University of Southern California

Price School of Public Policy

Courses of Instruction

The terms indicated are expected but are not guaranteed. For the courses offered during any given term, consult the Schedule of Classes.

Policy, Planning, and Development — Expanded (PPDE)

PPDE 630 Community Health Planning (4, Sp) The role of planning in sustaining community health; examines relationship between health and environment; historical development, conceptualization and practice of community health planning.

PPDE 631 Public Space: Theory, Policy, and Design (4) Examination of contemporary issues and practices in the design, production, and uses of public space in a comparative perspective; implications for future design and public policy.

PPDE 632 Sustainable Cities (4, FaSp) Exploration of environmental problems linked to urbanization, drawing on historical analysis, social theory, scientific research, and city planning/design practice. Alternative policy options for urban sustainability. (Duplicates credit in the former GEOG 601.)

PPDE 633 Communicating City Design: Positions and Representations (2) Communicating the processes, products, and concepts of city design; merging theoretical and skill-based exercises for effective communication; verbal and graphic communication; physical components of urban landscape and dimensional attributes.

PPDE 634 Methodology, Methods and Tools for Urban Sustainability (2-4, FaSp) Methodology, assessment and planning methods for urban sustainability and land use planning; how the choice and use of theory and methods impact the planning process; systems and spatial analysis.

PPDE 635 Housing and Land Use in Rapidly Urbanizing Regions (4, Fa) Interdisciplinary approach to conceptualize urban land and property rights; property rights strategies; design and policy interventions; the struggle for rights to space in the city.

PPDE 644 Land Use and Transportation Planning (4) Key theories of land use — transportation interactions; understanding of land markets and derived-demand approach; use of evidence for information; travel data collection methods; application of land use.

PPDE 645 Financial Management of Nonprofit Organizations (4) Accounting and financial management principles and practices in nonprofit organizations: budgeting financial analysis, internal controls, financial policies, grant making and financial reporting. (Duplicates credit in PPD 541.)

PPDE 646 Grant Writing Practicum (2) Grant making process and proposal development; philanthropic foundations; strategies for funding; budgeting, logic models, and evaluation; peer review.

PPDE 647 Civic Engagement in Governance (4, Sp) Roles of citizens, civic associations, nonprofit organizations, government and business in democratic governance; civil society as the interface among these entities; techniques, purposes and contexts of civic engagement.

PPDE 648 Performance Management (2) Concept and practice of performance management; examination of performance measurement; analysis and reporting practices for organizational accountability and improvements; performance design, indicators, utilization of information.

PPDE 649 International Development NGOs: Theory, Policy and Management Issues (4) Critical issues involved in International Development NGO management; theoretical work and analytical framework to understand organizational features; NGO management, issues and challenges.

PPDE 660 Environmental Policy Design and Analysis (2, Sp) Analytical foundation for design of institutions and policies; environmental policy; welfare economics and market failure; policy evaluation; economic policy instruments; climate change policy issues; other policy issues. Prerequisite: PPD 501a; recommended preparation: PPD 501b.

PPDE 661 Methods for Equity Analysis (4) Techniques to measure inequality and segregation. Policy evaluation using techniques for casual inference. Prerequisite: PPD 558.

PPDE 662 China from a US Policy Perspective (4) Examination of China through the lens of the US federal government; trade issues; economic coordination and stability; environment and sustainability; defense and security; human development.

PPDE 680 Board Governance and Leadership (2) Governance of nonprofit organizations; responsibilities and expectations of boards; board effectiveness; and changes in governance as a result of recent federal and state legislation.

PPDE 681 Fund Development for Nonprofit Organizations (4) Key aspects of the fundraising process for nonprofit organizations; theoretical foundations and general fundraising principles; techniques sources of donations; key aspects of managing the process.

PPDE 682 Strategic Management and Leadership in Nonprofit Organizations (4) Mission-mandated accountable and ethical practice, individually and organizationally; applications of core competencies; practical inquiry, analysis, systems; comparative frameworks; strategic leadership and management of public value production. Prerequisite: PPD 500 and PPD 675 and PPD 689. Open only to Master of Nonprofit Leadership and Management students.