Social Policy Major

Students must also complete the Undergraduate Registration Requirement and the degree requirements of their home school.

Concentration Program—16 units *

*

8 of the 16 units need to be at the 300-level

Course Title
Required Courses (9 units)
SOC_POL 312-0Social Policymaking and Implementation
ECON 202-0Introduction to Microeconomics
POLI_SCI 220-0American Government and Politics
or POLI_SCI 240-0 Introduction to International Relations
or POLI_SCI 250-0 Introduction to Comparative Politics
1 course from Contexts and Disciplinary Understandings *
Holocaust Education Design
Introduction to Teaching and Learning
Inclusive Making
Social Opportunity and Educational Policy
Child & Family Policy: Poverty and Education Policy in Sociohistorical Context
Special Topics in Social Policy (Religion and Policy)
Special Topics in Social Policy (NEW COURSE: History and Evolution of the Modern High School)
Holocaust Memory, Memorial and Museums
Special Topics (Anthropology of Education)
Magic Monsters & the Holocaust
Social, Cultural, and Linguistic Contexts of Education
Designing and Supporting Discourse-Rich Environments for Learning
History of the Black World
Comparative Race and Ethnic Studies
Introduction to Black Social & Political Life
Asian/Black Historical Relations in the U.S.
Asian American History
Latino History
Social and Health Inequalities
Global Health from Policy to Practice
1 course for the Contemporary Issues cluster from: *
Adolescent Stress: Sources and Solutions
Introduction to Teaching and Learning
Race, Inequality, and the Political Analysis of Public Policy
Global Human Trafficking
Women and American Political Leadership
Contemporary Issues in Social Policy
The Social Side of College: Understanding the Lives of Undergraduate Students
Impacts of Education Policy on the Classroom
Special Topics in Social Policy (Global Education)
Crafting Child Policy
Civic Engagement 1- Participatory Policymaking
Civic Engagement 2: Participatory Budgeting
Civic Engagement 3: Organizing, Gathering & Policy implementation
Magic Monsters & the Holocaust
Topics in Learning Sciences (Indigeneity, Race and Place in Education)
2 courses from Change in People and Organizations cluster
Coming of Age and Growing Old in the 21st Century
Life 101: Literature and Psychology
Identity and Motivation
Emotional Mysteries
Adolescent Stress: Sources and Solutions
The Myths and Facts of Adolescence
Culture and Cognition
Culture and Cognition: SESP Leadership Institute
Studies in Organizational Change
Redesigning Everyday Organizations
Tools for Organizational Analysis
Modern Organization and Innovations
Identities, Intersections, and Organizations
Culture, Language, & Identity
Inclusive Making
Civic Engagement 1- Participatory Policymaking
Civic Engagement 2: Participatory Budgeting
Civic Engagement 3: Organizing, Gathering & Policy implementation
Special Topics in Social Policy (Organizational Perspectives on Education Policy)
Cognition and Culture in Teaching and Learning
2 courses from Methodological Understandings:
Special Topics (From Data to Decisions: Applying Child Policy Research Methods)
Economics of Social Policy
Economics of Inequality and Discrimination
Economics of Education Policy
Economics of Health, Human Capital, and Happiness
Quantitative Tools for Policy Analysis
Intersectionality, Measurement and Public Policy
Mapping and Spatial Analysis for Social Issues
Introduction to Social Science Research
Causal Methods for Evaluating Policy
Topics in Learning Sciences (Indigenous Methods in Research)
Topics in Learning Sciences (Text Mining for Education, Organizations and Social Science Research)
Topics in Learning Sciences (Multimodal Storytelling on Migration for Learning Within and Across Communities)
Concentration Extension Courses (7 units)
Must be selected from an approved list of courses in SOC POL, other SESP concentrations, and disciplines such as communication studies, economics, ethnic studies, political science, and sociology. Must include at least 4 courses at the 300 level. Up to 3 units of SESP 390-0 Research Apprenticeship or SESP 399-0 Independent Study and 3 units of SESP 398-0 Honors Thesis may be counted toward this requirement.
*

Students may substitute courses outside of this list with the approval of their SESP academic adviser. 

SESP Core (8 units)

Course Title
Seminar—1 unit
SESP 200-0Understanding Knowledge
Human Development—1 unit
SESP 201-0Human Development: Childhood and Adolescence 1
or PSYCH 244-0 Developmental Psychology
OR
SESP 203-0Human Development: Adulthood and Aging
OR
HDC 310-0The Art and Science of Aging
OR
HDC 205-0Coming of Age and Growing Old in the 21st Century
OR
HDC 335-0The Myths and Facts of Adolescence
Methodologies —2 units
SESP 210-0Introduction to Statistics and Research Methodology
or STAT 202-0 Introduction to Statistics and Data Science
or STAT 210-0 Introduction to Probability and Statistics
or PSYCH 201-0 Statistical Methods in Psychology
or SOCIOL 303-0 Analysis and Interpretation of Social Data
SESP 272-0Field Research Methods
Experiential Learning—4 units 2
SESP 392-0Experiential Learning: Practicum
or SESP 392-SA Experiential Learning: Practicum Study Abroad
1

PSYCH 110-0 Introduction to Psychology is a prerequisite for PSYCH 244-0 and PSYCH 201-0.

2

This 4-unit course may be taken either for 1 quarter during junior year or for nine weeks during the Summer Session before or after junior year; no fifth unit may be taken concurrently without special permission. At least 2 quarters before registering for the course, students must consult the SESP practicum director regarding procedures and site-placement application materials. For Summer Session practicums, consultation should be scheduled at least 3 quarters in advance.

Overlay Requirements*

*

Overlay requirements are fulfilled by courses taken for the concentration

Course Title
Global Engagement
1 quarter of study abroad or 3 quarters of foreign language or equivalent.
Heterogeneities, Systems, and Inequalities
1 course counted towards the concentration from the following list:
HDC 305-0Identity and Motivation
HDC/LOC 315-0Identities, Intersections, and Organizations
LOC/LRN_SCI 214-0Culture and Cognition
or LOC 214-BR Culture and Cognition: SESP Leadership Institute
LRN_SCI 224-0Holocaust Education Design
LRN_SCI 309-0Inclusive Making
LRN_SCI 351-0Topics in Learning Sciences (Identity, Power, and the Historical Imaginary across Social Contexts)
LOC 334-0Analysis of Global Teams
SESP 195-1Civic Engagement 1- Participatory Policymaking
SESP 195-2Civic Engagement 2: Participatory Budgeting
SESP 195-3Civic Engagement 3: Organizing, Gathering & Policy implementation
SESP 251-0Special Topics (Finding Your Path: Future Possibilities and Social Change)
SESP 323-0Holocaust Memory, Memorial and Museums
SESP 360-0Magic Monsters & the Holocaust
SOC_POL 313-0Race, Inequality, and the Political Analysis of Public Policy
SOC_POL 331-0Economics of Inequality and Discrimination
SOC_POL 337-0The Social Side of College: Understanding the Lives of Undergraduate Students
SOC_POL 340-0Intersectionality, Measurement and Public Policy
SESP 351-0Special Topics (Anthropology of Education )
TEACH_ED 301-0Schooling in America
TEACH_ED/LRN_SCI 302-0Social, Cultural, and Linguistic Contexts of Education
TEACH_ED 329-0Cognition and Culture in Teaching and Learning
Methods in Context
1 course counted towards the concentration from the following list:
HDC 330-0Adolescent Stress: Sources and Solutions
HDC 347-0Mapping and Spatial Analysis for Social Issues
or LOC 347-0 Mapping and Spatial Analysis for Social Issues
LRN_SCI 224-0Holocaust Education Design
LRN_SCI 301-0Design of Learning Environments (All topics are suitable)
LRN_SCI 313-0Tangible Interaction Design and Learning
LRN_SCI 326-0Design of Technological Tools for Thinking and Learning
LRN_SCI 351-0Topics in Learning Sciences (Multimodal Storytelling on Migration for Learning Within and Across Communities)
LRN_SCI 351-0Topics in Learning Sciences (Transformative Computer Science Education)
LRN_SCI 351-0Topics in Learning Sciences (Indigenous Methods in Research )
LRN_SCI 360-0Sports, Technology and Learning
LRN_SCI 372-0Designing and Constructing Models with Multi-agent Languages
LOC 311-0Tools for Organizational Analysis
LOC 312-0Modern Organization and Innovations
LOC 313-0Learning and Thinking in Organizations
SESP 195-1Civic Engagement 1- Participatory Policymaking
SESP 195-2Civic Engagement 2: Participatory Budgeting
SESP 195-3Civic Engagement 3: Organizing, Gathering & Policy implementation
SESP 240-0Introduction to Social Science Research
SESP 310-0Causal Methods for Evaluating Policy
SESP 323-0Holocaust Memory, Memorial and Museums
SESP 360-0Magic Monsters & the Holocaust
SESP 251-0Special Topics (From Data to Decisions: Applying Child Policy Research Methods)
SOC_POL 313-0Race, Inequality, and the Political Analysis of Public Policy
SOC_POL 331-0Economics of Inequality and Discrimination
SOC_POL 332-0Economics of Education Policy
SOC_POL 337-0The Social Side of College: Understanding the Lives of Undergraduate Students

Foundational Disciplines (10 units)

  • 2 natural sciences (NS) courses
  • 2 empirical and deductive reasoning (EDR) courses 
  • 2 historical studies (HS) courses
  • 2 ethical and evaluative thinking (EET) courses 
  • 2 literature and arts (LA) courses

Selected courses from Weinberg College and professional schools across the University may be used to fulfill distribution requirements with the consent of the student’s adviser and the SESP assistant dean for student affairs.

Electives (8 units)

Courses from any school across the University may be used to fulfill elective requirements. Students are encouraged to discuss their elective plans with their advisers; they may be able to pursue a second major or a minor using elective credits.