An integrative course that allows policy students to explore the complexities of the policy-making process from the perspective of specific policy topics. They will learn about and discuss subject- based issues in a seminar format led by faculty and policy experts. Site visits to federal agencies, guest speakers, and round table sessions ensure that students receive a variety of real-world perspectives on their chosen policy area. Restricted to students who have earned a minimum of 90 credits.
Schedule of Classes

Public policy students will take the skills and knowledge gained through their curriculum and apply them through their senior capstone course. Students will work in teams on problems and issues presented by outside clients, with guidance from faculty facilitators and interaction with the clients. Each team will work with the client to address a particular problem and produce a mutually agreed upon outcome. These hands on projects will advance students' understanding of the analytical, leadership, communication and problem solving skills necessary to address today's policy problems while allowing them to gain professional level experience that could contribute to their success in their post UMD endeavors. The course will conclude with an event that allows all teams to present their findings and outcomes to their client while being evaluated by faculty and public policy professionals. Restricted to students who have earned a minimum of 90 credits. Permission required.
Schedule of Classes

Today's most pressing problems do not stop at national borders. Meeting these challenges requires a range of state and non-state actors to work together. Students gain familiarity with key actors in the global system and how they approach today's most intractable problems. How do countries, international organizations, multinational corporations, and nongovernmental organizations find ways to cooperate when their interests and capabilities sometimes differ drastically? And, what are the key barriers to cooperation? We will examine a set of global policy issues requiring a transnational response including violent conflict, nuclear non-proliferation, human rights, migration, international trade, climate change, infectious disease, and humanitarian relief.
Schedule of Classes

Introduces major public policy challenges in Africa today and includes a brief review of African history from 1600 through the post-colonial period to provide critical background. Catalyzing economic growth, promoting democratic governance, and reducing armed conflict will be discussed. Also covered are the role of African diasporas and migration in national development, managing the continent's rapid urbanization, and improving service delivery in key areas such as health and education.
Schedule of Classes

Students will focus on studying the major eras of US immigration policy and will dive into understanding the various actors, reforms, policy tools and enforcement methods that have been implemented. The course consists of two modules. Module 1 dives into readings about immigration, immigrant policies, policy actors, and enforcement tools. Module 2 integrates social science methods for collecting and evaluating quantitative data to study the local implementation of immigration enforcement operations by learning the nuts and bolts of data collection, documentation, management and analysis.
Schedule of Classes

Advocates for children and families have accomplished a great deal over the years. They’ve reduced hunger and extended access to health care. They’ve expanded early childhood education and broadened economic supports. But so much more remains to be done to ensure social justice and equity so that all children and families can thrive. The second semester of Child and Family Advocacy Impact will concentrate on developing advocacy skills, everything from leveraging the legislative process and creating effective messaging strategies to working in coalitions and mobilizing grassroots supporters. 
Schedule of Classes

Today, philanthropic and nonprofit organizations play significant roles in shaping how public policy gets developed and implemented, as well as how change occurs in society. This course will define philanthropy as an exploration of how one develops a vision of the public good and then how a person or group can deploy resources to achieve a positive and lasting impact. During the semester, the class will go through the challenging and exciting process of ultimately granting approximately $7,500 to an organization that we believe can use these resources to achieve an impact on an issue of international significance. Our class grant deliberations and decisions will ultimately lead us to confront, question, and sharpen our philanthropic values, decisions and leadership skills.
Schedule of Classes

"Fake news" and freedom of the press, money in electoral politics, voter photo ID laws and political gerrymandering, continued racial segregation in public schools, privacy on the street and in school, holding public officials accountable for egregious constitutional violations, and unequal justice for the poor are all thorny issues of public policy that have found their way into American courts. This course examines these and other current issues presented to the courts in a format where students evaluate and opine on the competing legal and policy arguments in class and in papers as if they were the empowered judicial authority. The course also provides a broad overview of the ways American courts function as well as an opportunity to visit with a federal judge, hear the experiences of former jurors, and possibly visit a landlord-tenant court in action.
Schedule of Classes

Introduces students to the concept of social innovation while exploring the many mechanisms for achieving social impact. It is team-based, highly interactive and dynamic, and provides an opportunity for students to generate solutions to a wide range of problems facing many communities today. Deepens the students understanding of entrepreneurship and innovation practices by guiding them through the creation and implementation process as applied to a project idea of their choice.
Schedule of Classes

This course explores the key issues facing policy makers attempting to manage the problem of cybersecurity from its technical foundations to domestic and international policy considerations surrounding governance, privacy, risk management, and operational orchestration. It is designed for students with no background in information technology, and will provide the principles to understand the current debates shaping a rapidly evolving security landscape.
Schedule of Classes