This course is designed to immerse students in a major research project of their own design. By the end of the two-semester course, students will be required to produce a polished paper, which can later be incorporated into their...
What goes on in city government is in many ways more important to our lives than what happens in Washington. This course goes beyond the structure and theory of municipal government to look at how things really happen at the local...
Although the American research university serves as a key source of basic research, advanced education, and infrastructure critical to the nation’s welfare, it faces many challenges such as shifting public policies, changing demographics,...
This course developed from an initiative of the International Policy Students Association (IPSA) at the Ford School of Public Policy. It will be in two...
This course will deal primarily with the Legislative Branch of Government at both the State and Federal levels. Legislative strategies and the possible outcomes of those strategies will be...
This course fulfills the Public Management core requirement for M.P.P. students who are interested in nonprofit organizations in the context of public...
This course seeks to make students sensitive to and articulate about the ways in which moral and political values come into play in the American policy process, particularly as they affect non-elected public officials who work in a world shaped...
The Applied Policy Seminar (APS) (now called Strategic Public Policy Consulting or SPPC) is an opportunity for students to conduct a faculty-supervised consulting project for a public, private, or non-profit sector policy organization at the...
This seminar examines environmental and energy policies. We discuss the sources of environmental problems and what regulations are available to remedy these...
The Senior Colloquium will follow the debate that ensues from the release of the Report of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform on December...
This course examines the extent, causes, and consequences of poverty in the U.S. and current and proposed strategies to address non-elderly poverty. We review the evolution of social welfare policy in the...
This course explores various approaches to civil rights policy, including efforts to prevent discrimination, to "level the playing field," to create equality, and to provide...
As Chief of the New York City Police Department, William Bratton was fond of saying that the crime rate has the same meaning for a police department as profits have for a business--that the crime rate is the bottom line of...
What goes on in city government is in many ways more important to our lives than what happens in Washington. This course goes beyond the structure and theory of municipal government to look at how things really happen at the local...
Democracy and Education --- When Americans write about democracy and education, they typically write about the constructive effects that education can have for democracy by improving future citizens' knowledge, political judgment, capacity for...
U-M faculty experts hold an election debrief and discussion, with whatever results are available, with J. Alex Halderman, Barbara L. McQuade, Vincent Hutchings, Javed Ali, and Mara Ostfeld. November, 2024.
Chuck Rocha looks at Latinx voting and how the 2024 presidential election and many down ballot races will rely heavily on this important voting population. October, 2024.
In a time of profound division, embracing diverse perspectives becomes a catalyst for meaningful change. How do we transcend boundaries to cultivate an environment committed to fostering honest, caring, and courageous conversations?
Two former governors, one Republican and one Democrat, considered moderates in their respective parties, discuss ways in which to have civil and civic discourse in an era of political divisiveness. October, 2024.
Recognizing the damage of such divisive posturing, Walsh and Guttenberg converse from opposite ends of the political spectrum and find common ground on contentious issues through respect, understanding, and a willingness to listen and learn.
This event explores the FBI's evolving role in safeguarding U.S. elections, focusing on the agency’s efforts to counter cyber threats, disinformation, and terrorism. September, 2024.
Experts will discuss the design and potential benefits of state-based single payer health insurance systems along with their economic and political challenges. September, 2024.
Five successful academicians from a variety of disciplines will discuss their work and perspectives regarding racial justice and public policy. April, 2024.
Voting rights activist Stacey Abrams addresses the challenges to American democracy, her work to guarantee voter access, and other civil rights battles facing the United States in 2024. April, 2024.
National social policy leader Cecilia Muñoz, in conversation with Ford School Dean Celeste Watkins-Hayes will reflect on her eight years in the Obama administration and domestic policy work on the Biden transition team. April, 2024.
Luke Shaefer will examine the latest research and evidence with Mary Pattillo of Northwestern University, Darrick Hamilton at The New School, and the Ford School's Natasha Pilkauskas, associate professor of public policy. April, 2024.