This course introduces students to the contemporary dynamics of the Middle East and North Africa. By using as metaphors three basic substances that are important to the region and the world, the course spans basic issues of Middle Eastern cultures, recent history, and politics in an innovative and interdisciplinary fashion. More specifically, the course includes the attention to Islam, Western colonialism, Israel, Iran, contemporary growth, regional conflicts, the role of the US, and the role of the Arab uprisings of 2011, among other topics.

Intensive skills development and networking for MPP/MPPA students.

Understanding the budget process is important for any federal employee and anyone who works for an entity that interacts with the federal government such as; NGOs, state governments, consultancies, and the private sector. The course will integrate the subject matter interests of each student and the budget process by utilizing various federal agencies' current budgets as case studies. By exploring budget preparation, tracking, and execution, students will become fluent in general budget terminology and the fiscal year schedule.

Not available at this time

Not available at this time

Students synthesize what they learned in the MPP/MPPA programs in a paper that addresses an important gap in knowledge about a particular issue in public policy or management.

Introduction to basic statistics including use and interpretation of statistics used in policy research. Topics include statistical methods, descriptive statistics, probability theory, analysis of tabular data, correlation and regression, and multiple regression.

Integrates material from core courses and applies it to actual and hypothetical policy issues in many areas. Examines policy analysis methods using case studies from a wide range of substantive policy areas. Looks at social, economic, organizational, political, and other influences on policy decisions.