MPA/MAAP Dual Degree Archive 2020-2021
The Institute for Public Service, in conjunction with the Political Science & Legal Studies Department, offers a dual degree program in Public Administration and Applied Politics.
Master of Public Administration (MPA)/Master of Arts in Applied Politics (MAAP) Archive 2020-2021
Degree Requirements: 18 courses, 54 credits
This 18-course (54 credits) program consists of:
- Eight required MPA courses (24 credits)
- Two MPA electives (6 credits)
- Five required Political Science courses (15 credits)
- Three Political Science electives (9 credits)
MPA Requirements: 10 courses, 30 credits
MPA Core Requirements (8 courses, 24 credits)
P.AD-711 Foundations of Public Service and Administration
3.00
This introductory graduate-level course provides an overview of public administration and service and serves as a basis for further advanced studies in the MPA program. This course covers the structure, functions, and process of public service organizations at various levels, including governments and nonprofit organizations. Students explore historical trends, ethical considerations, and political rationale for the present operations of public service.
P.AD-713 Managing Financial Resources
3.00
This course introduces the fundamentals of budgeting, financial management, and revenue systems. Course goals include a heightened awareness of the democratic ideals and values that must inform budgeting and financial management decisions, including a commitment to ethics, transparency and accountability; an understanding of the budget process and the distinctive features of budgetary decision making; an understanding of the critical linkage between budgeting and financial management systems and the capacity of an organization to achieve its strategic goals; the ability to use the budget and financial reports as planning and management tools; knowledge of the basic principles of taxation as well as the structures and functions of federal, state, and local revenue systems. The course emphasizes knowledge and skills essential to the full range of public service careers.
P.AD-715 Quantitative Analysis
3.00
Quantitative analysis introduces basic statistical techniques used to analyze and draw conclusions from citizen and client surveys; program and policy evaluations; and performance and operations data. These techniques include chi square, lambda, gamma, correlations, and analysis of variance, t test correlations, and multivariate regression. Knowledge of these statistical techniques empowers managers by giving them the ability to evaluate the work of consultants, access the policy and management of literature, and analyze data using the analytical tools available in commonly used statistical software, such as Microsoft Excel and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).
P.AD-716 Public Service Human Resource Management
3.00
This course will explore complex issues in public and non-profit human resource management (HRM) by examining policies and practices that support and enhance the value and contribution of individuals in these organizations.
P.AD-717 Organizational Change
3.00
Students explore small groups and organization operations, practices, behaviors, and structures. They develop techniques for maximizing efficiency and/or effectiveness; evaluation analysis; concepts and applications of Classicists; leadership; organizational development, and result-oriented management; as well as elements of reorganization, innovation and change.
P.AD-718 Leadership Strategies for an Interconnected World
3.00
Leadership is a critical ingredient of successful communities and organizations. This course develops a diagnostic framework as well as strategies and tactics to mobilize adaptive work; engage multiple government, non-profit, and business stakeholders; and build awareness and momentum for actions at all levels of government and community organizations. It introduces the catalytic model of leadership and applies it to the ethical handling of societal and organizational problems. Students' leadership competencies are reviewed and improved. This course is designed for people from diverse backgrounds with various experience in leadership roles.
P.AD-810 Public Sector Admin Law
3.00
Students review the basis for administrative practice. They learn legal interpretation of statutes, regulations, and proposed legislation that impact public administration and public policy.
P.AD-890 Strategic Management
Restricted to students that have completed 30 credits.
3.00
Students will integrate the substance of previous courses in order to develop a capacity for strategic management based on a personal perspective of the role of the professional manager in the policy making process. This holistic perspective is expressed in an extensive research paper that describes the leadership role of the professional manager and defines a basis for ethical action. The course features the review of research articles, the discussion of case studies, and a consideration of future trends in public and non-profit management.
MPA Electives (2 courses, 6 credits)
Choose any two (2) PAD 800- or 900-level elective courses.
Students must complete 30 credit hours in the Institute for Public Service; PAD and POLS electives are not interchangeable.
Notes:
- Students must take POLS-777 prior to taking P.AD-715.
- Students with no professional public management experience must take PAD 859 Public Service Internship (this will count as an elective). Students who take POLS-723 do not need to take P.AD-859 and can take an additional MPA elective.
- Students should meet with their faculty advisor in both programs when determining their program.
Applied Politics Requirements: 8 courses, 24 credits
MAAP Core Requirements (5 courses, 15 credits)
POLS-723 Graduate Internship
3.00
This internship option is recommended for students seeking careers in professional politics or international relations. Typically, an internship will involve supervised work at a professional level in a political campaign, on a legislative staff, in an international non-governmental organization, or in a legislative relations for a governmental agency or private organization. Internship placement must be approved by the student's advisor, and will typically require at least 20 hours of work per week for the duration of a semester and the completion of a research paper based on the internship experience. The research paper must be approved by a departmental committee.
POLS-724 Politics of Public Policy
3.00
This course examines the politics of making public policy. How is policy made? Who is involved? What kinds of information do policy-makers rely on to make their decisions? How do political opportunities shape potential for policy change, shifts or stasis? We will examine how policy decisions are made and how policy makers cope and adapt to a diverse set of constraints. We will also focus on what political strategies can be used to improve policy-making processes and outcomes. Students will be required to interview policy makers about a specific policy and write a comprehensive policy analysis. The course is intended to have both theoretical and practical value.
POLS-747 Seminar in Legislation & Lobbying
3.00
Core course for the Professional Politics Concentration. Students will read and discuss current research on legislative politics and organization, including committees, interest groups and lobbying, legislative voting and decision making, and other topics. Students will conduct their own research and present it to the seminar.
POLS-755 Seminar Campaigns & Elections
3.00
Core course for the Professional Politics Concentration. Students will read and discuss current research on campaigns and elections, voting behavior, and political parties, and will conduct their own research and present it to the seminar.
POLS-777 Writing for the Policy Professional
Open to graduate students only;
3.00
The aim of this course is to familiarize students with the major written formats of the policy-making process including background memos, literature reviews, white-papers, policy analyses, one-pagers, talking points memos, op-eds, and legislative histories. This writing-intensive course focuses on public policy writing techniques and methods, and helps students to develop writing skills applicable to the private, nonprofit, and government sectors.
MAAP Electives (3 courses, 9 credits)
Electives will be chosen to support your field of concentration and choice of internship area.
Public Administration Courses Archive 2020-2021
P.AD-711 Foundations of Public Service and Administration
3.00
This introductory graduate-level course provides an overview of public administration and service and serves as a basis for further advanced studies in the MPA program. This course covers the structure, functions, and process of public service organizations at various levels, including governments and nonprofit organizations. Students explore historical trends, ethical considerations, and political rationale for the present operations of public service.
P.AD-712 Information Based Management
3.00
This course demonstrates how issues, problems, and questions surrounding public policies, program operations, and administrative systems can be structured as hypotheses and made amendable to resolution through the application of social science research techniques. The elements of research design such as surveys, true experiments, quasi-experiments, case studies and non-experimental studies are described, as well as sampling techniques and descriptive statistics. Ethical issues related to employment of these methods in the policy making process are also explored. The course content is presented as a way to reduce managerial uncertainty regarding alternative courses of action.
P.AD-713 Managing Financial Resources
3.00
This course introduces the fundamentals of budgeting, financial management, and revenue systems. Course goals include a heightened awareness of the democratic ideals and values that must inform budgeting and financial management decisions, including a commitment to ethics, transparency and accountability; an understanding of the budget process and the distinctive features of budgetary decision making; an understanding of the critical linkage between budgeting and financial management systems and the capacity of an organization to achieve its strategic goals; the ability to use the budget and financial reports as planning and management tools; knowledge of the basic principles of taxation as well as the structures and functions of federal, state, and local revenue systems. The course emphasizes knowledge and skills essential to the full range of public service careers.
P.AD-715 Quantitative Analysis
3.00
Quantitative analysis introduces basic statistical techniques used to analyze and draw conclusions from citizen and client surveys; program and policy evaluations; and performance and operations data. These techniques include chi square, lambda, gamma, correlations, and analysis of variance, t test correlations, and multivariate regression. Knowledge of these statistical techniques empowers managers by giving them the ability to evaluate the work of consultants, access the policy and management of literature, and analyze data using the analytical tools available in commonly used statistical software, such as Microsoft Excel and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).
P.AD-716 Public Service Human Resource Management
3.00
This course will explore complex issues in public and non-profit human resource management (HRM) by examining policies and practices that support and enhance the value and contribution of individuals in these organizations.
P.AD-717 Organizational Change
3.00
Students explore small groups and organization operations, practices, behaviors, and structures. They develop techniques for maximizing efficiency and/or effectiveness; evaluation analysis; concepts and applications of Classicists; leadership; organizational development, and result-oriented management; as well as elements of reorganization, innovation and change.
P.AD-718 Leadership Strategies for an Interconnected World
3.00
Leadership is a critical ingredient of successful communities and organizations. This course develops a diagnostic framework as well as strategies and tactics to mobilize adaptive work; engage multiple government, non-profit, and business stakeholders; and build awareness and momentum for actions at all levels of government and community organizations. It introduces the catalytic model of leadership and applies it to the ethical handling of societal and organizational problems. Students' leadership competencies are reviewed and improved. This course is designed for people from diverse backgrounds with various experience in leadership roles.
P.AD-810 Public Sector Admin Law
3.00
Students review the basis for administrative practice. They learn legal interpretation of statutes, regulations, and proposed legislation that impact public administration and public policy.
P.AD-811 Politics of Federal Bureaucracy
3.00
Instructor's signature required for registration. Students examine the interrelations among the federal executive, Congressional committees, constituency groups, and federal administrative agencies in the formulation and implementation of federal policies. Also discussed are managerial functions (e.g., personnel regulations, program evaluations, and intergovernmental design). This course includes a 3-day travel seminar to Washington D.C.
P.AD-814 Collaborative Public Management
3.00
Examination of patterns of intergovernmental operations and administration. Special emphasis on changing techniques of intergovernmental management and emerging patterns of intergovernmental relations. Issues such as regionalism, program mandates, and resource management will be explored.
P.AD-815 Nonprofit Management
3.00
The primary focus will be on understanding the operational and strategic leadership aspects of managing mission driven, public service organizations. Specific emphasis will be placed on nonprofit corporations, including coursework that explores the legal, structural, and operational issues that are particular to such organizations.
P.AD-816 Seminar in Public Policy
3.00
This is an intensive analysis of selected public policy challenges. Using a combination of case studies, theoretical writings, and real-time intelligence and reports, students discuss and compare the substance, practices, and impacts of contemporary public policy issues. Through this examination students will consider operations and methodologies used to understand and tackle public policy systems analysis. Examples are used to demonstrate how these analytical methods can be used to make more informed policy decisions and assessments. Topics for this course will vary and students may take this course more than once as long as the topic (title) is different.
P.AD-817 Administrative Strategies of State and Local Government
3.00
This course is built on the premise that state and local government leaders have an obligation to fully develop the human resources, network relationships and physical assets available to them so as to increase the value of their organizations to the public. Through case studies, students will explore the successes and failures of state and local government leaders and their strategies in major policy arenas, such as public safety, health and welfare, education, environment and economic development. Through readings, students will examine state and local government structures and functions, political culture, and administrative reforms.
P.AD-819 Grant Writing and Management
3.00
PAD 819 covers both grant seeking and grant writing. Students, individually, or in teams work with a nonprofit or government organization to develop a project idea and prepare a Master Grant Proposal and a Grant Application to be submitted to a most-likely-to-fund grant maker. Classes focus on step-by-step grant writing & grant seeking process, and the instructor also consults with student-grant writers individually and via Blackboard.
P.AD-822 Public Management Information Systems
3.00
A decision-making course focusing on applying high speed information systems to support administrative and managerial functions. PMIS incorporates organizational assessments leading to purchasing computer hardware and software, office automation, and diverse communications including electronic automation, and diverse communications including electronic mail, Internet, telecommunications, and networking. Current events, professional journals and the technology presently used will be highlighted.
P.AD-823 The U.S. Health System
3.00
An introduction to the health system, its origins, its components, and how they are organized and interrelated; determinants of health and disease; the role of professions, institutions, consumers, and government; landmark legislation, and social responses to the system.
P.AD-827 Financing State & Local Government
3.00
Recessions and economic stagnation, loss of economic base, and natural disasters have significant consequences for the effectiveness of governments and nonprofits, yet during times of fiscal crisis these organizations carry more responsibility as people look to these organizations for leadership and relief from hardships. This course addresses strategies to prepare for and cope with fiscal crises. Students will learn to assess economic and financial vulnerability, develop management and budget methodologies that are adaptable to changing economic conditions, and develop strategies to ensure long-term financial viability and effectiveness of governments and nonprofits.
P.AD-828 Public Service Communication
3.00
Students develop techniques and directives related to communication processing. Both interpersonal communication and electronic information flow will be examined. Communication skills, styles, and strategies will be stressed through use of all media. Students will also analyze the theory and practice of public service marketing in relation to the administration of multiple sectors including private, public, nonprofit and health care by looking at innovative public service products and services.
P.AD-831 Civic Innovation and Citizen Engagement
3.00
Participants in this course will examine a variety of innovations that attempt to reap the benefits of diverse engagement by bringing together varied parties to forge new solutions to public service challenges. Across a variety of policy areas, practitioners have developed innovative policies and practices that engage citizens in public problem-solving, giving power to groups made up of citizens and public employees, and holding them accountable for producing and measuring results. Citizens play a critical and increasingly influential role in government decision-making and performance. As a result, leaders must understand the complexity of citizen participation and build skills for effective citizen engagement.
P.AD-832 Health Policy
3.00
Students examine disability issues of health, mental health, substance abuse, special education, long-term illnesses including HIV/AIDS, sensory impairments, and early-life and end-of-life issues, including genetics.
P.AD-838 Ethics in Public Service
3.00
In this course, students study the ethical, moral, and legal dilemmas in public and private managerial operations. The gray areas of decision-making provide case studies for exploration of effective ethical practices. Management approaches to deter fraud, waste, abuse, and corrupt practices are identified as are the tools and strategies to strengthen the organizational ethic and culture in business and government. Ethical management strategies designed to improve productivity within organizations are explored.
P.AD-839 Leadership and Decision Making in Action
3.00
Students learn effective approaches to leadership by examining leadership models, styles, and strategies. Emphasis is placed on the values and ethics of successful managerial leadership in public, private, and nonprofit sectors
P.AD-840 Comparative Public Policy
Registration requires instructor approval
3.00
An opportunity will provided for students to research, experience, analyze, and compare public policy development and implementation in the United States, and in other nations like Dublin, Ireland, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. The course consists of classroom lectures and independent research on the Suffolk campus as well as at a university related center in another country. Students may pick their specific research topics from a variety of public policy and program subject areas. This course may be taken twice, for a maximum of 6 credits.
P.AD-842 Workplace and Labor Law
3.00
Workplace and labor law affects every manager's ability to achieve the goals and objectives of the organization. Ignorance of the relevant statutes and case law leads to misunderstanding, mismanagement, and substantial legal costs and controversies. This course reviews some of the more significant legal requirements associated with recruitment and selection, performance appraisal, discipline, wages and benefits, etc. Teaching method includes lecture and case analysis.
P.AD-847 Nonprofit Financial Management
3.00
This course is designed to build financial management skills for students who wish to start or advance nonprofit management careers and for students who are likely to interact with nonprofits, through grants, contracts, or partnerships. The course focuses on the effective allocation of resources to programs which, in turn, have been designed to achieve the strategic goals of a nonprofit organization. From this point of view, financial management is not a disconnected management function, but an integral part of what managers do to fulfill as nonprofit organization's mission. Basic financial management knowledge and skills - including financial analysis, budgeting, full-cost accounting, pricing services, performance measurement, control of operations and financial reporting are taught within the context of the organization's strategic goals.
P.AD-848 Nonprofit Law and Ethics
3.00
This course provides a practical framework for understanding the legal and ethical challenges continually faced by nonprofit human and social service organizations. Students learn about the various levels of legal influence, including federal, state, and city, as well as the "internal" laws of the corporation, and will explore the impact these laws can have on the day-to-day operation of the nonprofit organization. Students develop a methodology for identifying issues that can trigger a legal response and processes for best protecting their organizations, their clients, and themselves.
P.AD-849 Revenue Strategies for Nonprofits
3.00
This course provides an in-depth look at today's philanthropic trends, patterns, and best practices in fundraising techniques.
P.AD-859 Public Service Internship
3.00
Students with no public administration work experience will be required to take PAD 859 (Internship) at admission. This is a 3-credit course that requires both class attendance and a 300-hour work requirement. If you are required to take PAD 859, it will count as one of your PAD elective. If you are interested in a career change, and you are not required to take the internship at admission, you may take PAD 859 as an elective.
P.AD-861 Data to Policy
3.00
Regardless of your interest or field, data is essential to public managers on a daily basis. Through readings, lectures, casework, guest speakers, and field visits, students will be immersed in both the successes and limitations of this pioneering tool that has reshaped public policy. Through course work students will mine and manipulate data to propose public policy changes that can affect a program, a community, a state, or a country of their choosing. This relevant course is designed to prepare students to be effective leaders in an ever changing world.
P.AD-862 Leading Change: State Policy
3.00
Linda Melconian served as a Massachusetts State Senator from 1983 to 2005 and was appointed the first woman Majority Floor Leader of the Massachusetts Senate in 1999. Previously, she served as Assistant Counsel to U.S. Speaker of the House Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr. She brings years-worth of experience and immense wisdom into all of her courses. Professor Melconian will use her years of experience working on Beacon Hill and getting things done to give students an inside look at how politics & government work at the state level. This incredibly relevant course is designed to give students the tools, connections, and knowledge they need to navigate state government in whatever career they choose.
P.AD-890 Strategic Management
Restricted to students that have completed 30 credits.
3.00
Students will integrate the substance of previous courses in order to develop a capacity for strategic management based on a personal perspective of the role of the professional manager in the policy making process. This holistic perspective is expressed in an extensive research paper that describes the leadership role of the professional manager and defines a basis for ethical action. The course features the review of research articles, the discussion of case studies, and a consideration of future trends in public and non-profit management.
P.AD-900 Special Topics
3.00
When offered this course focuses upon a special topic in the field of public administration. The course may be retaken for credit when the topics differ.
P.AD-910 Individual Study in Public Service
1.00- 6.00
Instructor and Dean's Approval required for registration. This elective course option involves a student- initiated proposal to a willing and appropriate faculty member for a directed study project. The faculty member and student must concur on a written proposal and final report. Approval by the Office of the Dean is necessary prior to registration.
Political Science Graduate Courses Archive 2020-2021
POLS-010 Summer Campaign Lab
Instructor Consent Required
0.00
This intensive and fun class combines in-depth training on creating and running winning campaigns, including candidate campaigns and issue-oriented campaigns. The class includes site visits to campaign offices and leading political strategy firms. Students will broaden their networks, meeting guest speakers from government, public policy, and nonprofits and participate in hands-on activities that help students learn fundraising, media and messaging, campaign strategy, field operations, and technology. The class fee includes food, transportation and special materials.
POLS-609 Transitional Justice
3.00
This course introduces the concept and practices of transitional justice, which addresses current and past human rights violations. We review the various mechanisms of transitional justice, including: criminal prosecution; lustrations; truth and reconciliation commissions; reparations; and apologies. Our focus will be on understanding the nature of the political and moral dilemmas encountered by countries that consider and apply these mechanisms. We will consider broad theoretical questions as well as specific examples (e.g., Germany after the Holocaust; The South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission; The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and for Rwanda). The course will also emphasize the practical implications of transitional justice: how do we empirically measure the effects of transitional justice; what is the role of traditional mechanisms of justice; how does one balance between the global human rights regime and local realities; what is the relationship between gender and religion and transitional justice; and, what is the role of transitional justice mechanisms in conflict resolution.
POLS-623 Political Survey Research
3.00
Everything needed to design, carry out, and interpret a political survey. Topics covered include questionnaire design, sampling, interviewing, coding data, and univariate and bivariate analysis of the results. Multivariate analysis will be discussed but not studied in depth. An actual survey will be conducted as a class project. Prerequisites: Open to graduate students, seniors, and juniors; previous course in political science research methods, or comparable course in another discipline and consent of instructor.
POLS-641 Ready, Set, Run!
1.00
Designed to introduce students to the nuts and bolts of preparing to run for office or guiding a candidate through the process. Students learn how to file nomination papers, develop a field team, and create a general branding strategy.
POLS-642 Candidate Definition
1.00
Students learn the basics of how candidates successfully introduce their candidacy to the public. From announcing the campaign to conducting meet and greets to producing candidate photos, this course guides you through the process of effectively defining the candidate.
POLS-643 Candidate Media Strategy 101
1.00
Students learn the fundamentals of how to maximize positive media coverage with attention paid to generating endorsements, developing non-paid media, and persuading voters.
POLS-660 United Nations Seminar
3.00
This course provides an introduction to the study of the role of the United Nations System in the globalization era. The course is divided in two main sections. The first is based on a series of readings, lectures and discussion on the rules, principles and norms which govern the relationship among states and the UN system; it also covers traditional topics such as the sources and subjects of international law, the jurisdiction of states, the peaceful settlement of disputes, the use of force and the legal personality of international actors, human rights, humanitarian intervention, global environment, use of armed force, as well as economic relations. the second part of the course is based on a required study trip to the UN headquarters in order to experience a direct contact with policy-makers within the UN system in a diversity of areas such as security, aid and peacekeeping areas.
POLS-663 International Legal Systems
3.00
This course explains the main components of the international legal system. It begins by exploring the rules, principles and norms that govern the relationship among states, the different cultural and philosophical legal perspectives and the history of the international legal system. The second part of the course covers the study of the sources and subjects of international law, the jurisdiction of states, the peaceful settlement of disputes, the use of force, and the legal personality of international actors. The third part of the course addresses a number of significant topics derived from the process of globalization legal norms: human rights, humanitarian intervention, law of the sea, environmental law, and economic relations.
POLS-665 International and Transnational Organizations
3.00
This course explores the institutional structures, political processes, and impact of international governmental and nongovernmental organizations. It analyses their increasingly prominent role in efforts to resolve a wide range of global problems and contribution to strengthen the current system of global governance. While the course covers the problems of international security, global distribution of wealth, deterioration of the environmental system and threats to social welfare, it focuses on the interaction between the United Nations System and regional organizations, on the one hand, and the role of non-governmental organizations in cooperating or something to solve specific problems in the area of international relations.
POLS-667 Comparative Social Movements
3.00
How do we explain the appearance or absence of social movements? What social or individual factors explain their development and decline? Who joins social movements? Who does not? Why? What ideas or ideals animate those who do participate? What is it like to be part of a social movement? What effect do they or have they had on politics, power and efforts at social change? These are some of the questions that have traditionally shaped debates over social movements, both domestically and internationally. They will form the analytical core of the work in this course. By critically evaluating several competing schools of thought in social movement theory and history we will attempt to highlight the social forces that have, at varying points in times, facilitated, maintained, as well as blocked the development of social movements in the US and beyond.
POLS-671 Topics in Democracy: Democratic Erosion
3.00
In this course, students will have an opportunity to examine the basic foundations of the democratic theory and practice. Specifically, the course focuses on the building blocks of a democratic relationship between people and government, including transparency, accountability, accessibility, and opportunities for effective advocacy and participation. Both classical and modern authors who weighed in on these issues will be discussed.
POLS-682 Crisis and Integration in Europe
3.00
Why did 17 European countries surrender the sovereign control of their currency and create the Euro? Will Turkey become a member of the European Union? Will Europeans continue free riding the security protection of the United States? Is the integration process another layer of bureaucracy or an institutional instrument to deal with the permanent crises in Europe? These are some of the questions guiding the discussions in this class.
POLS-687 Conflict & Reconciliation: Community Service Abroad
3.00
After participating in the community service experience in Myanmar or Cambodia (Alternative Winter Break), students will study the main transformations and challenges Southeast Asia is facing in the areas of development and political reconciliation. Students interested in this course must submit an application to the Center for Community Engagement during the previous fall before the course start in the Spring term. Only students who participated in the AWB are allowed to enroll in this course.
POLS-693 Politics and Economics of Latin America
3.00
Introduction to the government and politics of contemporary Mexico, with special attention to social and economic institutions, parties and social movements, and the influence of Mexico's revolutionary heritage. There will be some analysis of the interaction of US/Mexico relations and the impact of NAFTA on Mexican workers and the economy.
POLS-723 Graduate Internship
3.00
This internship option is recommended for students seeking careers in professional politics or international relations. Typically, an internship will involve supervised work at a professional level in a political campaign, on a legislative staff, in an international non-governmental organization, or in a legislative relations for a governmental agency or private organization. Internship placement must be approved by the student's advisor, and will typically require at least 20 hours of work per week for the duration of a semester and the completion of a research paper based on the internship experience. The research paper must be approved by a departmental committee.
POLS-724 Politics of Public Policy
3.00
This course examines the politics of making public policy. How is policy made? Who is involved? What kinds of information do policy-makers rely on to make their decisions? How do political opportunities shape potential for policy change, shifts or stasis? We will examine how policy decisions are made and how policy makers cope and adapt to a diverse set of constraints. We will also focus on what political strategies can be used to improve policy-making processes and outcomes. Students will be required to interview policy makers about a specific policy and write a comprehensive policy analysis. The course is intended to have both theoretical and practical value.
POLS-741 Drug Policy: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
3.00
Drug policy encompasses complex and multi-faceted issues. In comprehending these issues, students will examine the complexity of America's drug policy through a lens of sociology, law, history, economics, geography, and cultural norms. Further, students will explore subjects of class, race, and gender of America's drug policies to gain a more comprehensive grasp the intended and unintended consequences of those policies both nationally and globally. We will evaluate the historical path that these policies have taken from addressing the drug problem from the demand side of providing treatment and preventative programs to the supply side of investing resources in limiting the supply of drugs available in the country.
POLS-747 Seminar in Legislation & Lobbying
3.00
Core course for the Professional Politics Concentration. Students will read and discuss current research on legislative politics and organization, including committees, interest groups and lobbying, legislative voting and decision making, and other topics. Students will conduct their own research and present it to the seminar.
POLS-755 Seminar Campaigns & Elections
3.00
Core course for the Professional Politics Concentration. Students will read and discuss current research on campaigns and elections, voting behavior, and political parties, and will conduct their own research and present it to the seminar.
POLS-761 Seminar: International Relations Theory
OPEN TO GRADUATE STUDENTS ONLY
3.00
Core course for the concentration in North American Politics. This course will examine the key concepts of an approaches to world politics. Special attention will be given the application of these concepts and approaches to the relations among the nation-states of North America.
POLS-763 International Political Economy
3.00
Introduces the study of international political economy. Addresses the interactive relationship between politics and economics at international and domestic levels in the historical and contemporary international system. Basic understanding of macroeconomics is not required but helpful.
POLS-765 Global Public Policy
3.00
In this course, students are exposed to the policy dilemmas at various levels of government, from the local, to the state, to the international arena. The class examines concepts such as systems regulation, institutions, legitimacy and governance. The class will take a selection of themes (i.e. inequity, energy, climate) and investigate them from the perspective of policy challenges and solutions at each level of government.
POLS-777 Writing for the Policy Professional
Open to graduate students only;
3.00
The aim of this course is to familiarize students with the major written formats of the policy-making process including background memos, literature reviews, white-papers, policy analyses, one-pagers, talking points memos, op-eds, and legislative histories. This writing-intensive course focuses on public policy writing techniques and methods, and helps students to develop writing skills applicable to the private, nonprofit, and government sectors.
POLS-778 Global Policy & Data Analysis
3.00
The primary goal of this class is to review and analyze in a systematic way the design, implementation, and evaluation of global public policies. After exploring and discussing global policy debates and examine what kinds of values and ideas shape these debates, the student will develop the skills necessary to critically analyze policy issues and problems and learn about the constraints with which policy makers must cope in an environment of imperfect information. This course will also focus on dissecting indicators and databases often used by professional analysts to produce policy reports and recommendations from policy makers.
POLS-803 Washington Academic Seminar I
Instructor permission required
3.00
An intensive off-campus experience, normally of two-week's duration, arranged through a The Washington Center in Washington, D.C. Topics vary. Students will be graded by both an on-site evaluator and an assigned Government Department faculty member. In addition, students are normally required to meet three times during the semester of registration, keep a journal of the off-campus experience and to write a significant research paper based on the topic of the academic seminar.
POLS-804 International Political Marketing
3.00
This class will examine the ways in which political marketing is conducted across the globe. It will look at a variety of political systems and cultures in an effort to discern which techniques work best with which political systems and political cultures. The cases will be drawn from all 7 continents and a wide diversity of socio-political cultures. Cases are likely to include Canada, New Zealand, India, Japan, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Argentina, Russia and many others. By the end of the class, students should have a strong sense of how political marketing is done globally and which techniques work best with which systems.
POLS-805 Washington Seminar on National Security
3.00
A two-week intensive seminar in Washington DC; the first week will focus on a look inside the defense and intelligence community in the US government; the second week will examine issues, threats, and challenges in global society. The seminar, carried out in partnership with The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars, will include briefing sessions, with security officials, site visits, small group meetings, keeping a journal, and academic papers. There will also be some further academic work after you return to Suffolk. Prerequisites: Registration in this course requires advance application. The seminar is offered in Mar, and applications are due by March 1. Interested students should consult the instructor for further details.
POLS-906 Summer Party Convention Program
Students must see the professor to get required Washington Center Application
3.00- 6.00
An opportunity to do an internship through the Washington Center at either the Republican National Convention or the Democratic National convention. Graduate students will learn what goes on behind the scenes and interact with important public figures that are influential in setting public policy at various levels of government. They will spend a week prior to the convention studying the electoral process, familiarizing themselves with convention operations and preparing for their convention fieldwork assignments. In addition they will hear from a wide variety of speakers, including members of the media, party officials, and other political personalities. Students are then assigned as volunteers to assist with the work of the convention the second week. Normally offered every four years.
POLS-910 Independent Study
Instructor's consent and approval of the Director of Graduate studies required.
3.00
Individual program of reading, research and writing on an approved topic, under the supervision of a member of the department. Topic and assignments are to be determined by the faculty member and student.
POLS-920 International Internship - Brussels
Instructor consent required
6.00
Students must also complete academic work designed to enhance experiential learning and professional development in their internship abroad that is supervised by a Suffolk instructor. Course work will include developing individualized learning goals and objectives for their internships, journaling, mid-term self-evaluation and a final research paper.
POLS-921 International Internship London
6.00
Students must also complete academic work designed to enhance experiential learning and professional development in their internship abroad that is supervised by a Suffolk instructor. Course work will include developing individualized learning goals and objectives for their internships, journaling, mid-term self-evaluation, and a final research paper.
POLS-938 Summer Campaign Lab
Instructor Consent Required
3.00
This intensive and fun class combines in-depth training on creating and running winning campaigns, including candidate campaigns and issue-oriented campaigns. The class includes site visits to campaign offices and leading political strategy firms. Students will broaden their networks, meeting guest speakers from government, public policy, and nonprofits and participate in hands-on activities that help students learn fundraising, media and messaging, campaign strategy, field operations, and technology. The class fee includes food, transportation and special materials.
POLS-941 International Advocacy
1.00
This course examines the areas where organized global citizens can make a difference to produce better living standards around the world. By studying the varieties of rationales of action of non-governmental organizations, students in this one-credit course are exposed to the potential avenues of participation in global/local activities. This course is also opened to graduate students.
POLS-942 Diplomacy and Foreign Service
1.00
This course aims at providing an overview of the nature of the work in diplomatic services in a selective number of countries around the world. By the end of the course, students in this course will be able to discern the main challenges diplomats face quotidianly by examining the experiences of diplomats from historical and current sources as well as the organizational structures of some foreign services around the world. This course is also opened to graduate students.