This list includes the required core courses and electives for the undergraduate public policy (833) major and minor offered at the Bloustein School as of September 1, 2024. Courses are taught by multiple instructors and may not be offered every semester.
Undergraduate public policy major requirements, and the complete list of public policy courses and electives offered, may be found at the Bloustein School website at https://bloustein.rutgers.edu/undergraduate/publicpolicy/
Students should refer to WebReg for information about special topics courses.
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10:833:102
Introduction to Public Policy (3)
ELECTIVE
Introduction to policy analysis by applying concepts from political science, economics, sociology, statistics, and science to current policy issues affecting the country and the world.
Credit not given for both this course and 10:762:102 and 10:843:102.
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10:833:210
Principles of Public Policy (3)
CORE COURSE
Implementation of public policy including federal, state, and intergovernmental decision-making. Policy areas examined include environment, health care, development, labor, and others.
Credit not given for both this course and 10:762:210 and 10:843:210.
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10:833:215
Writing, Reasoning, and Public Policy (3)
CORE COURSE
Understanding how to use words accurately, think and write logically, and formulate valid and true arguments for the creation of evaluation of public policy.
Credit not given for both this course and 10:762:215.
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10:833:220
Public Economic Policy (3)
CORE COURSE
Evaluation of government decision-making and its effects on economic markets large and small from cars to textbooks.
Credit not given for both this course and 10:762:220 and 10:843:220.
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10:833:230
Global Poverty (3)
ELECTIVE
Introduction to the causes and governmental responses to urban poverty in developing nations: economic, historical, and cultural factors
Credit not given for both this course and 10:762:230.
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10:833:231
Poverty in the United States (3)
ELECTIVE
Assessment of causes and consequences of poverty in the United States: economic, historical, and cultural factors, plus governmental solutions.
Credit not given for both this course and 10:762:231.
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10:833:296, 297
Special Topics (3,3)
ELECTIVE
Topics vary. See WebReg for current offerings. These courses are designed to address current issues in public policy
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10:833:298,299
Independent Study (BA,BA)
ELECTIVE
Prerequisites: A contract with a faculty sponsor and permission of the program director.
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10:833:302
Sexual and Reproductive Health Policy (3)
ELECTIVE
Assessment of the health, political, and moral influences that impact current sexual and reproductive health policies including their origins and the ramification of their implementation.
Credit not given for both this course and 10:832:302.
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10:833:310
U.S. Housing Policy (3)
ELECTIVE
Exploration of major issues in housing: historical, economic, and social factors. Political and regulatory dimensions of housing decision-making: housing codes and the landlord-tenant relationship.
Credit not given for both this course and 10:762:310 and 10:975:310.
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10:833:313
Public and NonProfit Finance (3)
ELECTIVE
An introduction to the ways that the public and nonprofit sectors determine which goods and services they will provide and how they will finance the production of those goods.
Credit not given for this course 762:313 and 10:843:313
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10:833:323
Demography and Population Studies (3)
Review of demographic concepts, history, methods, and applications, from an interdisciplinary perspective. Global population studies, with a historical focus on distributions of wealth and power.
Credit not given for both this course and 10:762:323 and 10:832:323.
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10:833:326
Food, Housing, and Energy (3)
ELECTIVE
Examines, through an interdisciplinary lens, the interconnectedness of sustainability-focused policy across diverse sectors, such as food and agriculture, urban planning, energy, and housing, and their collective impact on health outcomes.
Credit not given for this course and 10:762:326.
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10:833:327
The Racial Wealth Gap and Why It Persists(3)
ELECTIVE
Explores policies and practices that worsen the racial wealth gap; identifies the barriers that prevent stakeholders from changing those policies; and introduces experts and advocates currently working to tackle those barriers.
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10:833:328
Legislative Policy Making (3)
ELECTIVE
Examines policy making in the states with a special focus on governors and state legislatures, and the processes by which policies are determined (including legislative representation, lobbying, agenda setting, issue campaigning, etc.)
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10:833:329
Managing Crisis and Chaos (3)
ELECTIVE
Focuses on the key aspects of managing crises and disasters including strategic planning, crisis communications, organizational learning, recognizing internal and external threats, leadership, and prevention/preparedness.
Credit not given for this course and 10:762:329.
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10:833:331
U.S. Social Policy (3)
ELECTIVE
Examination of the historical emergence of social policy in the United States with a focus on housing, welfare, race relations, education, intergovernmental, and environmental issues.
Credit not given for both this course and 10:762:331.
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10:833:335
Women, Inequality, and Public Policy (3)
ELECTIVE
Exploration of women's evolving role in both the family and the labor market, including contemporary public policy debates around these changes.
Credit not given for both this course and 10:762:335.
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10:832:338
Health and Public Policy (3)
ELECTIVE
Investigation of the basic machinery of policymaking and the legal processes that underpin the U.S. health care and public health systems with an emphasis on recent health care reform.
Credit not given for both this course and 10:832:338.
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10:833:340
Aging and Public Policy (3)
ELECTIVE
Assessment of aging for society. Topics include ageism, cultural and racial-ethnic diversity as it pertains to aging, and the impact of longevity on national health and social service policy.
Credit not given for both this course and 10:762:340.
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10:833:351
Addictions Policy (3)
ELECTIVE
Review of basic pharmacology and scientific nature of addiction as public health issue. Exposure to treatment facilities, mutual aid meetings, and discussions of substance abuse policies.
Credit not given for both this course and 10:832:351.
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10:833:353
Disability Policy & Law (3)
ELECTIVE
Examines laws that most substantively impact individuals with disabilities (e.g., Vocational Rehabilitation Act, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid), including their implementation, court interpretations, and individuals' lived experiences.
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10:833:354
Immigration Policy (3)
ELECTIVE
Explores the roots of today's modern immigration policy, including border and citizenship policy as well as how states and localities have responded to changes in federal immigration policy.
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10:833:360
Managing Public Sector Organizations
CORE COURSE
Fundamental tasks and responsibilities of management in the public sector, with an emphasis on the external and internal environments in which managers implement public policy.
Credit not given for both this course and 10:762:360 or 10:843:360 or 10:501:360.
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10:833:361
Managing People and Organizations (3)
CORE COURSE
Designed to enhance understanding of one's own motivation and behavior as well as that of others, to increase effectiveness in present and future positions and career satisfaction.
Credit not given for both this course and 10:762:361 and 10:843:361.
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10:833:362
Nonprofit Management (3)
CORE COURSE
Applies management concepts to nonprofit organizations, emphasizing the challenges faced by managers under resource scarcity and uncertain boundaries among public, for-profit, and nonprofit sectors.
Credit not given for both this course and 10:501:362 or 10:762:362.
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10:833:363
LGBTQIA+ Policy (3)
ELECTIVE
Explores the history of LGBTQIA+ political movements, their impact on public policy, how intersecting identities correlate to public strategy, and how the media has affected the movement.
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10:833:364
Children, Law and Public Policy (3)
ELECTIVE
Explores two key tensions in public policy about children: Parental rights to raise their children vs. state duties to protect children and mold future generations; and children as small adults with a full range of adult autonomy vs. children as a uniquely vulnerable class of people requiring special protection.
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10:833:365
Higher Education Policy (3)
ELECTIVE
Examines the historic and contemporary policy debates in higher education and the tradeoffs between affordability, access, quality, academic freedom, and accountability. Covers federal, state, and local roles in policymaking and addresses a key challenge in applying policy theory to higher education policy because of the limited role of the federal government.
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10:833:366
Criminal Justice Policy (3)
ELECTIVE
Explores the criminal legal system's far-reaching impact on housing, employment, education, child rearing, and healthcare, particularly for lower-income and otherwise marginalized groups. Students formulate comprehensive policy proposals aimed at rectifying disparities and promoting social justice.
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10:833:367
Media, Demography and Public Policy (3)
ELECTIVE
Examines how our democracy is influenced by the media and the impact that has on our politics, our elected officials, and public policy.
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10:833:368
Equity State Policy (3)
ELECTIVE
Evaluating public policies adopted in the 50 states known as the ¿laboratories of democracy¿ with a focus on identifying, measuring, and comparing policies of equality, equity, and fairness that at times extend and limit the rights of American citizens.
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10:833:381
Special Topics (1)
This 1-credit course is designed to address current issues in public policy. Topics vary. See
WebReg for current offerings.
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10:833:382
Special Topics (4)
This 4-credit course is designed to address current issues in public policy. Topics vary. See
WebReg for current offerings.
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10:833:383,384,385,386, 387 (3)
Special Topics (3)
These 3-credit courses are designed to address current issues in public policy. Topics vary. See
WebReg for current offerings.
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10:833:417
Impacted Folks Leading Policy Change (3)
ELECTIVE
Focuses on the realities faced by impacted folks that advocate for policies at all levels of government. Particular attention paid to the role of power, politics, poverty, and educational access and attainment.
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10:833:418
Political Communications for Public Policy (3)
Explores how to translate often complex policy ideas into readily understandable language. Focuses on framing policies, testing messaging through focus groups and polling, and winning public approval through public statements and social media.
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10:833:483,484
Special Topics (3,3)
ELECTIVES
Topics vary. See WebReg for current offerings. These courses are designed to address current issues in public policy.
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10:833:485,486
Independent Study (BA,BA)
ELECTIVES
Open to public policy (833) majors only. Prerequisites: Students must contract with a faculty sponsor and be granted permission by the program director.
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10:833:495,496
Public Policy Thesis I,II (3,3)
ELECTIVES
Develop, complete, and defend a thesis topic under the supervision of a faculty mentor.
Open to students with GPAs over 3.4 and a faculty supervisor.
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10:775:493,494
Bloustein Honors Research I,II (3,3)
ELECTIVE
Bloustein Honors Research I,II is a two-semester, six-credit course sequence for students enrolled in the Bloustein Honors Research Program. The program is a formal, supervised yearlong project that involves both a peer classroom learning environment under the guidance of the course instructor and research with an individual faculty mentor.
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10:833:497,498
Bloustein Honors Research (3,3)
ELECTIVES
Participation of advanced undergraduates as research assistants at one of the institutes or centers at the Bloustein School. Students contract with and are supervised by the principal investigator of the project.
Open to students enrolled in the Bloustein School only.
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Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy 
