Qualitative research methods, including ethnography, provide essential tools for applied anthropology and policy research. Today's policymakers operate in complex societies and serve an increasingly diverse public. Ethnographic research helps policymakers reach the public by providing tools for understanding diverse cultural perceptions, practices, and social problems in context.

Not available at this time

This is a project-based interdisciplinary course which will provide instruction and guidance to students as they gain practical experience using UASs in a variety of applications. Classroom instruction will cover: mission planning, data analysis, data visualization and UAS public policy in national and international contexts. Additionally, students will have lab instruction in which they process and analyze imagery and data acquired by UASs using combinations of different photogrammetry and GIS software packages.

In this class UMass students have the opportunity to identify and work on a problem or project that they are (1) interested and passionate about, (2) potentially can be worked on across multiple semesters, and (3) is in an interdisciplinary social, "maker culture" environment. The "Maker culture" emphasizes learning through doing-it-yourself, or doing-it-together, in a social environment and utilizing open access licensed materials available on the Internet.

An introduction to primary and secondary education policy in the United States, and to research on education policy. Emphasizes history and qualitative political science, but also includes other methodological and disciplinary approaches.

This seminar introduces students to enduring and emerging information policy issues in public interest battles fought locally, nationally and globally for the control of Internet infrastructure, code and content. We will analyze how policy and regulation, politics, commercial interests, nation-states, transnational organizations and organized civil society actors are shaping our digital communication environment, considering the implications of Internet governance for democracy and human development.

This course serves as an introduction to Environmental Policy and Administration in the United States, with a focus on the Federal level. Topics include: (1) Defining a "Public Problem"; (2) understanding what Public Policy is; (3) understanding what Public Administration is; and (4) understanding what Policy Analysis is. Much of the course will be focused on reviewing major historical environmental legislation and policies (e.g., Clean Air, Clean Water; Endangered Species; Superfund; Wind Energy, etc.).

This course is designed for those who may be involved in nonprofit organizations at some point in their lives as directors, employees, volunteers, customers, funders, or founders. Students will create, fund, run, and dissolve a virtual 501(c)(3) public charity over the course of the semester, as we learn the opportunities and challenges that nonprofits can face.

This course equips students with tools to evaluate the success of public and nonprofit policies and programs. Course topics will survey basic practices such as process and outcome evaluation, as well as techniques such as experimental and quasi-experimental designs for effective policy and program administration. In addition, the course explores the advantages of using evaluation as a mechanism for program improvement.

This course introduces the politics of policy-making in explicit cross-national focus. It satisfies a core requirement for SPP MPP/MPPA students. Focus is on how values, institutions, and choices shape outcome.