The Social Policy focus area is designed to provide students with the analytical tools, management skills and knowledge needed to design, implement and evaluate the outcomes of social policies that aim to increase access to economic opportunity in marginalized populations and manage economic and social risks, such as unemployment, poverty, social exclusion, crime, recidivism, homelessness, sickness, disability, and old age.
Traditional social service management has expanded to include public-private partnerships, extensive government contracting, and a wide range of civil society initiatives at local, state, national, and supranational levels of governance. Students interested in this field will study the historical, political, economic, and socio-cultural trends of social policy and the contemporary challenges that stem from the financial crisis and rising inequality; immigration and immigrant integration; growing racial and ethnic tensions; changing gender relations; rising healthcare and education costs; and criminal recidivism.
Students must complete a total of 15 points, with at least 3 points from menu of core courses.
Please note:
- USP short courses (1.5 points) can count towards your elective requirement.
- A second core course can count towards your elective requirement.
- Two specialization courses (up to a total of 6 points) can be double counted for elective requirement.
Required Courses
Select one of the following:
Course List
Code |
Title |
Points |
| Points |
PUAF U6228 | Comparative Social Welfare Policy (*preferred Core option*) | 3 |
SOCW T6801 | Social Welfare Policy 1 | 3 |
| |
Electives
In addition to the electives listed below, all courses listed under Management in Urban Public Sector or Not-For-Profits and Urban Social Policy will count towards the Social Policy Track
Course List
Code |
Title |
Points |
| Points |
PUAF U6244 | Urban Social Policy | 3 |
EMPA U6015 | Public Finance | 3.00 |
EMPA U6036 | Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility | 3 |
EMPA U6605 | Urban Policy by Design | 3.00 |
EMPA U9225 | Public Management Innovation | 3 |
ENVP U6320 | Political Context of Public/Private Environmental Management | 3 |
INAF U4409 | Political, Social & Economic Development in Brazil | 1.5 |
INAF U4410 | Political, Social & Economic Development in Brazil II | 1.5 |
INAF U6004 | Programming for Entrepreneurs | 1.5 |
INAF U6006 | Computing in Context | 3 |
INAF U6009 | Artificial Intelligence in Public Policy | 1.5 |
INAF U6013 | Cost-Benefit Analysis | 3 |
INAF U6016 | Cost-Benefit Analysis | 3 |
INAF U6051 | Infrastructure Investment and Development | 1.5 |
INAF U6053 | Creating a Social Enterprise | 3 |
INAF U6116 | Infrastructure Cost-Benefit Analysis | 3 |
INAF U6087 | Environmental Advocacy: From Interest to Action | 3.00 |
INAF U6114 | Private Sector Development Outcomes | 3 |
INAF U6124 | Building & Scaling Social Impact Programs | 3.00 |
INAF U6126 | Design for Social Innovation | 3 |
INAF U6128 | Finance & Development: Impact Investing & Financial Innovation | 1.5 |
INAF U6129 | Storytelling and The Art of Creating Social Impact Campaigns | 3.00 |
INAF U6131 | Impact Investing: Venture Capital Strategies | 1.50 |
INAF U6144 | Media Campaigning and Social Change | 3.00 |
INAF U6137 | Social Value Investing: a Framework for Cross Sector Partnerships | 3 |
INAF U6163 | African Development Strategies: Policies, Institutions and Governance | 3 |
INAF U6143 | Gender, Globalization and Human Rights | 3 |
INAF U6173 | Migration and Human Development | 3 |
INAF U6209 | E-Government & Digital Diplomacy | 3.00 |
INAF U6264 | Meeting the Climate Challenge at all Levels of Government | 3 |
INAF U6374 | Mainstreaming Gender in Global Affairs | 3 |
INAF U6403 | Regulating Reproduction: Care, Procreation & Equality | 3 |
INAF U6460 | Rethinking Policing in the 21st Century | 3.00 |
INAF U6508 | Using Big Data to Develop Public Policy | 3 |
INAF U6512 | Data Driven Approaches for Campaigns and Advocacy | 3.00 |
INAF U6599 | Quant III: Labor Economics For Policy Students | 3 |
INAF U6602 | Economic Development for International Affairs | 3 |
INAF U6614 | Data Analysis for Policy Research Using R | 3.00 |
INAF U6621 | Social Policy Challenges in Brazil and Latin America | 1.50 |
INAF U6826 | Political Participation, Mobilization, and Socialization | 3.00 |
INAF U6858 | Economics of US Social Policy | 1.50 |
INAF U8201 | Developing Civic Support for Public Education | 1.5 |
INAF U8370 | Promoting Decent Work and Labor Rights in a Globalized Economy | 3 |
INAF U6605 | Impact Evaluation Methods and Applications to Health and Social Policy | 3 |
INAF U6187 | Harlem Community Engagement Practicum | 1 |
INAF U6372 | Policy and Women's Leadership | 1.5 |
INAF U6432 | Mexico: Political, Social & Economic Development | 3 |
INAF U6603 | Data Analysis for Policy Research Using STATA | 3 |
INAF U6608 | Economics of Education Policy | 3 |
INAF U6772 | Global Inequality | 3 |
INAF U6960 | Gender-Based Violence against Women | 1.5 |
INAF U8145 | Advanced Economic Development for International Affairs | 3 |
INAF U8161 | Economics, Law and Public Policy | 3 |
INAF U8195 | Behavioral Development Economics | 3.00 |
INAF U8785 | Gender, Politics, and Development | 3 |
INAF U8910 | Food, Farming & Famine: Struggles for Sustainability | 3 |
PUAF U6140 | Innovation & Urban Social Policy Practicum | 1 |
PUAF U6206 | How Government, Civil Society & Corporations Solve Societal Problems | 3 |
PUAF U6251 | Urban Economics | 3 |
PUAF U6301 | Labor in America: Power, Politics, and Policy in the Workplace | 3 |
PUAF U8203 | Project Management | 3 |
PUAF U8351 | Race, Gender and Political Change | 1.5 |
PUAF U8353 | Race Policy & American Politics | 3 |
PUAF U8354 | Crime, Justice, and Public Policy | 1.5 |
PUAF U8356 | Crime, Journalism, and Public Policy | 1.5 |
PUAF U8357 | Securing Full Economic and Political Citizenship for All Americans | 1 |
PUAF U8362 | Democracy, Movements & Public Policy in the United States | 1.5 |
PUAF U8248 | Leadership & Urban Transformation | 3.00 |
REGN U6410 | Social Movements & Citizenship in Africa | 3 |
REGN U6436 | Reforming Education Systems in Global Cities | 3 |
SIPA U6003 | Analysis of Public Sector Organizations | 3 |
SIPA U6005 | Effective Management in the Public Service | 3 |
SIPA U6310 | Nonprofit Financial Management | 3 |
SIPA U6320 | Budgeting & Financial Management for Government | 3 |
Courses offered at affiliate Columbia Schools - Enrollment not guaranteed. Please see Cross-Registration instructions. Many courses will require instructor permission.
Course List
Code |
Title |
Points |
| Points |
| | 3 |
| | 3 |
| | 3 |
| | 3 |
| | 3 |
| | 3 |
| | 1.5 |
| | 1.5 |
| | 1.5 |
| | 1.5 |
| | 1.5 |
| | 3 |
| | 3 |
| | 3 |
| | 3 |
| | 3 |
| | 1.5 |
| | 3 |
| | 3 |
| | 3 |
| | 3 |
| | 3 |
| | 3 |
| | 1 |
| | 3 |
| | 3 |
| | 3 |
| | 3 |
SOCI GU4370 | Processes of Stratification and Inequality | 3 |
CSER GU4483 | | 4 |
LAW L6357 | Public Health Law | 2 |
| | 3 |
| | 3 |
| | 3 |
| | 1.5 |