a social policy and developing a social program, including needs assessment, implementation analysis, and evaluation of policy or program effectiveness. Students learn to be critical and informed consumers of research and to apply guidelines of research ethics in social policy settings.

SP968.  Social Welfare and Economics (1 CU)
This course examines the major economic decisions related to social welfare issues in the United States.  Particular attention is paid to the implications of social choices in relation to the goals of increased equity and equality in the distribution of income and power.

Students successfully completing this course should have a working knowledge of basic concepts in economics, and their use. They should develop an economic perspective with which they can analyze the behavior of individuals and institutions. Students should also be able to use a variety of tools and concepts from economics to explain and analyze the causes and effects of poverty and discrimination on various parts of the population, and have a working knowledge of various relevant economic theories. It is the foremost objective of this course to help students to "think like an economist," however the readings and discussion will not be limited to economics. The readings are chosen to demonstrate the complexity of the issues involved and not resolve the issues. 

SP632.  Capstone Seminar (2 CUs)
The focus of the Capstone Seminar is three-fold: 1) to help students integrate the theory and practice of social policy analysis; 2) to help students formulate a manageable plan for conducting a graduate-level analysis of a social policy issue, problem or dilemma of special interest to the student; and 3) to facilitate the student’s work in preparing the required policy analysis thesis.  When appropriate, the Capstone Seminar also will assist students in bridging their experiences in the social policy field research internship with those of completing work on the thesis.