Social Policy Concentration

The concentration in Social Policy appeals to students who are committed to the study of social issues of public importance, who would like to pursue careers analyzing social needs and policy impacts as well as advocating for improved policies and implementation. To that effect, the curriculum offers courses on pressing social problems both in the U.S. and other parts of the world, and highlights linkages between inequality and discrimination, conflict, poverty, political and community participation, and social mobility. Students are trained in essential methods such as policy analysis and other rigorous tools of social science to bear on these important policy questions.

This concentration enables International Development students to address core development problems in diverse contexts worldwide, including those highlighted in the UN Sustainable Development Goals, by taking courses on topics such as poverty and inequality, food insecurity, global health, gender and development, economic growth, human rights and the SDGs, and environmental sustainability.

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GSPIA Core Classes (12 credits)

    Quantitative Methods
    Microeconomics
    Public Policy Analysis
    Capstone Seminar
OR
    Thesis
Internship Requirement: All students must complete an approved internship of at least 300 hours while enrolled at GSPIA. The internship must be approved by the student’s career advisor in advance. Students with at least three years of relevant full‐time work experience may petition their career advisor for a waiver of this requirement during their first semester.

MID Degree Core (6 credits)

    Development Policy & Administration
    Economics of Development

Social Policy Major Courses (12 credits)

Two of the following five courses:
    Human Rights, the SDGS and Development
    Poverty & Inequality
    Gender and Development
    Global Health Policy
    Local and Global Food Policy and Sustainability
Plus:
PIA 2--- Approved SP Concentration Course
PIA 2--- Approved SP Concentration Course

Free Electives/Minor Courses (18 credits)

PIA 2--- Elective/minor course
PIA 2--- Elective/minor course
PIA 2--- Elective/minor course
PIA 2--- Elective
PIA 2--- Elective
PIA 2--- Elective