Provisional University Bulletin (2025-2026)

• Master of Arts

• Master of Science

• Master of Business Administration

• Master of Public Policy

• Doctor of Philosophy

Founded in 1959, the Heller School for Social Policy and Management is committed to developing new knowledge in the fields of social policy, human service management, and international development. The fundamental mission of the school—knowledge advancing social justice—is realized through the knowledge that is generated, the education that Heller students receive, and the accomplishments of Heller alumni.

One of the roles of the Heller School is to keep the concepts of social justice and human health and well-being at the forefront of the public conscience. The school and its nationally known research institutes and centers have pioneered in a variety of policy areas, including:

• Healthcare Systems
• Health Services
• Behavioral Health
• Global Health and Development
• Children, Youth, and Families
• Disability Policy
• Economic and Racial Equity
• Advancement of Philanthropy
• Housing and Community Stability
• Work and Opportunity

The Heller School consistently ranks among the nation’s top graduate schools of public affairs in the U.S. News & World Report. For 2024, Heller is ranked 13th for health policy and management and 9th for social policy. The Heller School offers the PhD in Social Policy, the Social Impact MBA, the MA in Sustainable International Development, the MS in Global Health Policy and Management, the MA in Conflict Resolution and Coexistence, the Master of Public Policy, and the Executive MBA for Physicians. The Heller School offers dual- and joint-degree options with the Sociology, Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, and the Hornstein Jewish Professional Leadership programs.

The Heller School provides its doctoral and master's students with solid training in policy research and management, community and economic development, and a broad grounding in social policy. Our Heller School also offers opportunities for graduate student/faculty exchange, research collaboration, and joint/dual degree program development with partner institutions in Brazil, Costa Rica, South Korea, and Sweden. All students benefit from the resources and expertise of the Heller School's social policy research institutes and centers, which include:

• The Schneider Institutes (Institute on Healthcare Systems, Institute for Behavioral Health, and Institute for Global Health Policy and Development)
• The Institute for Economic and Racial Equity
• The Institute for Child, Youth, and Family Policy
• The Lurie Institute for Disability Policy
• The Center for Youth and Communities
• The Sillerman Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy
• The Center for Global Development and Sustainability

The seven primary graduate degree programs of the Heller School are designed explicitly to bridge the gap between theory and practice. Students are engaged actively in examining policies and programs that respond to the changing needs of vulnerable individuals and social groups in contemporary societies, be they vulnerable as a result of economic hardship, illness, disability, age (young or old), or discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation. These core values are reflected in Heller's deep commitment to social change, a respect for public service, and an investment in the development of public- and private-sector policies and practices that enhance health and human development.

Heller's Doctoral Program in Social Policy (PhD) educates students for careers in research, teaching, administration, and policy analysis. The Social Impact Master of Business Administration (MBA) prepares leaders for management positions within nonprofit, for-profit, and public organizations or business units pursuing social missions. Heller's Master of Arts in Sustainable International Development (MA SID) imparts the knowledge and skills necessary to design and manage local, regional, national, or international development programs. The Master of Science in Global Health Policy and Management (MS GHPM) trains professionals to play increasingly responsible roles in the health and well-being of the world's poorest children and families. The Master of Public Policy (MPP) trains early and mid-career professionals for roles as policy analysts, researchers, advocates, and evaluators in public and private organizations. The Master of Arts in Conflict Resolution and Coexistence (MA COEX) trains early and mid-career professionals who are working, or aspire to work, within governments, international agencies, or related fields, to prevent, manage, and resolve intercommunal conflict and violence. The Executive Master of Business Administration for Physicians (EMBA) focuses on improving both clinical outcomes and financial results in healthcare organizations by training physician-leaders in the new science of medical management. All Heller students are committed to bettering human welfare, particularly for those who are vulnerable and who lack the capacity or resources to secure their own well-being.

The Doctor of Philosophy in Social Policy

The PhD in Social Policy program educates students for careers in research, teaching, administration, and policy analysis. Students are immersed in an integrated curriculum that focuses on intensive scholarly preparation in general and on specialized social policy areas in order to apply knowledge to real-world problems. Students graduate with honed research skills and a strong working knowledge of various social science disciplines.

The Heller School offers a joint PhD program with the Department of Sociology.

The Social Impact Master of Business Administration

The Social Impact MBA program* prepares leaders for management positions within nonprofit, for-profit, and public institutions pursuing social missions. It offers a rigorous core curriculum addressing all the basic management disciplines found in a traditional MBA program, providing the technical foundation but integrating the distinctive issues that arise in managing a social mission. Students are trained as the next generation of leaders and decision makers who will know how to find resources, use them efficiently and effectively, and deliver social good. The Heller School management education rigorously blends financial, technical, and social considerations. It places management in the context of social policy, drawing on the Heller School's powerful social policy resources. This combination makes the Social Impact MBA unique when compared to traditional programs in management, public administration, health administration, social work, and public health. 

The Heller School offers the Social Impact MBA* as a dual degree with the MA from the Hornstein Jewish Professional Leadership Program, the Master of Public Policy (MPP), or the MS in Biotechnology.

*Fall 2024 Incoming MBA Students: Fall 2024 incoming MBA students will follow the Business School MBA curriculum with the option of a Social Impact concentration that will be designed and taught by Heller faculty. The Business School MBA is a two-year program that includes the opportunity for a summer internship. Combining the Business School MBA core with a concentration in Social Impact will prepare students to tackle complex global challenges while driving positive change in society. 

*Current Heller MBA Students: Current Heller MBA students will continue to follow the Heller MBA curriculum through completion of their program.

The Master of Arts in Sustainable International Development

The MA in Sustainable International Development program imparts the knowledge and skills necessary for graduates to advance professionally in the international sector. Students in the SID program learn about human rights and gender-based approaches for reducing poverty and inequality, improving educational outcomes, and promoting environmental sustainability. They acquire a range of management skills, including planning and implementation, strategic management, and monitoring and evaluation, that are critical for successful development practitioners. The curriculum also reinforces students’ basic skills in professional writing, critical thinking, policy analysis, and qualitative and quantitative research methods. Students spend an academic year in residence studying with SID faculty and then undertake a practicum track in their second year. An accelerated track (one academic year) is available for select applicants with previous professional experience. 

The Heller School also  offers the MA in SID as a joint MA degree with Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.

The Master of Science in Global Health Policy and Management

The MS in Global Health Policy and Management program is a nine-month (one academic year) degree program that offers courses that improve analytical skills, build knowledge of public health and teach about the newest methods in the design, financing, and implementation of health system changes. Students in the MS program will learn how a health system is designed and will acquire the tools that they need to make significant policy changes in health systems around the world. Graduates of the MS in GHPM program will have a robust toolset that they will be able to use to problem solve and understand many complex issues related to health policy, population health, and health systems. The program focuses not only on building useful skills to assist in high-level policy design and decision making but also on how to implement these policies appropriately on the ground. The program incorporates enough flexibility in the curriculum to allow individual students to focus their expertise on policy, management, or development. Graduates of the MS in GHPM program follow many different career paths. Some of our graduates have returned to their home countries equipped with the necessary skills in order to move into high-level positions within their Ministries of Health or other government posts. Other graduates have become key players in many influential organizations and agencies throughout the globe (USAID, World Health Organization, the World Bank, Mercy Corps, and other prominent NGOs). 

The Heller School offers a 5-year BA/MA option through the MS in GHPM program for qualified undergraduates in the Health: Science, Society and Policy Program (HSSP) at Brandeis University.

The Master of Arts in Conflict Resolution and Coexistence

The MA in Conflict Resolution and Coexistence focuses on the challenges posed by intercommunal and societal conflicts in today's world. Bringing greater professional policy and practical expertise and leadership to bear upon these challenges is the goal. Since its inception in 2004, the program has become the preferred choice of early and mid-career professionals who want and need to understand how better to prevent, manage and resolve such conflicts. The curriculum of the MA COEX ensures that participants will secure a solid grounding in the theories of contemporary conflict resolution and coexistence work, as well as develop the professional skills to design and implement successful interventions to deal with the challenges of such conflicts. The sixteen-month program involves an academic year studying at Brandeis, followed by a three-month field placement and the completion of a master's field project. 

The Heller School offers a dual MA in COEX as a joint degree with the Near Eastern and Judaic Studies program at Brandeis University.

The Master of Public Policy

The Master of Public Policy program prepares students for policy roles within community agencies, state and federal government, and think tanks. Heller’s high standards for rigorous and transparent policy  analysis are important assets to students headed for careers that will use their skills in policy research, policy implementation, advocacy and community work. The MPP program provides students with the skills necessary to design, implement, reform, analyze, and promote innovative solutions to society’s most critical problems. The MPP is a two-year degree program that follows the traditional academic year from late August to May. 

The Heller School offers a dual MPP degree with the Social Impact MBA (MBA), and the MA from the Hornstein Jewish Professional Leadership Program.

The Executive Master of Business Administration for Physicians

The Executive MBA for Physicians (EMBA) is focused on improving both clinical outcomes and financial results in health care organizations by training physician-leaders in the new science of medicine and  management. Designed for practicing physicians who are—or seek to be—in positions of leadership, the EMBA for Physicians is an accelerated 16-month program with a curriculum that integrates student’s medical expertise with new knowledge in critical areas ranging from high performance leadership and organizational behavior to AI in healthcare, operations management, health policy, finance, quality and performance measurement, and healthcare innovation.

How to Apply

Application materials and detailed procedures for each degree program can be found online or by contacting the Heller School Office of Admissions at 781-736-3820 or helleradmissions@brandeis.edu. All applications should demonstrate a commitment to addressing some of the world's most pressing social issues as well as a readiness to take on graduate-level studies. 

For the Executive MBA for Physicians program,, please apply online here, email HellerPEMBA@brandeis.edu, or call 781-736-3857.

Application deadlines and requirements vary by program. See the “Test Scores and Deadlines” section below for detailed information.

Test Scores and Deadlines

The Doctor of Philosophy in Social Policy

The application deadline for the PhD program is December 15. All applicants must submit the online application form, application fee (waived for Brandeis alumni and current or returned Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, City Year, HBCU alumni, McNair Scholars and other service organization volunteers), statement of purpose, writing sample, transcripts, official GRE scores or Quantitative and Analytical statement, three letters of recommendation, a professional resume/CV, and official TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test scores for international students whose native language is not English.

Applicants to the PhD program in social policy may choose to submit either a) test results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or b) a Quantitative and Analytical Statement.

If submitting GRE scores, the test must be taken within five years of the application and must be submitted directly to the Heller School from ETS using the ETS institutional code: 3097. Although the application process is very competitive, the Heller School does not cite minimum score requirements, as test results are evaluated in conjunction with an applicant's educational background and professional experience. Further information on the GRE can be obtained at www.ets.org/gre.

If submitting a Quantitative and Analytical Statement, applicants should detail why they believe they would be successful in a research-based program; i.e., quantitative classes you have taken, research experience you hold, peer-reviewed research papers you have authored or collaborated on, statistical software you are familiar with and the projects you have utilized statistical software for, etc. Experience with qualitative data analysis and software may be noted but should not be the focus of the statement. The Quantitative and Analytical Statement should be no more than two pages, double spaced. The Quantitative and Analytical Statement must be submitted electronically when you complete the application.  

International applicants whose native language is not English or who have not completed a degree program in the United States must demonstrate English language proficiency by submitting results from the Test of English as a Foreign Language exam (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the Duolingo English Test. Further information about these tests can be found at www.ets.org/toefl, www.ielts.org, and www.englishtest.duolingo.com/applicants..

The Social Impact Master of Business Administration

The application deadlines for the full-time MBA program and part-time MBA program (fall start) are November 15 (early deadline), January 15 (priority round one), March 1 (priority round two for U.S. citizens and P.R. and June 1 final deadline for U.S. citizens and P.R.). It is in an applicant’s best interest to apply early to be considered for merit-based scholarships. Applications received after July 1 will be evaluated on a space available basis. Applicants to the part-time MBA program who wish to enter in the spring semester must submit a completed application by November 1. All MBA applicants must submit the online application form, application fee (waived for Brandeis alumni and employees, and current or returned Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, City Year and other service organization volunteers), statement of purpose, transcripts, official GMAT (preferred) or GRE scores (optional for 2023), official TOEFL or IELTS scores (international students whose native language is not English or have not completed a degree in the U.S.), two letters of recommendation, and a professional resume/CV.

Applicants to the MBA program who opt to submit official test scores from the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) or the test results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) must have taken the test within five years of the application. Test scores must be submitted directly to the Heller School from ETS using our ETS institutional code: 3097. Although the application process is very competitive, the Heller School does not cite minimum score requirements, as test results are evaluated in conjunction with an applicant's educational background and professional experience. Further information on the GMAT and the GRE can be obtained at www.ets.org/gre and https://www.mba.com/exams/gmat-exam.

International applicants must submit proof of English language proficiency. Heller accepts official scores from the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) or Duolingo English Test. Further information about these tests can be found at www.ets.org/toefl, www.ielts.org, and www.englishtest.duolingo.com/applicants.

The Master of Arts in Sustainable International Development

The application for the MA SID program is reviewed on a rolling basis. It is in an applicant’s best interest to apply early to be considered for merit-based scholarships. All applicants must submit the online application form, application fee (waived for Brandeis alumni, applicants from certain low-income nations, and current or returned Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, City Year and other service organization volunteers), statement of purpose, transcripts, official TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Language scores, three letters of recommendation, and a professional résumé/CV. Waivers of English language scores are available in limited circumstances, please see the Heller admissions website for more information. 

Standardized test scores are not required of applicants to the MA SID program. International applicants whose native language is not English must submit proof of English language proficiency. Official scores from the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) test are preferred, but the test requirement may be waived if an approved alternative confirmation of language proficiency is presented to the Office of Admissions. Further information about these tests can be found at www.ets.org/toefl, www.ielts.org, and www.englishtest.duolingo.com/applicants. Waivers of English language scores are available in limited circumstances, please see the Heller Admissions website for more information.

The Master of Science in Global Health Policy and Management

The application for the MS GHPM program is reviewed on a rolling basis. It is in an applicant’s best interest to apply early to be considered for merit-based scholarships. All applicants must submit the online application form, application fee (waived for Brandeis alumni, applicants from low-income nations, and current or returned Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, City Year and other service organization volunteers), statement of purpose, transcripts, official TOEFL, or IELTS, or Duolingo English Language scores, three letters of recommendation, and a professional résumé/CV. Waivers of English language scores are available in limited circumstances, please see the Heller Admissions website for more information. 

Standardized test scores are not required of applicants to the MS program. International applicants whose native language is not English must submit proof of English language proficiency. Official scores from the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) test are preferred, but the test requirement may be waived if an approved alternative confirmation of language proficiency is presented to the Office of Admissions. Further information about these tests can be found atwww.ets.org/toefl, www.ielts.org, and www.englishtest.duolingo.com/applicants.

The Master of Arts in Conflict Resolution and Coexistence

The application deadlines for the MA COEX program are January 15 (Priority Round One), March 1 (Priority Round Two) and June 1. It is in an applicant’s best interest to apply early to be considered for merit-based scholarships. All applicants must submit the online application form, application fee (waived for Brandeis alumni, applicants from low-income nations and current or returned Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, City Year and other service organization volunteers), statement of purpose, transcripts, official TOEFL or IELTS scores (international students whose native language is not English), three letters of recommendation, and a professional résumé/CV.

Standardized test scores are not required of applicants to the MA COEX program. International applicants whose native language is not English must submit proof of English language proficiency. Official scores from the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) test are preferred. Further information about these tests can be found at www.ets.org/toefl and www.ielts.org.

The Master of Public Policy

The application deadlines for the MPP program are January 15 (Priority Deadline), February 1 (Final - International Students), March 1 (Second Deadline - U.S. Citizens/Permanent Residents), and July 1 (Final - U.S. Citizens/Permanent Residents). All applicants will be considered for a merit-based scholarship, but applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

All applicants must submit the online application form, application fee (automatically waived for applicants who are HBCU alumni, current or returned Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, City Year, other service organization volunteers, and members of various academic or professional organziations), statement of purpose, unofficial transcripts, GRE scores (optional for 2024), official TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo scores (international students whose native language is not English or have not completed a degree in the U.S.), three letters of recommendation, and a professional résumé/CV.

Submitting GRE scores will be optional for the Fall 2024 application cycle. Applicants to the MPP program who have already taken the Graduate Record Exam - GRE can still submit their scores. Applicants must request the test scores to be sent directly to the Heller School by the appropriate code when taking the test. The code for the GRE is 3097. 

International applicants whose native language is not English, or who have not completed a degree program in the United States, must submit proof of English language proficiency. Heller accepts official scores from the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), the IELTS (International English Language Testing System), or Duolingo English Test. Further information about these tests can be found at www.ets.org/toefl, www.ielts.org, and www.englishtest.duolingo.com/applicants.

Please refer to this bulletin for academic regulations pertaining to the MS GHPM, and MA COEX programs. For complete information about academic regulations governing the Heller School's PhD, MBA, MA SID, MPP, and EMBA programs, refer to the Academic Policies and Procedures documents for each degree program, available from their respective administrative staff or websites.

For questions or concerns, contact the Office of Academic and Student Services at helleracademics@brandeis.edu.

Academic Standing

The Heller School reviews students' academic progress annually. Satisfactory academic progress in a program is essential to maintain one's eligibility for funding. Superior performance at Brandeis University is essential. Academic insufficiency or failure to make suitable progress toward the degree may result in withdrawal.

Registration

Every resident, post-resident, and continuation student must register at the beginning of each term, whether attending regular courses of study, carrying on research or independent reading, writing a thesis or dissertation, or utilizing any academic service or facility of the university. Registration requires enrollment in a course—whether a regular course, independent research, or a status course for post-resident and continuation students.

Students work closely with their program managers (academic advisors) in planning their program of study. All students file an Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) with their program office. At the end of the registration period for each term (see the University's Academic Calendar for specific dates), no additional courses may be added to a student's schedule and enrollment is considered to be final, unless a student formally drops a course prior to the drop deadline.

Auditing Courses

The privilege of auditing courses without paying a fee is extended to all regularly enrolled full-time graduate students. Auditors may not take examinations or expect evaluation from the instructor. No credit is given for an audited course. To audit a course, students must submit the Add/Audit/Drop form or contact the Office of Academic and Student Services by the deadline established in the Academic Calendar.

Dropping Courses

Students are allowed to drop courses after the end of the online registration period only with permission of the instructor. To drop a course, students must submit the Add/Audit/Drop form or contact the Office of Academic and Student Services by the deadline established in the Academic Calendar.

Attendance

All students are expected to attend classes regularly. In addition, an individual faculty member may establish attendance requirements for all students in the course, and may insist on the completion of all assignments even if a student was not in attendance for the period.

In rare circumstances, a student may have to miss more than a week of class due to serious illness or to family emergencies. In these cases, a student should be in immediate contact with their program advisor to discuss what options may be available. Because class participation and peer learning are important aspects of the Brandeis educational experience, students who miss more than two weeks of class ordinarily withdraw from the semester.

Grades and Course Standards

Graduate students are expected to maintain records of distinction in all courses. Letter grades will be used in most courses for master's degree-level students. Doctoral students receive "satisfactory (S)" or "unsatisfactory (U)."

Any letter grade below B- is considered unsatisfactory and will not be counted toward credit for degree requirements. There is one exception to this rule. For master’s programs in which students are in residence for four semesters or more, students may receive a grade of C+ in two courses throughout their program and still earn graduate degree credit for such courses. For master’s programs in which students are in residence for two or three semesters, students may receive only one grade of C+ throughout their program and still earn graduate degree credit. Students are not allowed to receive a grade below B- in the capstone course of their respective programs (Team Consulting Project [TCP] for the MBA Program). If a student receives two grades of C+ in one semester and one of the C+ grades is not eligible for degree credit (e.g., master’s programs in which students are in residence for two or three semesters), the Program Director may decide or create a committee to decide which course will count toward degree requirements.

Incompletes

A student who has not completed the research or written work including examinations for any course may receive an excused incomplete (EI) or a failing grade at the discretion of the course instructor. A student who receives an EI must satisfactorily complete the work of the course in order to receive credit for the course and a letter grade. An incomplete must be made up no later than the date set by the instructor, but by no later than the date published in the Academic Calendar for the term.

An EI that is not resolved by the published deadline will become a permanent incomplete (I).

Full-Time Resident Students

A full-time graduate student is one who devotes his/her entire time, during the course of the academic year, to a program of graduate work at Brandeis.

A full-time program may include a combination of teaching and research assistance and other work leading to the fulfillment of degree requirements, such as preparation for qualifying, comprehensive, and final examinations; supervised reading and research; PhD dissertations; and regular course work.

A full-time resident student must take a minimum of twelve credits per term unless otherwise approved by his or her program director. An accelerated program of study or payment of more than the full-time tuition rate in any single academic year may not satisfy the minimum residence requirement for any degree.

Part-Time Resident Students

A part-time graduate student is one who devotes less than the entire time to a program of graduate work at Brandeis. Part-time students are expected to enroll in two 4-credit courses per term unless otherwise approved by their program director. Part-time students must register as continuation status (CONT 450a) in any semester in which they are not enrolled in courses.

Students receiving financial aid from the university who wish to change their status from full-time to part-time residency must request permission to do so from their program director and file their change of status with the office of admissions and financial aid with an explanation of why full-time study is no longer possible.

Post-Resident Students

A graduate student who has completed residence requirements and who needs to utilize the full range of academic services and university facilities while completing degree requirements is a post-resident student. This includes doctoral students who do not have approved dissertation proposals. Post-resident students must enroll in a status course (CONT 500a), as they are considered to be full-time students.

Continuation Students

A doctoral student who has completed all degree requirements (including the dissertation proposal hearing) except the dissertation is eligible for continuation status. Students in this category must enroll in a status course (CONT 250a in the summer term and CONT 500a in the fall and spring terms), as they are considered to be full-time students. Full-time continuation students are eligible for university health insurance, borrowing privileges in the Library, a computer account, use of gym facilities, and purchase of a parking sticker. Students who intend to complete their PhD for an August 31 degree date are administratively enrolled in CONT 250a when an online Application for Degree is received. The summer registration fee is waived for PhD candidates.

A student must be registered and enrolled in the term(s) in which their dissertation is defended and submitted to the Office of Academic and Student Services.

MA students are considered full-time continuation students during their second year when engaged in their field projects.

PhD Program Time Limits and Milestones

General Guidelines

1. All required coursework and the comprehensive exam are expected to be completed within two calendar years from admission for full-time students, and four calendar years from admission for part-time students.
2. The dissertation proposal development, review, and hearing are expected to be completed within one calendar year after #1.
3. The dissertation is expected to be completed and defended within two calendar years after #2.

These guidelines are not intended to restrict the pace at which any student proceeds in the PhD program. Rather, they articulate the expected pace that most students should follow.

Time Limit in the PhD Program

While the expected time for completion of the PhD Program is 4-5 years, the maximum time limit for completion is 10 years from entry into the program, 12 years for part-time students (subject to any relevant accommodations as mentioned below). There will be no possibility for reinstatement after the maximum time limit has been reached, unless there is an approved accommodation. 

• Full-time students must defend their dissertations no later than 9½ years (before March 1) from entry into the program. 
• Part-time students must defend their dissertations no later than 11½ years (before March 1) from entry into the program. 

If a student’s dissertation committee requires changes, whether major or minor, the student has no more than 6 months to make minor changes or successfully re-defend his or her dissertation for major revisions: 

• Full-time students must successfully defend their dissertation proposal, including minor or major changes, within 6 years (before August 31) from entry into the program. 
• Part-time students must successfully defend their dissertation proposal, including any minor or major changes, within 8 years (before August 31) from their entry into the program. 

Failure to successfully defend either the proposal or the dissertation within these time limits will result in termination from the program, unless there is an approved accommodation. Brandeis University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and to the protection and equal treatment of pregnant students and students with pregnancy related conditions. Students requiring reasonable accommodations based on a documented disability or pregnancy-related conditions may be entitled to an extension to any time limits in the Heller PhD Program. Students who believe they may require a disability accommodation should contact Student Accessibility Support who will consult with the student and conduct an individualized assessment to determine whether and what accommodations may be necessary. Pregnancy accommodation requests may go through Student Accessibility Support or the Office of Equal Opportunity, or both offices may be involved, depending on the nature of the request.

Actions to Monitor Progress

Although students are responsible for ensuring that their progress is satisfactory and timely, the PhD program will contact students in writing each year after successful completion of the comprehensive exam to ensure that students are fully aware of their progress and of the Heller School’s policies and expectations. Students who are not achieving satisfactory progress may be asked to leave the program.

Special Students

The Heller School for Social Policy and Management welcomes anyone who wishes to enroll in a limited number of courses as a Special Student (non-degree) without formally matriculating. Admission to any course is contingent upon (1) the instructor's approval, (2) fulfillment of any prerequisites, and (3) space availability in the course. Successful completion of a course(s) as a Special Student does not guarantee admission into any degree program. Special Students are considered with all other applicants to the Heller School. 

• No more than four courses (eight credits) taken for credit may be transferable to degree candidacy if the student is admitted to the PhD* or MPP program. 
• No more than two courses (four credits) taken for credit may be transferable to degree candidacy if the student is admitted to the MS GHPM, MA SID, or MA COEX program.

*Students entering the Heller PhD program with graduate credits from Brandeis or another institution may petition the voting members of the PhD program committee for a reduction of the required course load of 60 credits by up to 12 credits. These petitions should be submitted no later than the fall of a student's second year in the program. Courses being transferred toward PhD degree program credit must carry a grade of B or better.

Applications for Special Student status must be received by the following dates: August 15 for the fall term, January 1 for the spring term, May 15 for the Summer I term, and July 1 for the Summer II term.

Leave of Absence

Personal leaves of absence up to one year will normally be granted to students in good academic standing who present compelling personal reasons. Students can also take a Health Leave of Absence. Returns from leave may be subject to conditions established at the inception of the leave. A student who has been granted a leave of absence is not considered an active student during the leave. Time spent on authorized leaves of absence will not be counted toward the maximum time permitted to complete degree requirements. If, for any reason, a student must extend a leave of absence, he or she must request such an extension in writing before the leave of absence expires. Failure to do so will result in involuntary withdrawal from the University. Students who extend their leaves of absence beyond one year may lose departmental funding.

Health Leave of Absence

Brandeis students may request a voluntary Health Leave of Absence (HLOA) for personal health reasons. A HLOA is intended to give students the freedom to attend to their health and well-being, away from the rigors of the University, so they can later return to campus and be successful in their academic and co-curricular pursuits. HLOAs are coordinated by the appropriate graduate school and the Office of Graduate Affairs. When an individual student’s physical and/or mental health significantly impacts their ability to function successfully or safely as a student, a Health Leave of Absence is recommended. The time away during a HLOA does not count towards total time to degree.

International Students

If you wish to remain in the U.S. for medical treatment during your leave of absence, please reach out to the ISSO for guidance. You can be authorized for a Reduced Course Load (carrying no credits) for up to 12 months while maintaining your F-1 status. You must provide medical documentation issued within the past 30 days from your licensed professional who is practicing in the United States, and holds one of the following credentials: medical doctor (MD), doctor of osteopathy (DO), or licensed clinical psychologist (LCP). The documentation is usually in the form of a letter and should recommend that you carry no credits as you pursue medical treatment. Please note you must be authorized for a Reduced Course Load in SEVIS prior to your withdrawal from your classes. A student who drops below a full course of study without the prior approval will be considered out of status.

Eligibility

This policy applies to graduate students at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the Heller School for Social Policy and Management, and the International Business School. This policy does not apply to graduate students within the Rabb School of Continuing Studies. If a full-time Rabb student needs time away from their program, they should contact their Student Advisor for assistance with program completion options. 

The amount of time students take for a HLOA will vary depending on the particular circumstances (such as the nature of the situation, treatment recommendations, and time needed to successfully return to an intensive academic environment). Students are encouraged to take sufficient time to address their health-related concerns before petitioning for re-enrollment.

If students are taking a HLOA during an active semester, they will be withdrawn from their classes. For information on how this impacts tuition, please visit Student Financial Services.

Before Taking a Health Leave of Absence

It is essential that each student review their current health insurance coverage. If the student is covered by Brandeis insurance, the student should contact the University Health Plan office (1- 800-437-6448) to discuss their leave. Otherwise they should contact the insurance provider under which they are covered. Students who have been enrolled in an academic program longer than the first 30 days of a semester are automatically covered (assuming coverage was not previously waived) by the Brandeis University Student Health Insurance Plan (www.universityhealthplans.com) when they convert to HLOA status for the remainder of the plan year. Students who are covered by a family’s employer plan when they convert to HLOA status may need to apply for continuation of coverage (COBRA) with the family’s plan. Enrollment in COBRA is time sensitive. Each insurance plan may be different, so a consultation with your insurance provider before taking a leave is essential.

Request to Begin a Health Leave of Absence

Specific steps should be followed in order for a student to both obtain a HLOA and to return from one. That said, the following procedures provide for an individualized approach for assessing a student’s eligibility to take and return from a HLOA and are designed to be reasonable and flexible.

1. Initiate the process by consulting with the appropriate assistant/associate dean of student/academic affairs at their graduate school regarding their request to take a HLOA.

• In this meeting, the assistant/associate dean will review the HLOA process, any impacts on their program, and advise them on any others with whom they may need to meet, depending on their specific circumstances.
• Discussion will also include the return process and date for initiating the return (the time frame can be adjusted as needed). If the student wants to extend their HLOA beyond what was already approved, they need to let the school know at least six weeks before the leave is anticipated to end, communicating in writing with the appropriate assistant/associate dean of student/academic affairs.

2. Then the student should officially apply for a HLOA through Workday.

• If the student is unable to apply through Workday, they should be in touch with their assistant/associate dean to apply in Workday on their behalf.

3. The student’s request must be accompanied by a letter from a licensed health care provider who is familiar with the student’s condition. Acceptable sources include, but are not limited to, the student’s primary care physician, hospital-based physicians and clinicians, Brandeis’ Health Center or Counseling Center’s clinical staff, and private licensed clinicians. The letter must include descriptions of the following:

• Diagnosis
• History of the diagnosis (date diagnosed, treatment/management up to current date, etc.)
• Detailed description of the diagnosis’ current impact on this student relative to participating in an academically rigorous educational setting and a clear recommendation that the student cannot continue their academic program because of the physical and/or mental health condition
• A recommended treatment plan
• An estimate regarding the time period for a HLOA

4. The Brandeis Health or Counseling Center’s staff reviews the documentation to determine it meets the above requirements, and makes a recommendation to the relevant graduate school’s assistant/associate dean of in their graduate school.

5. The graduate school then makes the final decision regarding whether to approve or deny the HLOA and notifies the student in writing as to the decision.

Once a student has applied for a HLOA and has submitted all appropriate supporting documentation, Brandeis strives to notify the student of a decision within seven to ten business days. The recommended length of the leave will be determined individually, based on each student’s particular situation, as the goal of taking a HLOA is to ensure that the student can later return to campus and be successful in their academic and co-curricular pursuits. If the HLOA is approved, the appropriate graduate school will enact the change of standing.

Graduate student responsibilities:

• The student understands that unless they return or replace any borrowed University Library materials, they will be charged for them.
• If the student has federal and/or institutional loans, they will complete Student Loan Exit Counseling with Student Financial Services (Questions? sfs@brandeis.edu, 781-736-3700).
• If the student is an international student, they will meet with an ISSO advisor and complete the ISSO Withdrawal/Leave of Absence Acknowledgement Form (Questions? isso@brandeis.edu, 781- 736-3480).
• If the student has taken excused absences (EA) or excused incompletes (EI), they will complete all the incomplete work by the end of the semester in which they are expected to return.
• The student understands that taking a health leave does not forestall any ongoing academic review the program may be conducting.
• The student is not eligible to transfer courses or credits taken at other institutions while on a withdrawal or leave of absence status. 
• The student cannot audit courses at Brandeis, conduct or participate in research at Brandeis, or hold a student employee position at Brandeis while on leave.
• If the student is currently maintaining F-1 or J-1 status sponsored by Brandeis, they understand that they must notify the ISSO of their plans to take a leave of absence.

Petitioning to Return

1. The student must contact the assistant/associate dean within their graduate school to petition to return to Brandeis. Goals for a return date should have been discussed in the initial conversation before taking HLOA. The student will review all the necessary steps and documents and will be in touch with their advisor with any questions. The student will then proceed with the return process in Workday.

• If the student wants to extend their HLOA beyond what was already approved, they need to let the school know at least six weeks before the leave is anticipated to end, communicating in writing with the appropriate assistant/associate dean in their graduate school.

2. The student must submit all medical documentation and any other necessary materials by July 1 for a fall semester return or by October 15 for a spring semester return. If Brandeis requires more information, we will reach out to you and all further materials must be submitted by August 1 for a fall semester return and November 15 for a spring semester return. The Workday process will include a secure link to Box for the student to upload their medical documentation. 

3. Medical documentation from (an) appropriate treatment provider(s) must include the following information: 

• Diagnosis and verification of treatment
• Documentation of current clinical status 
• Detailed description of the diagnosis’ current impact on this student relative to participating in an academically rigorous educational setting and a clear recommendation for return or not return. For the purposes of this policy, an “academically rigorous educational setting” refers to one in which regular class attendance is required; students complete academic coursework and assignments on time and to a minimum B- standard, which is typically the lowest passing grade in the graduate schools at Brandeis University; students complete a combination of teaching and research in addition to other degree requirements, such as preparation for qualifying, comprehensive and final examinations; and  laboratory research that may include specific chemical classes, physical hazards, or equipment hazards (as applicable). Policies or practices of the student’s School related to academic progress and standards may also be considered in determining readiness to return. 
• Effects of any current medication or medical equipment on the educational setting and the student's ability to learn.
• Academic accommodations recommended by the licensed health care professional.

4. The student understands this will be reviewed by the appropriate staff within the Health Center and/or the Brandeis Counseling Center, who may ask to speak directly to the student’s healthcare provider(s), in which case the student will provide a release to do so. The relevant health staff will consult with the return from the health leave committee, which will make a recommendation to the student’s school.

5. If the student would like to return to Brandeis in F-1 or J-1 status sponsored by Brandeis in the future, the student understands that prior to doing so, they must notify the ISSO to request a new I-20 or DS 2019.

6. The student understands that each petition to return is considered on its individual merits.

Personal Leave of Absence

Brandeis recognizes that during the course of their graduate study, a student may request a Leave of Absence (LOA) for personal reasons. A LOA is an agreement regarding a separation between the student and the University for a period of time, usually one semester or one year. The time away during a personal leave does not count towards total time to degree. Students must complete the official request for a personal leave at least two weeks prior to the start of the semester. LOAs are coordinated by the appropriate graduate school and the Office of Graduate Affairs.

International Students

Except in the case of a health leave of absence, students in F-1 and J-1 status who wish to maintain that status must always enroll in 12 or more credits, with the exception of their final semester. Please contact the International Students and Scholars Office if you are contemplating a leave of absence that is either personal or related to a health leave.

Eligibility

This policy applies to graduate students from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the Heller School for Social Policy and Management, and the International Business School. This policy does not apply to graduate students within the Rabb School of Continuing Studies. If a full-time Rabb student needs time away from their program, they should contact their Student Advisor for assistance with program completion options.

Before Taking a Personal Leave of Absence

It is essential that each student review their current health insurance coverage. If the student is covered by Brandeis insurance, the student should contact the University Health Plan office (1-800-437-6448) to discuss their leave. Otherwise they should contact the insurance provider under which they are covered. Students who have been enrolled longer than the first 30 days of a semester are automatically covered (assuming coverage was not previously waived) by the Brandeis University Student Health Insurance Plan when they convert to a personal leave status for the remainder of the plan year. Students who are covered by a family’s employer plan when they convert to a personal leave status may need to apply for continuation of coverage (COBRA) with the family’s plan. Enrollment in COBRA is time sensitive. Each insurance plan may be different, so a consultation with your insurance provider is essential.

Request to Begin a Personal Leave of Absence

Specific steps need to be followed in order for a student to both obtain a LOA and to return from one. Since the deadline to officially take a personal leave is two weeks prior to the start of the semester, the student should initiate the process earlier than this by consulting with their faculty advisor or director of graduate studies and/or informing the appropriate assistant/associate dean of student/academic affairs at their graduate school of their request to take a leave of absence. This meeting will review the process and impacts on their program and advise them on any others with whom they may need to meet. The student must officially apply for a LOA through Workday at least two weeks prior to the start of the semester. Extenuating circumstances that necessitate a personal leave during an active semester will be reviewed on a case by case basis, and in these cases, students will be withdrawn from their classes. For information on how this impacts tuition, please visit Student Financial Services.

Graduate Student Responsibilities

• You understand that unless you return or replace any borrowed University Library materials, you will be charged for them.
• If you have federal and/or institutional loans, you will complete Student Loan Exit Counseling with Student Financial Services.
• If you are an international student, you will meet with an International Students and Scholars Office advisor and complete the ISSO Withdrawal/Leave of Absence Acknowledgement Form.
• If you have taken excused absences (EA) or excused incompletes (EI), you must finish all work by agreed-upon deadlines with your faculty.
• You understand that taking a personal leave does not forestall any ongoing academic review your program may be conducting.
• You are not eligible to transfer courses or credits taken at other institutions while on a withdrawal or leave of absence status.
• You cannot audit courses at Brandeis, conduct or participate in research at Brandeis, or hold a student employee position at Brandeis while on leave.
• If you are currently maintaining F-1 or J-1 status sponsored by Brandeis, you understand that you must notify the ISSO of your plans to take a leave of absence.

Petitioning to Return

• You must contact your graduate school to petition to return to Brandeis: by July 15 for a fall semester return or by October 31 for a spring semester return. You will review all the necessary steps and documents and will be in touch with your advisor with any questions.
• Students in good academic standing may need to finish incompletes while on leave in order to return.
• If you would like to return to Brandeis in F-1 or J-1 status sponsored by Brandeis in the future, you understand that prior to doing so, you must notify the ISSO to request a new I-20 or DS 2019.
• You understand that each petition to return is considered on its individual merits.  
  

Brandeis Pregnancy Accommodation and Parental Relief

Pregnancy Accommodation

Brandeis University is committed to supporting pregnant and parenting students. The University acknowledges that pregnancy, breastfeeding, lactation, and parental status are protected under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (“Title IX”), 20 U.S.C. §1681 et seq., and other applicable state and federal laws. Under this Policy, there are different stages of pregnancy during which the University can provide support and accommodations.

Accommodations During Pregnancy

While a student is pregnant, they may require certain accommodations to allow them to continue to participate in University programs and activities. These accommodations relate to medical needs or complications associated with the pregnancy. Pregnant students can request these accommodations and learn more about the process through Student Accessibility Support. There are different types of accommodations available depending on the needs of the individual, including but not limited to those related to academics[1], housing, transportation, parking, and dietary needs.

As with disability accommodations, information about pregnant students’ requests for accommodations will be shared with faculty and staff only to the extent necessary in order to provide the reasonable accommodation. Faculty and staff will regard all information associated with such requests as confidential and not to be shared.

Recovery

Students are entitled to excused absences relating to pregnancy, childbirth, miscarriage, and/or recovery, for the amount of time deemed medically necessary by their provider. Students will need to provide medical documentation from their medical care providers outlining the amount of time needed for recovery. All medical documentation regarding the pregnancy should go to SAS. Graduate students can work with the Office of Graduate Affairs, who will help to coordinate the student’s absences with the appropriate departments on campus. Undergraduate students should work with their academic advisors.

After taking approved absences due to pregnancy, childbirth, miscarriage. and/or recovery, students will be allowed to return to their program at Brandeis in the same academic status they held before the leave began. To the extent possible, students will be given the opportunity to make up any work they missed while they were on leave. If a class grade is based on attendance, students will not be penalized for their approved absence. However, depending on the length of the absence and timing in the academic year, in some cases it may not be feasible to complete certain classes. In that situation, a student may need to withdraw from a course or take a leave of absence, but will be reinstated to the status they held before the leave and will be allowed to continue in their program without penalty. What adjustments might be appropriate will vary based on the student's needs and the fundamental requirement of the program and coursework in question. International students should work with the International Students and Scholars Office to address any visa concerns that may arise in relation to a leave of absence or otherwise taking time away from the University.

Accommodations for Nursing Students

Brandeis is committed to supporting students surrounding their needs in regards to nursing and lactation. Students should work with their program or instructors to find mutually convenient times for them to nurse or pump. Students must be given adequate, excused breaks as necessary and should not be penalized for the need to take time away. Generally a person who is lactating will need two to three breaks during the day, for a period of up to 30 minutes, to express milk. Under certain circumstances, a student may need to provide a doctor’s note if it is medically necessary to pump on a certain schedule.

Nursing students have the right to breastfeed in any public or private location where they are otherwise allowed to be. To support members of our community in regards to lactation, the University provides the private lactation spaces listed below. Additionally, departments can create ad hoc lactation spaces as necessary to support those in their community. Ad hoc spaces can be an office or other space temporarily utilized for the purposes of pumping or breastfeeding. The minimum requirements for lactation rooms (ad hoc or permanent) include having a private space with a door that locks, that has an electrical outlet, good lighting and ventilation, with a comfortable chair and a counter or table. There also should be access to a sink and a refrigerator either inside the space or nearby. Bathrooms are not appropriate lactation spaces.

The following campus locations are dedicated lactation rooms. Individuals must bring their own breast pumps; all rooms have refrigeration, electrical outlets and microwaves for sterilization. Most have sinks nearby.

• Goldfarb Library Room 69-41A
  • This room is kept locked. To access the room a key can be checked out at the library’s information desk with your Brandeis ID. For reservations, please check the specific Google calendar for the space and book an available time or contact library-lactation@brandeis.edu. You may need to ask for directions after obtaining the key as the room is a little tricky to find. The room can accommodate two individuals at one time. The key should be returned to the information desk after use. The room is equipped with a refrigerator and microwave (for sterilization) with a sink nearby.
• Leo Gerstenzang Library of Science Room 128
  • This room is kept locked. To access the room, contact graduateaffairs@brandeis.edu. The room is located in the science complex through the Student Lounge area and through room 127 accessible with your ID card. Walk through the quiet study area and you will see room 128 on your right. This room can accommodate three people at one time. Kitchen area is next door with access to a refrigerator, microwave (for sterilization) and sink.
• Rabb Graduate Center Room 118
  • This room is kept locked. To access the room a key can be checked out with reservations by contacting pannella@brandeis.edu in the English department. The room is equipped with a refrigerator, a microwave (for sterilization) and numerous electrical outlets with a sink nearby.

Reporting Concerns

Discrimination against any member of the Brandeis community who is or who is perceived to be pregnant, recovering from childbirth, or nursing is prohibited under Brandeis’ Policy Against Discrimination, Harassment & Sexual Violence. Anyone with concerns regarding discrimination should contact the Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO). Negative comments related to pregnancy, childbirth recovery, breastfeeding, lactation, or parental status may constitute illegal sex discrimination or harassment. Retaliation against anyone exercising their rights under this policy is prohibited.

Students with concerns about an accommodation request that was denied or an approved accommodation that was not properly implemented can file a grievance with the OEO. For more information, please refer to the Accommodations Grievance Process.

[1] Some examples may include: breaks during class, as needed; rescheduling tests or exams; excusing absences; and developing a plan for making up missed assignments.

Graduate Student Parental Relief

To assist full-time graduate students in balancing academic, teaching, and research responsibilities with parenting demands, Brandeis University provides eligible graduate students with support in the form of Parental Relief immediately after their child’s birth, adoption, or placement in foster care (for a child up to the age of six). Parental Relief permits students to maintain full-time status–along with the same level of guaranteed funding and other benefits–while postponing deadlines, completion of course assignments, examinations, and other academic, research, and teaching requirements for up to eight consecutive weeks.

International students

Before taking Parental Relief, international students should consult their ISSO advisor to understand how their specific Parental Relief arrangements may affect their immigration status. Students in F-1 and J-1 status who wish to maintain that status must always enroll in 12 or more credits, with the exception of their final semester. In general, Parental Relief should not impact your immigration status, as long as your program duration remains the same and you do not enroll in fewer than 12 credits; please contact the ISSO for more details.

Eligibility

The Parental Relief Policy applies to full-time, enrolled Brandeis graduate students who are making satisfactory progress toward completion of their degree. The policy covers students who experience a child birth or the adoption or fostering of a child under the age of six for whom the student has parental responsibilities. Students are eligible for a Parental Relief period for up to eight consecutive calendar weeks immediately following the child’s birth, adoption, or placement in foster care. If both parents are students, they each are eligible for this relief time and can take it concurrently. Students who give birth are also eligible for pregnancy- and childbirth-related accommodations in the Pregnancy Accommodation policy, and can take Parental Relief concurrently with any Pregnancy Accommodation.

This policy does not apply to graduate students within the Rabb School of Continuing Studies. If a full-time Rabb student needs time away from their program, they should contact their Student Advisor for assistance with program completion options.

How it Works

During the period of Parental Relief, the student will continue to be enrolled as a full-time student. Because the student remains enrolled full-time and continues to pay tuition, this is not a leave of absence. It is instead a modification of deadlines and academic expectations to support the student’s new parental responsibilities. The student will be able to postpone completion of course assignments, examinations, and other academic requirements. The student and their advisor will tailor the Parental Relief to the student’s individual circumstances and the timing of the student’s academic responsibilities. In the case of an international student, consideration must be given to the fact that any extension of the program may affect their immigration status and so they must speak with their ISSO advisor in advance.

Request to Begin Parental Relief

Specific steps need to be followed in order for a student to be able to utilize Parental Relief. First, the student should initiate the process as early as possible by consulting with the assistant/associate dean at their graduate school, their faculty advisor, or the director of graduate studies to inform them of the student’s desire to utilize Parental Relief. This meeting will review the process and impacts on their program, and advise them on others with whom they may need to meet. The student must officially apply for Parental Relief through Workday.

The student must then consult with their advisor to plan the student’s Parental Relief and how the student will meet academic goals and requirements at the end of the Parental Relief. The student is responsible for ensuring that this consultation takes place, and should also initiate this as early as possible.

Once approved and with a plan in place, the Relief period will begin on the date of birth, adoption, or placement in foster care. The student must notify the assistant/associate dean within five days of the child’s birth, adoption, or placement in foster care to start the Parental Relief period.

The student must complete the Parental Relief period within eight consecutive calendar weeks of the birth, fostering or adoption. The student may not divide the time period of Parental Relief for use past this time limit. The total Parental Relief period for each birth or adoption is limited to eight weeks; this time limit does not change in the event of a multiple birth, fostering or adoption.

Following the Parental Relief Period

After the end of the Parental Relief period, students are expected to continue their usual graduate study and progress toward completing their degrees. Faculty are encouraged to remain flexible in their expectations of students who become new parents, so that students can meet the demands of graduate study at the same time that they face new demands in their parental roles. Faculty should turn to their graduate schools for guidance on this flexibility.

Additional Information

Nothing in this policy can or should replace communication and cooperation between student and advisor, and the good-faith efforts of both to support the demands resulting from the birth, fostering or adoption of a child. It is the intent of this policy to reinforce the importance of that cooperation, and to provide support to make flexibility possible.

Because Parental Relief is not a leave, students making use of this policy retain the same level of access to: library privileges (borrowing rights, carrel, and electronic collections); Brandeis UNET and e-mail; meeting with advisors; health services and health insurance; Brandeis’s facilities; as well as eligibility for student loans and conference travel.

Students who receive guaranteed fellowship funding as part of their graduate program will continue to receive the same level of funding during their Parental Relief. If a student’s guaranteed funding includes funds from a source external to Brandeis and the source does not permit payment during Parental Relief, Brandeis will provide the student with the equivalent amount. Funding received during Parental Relief is part of the total funding package for the student and will not be extended past the promised duration of program funding. Students who are scheduled to act as teaching assistants, course assistants, or teaching fellows during Parental Relief will not be responsible for performing those duties and will not be paid the additional stipends they receive when doing so. Responsibility for finding a replacement will rest with the individual graduate schools.

Withdrawal

A student who wishes to withdraw voluntarily from the Heller School during a semester must do so in writing to the program director and must file his or her request with the Office of Academic and Student Services before the last day of instruction of the semester. Failure to notify in writing of a withdrawal may subject the student to loss of eligibility for refunds in accordance with the refund schedule outlined in the "Fees and Expenses" section. Permission to withdraw voluntarily will not be granted if the student has not discharged all financial obligations to the university or has not made financial arrangements satisfactory to the Office of Student Financial Services. When a student withdraws during or at the end of a semester, course enrollments are not expunged from his/her record, rather a grade of W ("dropped") is entered for each course.

Students who are obliged to register and fail to do so by the appropriate deadline or who fail to pay their bill will be administratively withdrawn. They may be readmitted (see below) for study in a subsequent term, but not for the term in which they were withdrawn for failure to register. Belatedly fulfilling financial obligations will not negate the effects of administrative withdrawal.

Readmission

A student who has not been enrolled in the Heller School for more than one year and who did not obtain a leave of absence should file an application for readmission and will be charged the readmission fee. The student's program will determine in each case whether a student should be readmitted. If the program's requirements have changed during the student's absence or the student is not deemed current in his or her field of study, the program may require the student to repeat or supplement previous academic requirements, including qualifying exams. When a student is reinstated, he or she will be informed of current status regarding credits and time to degree.

Graduate Cross-Registration

The Heller School has cross-registration agreements with Babson College, Bentley University School of Business Administration, Boston College, Boston University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Urban Studies and Planning, and Gender, Culture, Women, and Sexuality), Regis College, and Tufts University (excluding the Fletcher School). Information on courses for cross-registration at each of the host institutions is available at the graduate school office of each institution. Full-time graduate students may enroll in one graduate-level course per term (excluding the summer term) at any one of these institutions that fits reasonably into their educational goals and does not duplicate a course offered at Brandeis, with several provisos:

• Consortium schools do not allow cross-registration in some of their graduate programs, or in particular courses.
• Students need the permission of the instructor to register.
• Outside courses may not be used to substitute for courses offered in The Heller School's curriculum unless there are serious and unavoidable extenuating circumstances. In such cases, the student should secure the approval of their faculty advisor and the Program Director.  The approval should be put in writing in the student’s official file.
• Full-time students are permitted to take a maximum of four courses outside The Heller School and may take no more than one consortium course per semester. These consortium privileges are not applicable to part-time students.
• Students should obtain a copy of the course description from the consortium school, discuss the consortium course with their advisor, and list on Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) in the semester the course is taken.
• Consortium privileges do not extend to the summer term. If a student wishes to enroll for a summer course at one of the consortium schools, he or she will be responsible for paying full tuition to that school.
• Due to differences in academic calendars among the colleges in the consortium, it is not advisable for degree candidates to enroll in a cross-registered course in their final semester.

The consortium schools have a tuition sharing agreement, so students who register for a course at one of the consortium schools do not have to pay tuition there but must still pay full tuition at Brandeis.

A student should follow the instructions found on the cross-registration website to register for a course at one of the consortium schools.

Frequently Asked Questions on Cross-Registration

To enroll in a graduate course at one of the host institutions, a student should obtain a cross-registration petition from the University Registrar and should present this petition to both the Office of Academic and Student Services and the Registrar's office of the host institution for approval. The completed petition should be returned to the Office of Academic and Student Services prior to the deadline established in the Academic Calendar.

• Financial Regulations 2024-2025
• Tuition Charges for 2024-2025
• Fees for 2024-2025
• Refund policies

The Heller School attempts to assist as many students as possible in securing financial aid, although it is expected that candidates for admission will explore a variety of outside funding sources, such as private scholarships, state scholarships, and veteran benefits. The Heller School offers scholarships and fellowships awarded on the basis of academic merit. These grants rarely cover the full cost of study plus living expenses, but, in combination with federal loans, make up the typical aid package. Part-time students are not eligible to receive fellowships from the Heller School.

For more information about fellowships, scholarships, and loans for all of our degree programs, visit the Heller School website, or contact the Office of Admissions.  

Loans

Federal Direct Stafford Loans are available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are enrolled at least half-time in a degree program and who demonstrate need by filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. 

For additional details, please see Federal Loan information for 2024-2025.

The Heller School Faculty and Research staff reflect a broad range of interests and perspectives, believing that Heller's fundamental mission is realized through the knowledge they create, the education their students receive, the accomplishments of alumni, and the extent to which their work transcends the boundaries between academia and the broader society.

Navigate ScholarWorks for a complete directory of Heller faculty and research staff by program or institute, and find more background information on these talents, such as scholarships, activities, and expertise.

Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Social Policy

Program of Study

Students in the program must complete 60 credits over two years in residence (training grants may have additional requirements). The core curriculum spreads across three categories: theory, methods, and area of concentration. Students have to take the 5.5 core curriculum courses (22 credits). These are indicated by name below. In addition, students have to take one 4-credit course as well as a non-credit doctoral seminar in their area of concentration at the Heller School for eight semesters. Successful completion of course work fulfills the requirements for the Master of Arts in Social Policy. Students must successfully complete an integrated Comprehensive Exam to proceed to the dissertation.

Core Requirements (5.5 courses – 22 credits)

Fall
HS 326f Introduction to STATA Programming and Data Management (2 credits)
HS 401b Research Methods (4 credits)
HS 403b Qualitative Research (4 credits)
HS 404b Applied Regression Analysis (4 credits)

Spring
HS 508a Theory of Social Policy and Change (4 credits)
HS 510a Applied Design and Analysis (4 credits)

Residence Requirement

The minimum residence for the PhD is two years.

Qualifying Paper

Upon completion of course work, each student must complete an integrative comprehensive paper. This paper is usually administered at the end of the student's fourth semester.

Language Requirement

There is no foreign language requirement for the PhD degree.

Dissertation and Final Oral Examination

The dissertation committee has a minimum of three members, one of whom serves as chair. The chair and one other committee member must be from the Heller faculty, and at least one member must be from outside of the Heller School or outside the university. A dissertation proposal should be successfully defended no later than August 31 of the student’s third year. Students may elect to write the dissertation in either a three-paper academic journal format or the monograph format. To be granted the degree, the student is required to defend the dissertation in a public final oral examination. The expected time for completion of the PhD Program is 4-5 years. The maximum time limit for the completion is 10 years from entry into the program.

Requirements for the Joint Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Social Policy and Sociology

The PhD in Social Policy and Sociology is a joint degree of the Department of Sociology and the Heller School for Social Policy and Management. Students are encouraged to apply during the first year of study in either department. The application deadline is April 1 for the following September. Students are responsible for obtaining a letter of recommendation from their program director. If the student is accepted by the complementary department (admission is not guaranteed), the following procedures apply. Joint degree students are funded by the program in which they first matriculate. Therefore, should any student accept an offer of admission for the joint degree with Sociology their funding will continue through the Heller School. All Heller PhD students receive full tuition, mandatory fees, Brandeis individual health insurance and annual stipend for the first two years of full-time study. A third and fourth year of funding is provided contingent upon meeting certain Fellowship requirements.

Given that the joint degree program adds additional coursework and an additional qualifying exam, we have modified the fourth-year fellowship requirements for joint degree students. The general Heller requirement for fourth year funding is proof of progress toward the degree by the completion of a dissertation proposal. In the case of a joint degree student we will consider progress toward the successful completion of Qualifying Portfolio Defense (QPD) for the Department of Sociology as an equivalent proof of progress. The timing and terms of fourth year funding are unchanged, only the proof of progress is being modified to meet the circumstances of the joint degree.

Program of Study

Students entering the joint PhD program in social policy and sociology are expected to complete a total of eighteen courses. At least eight courses must be offered by the Brandeis sociology department (comprising at least four graduate seminars), plus the Approaches to Sociological Research Proseminar, which is required during each semester of coursework following matriculation into the joint degree program). At least one of these sociology courses must be in theory.

A minimum of nine courses must be taken within the Heller School including the following requirements:

• HS 401b Research Methods
• HS 403b Qualitative Methods
• HS 404b Stats/Regression Analysis (including applications lab)
• HS 508a Theory of Social Policy and Change
• HS 510a Applied Design and Analysis

The remaining four courses may be a combination of Heller concentration and methods courses. Students are also required to take a noncredit doctoral seminar at the Heller School for eight semesters. Students are assigned advisers from the sociology department and from the Heller School. Advisers in both departments work together with students to assure appropriate coherency in their program of courses. An interdepartmental meeting between advisers and students should take place at least once a year.

Students are assigned advisers from the sociology department and from the Heller School. Advisers in both departments work together with students to assure appropriate coherency in their program of courses. An interdepartmental meeting between advisers and students should take place at least once a year.

Residence Requirement

The minimum residence for the joint PhD degree is three years.

Teaching Requirement

All joint PhD students must participate in undergraduate teaching.

Language Requirement

There is no foreign language requirement for the joint PhD degree.

Qualifying Examinations

Each student must complete a comprehensive paper as required in the Heller School curriculum. Students must also show competence in two areas of sociology, as certified through the Qualifying Portfolio and Defense (QPD) process. Students elect two areas of interest and develop a contractual set of requirements with a faculty member of each area. When both QPDs are completed, there is a meeting (typically one to two hours) to discuss the student's interests, directions in the field, and the upcoming dissertation. QPD membership and chair must be approved by the Sociology Graduate Committee by the end of the semester prior to completion of coursework. Accreditation in the two QPD areas must be completed by the end of the semester following completion of coursework following a full QPD meeting. Chair’s report to the Sociology Graduate Committee must be approved.

Dissertation and the Final Oral Examination

A dissertation proposal should be submitted soon after the comprehensive examination and QPDs are completed. The dissertation committee should consist of five members—two faculty members each from the sociology department and the Heller School and one outside member. The joint PhD dissertation may be accepted by the sociology department and the Heller School upon the recommendation of the dissertation committee. To be granted the degree, the student is required to defend the dissertation in a public final oral examination.

Requirements for the Degree of Master of Business Administration

Program of Study

Students must successfully complete 68 credits, 54 of which are core requirements. Over the summer, students are engaged in a team-consulting project involving actual clients and there are opportunities for internships during the second fall.

Required Courses

HS 215b Corporate Finance (4 credits)
HS 232a Team Consulting Project Workshop (2 credits)
HS 246a Data, Models and Decisions (4 credits)
HS 247f Evaluation for Managers (2 credits)
HS 248b Financial Management (4 credits)
HS 249f Social Justice, Management, and Policy (2 credits)
HS 250a Financial Reporting and Analysis Accounting (4 credits)
HS 251b Managerial Accounting (4 credits)
HS 252b Strategic Management (4 credits)
HS 253b Leadership and Organizational Behavior (4 credits)
HS 254a Human Resource Management (4 credits)
HS 258a Operations Management (4 credits)
HS 285a Marketing (4 credits)
HS 290a Economic Analysis for Managers (4 credits)
HS 299b Team Consulting Project (4 credits)

Team Consulting Project

The Heller MBA culminates in the team consulting project: a real-world, practical experience where students have the opportunity to apply the analytical and problem-solving skills they have developed at Heller to an organization or business unit pursuing a social mission. Working under the supervision of a faculty adviser, students work in teams of three to five, providing management consulting services to a variety of organizations over a four-month period. By working with real organizations that are facing human resource, operational, financial, strategic, and other management challenges, students are better prepared to function as successful professionals after graduation.

Residence Requirement

16 months in residence.

Master's Thesis

There is no master's thesis.

Language Requirement

There is no language requirement. 

Requirements for the Dual Degree of Master of Business Administration/Master of Arts (Hornstein MA in Jewish Professional Leadership)

Admission

Students applying to this program must demonstrate professional and academic capability and the capacity for sustaining an intensive program of study. Applicants must submit a single application to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Program of Study

This program prepares professional leaders with the full complement of business and nonprofit skills, as well as specialized knowledge of Judaic studies and contemporary Jewish life. The program blends the Heller School's management curriculum with the Hornstein program's integrated approach to Jewish leadership training. Graduates of the dual-degree program receive two master's degrees: a Master of Arts in Jewish professional leadership from the Hornstein program and an MBA from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management.

Degree Requirements

The dual degree requires eighty course credits consisting of specific Hornstein courses totaling approximately thirty-eight credits and specific Heller courses totaling thirty-eight credits. The remaining credits are taken as electives. The program is usually completed in four and a half semesters, including part of the summer between years one and two. The MBA portion of this program culminates in a Team Consulting Project (TCP).

Required MBA Courses

HS 215b Corporate Finance (4 credits)
HS 232a Team Consulting Project Workshop (2 credits)
HS 248b Financial Management (4 credits)
HS 250a Financial Reporting and Analysis (4 credits)
HS 251b Managerial Accounting (4 credits)
HS 252b Strategic Management (4 credits)
HS 258a Operations Management (4 credits)
HS 285a Marketing (4 credits)
HS 290a Economic Analysis for Managers (4 credits)
HS 299b Team Consulting Project (4 credits)

Required HRNS Courses

HRNS 231b American Jewish Community in Historical Perspective (4 credits)
HRNS 231b American Jewish Community in Historical Perspective (4 credits)
HS 234a Human Resource Management for Jewish Nonprofits (4 credits)
HRNS 237b Organizational Behavior in Jewish Nonprofits (4 credits)
HRNS 241a Skills and Techniques in Jewish Philanthropy and Fundraising (4 credits)
HRNS 246a Statistics for Jewish Professional Leaders (2 credits)
HRNS 247a Program Evaluation for Jewish Professional Leaders (4 credits)
HRNS 297a Hornstein Professional Field Experience (2 credits)
HRNS 350a Myra Kraft Seminar in Israel (2 credits)
HRNS 350a Jewish Professional Leadership Seminar on Israel (2 credits)
HRNS/NEJS 261a Strategies and Quandaries in Contemporary Leadership (4 credits)
HRNS 380a Proseminar  (4 credits)
HRNS 399a Capstone (2 credits)

Supervised Professional Field Experience

Supervised professional field experience forms an important part of the Hornstein Program. It is designed to immerse students in the best professional practices within the Jewish community, and to help students refine their practical skills, learn to turn theory into action, and become self-reflective and effective practitioners.

Field experience usually takes place in the summer and/or second year of the program and usually consists of a minimum of 150 hours of work managing a project jointly created by the student, the Hornstein faculty, and the supervisor in the field organization.

Myra Kraft Seminar in Israel

Students take a classroom seminar and then travel to Israel twice as a required part of the curriculum to examine contemporary issues in Israeli society and its relationship with diaspora communities.

Language Requirement

All students are expected to know the Hebrew alphabet prior to beginning their studies. Proficiency in modern Hebrew at a level comparable to one year of Brandeis University training is required for graduation. Students not meeting this requirement upon entrance are required to enroll in courses in Hebrew language during their academic residency. Students may fulfill the Hebrew language requirement by passing (B- or above) a 20-level or higher Hebrew course.

Co-Curricular Requirements

Students have the chance to practice teamwork and leadership skills by becoming involved in the planning and execution of a number of co-curricular activities.

Starr Seminar in New York City

Students usually spend four days during their first academic year in New York City visiting the national offices of major and start-up Jewish organizations to explore aspects of the communal agenda with agency executives.

Residence Requirement

The residence requirement is 4.5 semesters of full-time study or the equivalent thereof in part-time study. Students must complete all degree requirements within five years.

Requirements for the Dual Degree of Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Biotechnology

Admission

Applicants to this program must fulfill all requirements for admission to both programs. Students already enrolled in the MS BIOT program who desire to enter the MBA program will be required to take the GMAT or GRE (optionall in 2023).

Degree Requirements

The dual degree requires 96 course credits consisting of specific MBA courses totaling 52credits and specific biology and biochemistry courses totaling 28 credits, along with 4 credits in science electives and a summer internship (12 credits). The program is usually completed in six consecutive semesters, including two summers. The core requirements for the dual degree are shown as follows:

MBA Core Course Requirements

HS 215b Corporate Finance (4 credits)
HS 232a Team Consulting Project Workshop (2 credits)
HS 246a Data, Models and Decisions (4 credits)
HS 248b Financial Management (4 credits)
HS 250a Financial Reporting and Analysis (4 credits)
HS 251b Managerial Accounting (4 credits)
HS 252b Strategic Management (4 credits)
HS 253b Leadership and Organizational Behavior (4 credits)
HS 258a Operations Management (4 credits)
HS 285a Marketing (4 credits)
HS 290a Economic Analysis for Managers (4 credits)
HS 299b Team Consulting Project (4 credits)
HS 513a Issues in National Health Policy (4 credits)
HS 518a Management of Healthcare Organizations (4 credits)

Biotechnology Core Course Requirements

BIOL 101a Molecular Biotechnology (4 credits)
BIOL 251a Project Lab: Protein Biochemistry (4 credits)
BIOL 256a Biotechnology Project Laboratory (4 credits)
BIOT 201b Business of Biotechnology (4 credits)
BIOT 203b Management for Biotechnology (4 credits)
BIOL 205a Masters Proseminar (4 credits) 
Note: Responsible Conduct of Research (non-credit course) is usually offered in the spring.

One of the following:

BCHM 100a Introductory Biochemistry (4 credits)
BIOL 100b Advanced Cell Biology (4 credits)
BIOL 103b Mechanisms of Cell Function (4 credits)
BIOL 102 Structural Molecular Biology (4 credits)

Requirements for the Dual Degree of Master of Business Administration and Master of Public Policy

Program of Study

This intensive program requires six semesters (102 credits), including one summer. Students in the dual degree program are required to complete both the Team Consulting Project (TCP) and the MPP Capstone paper.

Students in the dual degree program may choose either track--beginning with the MPP curriculum or beginning with the MBA curriculum. In each case, dual-degree students must fulfill requirements for admission to both programs, including taking either the GRE or the GMAT (optional for 2023). Dual degree students are still required to choose a concentration and complete 12 credits in their concentration.

Required Courses (courses may vary depending on which curriculum students start with)

Required MBA Courses

HS 215b Corporate Finance (4 credits) 
HS 232a Team Consulting Project Workshop (2 credits)
HS 247f Evaluation for Managers (2 credits) 
HS 248b Financial Management (4 credits) 
HS 249f Social Justice, Management, and Policy (2 credits) 
HS 250a Financial Reporting and Analysis (4 credits) 
HS 251b Managerial Accounting (4 credits) 
HS 252b Strategic Management (4 credits) 
HS 253b Leadership and Organizational Behavior (4 credits) 
HS 254a Human Resource Management (4 credits) 
HS 258a Operations Management (4 credits) 
HS 285a Marketing (4 credits) 
HS 299b Team Consulting Project (4 credits)

Required MPP Courses

HS 303a Historical and Contemporary Developments in Social Policy (4 credits)
HS 332a Research Methods (4 credits)
HS 336a MPP Capstone Seminar (4 credits)
HS 341a Public Finance and Budgeting (4 credits)
HS 372b Economic Theory and Social Policy (4 credits)
HS 404b Applied Regression Analysis (4 credits)
HS 405a Applied Econometrics (4 credits) 
HS 412f Social Policy and Management Through the Lens of Equity (2 credits)
HS 532b Social Policy Analysis: Technique and Application (4 credits)
A 2-credit Diversity Course, chosen from a menu of courses.

Residence Requirement

Students must be in residence for six semesters of full-time study and complete all degree requirements within five years.

Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Sustainable International Development

Program of Study

The Master of Arts in Sustainable International Development (SID) has two tracks: Accelerated and Practicum. Students on the accelerated track complete one academic year in residence, write a master’s paper, and deliver a Capstone presentation in May 2025. Students on the practicum track complete coursework during their first year in residence and a six-month practicum in their second year. They write a master’s paper during their second year and deliver a Capstone presentation in May 2026.

All students must complete a minimum of 32 course credits (20 required credits and 12 elective credits). There is a 16-credit minimum for each term.

SID students are required to take the following courses (20 credits):

• HS 201a Political Ecology and Development (4 credits)
• HS 205a Monitoring and Evaluation (4 credits)
• HS 266a Introduction to Economics for Development Practitioners (4 credits)
• HS 279a Planning and Implementation (4 credits)
• HS 252f Women, Peacemaking, and Peacebuilding (2 credits)
• One of the following 2-credit courses in ethics: HS 210f Postcolonial Theories of Global Injustice and Social Inequality or HS 319f Ethics, Rights and Development

Accelerated Track (32 credits)

The accelerated track is for students with previous professional experience in development or a related field and sufficient academic preparation to complete the degree program in a regular academic year (September-May) while writing their master’s paper. They enter with all incoming students in late August and fulfill all course requirements for the program in the fall and spring semesters. Students write a master’s paper and  present their research at the SID Capstone event in May of their graduating year. Presentations done remotely will be accepted from students for whom physical return to campus would pose an undue hardship.

Students on this accelerated track write a proposal for their master’s paper at the start of the Fall 2024 term. A faculty advisor will be assigned to each student.

Practicum Track (56 Credits)

After completing their first-year requirements, students in their second year engage in a six-month full-time practicum for a minimum of 24 credits. The practicum must be done with a recognized development or research organization that nurtures new ideas, deepens field experience and professional growth, and is suited to a student’s background, level of experience, and career path. Students completing the practicum track write a master’s paper in their second year. They present at the Capstone event in May of their graduating year. Presentations done remotely will be accepted from students for whom physical return to campus would pose an undue hardship.

Students on the practicum track write a proposal for their master’s paper during their first year in residence. They are assigned a faculty advisor prior to the start of their second year.

Master's Project

The master's paper and presentation at the SID Capstone are required for the granting of the degree. The Capstone presentation may be done remotely in cases where returning to campus poses an undue hardship.

Language Requirement

There is no language requirement. 

Requirements for the Joint Degree of Master of Arts in Sustainable International Development & Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

Program of Study

Students must complete the first year in residence (32 credits) for the MA SID degree, as well as the following WGS requirements in the second year (two semesters in residence, 24 credits):

1. WGS 205a: Graduate Foundational Course (4 credits).

2. A course in feminist research methodologies (WGS 208b, the Feminist Inquiry course offered through the Consortium for Graduate Studies in Culture, Women's, and Sexuality (GCWS) (4 credits).

3. Eight graduate credits in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (4 credits from  the Heller School and 4 credits outside of the Heller School).

4. Eight elective credits

Required MA SID Courses (20 credits)

• HS 201a Political Ecology and Development (4 credits)
• HS 205a Monitoring and Evaluation (4 credits)

• HS 266a Introduction to Economics for Development Practitioners (4 credits)

• HS 279a Planning and Implementation (4 credits)


• HS 252f Women, Peacemaking, and Peacebuilding (2 credits)

Two credits in ethics from the following courses:

• HS 319f Ethics, Rights and Development (2 credits)
• HS 210f Postcolonial Theories of Global Injustice and Social Inequality (2 credits)

The remaining 12 SID credits are electives. 

Admission

To gain acceptance to the joint degree, applicants must meet all qualifications and be admitted by both programs.

Residence Requirement

Two years in residence as a full-time student, and all degree requirements must be met within two years.

Master's Project

Completion of a master's paper in the format of a research paper or policy brief on  a topic related to the joint degree and presentation at the SID Capstone event in May. The paper will be advised by a member of the Heller faculty and a member of the WGS core or affiliate faculty.

Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Global Health Policy and Management

Program of Study

The MS GHPM is a 9 month (one academic year) degree program that offers courses that improve analytical skills, build knowledge of policy development and implementation and teach about the newest methods in the design, financing and implementation of health system changes. Students in the MS GHPM programs will learn how a health system is designed and will acquire the tools that they need to make significant policy changes in health systems around the world. Graduates of the MS GHPM program will have a robust toolset that they will be able to use to problem solve and understand many complex issues related to health policy, population health, and health systems. The MS GHPM offers two concentrations: 1) Health Systems and 2) Health Economics and Analytics, which is a STEM certified degree.

Health Systems

Students must successfully complete 36 credits, which include 7 required courses (20 total credits) and 16 elective credits.

Core Requirements

HS 236a International Health Systems and Development (4 credits) 
HS 296b Current Issues in Healthcare Management (4 credits) 
HS 326f Introduction to Stata Programming and Data Management (2 credits) 
HS 349f Introduction to Microeconomics in Global Health (2 credits) 
HS 402f Research Methods (2 credits) 
HS 404b Applied Regression Analysis (4 credits) 
HS 412f Social Policy and Management Through the Lens of Equity (2 credits)

Electives

Can be any Heller/Brandeis graduate-level courses. You can also take STEM electives even if you aren’t in the STEM concentration. 

Some popular non-STEM electives:

• HS 505f Quality & Performance Measurement in Healthcare (2 credits)
• HS 507f State Health Policy (2 credits)
• HS 513a Issues in National Health Policy (4 credits)

Health Economics and Analytics

Students must successfully complete 36 credits, which include 8 required courses (24 total credits), 4 Health Economics and Analytics designated elective credits (out of an option of 14 credits), and 8 additional elective credits.

Core Requirements

HS 236a International Health Systems and Development (4 credits) 
HS 305a International Health Economics (4 credits)
HS 326f Introduction to Stata Programming and Data Management (2 credits) 
HS 349f Introduction to Microeconomics in Global Health (2 credits) 
HS 402f Research Methods (2 credits)
HS 404b Applied Regression Analysis (4 credits) 
HS 412f Social Policy and Management Through the Lens of Equity (2 credits) 
HS 405a Applied Econometrics (4 credits)

STEM Electives

• HS 338f Introduction to Data Analytics and Visualization (2 credits)
• HS 341f Applied Data Analytics and Data Mining (2 credits) 
• HS 422f Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (2 credits) 
• HS 256f Healthcare Data Analytics and Data Mining (2 credits)
• HS 339f Advanced Healthcare Data Analytics and Data Mining (2 credits)
• HS 448f Introduction to SAS (2 credits)

Electives

Any Heller/Brandeis graduate-level courses, or any additional STEM electives after the minimum of 4 credits are met.

Residence Requirement

One year in residence as a full-time student.

Second Year Concentration

The Second Year Concentration within the MS Program in Global Health Policy and Management is an enhanced program of study that provides MS GHPM students the option to complete an approved second-year specialization in a significant field of global health policy, as part of a two-year program. Working alone or with one classmate, if approved, students must produce a Master’s Paper that contributes to the field of their concentration situated within the broader goals of global health policy and management.

Master's Thesis

There is no master's thesis.

Language Requirement

There is no language requirement.

5-year Combined BA/MS or BS/MS Program in Global Health

The Global Health Bachelors-Masters Program provides a pathway for undergraduate students interested in and passionate about global health to obtain the skills necessary to enter careers in the global health space. This program represents a partnership with the undergraduate major in Health: Science, Society, and Policy (HSSP) and the Global Health Policy and Management (GHPM) degree program at the Heller School.

Students apply in the spring of their junior year through the Heller admissions process, preferably by March 1 but no later than June 1. Admitted applicants take three Heller GHPM core requirements HS 236a International Health Systems and Development (4 credits), HS 229f International Health Financing (2 credits), and HS 239f Intersectionality and Bioethics (2 credits) in the senior year. [Note: the latter two courses are offered as half-semester modules in the spring, so students are only required to take the equivalent of one full semester course per term.] These courses may count toward the undergraduate major in HSSP as Focal Area C or general electives. They do not count toward graduation requirements toward the GHPM MS degree, although they allow students room in their schedule to take additional electives. Accepted students will normally be expected to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.25 and a grade of B or better in the required courses.

Through partnerships, the GHPM program will help secure a summer internship (paid or unpaid, minimum 55 hours) for admitted students between undergraduate and graduate years. These internships count toward fulfilling two credits of electives that count toward graduation requirements for the graduate degree. Students will pay undergraduate tuition through their senior year and graduate with a bachelor's degree (BA or BS, per HSSP requirements). In their fifth year, students will pay Heller tuition (however, as a Brandeis alum, Heller guarantees a 50% tuition scholarship for students accepted into the program), and, assuming adequate academic progress, will graduate with a Masters of Science in Global Health Policy and Management. 

Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Conflict Resolution and Coexistence

Program of Study

The Master's Program in Conflict Resolution and Coexistence at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management focuses on the challenges posed by intercommunal and societal conflicts in today's world. The curriculum of the Master's Program in Conflict Resolution and Coexistence ensures that participants will secure a solid grounding in the theories of contemporary coexistence and conflict work, as well as develop the professional skills to design and implement successful interventions to deal with the challenges of such conflicts. The sixteen-month program involves an academic year in residence studying at Brandeis, followed by a three-month field placement and the completion of a master's field project.

Students must successfully complete 56 credits, which include: six required courses (18 credits total), and 14 elective credits, and a practicum and capstone paper. Core courses include:

Core Requirements

• HS 210a Coexistence and Conflict Theory and Analysis (4 credits)

• HS 230f Coexistence Research Methods (2 credits)

• HS 244a Responsible Negotiation (4 credits)

• HS 277f Introduction to Planning and Implementation [for COEX] (2 credits),
• HS 236f Strategies for Coexistence Interventions (2 credits)
• HS 227f Coexistence Monitoring and Evaluation (2 credits)
• HS 294f Responsible Mediation (2 credits)

Following a year in the program, students will undertake a three-month internship or independent fieldwork. The project concludes with a master's field paper written under the supervision of a faculty mentor, to be completed by December.

Residence Requirement

At least one year of full-time study.

Master’s Field Paper

Master's paper is written under the supervision of a faculty mentor.

Language Requirement

There is no language requirement. 

Requirements for the Joint Degree of Master of Arts in Conflict Resolution and Coexistence & Near Eastern and Judaic Studies

Program of Study and Residence Requirement

Ordinarily, two years of full-time residence are required at the normal course rate of seven or eight courses each academic year.

1. At least eight courses must be taken in the Near Eastern and Judaic Studies department and must include the NEJS graduate Pro seminar (NEJS 231a) and joint MA capstone project and paper (see below). Students may not include courses taken to prepare for the MA language examination (HBRW 102a and b and below, or ARBC 40b and below) among these eight courses. Students who enter with graduate credit from other recognized institutions may apply for transfer credit for up to two courses that are comparable to NEJS offerings, or, with prior approval of the MA adviser, candidates may receive transfer credit for up to two courses at a university abroad.
2. At least eight courses must be taken in the Conflict Resolution and Coexistence program. They include the seven COEX core courses:

   HS 210a Coexistence and Conflict: Theory and Analysis (4 credits)
   HS 227f Introduction to Design, Monitoring and Evaluation (2 credits)
   HS 230f Coexistence Research Methods (2 credits)
   HS 236f Strategies for Coexistence Interventions (2 credits)
   HS 244a Responsible Negotiation (4 credits)
   HS 277a Planning and Implementation (2 credits)
   HS 294f Responsible Mediation (2 credits)
   Students must also  choose at least 4 credits in the list of COEX core elective courses.

All course selections and their relevance must be discussed with and approved by the NEJS Director of Graduate Studies and the COEX program director.

Language Requirement

All candidates are required to demonstrate language proficiency, normally in biblical or modern Hebrew or Arabic. The language requirement for Hebrew or Arabic may be fulfilled in one of two ways:

1. By enrolling in and receiving a grade of B- or higher in a 40-level or higher Hebrew or Arabic course, or by passing a classical Hebrew text course, or modem Hebrew literature course taught in Hebrew;
2. By passing the language examination offered by the adviser or by the Hebrew faculty or Arabic faculty. Students are permitted the use of an appropriate (hard copy) dictionary. Electronic dictionaries are not permitted.

Joint Master's Project and Paper

All students are required to complete an internship or independent fieldwork, with a concluding paper written under the supervision of two faculty mentors, one from NEJS and one from COEX. Students must develop an MA project designed to test their application of Conflict Resolution and Coexistence theory to practice while applying their background in NEJS. This will entail expanding students' policy and practical experience, and, under supervision, increasing their security and comfort levels at working in what is usually a contentious and sometimes dangerous field. In addition, the field project is planned to test and improve the breadth and depth of student's professional skills and to significantly increase their networks of collaboration.

The project will consist of either of the following options:

1. An internship of at least three months in a governmental or nongovernmental organization (consistent with the NEJS focus) assisting with the development and implementation of a policy or a program of coexistence intervention. Students will (1) identify an intervention or their particular part of an intervention; (2) set objectives and timelines; (3) secure partners and terms of references, where necessary for its implementation; (4) ensure that appropriate monitoring and evaluating techniques are built into the program design; and (5) write a final report on the intervention.
2. Independent fieldwork for at least three months in a conflict area (consistent with the NEJS focus). Such fieldwork will be designed to assist the generation and development of new coexistence and conflict management intervention options, and must be undertaken in partnership with policymakers or practitioners who are already working in the area. The report of this fieldwork includes feedback and evaluations from prospective partners already working in the area.

The option of doing a Master’s thesis can be discussed with, and approved by, the NEJS Director of Graduate Studies and the COEX program director.

Requirements for the Degree of Master of Public Policy

The Heller MPP prepares students for policy roles within community agencies, state and federal government, and think tanks. Heller’s high standards for rigorous and transparent analysis are important assets to students headed for careers that will use their skills in policy research, policy implementation, advocacy, and community work. The MPP is a two-year degree program that follows the traditional academic year from late August to May.

Program of Study

Students must successfully complete the equivalent of 16 courses (64 credits) over two years in residence. The core curriculum fits into three categories: concepts, methods, and tools. 40 credits are required and a minimum of three courses is required in a concentrated area of study, allowing for 12 credits of electives. A final capstone paper is prepared and presented, so students can showcase their knowledge in a policy area of their choosing and demonstrate their policy analysis skills.

Required MPP Courses

HS 303a Historical and Contemporary Developments in Social Policy (4 credits)
HS 307f Policy and Program Evaluation (2 credits)
HS 332a Research Methods and Evaluation (4 credits)
HS 336a MPP Capstone Seminar (4 credits)
HS 341a Public Finance and Budgeting (4 credits)
HS 372b Economic Theory and Social Policy (4 credits)
HS 403f Policy to Action: Understanding Implementation (2 credits)
HS 404b Applied Regression Analysis (4 credits)
HS 405a Applied Econometrics (4 credits)
HS 412f Social Policy and Management Through the Lens of Equity (2 credits)
HS 532b Social Policy Analysis: Technique and Application (4 credits)
A two-credit Diversity Course, as chosen from a menu of courses

Second Year

Students will complete a capstone paper with the guidance of faculty and senior research advisors in the various concentrations. The capstone paper can address any suitable dimension of social policy, from analysis to evaluation to communication, and must demonstrate the student’s competence in core skills through scholarship, application, integrative analysis, and originality. The paper is presented at a forum attended by fellow students, faculty, and Heller leadership, as well as family and guests. 

Language Requirement

There is no language requirement.

Requirements for the Dual Degree of Master of Public Policy/Master of Arts (Hornstein MA in Jewish Professional Leadership)

Admission

Students applying to this program must demonstrate professional and academic capability and the capacity for sustaining an intensive program of study. Applicants must submit a single application to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Program of Study

This program prepares professional leaders with the full complement of policy analysis and development skills, as well as specialized knowledge of Jewish Professional Leadership and contemporary Jewish life. The program blends the Heller School's public policy curriculum with the Hornstein program's integrated approach to Jewish leadership training. Graduates of the dual-degree program receive two master’s degrees: a Master of Arts in Jewish professional leadership from the Hornstein program and a Master of Public Policy from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management.

Degree Requirements

The dual Master of Arts in Jewish Professional Leadership/Master of Public Policy is a rigorous, interdisciplinary degree program that provides students with the skills necessary for advanced careers in the government, nonprofit, and private sectors.

The dual degree requires eighty course credits consisting of specific Hornstein courses totaling approximately forty credits and specific Heller courses totaling approximately thirty credits. The remaining credits are taken as electives. The program is usually completed in 4.5 semesters, including the summer between years one and two.

Dual-degree students must meet the MPP second-year capstone requirement and will generally focus their papers on Jewish community-related policy. Capstone advisers will include the instructor of the capstone seminar and a designee from the Hornstein program.

Required MPP Courses

HS 303a Historical and Contemporary Developments in Social Welfare (4 credits)
HS 332a Research Methods and Evaluation (4 credits)
HS 336a Heller MPP Capstone Seminar (4 credits)
HS 372b Economic Theory and Social Policy (4 credits)
HS 403f Policy to Action: Understanding Implementation (2 credits)
HS 405a Applied Econometrics (4 credits)
HS 412f Social Policy and Management Through the Lens of Equity (2 credits)
HS 532b Social Policy Analysis: Technique and Application (4 credits)
A 2-credit Diversity Course, as chosen from a menu of courses

Required HRNS Courses

HRNS 230a Managing Jewish Nonprofits (4 credits) 
HRNS 231f Jewish Community in Historical Perspective (2 credits)  
HRNS 233f Seminar on Confronting Contemporary Antisemitism (2 credits)
HRNS 234f Human Resource Management for Jewish Nonprofits (2 credits) 
HRNS 237b Organizational Behavior in Jewish Nonprofits (4 credits) 
HRNS 241a Skills & Techniques in Jewish Philanthropy & Fundraising (4 credits) 
HRNS 246a Statistics for Jewish Professional Leaders (2 credits) 
HRNS 247a Program Evaluation for Jewish Professional Leaders (4 credits)  
HRNS 297a Field Experience (2 credits)
HRNS 350a Jewish Professional Leadership Seminar on Israel(2 credits) 
HRNS 350b Myra Kraft Seminar in Israel (2 credits)
HRNS 380a Proseminar (4 credits) 
HRNS 399a Capstone Seminar (2 credits)
HRNS/NEJS 261a Strategies & Quandaries in Contemporary Leadership (4 credits)

Supervised Professional Field Experience

Supervised professional field experience forms an important part of the Hornstein Program. It is designed to immerse students in the best professional practices within the Jewish community, and to help students refine their practical skills, learn to turn theory into action, and become self-reflective and effective practitioners.

Field experience usually takes place in the summer and/or second year of the program and usually consists of a minimum 150 hours of work managing a project jointly created by the student, the Hornstein faculty, and the supervisor in the field organization.

Myra Kraft Seminar in Israel

Students take one full-semester classroom seminar and travel to Israel at least one time as a required part of the curriculum to examine contemporary issues in Israeli society and its relationship with diaspora communities, as well as a deep dive into Israeli nonprofits.

Language Requirement

There are no prerequisites for entrance into the program. Proficiency in modern Hebrew at a level comparable to one year of Brandeis University training (two semesters) is required for graduation. Students not meeting this requirement upon entrance are required to enroll in courses in Hebrew language during their academic residency. Students may fulfill the Hebrew language requirement by passing (B- or above) a 20-level or higher Hebrew course, by taking at least two semesters during their undergraduate education, or proof of completing an ulpan course in Israel.

Co-Curricular Requirements

Students have the chance to practice teamwork and leadership skills by becoming involved in the planning and execution of a number of co-curricular activities and committees.

Starr Seminar

Students will spend 2-3 days during the year visiting national offices of major and start-up Jewish organizations in the Greater Boston Area or New England. Each agency visit allows our students to interact and network with nonprofit agencies and to explore aspects of the communal agenda with agency executives.

Community Time/Capacity Building

Hornstein students gather weekly for one hour to participate and share in student centered discussions and activities. Sometimes they revolve around the Jewish calendar  and sometimes these gatherings will occur off campus. These are all student-organized and led by the Community Time Committee. In addition, the Capacity Building Committee will organize activities, speakers, or case studies to engage the students in areas of professional development to prepare the Hornstein community to sharpen their skills before entering Jewish professional leadership positions.

Residence Requirement

The residence requirement is 4.5 semesters of full-time study or the equivalent thereof in part-time study. Students must complete all degree requirements within five years.

Requirements for the Degree of Executive MBA for Physicians

Program of Study

The Heller School's Executive MBA (EMBA) for Physicians program is focused on improving both clinical outcomes and financial results in healthcare organizations by training physician-leaders in the new science of medicine and management. Designed for practicing physicians who are – or seek to be – in positions of leadership, the EMBA for Physicians is an accelerated 16-month program and a curriculum that integrates students’ medical expertise with new knowledge in critical areas ranging from health policy and economics to operational systems management, high performance leadership, and healthcare innovation.

Students must successfully complete 65 credits across four modules.

Module 1 (16 credits)

HS 450a Financial Accounting (4 credits)
HS 453b Leadership and Organizational Behavior (4 credits)
HS 458a Operations Management (4 credits)
HS 480b Economic Analysis for Physicians as Managers (2 credits)
HS 490g Leadership Coaching (1 credit)
HS 491g Physicians Field Experience (1 credit)

Module 2 (19 credits)

HS 451b Managerial Accounting (4 credits)
HS 452b Strategic Management (4 credits)
HS 463a National Health Policy (2 credits)
HS 465a Healthcare Marketing (2 credits)
HS 481b Relational Coordination: High Performance Teams (2 credits)
HS 489b Executive Team Consulting Project (2 credits)
HS 491g Physician Field Experience (1 credit)

Module 3 (17 credits)

HS 441a Corporate Finance I (2 credits)
HS 443b Healthcare Entrepreneurship (2 credits)
HS 457a Health Law and Ethics (2 credits)
HS 462b Systems Thinking: Uncertainty Data and Judgment (2 credits)
HS 468a Management of Healthcare Organizations (4 credits)
HS 475a Quality and Performance Measurement (2 credits)
HS 489b Executive Team Consulting Project (2 credits)
HS 491g Physician Field Experience (1 credit)

Module 4 (13 credits)

HS 421g Power and Influence: Beyond Formal Authority (1 credit)
HS 422g Healthcare Technology (1 credit)
HS 433f Healthcare Innovation (2 credits)
HS 442a Corporate Finance II (2 credits)
HS 467b State Health Policy (2 credits)
HS 477b Conflict Resolution by Negotiation (2 credits)
HS 489b Executive Team Consulting Project (2 credits)
HS 490g Leadership Coaching (1 credit)

Residence Requirement

The  requirement for this program is full-time study with four 10-day in-person residency sessions. Degree candidates are expected to matriculate and graduate with their cohort and attend all four modules. The program is designed so that the modules must be completed in consecutive order.

The four 10-day residency sessions are held at the Babson Executive Conference Center at 1 Snyder Drive, Babson Park, MA 02457. The Executive MBA for Physicians program utilizes privately managed facility on their grounds and is unrelated to Babson College academic programs.

Master's Thesis

No Master's Thesis is required to complete the degree.

Language Requirement

There is no language requirement.

Listed on the following pages are graduate courses of instruction for the Heller School for Social Policy and Management. Courses meet for three hours a week unless otherwise specified.

Most courses are available to all students qualified to take them. Access to some courses is governed by the signature of the instructor. Other courses impose a numerical limit to preserve environmental conditions suitable to the pedagogy the instructor employs; students increase their chances of gaining enrollment in such courses by participating in pre-enrollment.

Generally, a course is offered with the frequency indicated at the end of its description. The frequency may be designated as every semester, every year, every second year, every third year, or every fourth year.

Courses numbered 100-199 are for undergraduate and graduate students; and courses numbered 200 and above are primarily for graduate students. Undergraduates may not enroll in courses numbered 200 or higher without the written permission of the instructor.

Suffixes after course numbers have the following meanings:

A or B Semester course
C Semester course meeting throughout the year
D Full-year course
E Intensive course, two semester course credits in one semester
F Half-semester course, half-course credit
G Quarter-course credit

HS 104b American Health Care
[ ss ]

Examines and critically analyzes the United States healthcare system, emphasizing the major trends and issues that have led to the current sense of "crisis." In addition to providing a historical perspective, this course will establish a context for analyzing the current, varied approaches to health care reform. Usually offered every year.

HS 110a Labor, Work, and Inequality
[ ss ]

Examines what economic and social factors drive inequality in terms of conditions at work, from wages to discrimination to worker voice, and how these conditions are connected to business decisions, government policies, union and worker advocacy, and worker norms and beliefs. Usually offered every year.

HS 125a Contemporary Antisemitism

Designed to enable students to understand contemporary antisemitism and explore ways to address anti-Jewish hatred. Course content will be multidisciplinary, drawn from history, political science, social psychology, and sociology and social policy. Students will have a chance to collect/analyze their own data. Usually offered every year.

HS 200f Social Movements for Emancipatory Development

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Students study theories of social mobilization; explore the relationships and tensions between state and non-state actors in social movements including NGOs, people's movements, and religious groups; study selected social movements for their lessons for sustainable development process, failures, and achievements; and articulate their own 'theories of change' about the role of social movements around critical problems for social inclusion. Usually offered every year.

HS 201a Political Ecology and Development

What is the relationship between humans, the natural world and development? How are environmental problems framed and represented, what assumptions underlie such representations, and how do they inflect related political struggles? Who are the principal victims and beneficiaries--human and non-human--of environmental change? What political and ethical issues are raised by taking different approaches to environmental management in particular geo-historical contexts? This course addresses these questions through an in-depth exploration of the interdisciplinary field of political ecology. Usually offered every year.

HS 203f Contemporary Issues in Africa's Development

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Provides an introductory overview of Africa's development and strategies to address current patterns of development on the continent. The course will also examine patterns of recent development achievements within the continent and how these can be sustained. Usually offered every year.

HS 204f Education, Gender and Development

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Reviews the relationship between gender access to education and development indicators such as reduced fertility, improved health, and women's access to employment, income, and decision-making. Students look at the broader factors behind these links, and at issues that prevent education from playing the expected role in overcoming inequalities and building human and social capital in developing countries. Usually offered every year.

HS 205a Monitoring and Evaluation

Focuses on concepts and methods of M&E to support projects or programs to contribute to improvements in human capital and sustainable development goals. The course is designed to give students experience in fundamental problem-solving, skills, approaches, and tools applicable to project M&E. Attention is given to the context in which projects take place, with examples from different countries and real-world experiences. Students are equipped with knowledge in the fundamentals of results management across the project cycle (theories of change, results chains, results frameworks, monitoring plans, and evaluation matrices), and introduced to a range of methodologies that can be employed by development organizations, foundations, government, non-government, and other groups aiming to achieve results. The concepts covered in this course lay the foundational knowledge for students to support M&E of a project. A more in-depth coverage of specific methods and analytical approaches is covered by other courses at Heller, including courses on Measurement of Inequality to Health and Development, Randomized Control Trials, Cost-Effectiveness, Evaluating Survey Data Using Stata, and Applied Cost Benefit Analysis for Development Practitioners. The course also builds on concepts learned in the fall course on Planning and Implementation. Usually offered every year.

HS 205f Organizational Management for Development Practitioners

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Introduces challenges faced by managers in international and local development organizations and provides an opportunity for interactive learning of skill sets required to overcome these challenges. Students examine elements of new public management such as performance management, privatization, and partnerships and the changing role played by NGOs in development practice. Usually offered every year.

HS 207f Evaluating Well-being in Development, Health, and Security in the Context of Climate Change

Brings together three current interests in development: 1) how to measure human well-being in a comprehensive way, 2) the effects of climate change on human well-being, and 3) how to braid well-being measures with climate change when assessing interventions in development.

The past two decades have seen growing consensus across disciplines that assessments of well-being require moving beyond a money metric into other dimensions of quality of life like health, economic inequalities, human and social capital, and the environment. In the course, we try to understand why and how well-being grew to become a complex multidimensional construct and assess what was gained and lost from the effort.

Climate change affects well-being, yet much of the work on the effects of climate change on human well-being focuses on the rise in temperature, rainfall, and extreme weather events. The course takes a different approach and focuses on the effects of climate variability or risk because it more directly affects decision making and well-being among vulnerable people in the Global South.

The course explore methods to assess the effects of climate risk on comprehensive measures of human well-being. Usually offered every year.

HS 208f Introduction to Transitional Justice

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
 

Introduces transitional justice as a field of research and practice. Over the last four decades, TJ has developed and spread across the globe as a set of theories, concepts, and tools to both understand and support countries emerging from authoritarianism and war. Most commonly associated with mechanisms like truth commissions, amnesties, and reparations, the field started as a focused set of tools tailored to the emerging democracies of Latin America in the 1980s. Today, it encompasses a rich and multidisciplinary field that spans continents and connects local, national, and international actors.

The module is divided into three sections. The first will provide an overview of TJ history, ideas, and mechanisms. The second will delve into some of the key debates that animate the field, exploring the relationship between TJ, peacebuilding, and the root causes of violence and conflict. Finally, the third will focus on the Module’s key take-home: more than a set of tools and mechanisms, TJ is best thought of as a movement, within which different actors struggle over the right to narrate history. We will end this section and the course with an in-depth look at the United States, where movements for racial justice and economic justice are incorporating TJ ideas and tools. Usually offered every year.

HS 209f Multilateral Negotiations

Social impact negotiations invariably involve multiple parties. This course reviews core negotiation and conflict resolution principles as they apply to multilateral situations. Then we focus on multilateral consortia as a key organizational form and three social impact contexts: environmental, employment, and technology negotiations. This highly interactive course builds skills through simulation exercises and anticipates future career applications. Usually offered every year.

HS 210a Coexistence and Conflict: Theory and Analysis

Open only to students enrolled in the MA program in coexistence and conflict. Other students considered with permission of the instructor.

Explores the sources of conflict at a global level as well as the ways in which conflict may be transformed to benefit people and societies, paying special attention to the role of power in shaping conflict and in attending to its transformation. It takes a cross-disciplinary approach to exploring and understanding global conflict analysis and resolution. Drawing on literature and research from the fields of peace and conflict studies, international relations and political science, law, psychology, sociology, and anthropology, this course will give students an overview of the tools of analysis necessary for engaging conflict constructively. We will examine the causes, patterns and dynamics of various forms of violence, including 'direct' and 'structural violence,' as well as the tools available to promote peace and justice. We will draw on the contributions and findings of various academic disciplines and the best practices of experts in modern peace and conflict research. We will also carefully reflect on how insiders and outsiders to a violent conflict can build stable peace by analyzing the practices of advocates and activists. Usually offered every year.

HS 210f Postcolonial Theories of Global Injustice and Social Inequality

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Examines historical, philosophical, and political concepts of poverty, injustice, and inequality from a comparative perspective on postcolonial theories. Although we will read thinkers and activists primarily from the global South, we will examine decolonizing movements in the West too, particularly on the fight for racial, ethnic, and indigenous rights and justice. It is based on understanding perceptions of race, ethnicity, social class, and other markers of "difference" in contemporary societies and how those perceptions by majorities lead to bias, social exclusion, and marginalization of minorities. Furthermore, we will assess and innovate policies designed to overcome those divisions. Country case studies examine responses to historical and cultural legacies of repressive systems based on colonialism, slavery, apartheid, and caste. Usually offered every year.

HS 211f Agriculture and Rural Development

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Provides an overview of the impact of development policy on agriculture and rural sectors, consequences of neglecting these sectors, and policy responses in developing countries. Topics include household economics, rural production systems, land tenure, rural markets and institutions, rural poverty and inequality, the environment, and the role of institutions. Usually offered every year.

HS 212a Contemporary Issues in Gender and Public Policy

Provides a deep dive into the analysis of contemporary gender-related policy issues, such as health, domestic violence, militarism and foreign policy, reproductive rights, equal employment opportunity, child and dependent care. While we will focus primarily on the US, we will also explore the implications of these issues for women globally. Special emphasis will be placed on understanding how gender narratives are framed and their implications on policy as well as on the intersection between gender, race, sexual identity,  socio-economic class, and culture. Usually offered every second year.

HS 215b Corporate Finance

Prerequisite: HS 250a.

Introduces the modern theory of corporate finance and the institutional background of financial instruments and markets. Considers ways to measure value. Explores alternative forms of financing and ways to analyze them. Considers the financing tools appropriate for for-profit and nonprofit organizations.

HS 216f Policy Perspectives on Women, Work, and Inequality

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Interrogates the gendered and racial contracts at the heart of modern economic relations, women and work. The course analyzes how the structures of work, laws, and policies create opportunities, barriers, and consequences for women's wealth, opportunity, personal and family health, and well being. The course integrates an examination of work through the lens of race, class, gender, culture, and wealth as critical frameworks for understanding why women in the United States experience greater economic and social inequality than men. Usually offered every second year.

HS 218a Coexistence and Conflict Field Practicum

Open only to Coexistence and Conflict Students. Offered exclusively on a credit/no-credit basis.

Usually offered every year.

HS 218f Media Strategies and Data Visualization

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Provides practical communication skills essential to advocate for social change including the importance of clear electronic and written public media; developing cogent arguments address policy or program challenges at the local, national, or international level; and the ability to communicate positions and potential solutions in a concise convincing manner. Students explore a variety of modern communication methods. Usually offered every year.

HS 221f Economics of Education

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit. May not be repeated by students who have taken HS 259f with this topic in previous years.

Centers on (a) discussing the intuition behind concepts in household economics and (b) the applied aspects of the concepts for practitioners of development. The course is purposefully not technical and is designed for students who have taken the introductory course to economics. The course will provide a theoretical and empirical introduction to the field of household economics as well as provide practical tools to do basic analysis of intra-household gender inequalities. Usually offered every year.

HS 223f Gender and Development in the Context of Neoliberalism and Globalization

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Reviews connections between gender and macroeconomics and explores changes brought by globalization and neoliberal policies as they affect livelihoods, families, and gender hegemonies. The course provides a critical analytical framework to understand the role of gender within development in light of globalization, which has transformed relations between the state, markets, and civil society and the context of gender practice. Usually offered every year.

HS 224f Gender and the Environment

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit. May not be repeated by students who have taken HS 259f with this topic in previous years.

Introduces students to the field of gender and the environment, examining the relevance of gender for environmental conservation that includes social sustainability, and the different ways gender has been conceptualized and integrated within environmental conservation and within sustainable development interventions. Usually offered every year.

HS 225a Fundraising and Development

Offers a basic grounding in key concepts of private fundraising and development. It explores management and leadership issues associated with the rapidly changing field of development and philanthropy, especially within development NGOs. Students learn to analyze, plan, and evaluate a comprehensive fundraising program and create a professional fundraising portfolio. Usually offered every year.

HS 225f Measurement of Inequality to Health and Development

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit. May not be repeated by students who have taken HS 259f with this topic in previous years.

Exposes students to current debates about the causes and consequences of three dominant topics in development: income inequality, social capital, and empowerment. Through a combination of country case studies, this course will enhance appreciation of empirical analysis of the topics. In addition, students will be familiarized with technical aspects of how one measures income inequality, social capital, and empowerment in applied work. Usually offered every year.

HS 227f Coexistence Monitoring and Evaluation

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit. Open only to students enrolled in the MA program in Conflict Resolution and Coexistence. Other students considered with permission of the instructor. May not be taken for credit by students who took HS 220a in prior years.

Provides an introductory review of the core concepts and practical steps of design, monitoring and evaluation in the field of coexistence and peacebuilding. The course will stress participatory methods in monitoring and evaluation, in which multiple stakeholders are involved in the process of planning, collecting, interpreting, synthesizing, and using information. The course will feature case studies and actual DM&E plans and evaluation reports. Usually offered every year.

HS 228a Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Explores how entrepreneurship has become a driving force in the social enterprise sector, provides tools for developing and evaluating new ventures, and explores the blurring line between for-profit and nonprofit social initiatives. The course also teaches hands-on social venture business plan development tools, from assessing markets to developing financial and operating plans. Usually offered every year.

HS 228b Climate Change, Biodiversity, and Development

Examines how climate change, biodiversity loss, population growth, and development intertwine and affect each other. Usually offered every year.

HS 229f International Health Financing

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Examines the mobilization of resources for the health system as a whole and the funding of individual providers for health services in developing countries. Provides the tools for examining broad reforms as well as refinements of individual components of the health care system. Usually offered every year.

HS 230a SID Field Practicum Course

Offered exclusively on a credit/no credit basis. May be repeated twice for credit.

Students will be evaluated based upon an approved proposal, terms of reference, and satisfactory evaluation from a field supervisor. Usually offered every semester.

HS 230f Coexistence Research Methods

Open only to students enrolled in the MA program in coexistence and conflict. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Preparation for the research necessary for the required field project in the MA program in coexistence and conflict. Usually offered every year.

HS 231b MBA Internship

Provides an opportunity for MBA students to carry out a formal internship with a client organization under the supervision of a faculty advisor. The internship allows students to apply principles from the MBA curriculum for a client organization. Usually offered every semester.

HS 231f MBA Internship

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit. May be repeated once for credit.

Provides an opportunity for MBA students to carry out a formal internship with a client organization under the supervision of a faculty advisor. The internship allows students to apply principles from the MBA curriculum for a client organization. Usually offered every semester.

HS 232a Team Consulting Project Workshop

Corequisite: Concurrent registration with HS 299b. Yields half-course credit. Formerly offered as HRNS/HS 232a.

A series of sessions designed to provide students with the team building and consulting skills necessary to meet the team consulting projects client needs and provide them with tools that will be useful throughout their careers. Several sessions will enable teams to share their experiences with other teams and problem solve as a group. Usually offered every year.

HS 234f Global Social Entrepreneurship

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Enables students to explore the fundamentals of social entrepreneurship in an international context. This course enables students to consider how entrepreneurship has become a driving force in the social enterprise sector, provides tools for developing, evaluating and gaining stakeholder support for new mission-driven ventures, and explores the blurring line between for-profit and non-profit social initiatives and their role in sustainable development. Both U.S. and international social entrepreneurial ventures will be discussed. Usually offered every year.

HS 235f Democracy and Development

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Examines the relation between democracy and development geared for development practitioners and policy-makers. Students will discuss if democracy is essential for sustainable development and, if so, what kinds of democracy should be promoted in developing countries. The major critiques of aid and development theory rooted in secular democracy, free-market economies, and human rights will be explored. Usually offered every year.

HS 236a International Health Systems and Development

Provides students with the framework to understand how health systems are organized and to understand what affects their performance. Students also will be able to describe key features of health systems; how health system performance is measured; and how lessons from other countries can be applied to their own countries. The course examines different health system frameworks, how to use these frameworks to ask health system questions, different aspects of health systems, how national health systems differ, and what measures are being implemented in different countries to improve their health system performance and eventually health outcomes. The course will also take a broader look at the relationships between health policy, economic policy and development policy, examining some of the main economic and development theories shaping global policies and also examine the international institutions and political dynamics in health policy making. Usually offered every year.

HS 236f Strategies for Coexistence Interventions

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Introduces and mobilizes a variety of strategies for coexistence and conflict interventions. To enable participants to analyze and match coexistence interventions to contextual needs and values frameworks of intended identity-group audiences. This includes leveraging of the appropriate role of structural approaches (such as political agreements, constitutional developments, democracy, human rights, governance, legislation, equity work, and development), as well as psycho-social, religious, dialogue and mediation approaches. To ensure students consider the ethical issues that may arise for them in the course of their work, and increase their awareness of the various codes of ethics, which have been developed to address these issues. To develop students' networking and communication skills on coexistence issues. Usually offered every year.

HS 237f Applied Cost-Benefit Analysis for Development Practitioners

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the private sector, and international development organizations have to decide whether to invest in projects. Benefit-cost analysis has become a standard method to evaluate the net monetary benefits of a project. This course introduces students to these principles and allows them to apply them by using cost-benefit analysis to evaluate a real-world development project. Usually offered every year.

HS 238f Evaluating Survey Data Using Stata: Questioning Answers

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Exposes students to principles and practices of evaluating survey data. Governments, NGOs, international development organizations, universities, and private researchers collect more and more data through surveys. Data sets cover development topics such as public health, agriculture, environment, education, and economic indicators, so it is vital that practitioners know how to critically examine what is presented. Usually offered every year.

HS 239f Intersectionality and Bioethics

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Trains students on international ethical guidelines, history and contemporary relevance of issues in health research involving humans. The course covers ethics in quantitative and qualitative methods drawing from global case studies and peer reviewed journals. The first half of each class reviews guidelines and research methods. The second half of each class assesses extant research through the lens of a checklist incorporating key elements of ethical principles. The goal of the course is to enable students to become informed and intelligent researchers, managers or policy advisors when either designing, reviewing or applying data that involves human populations. The course will emphasize understanding and interpretation of basic ethical principles particularly as defined by global agencies at local, regional, national and international levels. Usually offered every year.

HS 241f Kingian Nonviolence and Reconciliation

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Traces the intellectual well-spring of what we call Kingian Nonviolence, from its
early roots in history to its tenets in theology and philosophy, coupled with the evolution of local and national movements dedicated to peacebuilding practice and social justice. Usually offered every year.

HS 242f Development Aid

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Looks at the evolution of international development aid through multilateral, bilateral, and non-State actors; explores underlying theories of development and how theory has real world influence through aid strategies and programs; examines motivations, objectives and interests of aid programs; and introduces concepts and current debate on aid effectiveness. It helps students develop and articulate their own 'theories of change' to shape aid programs toward a more sustainable development. Usually offered every year.

HS 243f Religion Identity and Conflict

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Examines the role that religious identity can play in both the escalation and mitigation of conflict. Students will study the role that ideology, belief, values, and faith-based relationships can play in developing and legitimizing, or in transforming and resolving, deeply rooted conflict dynamics. The focus of this course will be on both integration of religious identity factors into conflict analysis and an introduction to faith-based interventions skills, used by religious actors to foster coexistence. During the course, we will explore different types of contemporary conflict in which religion functions as a conflict driver, including how to understand and handle conflicts perpetrated by extremist religious groups. We will also explore the diversity of faith-based reconciliation processes (such as hospitality, healing ritual, apology, etc.) as well as the kinds of roles performed by a wide variety of religious actors (education, advocacy, mediation, dialogue facilitation, etc.). Examples and case studies will be drawn from a wide variety of religious traditions and diverse cultures. In addition to those cases presented in the readings and by the professor, each student will be required to select cases on which to make a class presentation and write a paper. The purpose of these assignments, and the course in general, is to provide students the opportunity to assess concrete conflict situations in which religious identity is a factor, know the potential contribution that faith-based actors can make to coexistence, and evaluate how best to function in faith-based peacebuilding roles and reconciliation processes that interest them. Usually offered every year.

HS 244a Responsible Negotiation

Provides concepts, observations and suggestions to improve analytical and operational negotiation skills. Everyone negotiates on a daily basis, but what about doing it responsibly? Faced with projects, contracts, conflicts or crises, coping with people, problems and process, how can negotiators lever the right reflections and actions in the right direction? How can they optimize utility for themselves and for others? This course also addresses negotiation foundations on how to do first things first, i.e. how to make the right moves at the right time in order to reach the right decisions and to achieve ad hoc implementation. Usually offered every year.

HS 244f Interdisciplinary Applied Research Design for Development

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Combines lectures with a hands-on approach to learning, training students to incorporate applied research into their careers as development professionals. Students learn elements of sound research design, gain skills to formulate a clear research question, select research methods, and understand the limits and potential of varied methods and the heuristics implied in the process. Usually offered every year.

HS 246a Data, Models, and Decisions

Presents students with an introduction to the fundamental concepts of statistics and their application in managerial decision-making. Covers the essentials required for students to understand issues related to measurement and how to generate descriptive information and statistical analyses from these measurements using Excel and STATA. Focuses primarily on applying quantitative and data visualization skills in real-world scenarios, particularly within the non-profit sector, to address social impact challenges. Usually offered every year.

HS 247f Evaluation for Managers

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Focuses on program evaluation techniques of interest to managers, including balanced scorecard methods, needs assessment, participatory evaluation methods, process/implementation analysis, impact analysis, cost-benefit analysis, and utilization-focused evaluation. These techniques are discussed in the context of building "learning organizations" that enable the organization and its managers to know whether they are succeeding. Usually offered every year.

HS 248b Financial Management

Prerequisite: HS 250a.

Develops students as educated consumers of financial information. Covers financial management problems encountered by today's human service professionals in a real-world perspective based on sound financial and accounting theory. Includes topics such as financial statement analysis, budget development and control, managing growth, cash flow management, and management controls. Usually offered every year.

HS 249f Social Justice, Management, and Policy

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Allows students the opportunity to explore the management implications of "Knowledge Advancing Social Justice." Examines historical and contemporary thinkers, justice issues, and management activities. Students grapple with the daily management dilemmas faced by managers and change agents both inside and outside organizations. Usually offered every summer.

HS 250a Financial Reporting and Analysis

Develops a fundamental understanding of financial accounting and reporting issues as they apply to nonprofit and for-profit organizations. Students will learn about the importance of fiscal responsibility and integrity in the efficient utilization of an organization's resources relative to organizational goals. Accounting practices that are unique to nonprofit organizations will be introduced, discussed, and differentiated from those practices employed by for-profit entities. Emphasis will be placed on interpreting financial statements to understand how accounting information, in a variety of settings, can be utilized by decision makers. Usually offered every year.

HS 251b Managerial Accounting

Prerequisite: HS 250a or equivalent.

Provides general introduction to the concepts, problems, and issues related to managerial accounting. Managerial accounting predominantly addresses the internal use of economic information regarding the resources used in the process of producing goods and providing services. Fundamental aspects of cost behavior and cost accounting will be discussed, but always from the perspective of the manager who must make decisions rather than the accountant who prepares the information. Usually offered every year.

HS 251f Critical Approaches to Diversity

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit. May not be taken for credit by students who took HS 277f in prior years.

Diversity and multiculturalism are challenges to global human relationships whether in conflict management, peacebuilding, or humanitarian development. Embedded in each of these concepts are numerous misconceptions around issues of ethnicity, race, culture, religion, class, gender, and oppression. Through a combined approach including lectures, readings, films and discussions, this course will uncover many of the popular misconceptions about these concepts and factors, will offer innovative and effective approaches to understand and address them, and will help students develop scenarios for a future of constructive coexistence which goes beyond the popular misconceptions. Usually offered every year.

HS 252b Strategic Management

Provides students with the theoretical constructs and practical tools necessary to create and manage organizations strategically. Includes strategic process, organizational design, and development of planning tools and cycles. All students perform an applied strategic analysis for an actual organization. Usually offered every year.

HS 252f Women, Peacemaking, and Peacebuilding

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Why do women remain sidelined when it comes to peacemaking and peacebuilding? And, what can we, as practitioners and policymakers, do to support more inclusive decision making? This course will provide an introduction to the field of women, peace, and security - from its origins as a global women's movement to a burgeoning field of practice. We will explore a few major themes in peacemaking/peacebuilding and consider both the gendered challenges preventing women's participation as well as opportunities to promote greater inclusion. This course is taught by a practitioner, so we will focus primarily on what women, peace, and security looks like in practice. Reading assignments and course activities include analysis of projects implemented by various UN entities, foreign governments, as well as NGOs. Usually offered every year.

HS 253b Leadership and Organizational Behavior

Focuses on leadership and managing organizations. Uses cases on a variety of organizations to expose students to problems and to improve their effectiveness in analyzing, diagnosing, and leading people in organizations. Students learn organizational concepts, analytic frameworks, and models, and practice their leadership skills in class. Uses case discussions, simulations, role-playing, mini-lecturing, and experimental exercises. Provides an opportunity to develop leadership skills through group work and reflection. Usually offered every year.

HS 254a Human Resource Management

Considers how human resource management might aid in achieving organizational excellence. Focuses on the development of concepts and strategies that can increase effectiveness in developing policies and practices to enhance the value of people in the organizations served. Usually offered every year.

HS 256f Healthcare Data Analytics and Data Mining

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Explores concepts, techniques and applications of data mining to make better sense of 'big data' in healthcare. Healthcare payers, providers, and government agencies around the globe have expanded their investments in all sorts of healthcare data including insurance claims, EHR, registries, surveillance, patient surveys, and other datasets so that the healthcare industry has already entered the club of 'big data' providers. However the famous quote by Rutherford D. Rogers applies to healthcare big data as well that 'we are drowning in information and starving for knowledge.' Making sense of big-data is becoming an essential skill in governing health systems. Usually offered every year.

HS 257b Conflict Resolution by Negotiation

Develops in students an understanding of the nature, advantages, and limitations of negotiations as a conflict resolution tool. Provides a normative and practical framework for pursuing a negotiation strategy as a method of resolving disputes. Provides students with opportunities to apply this knowledge in a variety of simulated negotiation contexts. Finally, exposes students to feedback regarding their negotiation approaches via explicit instructor evaluation and via the impact of their actions on their teammates and opponents. Usually offered every year.

HS 257f International Humanitarian Law, Policy and Practice

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Traces the evolution of international human rights from a moral concept to the establishment of a principle of law. While there have been numerous advancements in the acceptance of human rights since 1949, the field is continuing to face increasing challenges evolving from an ever more complex human environment. Merely adopting new declarations does not turn them into new law or address North/South issues, unilateral use of force by nations, combating of terrorism and extremism, new forms of mass torture and killing, international crimes, environmental degradation, and the responsibility to protect. This course will provide a forum for critical examination of these issues so as to offer a context within which to apply reason and rigorous analysis to appreciate both the opportunities and constraints on the theory, policy and practice of international human rights law. Usually offered every year.

HS 258a Operations Management

Prerequisite: HS 246a.

Explores how operations management skills can help organizations to deliver high-quality services, while using resources efficiently. Students develop skills including quality assessment, process mapping, productivity analysis, wait-time analysis, process improvement, and supply chain analysis. A field project involves assessing social and technical aspects of operations. Usually offered every year.

HS 258f Strategic Planning and Project Management

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Introduces concepts, techniques, and skills related to the management of projects within the context of international development. The course would review strategies, concepts and debates on participatory project management with an examination of consensus and controversies associated with these concepts and how they relate to contemporary development agendas such as the Sustainable Development Goals. Project Management will introduce and promote a well-informed understanding of contemporary frameworks for participatory project management and community development. This will include project management tools employed by international development institutions and organizations. The course will provide conceptual and practical training as well as the application of key project management techniques and frameworks. These may including Stakeholder Engagement; Social Analysis; Project Management Plans/Matrix; Project Readiness and Status; Scope of Project, Budgeting and Investment Feasibility; Mission, Vision and Goal Setting; Policy Relevance; Project Leadership; Time and Motion Analysis; Gantt Charts; Project Reporting; Stakeholder Feedback Analysis/Sheets; Project Management Reporting; Efficiency, Equity and Effectiveness; Performance Management; Monitoring Frameworks; and End of Project Reports. Usually offered every year.

HS 260b Practicing Social Justice Philanthropy: Purpose, Practice and Problems

Juxtaposes a theoretical framework for understanding the economic, political, and social role of philanthropy in American society with the practical experience of real-dollar grantmaking. Through course readings and an opportunity to develop a grantmaking process that will grant real money, students will be exposed to the complexity of the philanthropic process and the challenges associated with allocating scarce resources. The course also provides opportunities to explore organizational behavior, group dynamics and individual leadership skills. Students will learn how to negotiate, reach consensus, and execute the plan they design and through readings will gain perspective on process, grantmaking, and evaluation techniques. The process will be documented by the students for use in case studies, teaching materials, and workshops. Usually offered every year.

HS 262f Culture, Power, and Development: Advanced Ethics

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Students engage with constructs of cultural superiority, debate about modernization, and learn about what motivates individual and cultural change. Students are introduced to alternative theoretical approaches to culture and development and learn how to apply those theories to different historical contexts as well as contemporary situations. Usually offered every year.

HS 263f Applied Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
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Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit. Prerequisite: HS 297f or permission of the instructor.

Designed for students wishing to receive advanced training in GIS. Instruction includes geospatial data management and archiving, raster and vector analysis techniques, and basic GPS instruction. Emphasis is on 'hands-on' training using ARCView GIS software; qualitative skills in data gathering, analysis, and presentation; and understanding the potential of GIS as a tool for planning and evaluating development projects. Includes a computer lab. Usually offered every year.

HS 264f Environment and Development

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Three pillars -- economy, society, and environment -- are the foundation of sustainable development. Practitioners benefit from basic environmental literacy concerning the primary threats to human and planetary well-being including climate change and its direct and indirect impacts, air and water pollution, ocean acidification and other global changes to the seas, alteration of Earth's major nutrient cycles, and loss of biodiversity, among other topics. The module includes a special focus on agriculture and human diets, because our crops, livestock, and associated deforestation are the most extensive sources of environmental harm and of freshwater depletion world-wide, and a significant contributor to climate change. Usually offered every year.

HS 266a Introduction to Economics for Development Practitioners

May not be taken for credit by students who took HS 266f in prior years.

Provides a foundation in economics for discerning, creative, and forward thinking development practitioners. It explores selected economic theories, historical perspectives, empirical lessons, analytical tools, and alternative proposals that are particularly relevant to sustainable international development. Usually offered every year.

HS 267f Humanitarian Negotiation

Recommended prerequisite: HS 244a. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

This advanced module on humanitarian diplomacy builds on, and further tests, the Responsible Negotiation methods of HS 244a. It seeks to understand frontline negotiators' challenges and to provide a practical motivation-based framework that supports the field. This class explores past and present negotiators, historical figures and unsung heroes, who got small but crucial yesses on behalf of noncombatants in danger. It explores real-life cases and simulations involving the ICRC, MSF, UNHCR and UNOCHA, WFP, NRC, other humanitarian organizations, religious charities, and even businesses. We cover 150 years of humanitarian diplomacy's unique contributions to saving countless lives. Usually offered every year.

HS 272a Responsible Leadership

Examines whether leadership is good news or bad news. It is about leading, but it might also be about misleading. It is more than just good intentions, charisma, a personal gift, or features of a person; it is about impact, serving justice, positive values and the community; it must be done right. When it is exercised properly, the good must ensue for most of all, while empowering the voiceless, the weak, the least privileged, the most at risk, the disenfranchised. That is why this course is not interested merely in a leadership that is just another word for power at any cost, just an instrument for any cause. All together, the class will be spotting responsible leadership, where the solutions of women and men of power respond to the problems of the people, to whom they are accountable for. Usually offered every year.

HS 273f Law and Social Justice: Gender Equity Policies and Litigation

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Explores issues of gender equity that arise in different contexts. Central to the course is the study of how social policy, U.S. Supreme Court decisions, and laws from other nations employ the evolving concept of gender to shape political, social, and economic experiences, and how those laws and policies are formed. A primary goal of the course is to propose solutions to contemporary gender inequities. Areas of study include, intersectionality theory and practice, critical policy theory, reproductive justice, economic equality, political participation, and gender-based violence. Usually offered every year.

HS 277f Introduction to Planning and Implementation

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Studies analytical methods utilized in development planning. The issues and methods of project implementation are taught. Drawing on case studies the class examines the complex interactions between beneficiary communities, social mobilization, training, marketing strategies, and other factors that affect achievements.

HS 278f Monitoring and Evaluation

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Introduces students to the field of evaluation, including their purpose, design, methodologies for data collection and analysis, and utilization. The course also explores the organizational environment in which evaluations are carried out, frequent challenges and pitfalls in conducting evaluation, and some tricks of the trade drawing on written materials and experiences of the instructor and enrolled students as well. Usually offered every year.

HS 279a Planning and Implementation

Focuses on concepts and methods of planning and implementation to promote sustainable development. The project cycle and project development are used to give students experience in problem-solving, logic, and organizational skills applicable to all planning, implementation, and monitoring functions. Attention is given to the context in which the project cycle takes place, identifying local problems and applying holistic solutions. Usually offered every year.

HS 283f Gender and Development

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Examines politics and policies of international development from a gender-sensitive perspective. Concepts of "development" and 'gender' are framed within historical and political contexts. Students examine how development affects women and men differently according to class, ethnicity, geography, age, and seniority. Ways in which gender asymmetries have been addressed in development and approaches to mainstreaming gender are explored. Usually offered every year.

HS 285a Marketing

An overview of marketing with a focus on how to formulate marketing strategies and identify and evaluate strategy-based tactics in order to achieve organizational marketing goals. Topics include strategic market planning, market research and analysis; consumer behavior; market segmentation, targeting, and positioning; social marketing; and the marketing mix-product, price, distribution, promotion, and marketing communications. Highlights include developing a digital market strategy for a mission-driven organization. Usually offered every summer.

HS 285f Livelihoods, Enterprises and Development

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Introduces students to concepts on sustainable livelihood diversification, enterprise and how they interact to impact on the development of poor and marginalized communities. Students will learn how to develop policy interventions and programs to support and facilitate enterprise development through sustainable livelihood diversification in developing countries. This courses aims to help students acquire skills and tools for policy analysis and develop technical skills in the preparation of Policy Response Papers and Policy Briefs. Usually offered every year.

HS 288f Shifting Development Paradigms

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

As an introduction to sustainable development, this course serves as a conceptual umbrella for all the coursework in SID and related Global Studies degrees. Albert Einstein said it best that “we can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” The modern world is based on an idea called development that has made advances in public health and wellbeing for many but struggles with environmental damage, economic marginalization, and social conflict. Our course, including guest experts, encourages students toward new and independent thinking on some of the major challenges confronting practitioners and policy makers worldwide. Working in teams, students will probe such core subjects as the nature of development knowledge unifying science, ethics, and cultural traditions; new forms for economic and environmental governance; and global emancipation from poverty and preventable disease. Usually offered every year.

HS 289f Sustainable Economic Development Strategies

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Examines the current economic conditions of the developing countries and various development policies that are available to policy makers in these countries for achieving equitable and sustainable economic development. This course will introduce the students to the practical and applied tools of development economics, explore the policy debates around the best ways to understand and approach developing economies, and look at examples of alternative development strategies. We will review the economic problems of the underdeveloped countries to develop some understanding of the causes of economic backwardness and the process of economic development. Usually offered every year.

HS 290a Economic Analysis for Managers

Introduces fundamental economic concepts, such as opportunity cost and marginal analysis. The course then turns to the examination of markets, with analysis of supply and demand in product and factor markets, elasticity of demand and supply, and the impact of price ceilings and floors, including a minimum wage. The determinants of consumer behavior are analyzed, with a special emphasis on the role of e-commerce. Costs of production for firms and resulting supply decisions are then considered. Markets without market power and markets with market power (monopoly and oligopoly) are examined. Antitrust policy, including the proper approach to the market power of Facebook, Amazon, and Google, is considered. Two classes focus on macroeconomics since the state of the business cycle is an important part of the economic landscape all managers must consider. The economic theory of nonprofits is discussed, as well as the economics of K-12 education. Usually offered every year.

HS 290f Innovative Technologies for Sustainable Development

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Reviews the history of technology transfer and new or emerging innovative technologies are assessed for their potential contribution and positive or negative consequences for sustainable economic, social and human development. Technology transfer strategies are reviewed for their approach as people-centered within an empowerment, choice framework. Usually offered every year.

HS 291f Development in Conflict Situations

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Explores trends of humanitarian action in relation to conflict evolution and transformation, as well as the connections between the concepts of development and humanitarian activities. The course approach is multidisciplinary, using a mix of academic analysis and practical experience to reflect upon working in armed conflict, as well as on the wider context of international development systems. Usually offered every year.

HS 292f Critical Thinking and Development

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Develops advanced critical thinking skills, models of logical argumentation and debate, reading comprehension and advanced writing skills geared for professionals and practitioners in foundations, NGOS, government sectors and civil society organizations. Although we will focus on needs of sustainable international development, professionals and practitioners from other fields are most welcome, namely public policy, social policy and coexistence and conflict. Usually offered every year.

HS 293f Religion and Development

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Explores the world's different faith traditions and how they define and treat the problem of poverty. The class takes a critical look at conditions by which religion provides a source of liberation from human suffering and strategies for sustainable development. Students also examine how power is transformed along gender, class, racial, ethnic, and national lines when religions confront one another. Usually offered every year.

HS 294f Responsible Mediation

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit. Open only to students enrolled in the MA program in coexistence and conflict. Other students considered with permission of the instructor.

Introduces mediation as a process to engage disputing parties in a shared approach toward understanding, discussing and resolving differences. The course provides an overview of definitions, roles and questions such as: What is mediation? What makes mediation work? What is a mediator's role? What's involved in a mediation session? How do we deal with emotions? How to deal with cultural differences? Do we have to reach an agreement? What are the options if we don't come to an agreement? Usually offered every year.

HS 296b Current Issues in Healthcare Management

May not be taken for credit by students who took HS 296f in prior years.

Focuses on strengthening health facility management in government hospitals and clinics. Managers in such facilities are often ineffective in "getting things done," and prefer to complain and shift blame for poor performance to inadequate budgets, low salaries, bad policy, and other problems. This course will examine some of the prototypical kinds of issues arising in health care delivery today, and examine the way good managers can respond to make organizations more effective. The course will use weekly situational cases to allow groups to study and resolve. Usually offered every year.

HS 297a Field Project

Prerequisite: Two semesters as master's student in coexistence and conflict or permission of program director.

Offers students an opportunity to apply the theories and key themes covered in the core courses in a real-life setting. Requires completion of at least three months of a paid or unpaid internship or field project approved and monitored by a faculty adviser. The project could involve a research or consulting assignment or a structured internship in the fields of coexistence and conflict. Offered every year.

HS 297f Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
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Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

A primer for non-specialists on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and its capabilities as a tool for planning and monitoring. Students learn how to determine an organization's GIS requirements, focus on those requirements during planning, and apply the requirements to assess the size and scope of the system needed. Includes a computer lab. Usually offered every semester.

HS 298a Independent Study

HS 298f Independent Study

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

HS 299b Team Consulting Project

A capstone educational experience for students nearing the end of the MBA program. Working under the supervision of a faculty adviser, teams of three to five MBA and Heller/Hornstein students provide management consulting services to nonprofit, community-based health and human services organizations. Usually offered every year.

HS 300f Integrated Conservation and Development

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Focuses on how to reconcile priorities of biodiversity conservation with socioeconomic development. The course looks at a number of case studies to identify and examine recent field methods of community-based conservation, ecosystem-based management, and protected area alternatives to achieve conservation, sustainable use, and equity while advancing social, environmental, and economic justice. Usually offered every year.

HS 302f Policy Analysis and Design in the Developing World

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Introduces students to the tools of policy analysis that were originally created in and for advanced industrial societies, and explores how these tools can be modified to fit and be useful in the developing world context. We will examine quantitative, qualitative and interpretive methods of gathering information; assumptions about human motivation; causal models; generic types of policy instruments; and methods of analyzing program feasibility and impacts. Usually offered every year.

HS 303a Historical and Contemporary Developments in Social Welfare

Examines the historical roots of the welfare state and treats social welfare concepts and policies as one aspect of the challenge of regulating a capitalist economy to render it more socially just. We compare social welfare strategies over time and in different countries. We explore the politics and the racial and class coalitions that influence social policies, as well as the logic and structure of various policies in terms of their effectiveness, efficiency, and political support. The class will assess perennial issues in social welfare and analyze contemporary challenges, using a lens that combines historical, political, and programmatic insights. Usually offered every year.

HS 303f Disaster Management and Capacity Building

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

In recent decades there has been growing attention on the need to systematically understand and manage risk, while mitigating the vulnerabilities of communities to disasters. In light of this to what extent has the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) model contributed to improving humanitarian preparedness to disaster? How have links between humanitarian and development assistance evolved? What are the professional and technical approaches needed in disaster response environments? Through readings, expert presentations, case studies, and group work, the purpose of this course is to offer graduate students legal, policy, and response frameworks for understanding and engaging in humanitarian disaster response. This course is interdisciplinary in nature, with aspects of health, law, sociology, and psychology embedded within the thematic focus areas. While this course aims to contribute to the development of students' capacity to think critically and strategically about current challenges and approaches in disaster management, it recognizes the rich experience of the students and strongly encourages peer dialogue and group sharing. Usually offered every year.

HS 305a International Health Economics

The objective of this course is to prepare students with graduate-level knowledge in theories and research methods in the area of international health economics. The course aims at providing a rigorous economic framework that addresses both positive and normative issues in the economics of health in developing countries. Examples used to illustrate the economic theories have a developing country focus. Topics covered include: relationship between health outcomes and macro-economic performance; micro-economics of health care and insurance markets including demand for health care services, insurance, supply of physician services and other medical service; normative analysis for health policy and projects including market failure and public intervention, and emerging issues in international health  in low and middle income countries. Usually offered every year.

HS 305f Advanced Dialogue and Mediation

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Designed for students wanting to develop deeper intellectual, analytical, and professional skills in the areas of domestic and international mediation. The sessions are particularly focused on disputes or conflicts that introduce the involvement of multi-party and multi-issue dynamics. This necessarily involves increased levels of complexity while still supported by many of the basic foundational principles learned in the introductory mediation course. Usually offered every year.

HS 306a Causal Inference and Machine Learning in Studies Using Observational Data

Ideally, causal evidence would be used to support any important policy decision. The strongest source of causal evidence is from well-designed randomized trials but such data are rarely available for most policy questions. Instead, causal inference must be drawn from observational studies. This course begins by examining the concept of the target trial, along with two major causal inference frameworks—Directed Acyclic Graphs and Potential Outcomes. We then briefly review several causal inference methods from the econometrics literature. Next, we will examine a series of methods from epidemiology that are commonly used to draw causal inference from observational health care data. Finally, we consider relatively new methods using machine learning techniques that, when used within a causal inference framework, may substantially improve our ability to draw causal inferences relative to traditional methods. For each method, we will consider the theory and methods, as well as practical applications from the literature. Usually offered every year.

HS 306f Survey Design and Data Analysis for Development

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Provides students with an introduction to survey design and applied principles of data analysis in development. Topics include research design (hypothesis formulation, model building), data collection (principles of survey design, definition and measurement of variables, cross-sectional and panel surveys, focus groups and pilot tests), and data analysis (statistical and social significance; univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analysis). Usually offered every year.

HS 307a Immigration Policy and Human Rights

Explores the dynamics of power embedded in our immigration policies as well as in current day immigration laws practices. We will challenge hegemonic ideas and myths surrounding immigration history such as the idea of “a nation of immigrants.” By exploring how white supremacy, settler colonialism, hetero-patriarchy, Christian hegemony, and neoliberal capitalism have shaped our immigration policies over time, we will gain a deeper understanding of current dynamics in the field. We will also study key immigration legislation and examine the disparate impacts of those policies on immigrant and refugee communities. In this course, the immigrant detention system is understood as part of the nation’s system of mass incarceration of people of color. Finally, in order to recognize the power of the immigrant communities in spite of ongoing oppression and exploitation, we will study how immigrants organize resistance to human rights abuses and propose reforms and transformation of immigration policy. Usually offered every second year.

HS 307f Policy and Program Evaluation

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit. Combines different teaching pedagogies including lectures, team projects, individual paper, class discussion sessions, and expert-led conversations.

Evaluation includes a range of assessments that can use qualitative and quantitative methods to answer questions about the expected results of a project or program. Different types of evaluations may support different stages of a project or program. Formative evaluations may take place to inform project design, such as needs assessments, gender analyses, or evidence syntheses. Process evaluations may take place during implementation to monitor how well projects activities are working to support the intended results (some examples are beneficiary assessments, outcome harvesting, and quality assessments). Impact evaluations may start before project implementation and run to project completion and focus on providing new evidence on the effectiveness of activities for policy and financing decisions. Summative evaluations or outcome evaluations may take place after implementing a key phase of a project to assess effectiveness in achieving the expected development objectives. Usually offered every year.

HS 309f Policy Approaches to Gender-Based Violence

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
 

Examines the critical social issue of gender-based violence. Gender-based violence, with a history rooted in 2nd wave feminism and the “Battered Women’s Movement”, is violence that impacts people based on the way they perform gender and society’s cultural norms around gender. In the U.S., policymakers have taken a variety of approaches to responding to, addressing, and sometimes preventing gender-based violence. During this module, students will explore some key policy approaches to gender-based violence, the impacts they’ve had, and, critically, who has been left out of these approaches. Usually offered every second year.

HS 310f Introduction to Education and Development

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Examines the relationship between education and development, especially the pivotal question of whether education reduces poverty. Starting with a review of the state of education at the global level, the course then examines positive and negative theories about the role of education in development. It analyzes innovative policies and programs in educational policy areas, such as girls' education, with high potential for producing positive development impacts. The course also considers the impacts of educational technology and new methods for teaching and learning, as well as the most current assessment strategies and tools to monitor and evaluate policy choices and programs in the education sector.

HS 311f Everyday Peace Indicators

How can we 'capture' and accurately convey peace and conflict? This module will investigate these issues ' ethical, methodological and practical ' in relation to contemporary peace and conflict. It will examine various attempts to 'capture' peace and conflict, paying particular attention to top-down and bottom-up methodologies and the different approaches that they use. The module will include a training on the Everyday Peace Indicator steps, as well as experiential exercises in its use in a simulated exercise. If possible, students will be engaged in ongoing research projects with International Peacebuilding partners. This module will be delivered in a seminar style ' that is, it will be participatory, experiential and skills based, demonstrating theory-practice links. During the module students will
be given mini-lectures, briefings and be expected to participate in small group work and presentations. Part of the course's aims is for students to be able to understand the complexity behind measurement of peace related phenomena, understand how to best circumvent these issues, identify what instances to use certain measurement tools and discern a text's ' or indeed their own and each others' (including those of the teaching faculty) ' ideological or political bias. Usually offered every year.

HS 312f International Youth Policies and Programs

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Examines demographic trends that have led to the 'youth bulge' in the developing world, leading to the need for youth-centered development policies. After considering obstacles to young people's growth and potential, the course maps major institutional actors and analyzes policy issues and programs in areas with high potential for positive impact on youth, such as entrepreneurship, vocational education, and civic engagement. The course also reviews assessment strategies and tools to monitor and evaluate policy choices and programs in the youth sector. Usually offered every year.

HS 314f Race and Stratification in the US Economy

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

This half-semester seminar course explores the role of public policies, private practices, and historical factors in contributing to and ameliorating racial disparities in economic outcomes. The primary framework for the course is stratification economics, an empirically grounded approach to study disparities across the lines of race, ethnicity, gender, class, caste, sexuality, religion, nationality, and other social markers. This framework also incorporates the importance of social hierarchies and structures in shaping economic outcomes. Using this framework we will discuss findings from empirical research on race and stratification in the US economy that focuses on disparities in labor market outcomes, wealth and asset accumulation, incarceration, and education and training. Students will also have an opportunity to explore other areas of disparities in economic outcomes in written work that is not otherwise covered in the class. Usually offered every year.

HS 315f Evaluating Evaluation Methods

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

The ideal goal when evaluating an intervention is to show causal effects, but this is often impossible to achieve with non-experimental data in real world settings. The purpose of the course is to open a tool box with potential methods so students learn the advantages and disadvantages of different methods and when to use them. Randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) have become the gold-standard to judge the causal impact of interventions in development but face many limitations and a growing chorus of critics who advocate a more eclectic approach. We start the course with RCTs but quickly move on to examine near neighbors that merit attention because they can also show causal impacts. In fact, near neighbors can sometimes do a better job than RCTs in impact evaluations. The neighbors considered in this course include propensity score matching, instrumental-variable estimations, intent-to-treat, and natural experiments. One important gap in all the evaluation literature is how to deal with puzzles after an evaluation. In the course we break new ground by examining the use of ethnographic and other methods to return to the field to answer puzzles left by the initial evaluation. Usually offered every year.

HS 317f Labor Income, Labor Power, and Labor Markets

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Gives students a deeper understanding of where wage and salary income fits into the broader study of income equality, inequality and social policy; and to examine the role of trade unionism, regulation, and other factors such as globalization and technology in the worsening incomes and job security for most Americans. The module will also explore human capital theory, efficiency wage models, and other theoretical explanations for changing labor trends. And it will examine various policy and political remedies for widening income equality, with special emphasis on wage and salary income. Usually offered every second year.

HS 319f Ethics, Rights, and Development

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Explores philosophical and ethical foundations of human rights as related to development studies, policy, and practice. Students look at complex political, economic, and cultural conditions to apply rights to advance sustainable development. Contemporary debates on human rights as a tool to define and realize justice and alleviate human suffering - such as poverty, hunger, and other detriments to health and environment - are examined. Usually offered every year.

HS 320f LGBTQ+ Justice: A History of Pride, Prejudice, and Policy in the United States

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

This course is about the last forty years (1969-2009) of social justice and social policy in the American Gay Rights Movement. It is about the development of social justice and social policy in America that is inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity. And, it is about policy development, and human behavior, in America that reflects the full civil, political, legal and moral equality of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people. Usually offered every second year.

HS 321f Social Justice and Philanthropy: Effective Grantmaking Tools and Strategies

Provides students a strong grounding in the history, evolution, roles, contributions, and complexities associated with philanthropy in the United States. As the course progresses, it focuses increasingly upon social justice philanthropy, which, though it has no official definition, directs dollars in order to make society and its social institutions fairer, more inclusive and equitable. Social justice philanthropy typically aspires to attack complex problems at their roots so as to prevent the symptoms usually treated by more traditional charities and foundations. It also is typically participatory in that it seeks to include community members in decisions about how to allocate grant dollars. Students will engage in active discussion and in-class learning activities centered around timely readings and cases that illuminate contemporary questions related to philanthropy’s appropriate role, its inherent power and that critique its effectiveness in alleviating social problems and advancing social justice. Usually offered every year.

HS 322b Sociological Perspectives on Housing Disparities: Race and Stratification

Few things intersect with and influence as many other aspects of our lives as does housing, an essential human need. At its most basic level, a home provides shelter from the elements. But housing also provides a private space for family life and relaxation. Additionally, housing has become a major component of building financial wealth and an option for financial investments. The location of where the home sits matters, determining access to quality schools, parks, transportation, shopping, and much more.

As this incomplete list of various aspects of housing indicates, housing is fundamental and impacts people in many different ways. This course will provide a general introduction to some of the dominant themes analyzed from a sociological perspective: homeownership, renting, housing instability and houselessness, neighborhoods and economic and racial segregation, as well as the impact of housing on health. mental health, and general well-being. Usually offered every second year.

HS 323f Participatory Action Research

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Participatory Action Research (PAR) is an anti-racist research paradigm that emerged in Latin America in the 1970s under the leadership of Colombian sociologist Orlando Fals Borda. The research paradigm challenges the monopoly of research power held by academic researchers and proposes shared decision-making with communities being studied. PAR also argues that action needs to be the result of research. Through case studies, this course explores how oppressed communities construct knowledge and use that knowledge to make changes in their communities. The course presents several community-based frameworks for guiding research ethics. Usually offered every second year.

HS 324a Social Experimentation in Child, Youth and Family Policymaking

Builds the skills necessary to critically assess the policy content, design, results and recommendations of (quasi) experimental research that examines the effects of social policies aimed at improving the lives of vulnerable children, youth and families. The focus is on providing a graduate-level introduction to the use of social experimentation methods in policy research. We examine four substantive policy areas as case studies: (1) early childhood education; (2) home visitation; (3) income incentives and supplements; and (4) housing. Usually offered every year.

HS 324f Globalization and Welfare Capitalism

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Addresses the tensions between national democracy and free trade. Students will explore such issues as trade and economic efficiency, immigration, global efforts to expand democracy, the uses of trade to undermine social standards; development needs of the Global South; global labor markets; and global civil society. We will examine frictions between national industrial policy and free trade; and institutions such as the World Trade Organization, IMF, World Bank. Learning outcomes are an enhanced ability to assess arguments regarding globalization and to cogently analyze, speak, and write about them. Students are expected to actively participate in teaching and learning with written and verbal presentations. Usually offered every second year.

HS 326f Introduction to Stata® Programming and Data Management

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Introduces students to basic programming in Stata and provides guidance on data management strategies. The course will cover creating simple datasets and accessing existing ones, modifying and managing data, and performing simple statistical analysis. Data management strategies will be woven into each lecture and will be emphasized throughout the course itself. This course is intended for students who have little to no experience using this statistical software program. Usually offered every year.

HS 328f Essential Elements of Humanitarian Response

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Develop skills aimed at providing principled humanitarian assistance to civilians suffering from the effect of violent conflicts. To do so, we will explore the content of humanitarian principles and the common standards agreed upon by a large number of humanitarian organizations for the provision of water supply, sanitation and hygiene promotion, food security and nutrition, shelter, settlement, non-food items and education. The provision of principled humanitarian assistance along these standards ensure that civilians basic human rights are respected and re-enforce the accountability of humanitarian organizations. Usually offered every year.

HS 330f International Health Economics

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit. May not be taken for credit by students who took HS 239b in prior years.

Prepares students with graduate-level knowledge in theories and research methods in the area of international health economics. The course aims at providing a rigorous economic framework that addresses both positive and normative issues in the economics of health in developing countries. Examples used to illustrate the economic theories have a developing country focus. Topics covered include: relationship between health outcomes and macro-economic performance; micro-economics of health care and insurance markets including demand for health care services, insurance, supply of physician services and other medical service; normative analysis for health policy and projects including market failure and public intervention. Usually offered every year.

HS 331b Social Policy Internship

Formerly offered as HS 789b. Under special circumstances, provides an opportunity for Heller graduate students (particularly MS and MPP students) to carry out a formal internship with a client organization under the supervision of a faculty advisor.

Allows students to apply principles from their curriculum for a client organization. Usually offered every semester.

HS 331f Social Policy Internship

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit. May be repeated once for credit. Formerly offered as HS 789f.

Provides an opportunity for Heller graduate students (particularly MS and MPP students) to carry out a formal internship with a client organization under the supervision of a faculty advisor. The internship allows students to apply principles from their curriculum for a client organization. Usually offered every semester. Usually offered every semester.

HS 332a Research Methods

Prepares students to understand and apply the fundamental methods of equitable and rigorous public policy research, and to become sophisticated consumers of empirical research studies. We focus in-depth on three types of research: (1) qualitative studies with a focus on phenomenological research; (2) quantitative survey research with a focus on how to design survey questions and solicit and use reviews from a range of experts to improve them; and (3) mixed methods research that combines qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Students conduct research, critique studies in their areas of interest, and propose new studies that bring in fresh theoretical perspectives and lived experiences. Usually offered every year.

HS 334a Child and Family Policy

Discusses the definition of family, examines the emergence of family policy in the U.S., and utilizes various models and theories to analyze the policies and service systems designed to support or “manage” families and the issues they face. We discuss the challenges families experience, the policy solutions that have been devised to address these challenges, what those solutions look like “on the ground," and how they work out and for whom. Guest speakers share their perspectives as individuals with lived experiences and/or as professionals working in the field of child and family policy and services. The course also features “Book Clubs” which give students the opportunity to read personal stories that bring in a wider array of views and voices on how the lives of families are influenced by various policies and connections or gaps between policies. Usually offered every year.

HS 334f Disability Policy: Intersections with Health, Poverty, Education and Family Policy

This seminar is centered on disability studies and policy and the intersections of disability with health and  behavioral health, poverty, employment, education, and caregiving (both formal and family). Students will  examine disability from historical perspectives as well as from lived experiences. Several theoretical and  conceptual frameworks will be discussed to illuminate whether and how different policy mechanisms can  address inherent tensions related to service eligibility, access, and design, person-centered approaches, and self advocacy. Theories and frameworks to be discussed include social determinants of health, life course models,  critical race theory and dis/ability critical race theory (DisCrit). Policies will be examined to understand who  benefits and who does not and how race/ethnicity, class, and disability/ability perspectives influence access and  well-being. Class discussions will also examine how a focus on disability studies and policy may illuminate  research, programming and policy related to other marginalized populations.

HS 336a Heller MPP Capstone Seminar

Students will demonstrate the ability to define and diagnose public policy situations, collect relevant information, perform logical analysis, develop alternatives, and make compelling recommendations; and to organize and communicate information clearly to a variety of audiences through formats including verbal presentations, policy briefs, and statistical charts, graphs, and tables. Usually offered every year.

HS 336f Race/Intersectionality, Religion, and Justice

Students in this module will be exposed to alternative scenarios to the olympics of
oppression. Using aspects of our various identities we discuss racism,
intersectionality, religion and justice. We practice dialogue across differing views
related to our ability to build allyship and fight racism in all its forms.

HS 337f Advanced Planning and Implementation: Issues in the Field

Prerequisite: HS 279a. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Explores the context of development projects and challenges faced by project managers, executing agencies, donors, partners, stakeholders, and beneficiaries. Values and priorities --including sustainability, participation, project ownership, accountability, and legitimacy ' are examined in light of changing dynamics of power, procedures, and relationships in project management. Usually offered every year.

HS 338a Sustainable International Development Master's Paper Writing Seminar

Open only to SID Advanced Study Students.

Focuses on methods to help advanced study students identify topics and research strategies for their masters papers. Class sessions focus on techniques for constructing specific sections of the paper, enabling students to produce a draft of their masters papers by the end of the Fall semester. Class methods involve peer review and extensive instructor feedback on research and writing issues. Usually offered every year.

HS 338f Introduction to Data Analytics and Visualization

This is an introductory course into the world of data science with a focus on the healthcare industry. It is a methodological 2-credit module course that introduces the concepts, techniques, and applications of data analytics. The course is the first in a four-module series that are offered in sequence during the academic year with the first two modules in the fall and the next two in the spring. The other three modules following this introductory module are Applied Data Analytics and Data Mining Using R, Healthcare Data Analytics and Data Mining, and Advanced Topics in Healthcare Data Analytics and Data Mining. By the end of the series, students are able to use multiple Machine Learning ML techniques to run elaborate predictive analytics models on a set of linkable large databases and code-sets, some with half-million rows and hundreds of variables. Usually offered every year.

HS 339f Advanced Topics in Health Care Data Analytics and Data Mining

Prerequisite: HS 256f or permission of the instructor. Concurrent enrollment in HS 256f allowed. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Methodological course on concepts, techniques and applications of data analytics as applied to healthcare big data. Healthcare payers, providers, and government agencies around the globe have expanded their investments in all sorts of healthcare data including insurance claims, EHR, registries, surveillance, patient surveys, household surveys, and other datasets so that the healthcare industry has already entered the club of 'big data' providers. In terms of techniques and methods, the course emphasizes more on the predictive analytics, certain statistical analysis on big data, and some machine learning algorithms including cluster analysis. Students will also learn about the major commercial and public episode grouper software applications as examples of supervised learning models in healthcare. Usually offered every year.

HS 340f Advanced International Health Economics

Prerequisite: HS 330f. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Prepares students to apply the theories and research methods in health economics in order to analyze the challenging real world questions and to formulate health policies that would address the most pressing challenges.

As an example, the course analyzes the trends of healthcare costs in industrialized nations and offers a set of theories and evidence on the root causes of the cost increase. It will also cover the interplay between insurance, technology, and demand for health care and hence the risk of similar cost inflation in developing countries. Based on the lessons learned from industrialized world a series of evidence based advices for formulation of cost containment policies will follow. Major abnormalities of health care market are discussed in this course. They improve the knowledge of students about the prevalent market failures and how to prevent or mitigate them. Additionally it will enhance students' knowledge in those areas that ordinary theories of microeconomics and health economics have not been able to provide convincing answers to real world phenomena. For example consumer theory of microeconomics fails to fully explain the prevalence of underutilization of preventive care when the care is fully subsidized. Students will learn how the modern theories of Behavioral Economics are applied in order to modify health seeking behavior of consumers. Usually offered every year.

HS 341a Public Finance and Budgeting

Utilizes facts and analytical tools to effectively make decisions about public finance and budgeting as a policymaker, policy advocate, policy analyst, scholar, reporter, and/ or citizen. Upon completion of this course, students will have a broad knowledge of why and how governments shape the economy; the extent of their intervention; and how and why government funds are currently allocated among competing uses. Usually offered every year.

HS 341f Applied Data Analytics and Data Mining

This is an intermediate course in data science with a focus on the healthcare industry. It is a methodological 2-credit module course that introduces the concepts, techniques, and applications of data analytics using R. The course is the second module in a four-module series of courses that are offered sequentially during the academic year with the first two introductory and intermediate modules in the fall and the next two analytics courses in the spring. This intermediate course is offered as a Module 2 in the fall. There is one introductory module prerequisite for this course that could be waived for qualified students with enough basic data management and data visualization skills. Usually offered every year.

HS 342b Policy Advocacy, Protest, and Community Organizing

Provides students with an overview of the processes by which individuals and groups operating at the national, state, and local levels in the United States and other countries can effectively shape social policy that advances social justice. It will focus on two complementary sets of issues: 1) How theoretical knowledge and frameworks can be used to promote social justice, the barriers that face those who seek to use knowledge to change policy, and the kinds of strategies that have been and are likely to be effective in overcoming these barriers in the future, and 2) The practical strategies that advocacy organizations can utilize in promoting policy changes that benefit different segments of society, especially those with relatively little economic or political power.

Each week, there will be one or more guest speakers who in recent years have included current or former elected officials (including US Senators, US members of the House of Representatives, Massachusetts state representatives, and Massachusetts city councilors); key staff of Massachusetts Governors; lobbyists from or executive directors of groups such as the National Rifle Association, Black Lives Matter, Neighbor to Neighbor and Centro Presente; a SID graduate who is an expert on the farmers protests in India; a participant in the Arab Spring protests in Egypt; national and local community organizers with decades of experience; leaders of groups that promote communication of complex issues, such as Just Vision; and leaders/representatives from all sides in the 2015 Ford Hall sit-ins and protests at Brandeis. Most classes include small group discussions to maximize opportunities for students to share their perspectives and opinions. Usually offered every year.

HS 342f ESG Measurement and Impact Investing

ESG investing has emerged as a default approach to investing for many across the globe. But the practice of ESG analysis and measurement is multi-faceted and issue specific. With new forms of ESG data arriving and evolving standards for ESG data disclosure from companies and investors alike, the landscape is shifting rapidly. In addition, impact across other asset classes has developed to allow for full portfolio alignment according to specific goals and metrics. How do investors incorporate ESG data effectively into stock selection? How do stakeholders use this information to help influence corporate action through shareholder advocacy and policy change? How does impact investing extend to other asset classes, such as bonds and private investments? How do we measure impact for specific ESG issues, such as climate risk management, diversity & inclusion, and ESG disclosure, as well as across a portfolio?

Through case studies and discussions with professional practitioners, this course explores the evolving approaches to harnessing ESG data in practical terms, with real world tools useful for investors, advocates, and company executives. Usually offered every year.

HS 343f Health Care Entrepreneurship

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit. Open only to Tufts MD/MBA Students.

Enables students to master the fundamentals of entrepreneurship. It explores how entrepreneurship has become a driving force in the healthcare sector, provides tools for developing and evaluating new ventures, and explores the blurring line between for profit and non-profit social initiatives. The course is designed to provide an intellectual and practical framework for combined degree MD/MBA students interested in exercising their entrepreneurial energy to solve problems in healthcare and will explore the process of launching a new venture, particularly in the healthcare sector. Usually offered every year.

HS 346b Policy Perspectives on Criminal Legal System Disparities

Provides an overview of relevant policies and issues in the United States criminal legal system impacting incarceration and outcomes. Students will study topics pertaining to disparities in policing and court procedural policies and practices, access to behavioral health services and diversion programs, and community re-entry and outcomes. We will examine the mechanisms by which the criminal legal and the behavioral health treatment systems interact and disparities are maintained or exacerbated. We will explore how race, ethnicity, gender, social class, sexual orientation, age and their interactions influence criminal legal system involvement. We will also examine factors associated with the overrepresentation of minority and disenfranchised groups among our jail and prison population, and review programs and policies implemented to increase successful community reentry and reduce recidivism. Usually offered every second year.

HS 349f Introduction to Microeconomics in Global Health

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Uses examples to illustrate the economic theories that have a developing country focus. Topics covered should prepare students to take on subjects in their more advanced courses such as microeconomics of health care and insurance markets, demand for health care services, demand for insurance, supply of physician services and other medical service. The normative analysis for international health policy and projects includes various aspects of market failure and government intervention and market regulation. Usually offered every year.

HS 353a Managing the Triple Bottom Line

Explores a new kind of 'bottom line' developing for corporations which includes social and environmental returns as well as financial returns. How can we measure 'Return on Responsibility?' What are the implications for stockholders, employees and consumers when it comes to social and environmental accountability in the corporate world? How do business decisions get made when financial considerations are not the only decisions central to continued growth and success? Through case studies and meetings with institutional decision makers, this course explores shifting strategies and developing programs in the rapidly changing landscape of the Triple Bottom Line. Usually offered every year.

HS 354a Capitalism and the Welfare State

Addresses the tensions between markets and social justice. Capitalism awards income and wealth according to success in the marketplace. The welfare state provides income and services according to need. The legitimacy of capitalism and its gross inequalities is based on the premise that markets are efficient--but they often are inefficient as well as unjust. And the political power of capital often blocks policies that might allow the economy and society to become both more efficient and more just. Students often feel underprepared in their knowledge of formal economics, both orthodox and dissenting--and the connection of economics to the social policy topics we study at the Heller School. This course will help students fill in some of those gaps, as well as applying this knowledge to policy challenges.​ Usually offered every year.

HS 367a Working with National Data Sets to Inform Policy Analysis and Recommendations

Building on courses in statistics, econometrics, research methods, and concentration coursework, this full semester course provides students with in-depth and hands-on experiences using large/national data sets to conduct policy analyses. The course will guide students through each step in the process of developing and carrying out a research project. It will also provide critical reflections and discussions of each element in the data collection process for large representative data sets. Us ually offered every year.

HS 372b Economic Theory and Social Policy

Introduces concepts of economics that can be applied in analyzing and evaluating social policies. By the end of this course, you will be more literate in fundamental economic principles for consumer demand, producer decisions, market equilibrium, workers’ choices about labor force participation and job choice, and demand and supply of collective goods. You will better understand the limits of economic theory and free markets, as well as the context and consequences of government and nonprofit intervention in the economy. Usually offered every year.

HS 390a Independent Study

Open to SID students only.

Usually offered every year.

HS 390f Independent Study

Open to SID students only. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Usually offered every year.

HS 391a Independent Study

Open to COEX students only.

Usually offered every year.

HS 391f Independent Study

Open to COEX students only. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Usually offered every year.

HS 392a Independent Study

Open to MPP students only.

Usually offered every year.

HS 392f Independent Study

Open to MPP students only. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Usually offered every year.

HS 393a Independent Study

Open to MS students only.

Usually offered every year.

HS 393f Independent Study

Open to MS students only. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Usually offered every year.

HS 394a Independent Study

Open to MBA students only.

Usually offered every year.

HS 394f Independent Study

Open to MBA students only. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Usually offered every year.

HS 401b Research Methods

Prerequisite: Open only to PhD students who have completion of, or current enrollment in, a graduate-level statistics course.

Provides doctoral students in social policy with a basic orientation to social science research methods. Students will develop an understanding of the theoretical and practical issues that guide the creation, conduct and interpretation of research. The course focuses on the conduct and evaluation of applied and policy-oriented research. This course is designed to prepare students in the Heller PhD program to be able to understand and interpret empirical research and to design their own studies. Usually offered every year.

HS 402f Research Methods

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Prepares students (1) to understand the fundamentals of the rigorous conduct of health policy research methods and (2) to be sophisticated consumers of empirical health policy research. A variety of class formats will be used throughout the semester including lectures, discussions, and seminars, depending upon the topic and readings. Every student is expected to come to each class prepared to raise questions from the readings, respond to questions raised by other students and the instructor, discuss issues, and point out implications of the readings for policy and planning research. Usually offered every year.

HS 403b Qualitative Research

Open to PhD students only.

Acquaints students with the theory and practice of qualitative research. Readings and discussions focus on epistemological and theoretical foundations of qualitative research, how to conduct qualitative research, and its relevance for social policy. Provides students with experience in direct observation, participant observation, and interviewing, as well as in writing field notes, memoing, and transcribing. Qualitative research from study design to analysis and presentation is approached as an iterative and interconnected process. Ethical issues are addressed, with emphasis on requirements for institutional review board applications for projects involving qualitative research methods. Students planning to go on to HS 411b typically prepare an IRB application for a project of their own design Usually offered every year.

HS 403f Policy to Action: Understanding Implementation

The goal of this course is to provide students with a framework for understanding the implementation of public- regarding policy. The process of implementation is the way public intention is translated into public action. Understanding it is a central tool for bringing about changes in the way policy impacts peoples’ lives. This course considers models of how implementation can be understood, what are the factors in a systematic approach and, therefore, how to influence the implementation process from the inside. Usually offered every year.

HS 404b Applied Regression Analysis

An applied course in multiple regression analysis. Emphasis placed on the assumptions underlying the regression model, how to test for violations, and corrections that can be made when violations are found. Usually offered every year.

HS 405a Applied Econometrics

Prerequisite: HS 404b.

Focuses on applications of regression analysis and extensions to areas where the standard assumptions do not hold. Introduces applications of logit and its extensions, probit, corrections for censoring and sample selection bias, and simultaneous equations. Each student designs and carries out a research project. Usually offered every year.

HS 406f Multilevel Modeling Methods

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Provides a basic introduction to a class of statistical models falling under the general category of 'multilevel modeling,' (MLM) also sometimes referred to as 'hierarchical linear modeling' (HLM). MLM and HLM are methods of regression analysis used to analyze data where observations are 'clustered' or 'nested' either within groups (e.g. students clustered in school) or longitudinally (e.g. observations at different time points clustered within individuals). Usually offered every year.

HS 407b Survey Research Methods

Prerequisite: HS 404b or equivalent.

Focuses on processes and techniques of survey research methods. Special attention is devoted to different modes of questionnaire design, development, and administration. Implementation issues considered include interviewing strategies and other data collection procedures, field supervision, code book development, and documentation data management. Data analysis issues include scale and index construction, reliability and validity assessments, and general analysis strategies. Usually offered every second year.

HS 409a Advanced Econometrics

Prerequisites: HS 404b and either HS 405b or HS 510a.

Builds on the econometrics course to further develop students' skills in using multivariate statistical techniques, particularly for time-series and longitudinal data. Based on examples from human service and health care research. Students read/critique papers using each technique studied and learn to apply it in the computer lab. Usually offered every year.

HS 410a Applied Research Seminar: Quantitative

Prerequisites: HS 404b and HS 405a. Open only to PhD students.

Designed to provide students with a series of formal exercises simulating the major steps in the dissertation process. Students gain competency in manipulating data from a large, complex data set; summarizing the methodology of findings from previous studies; and synthesizing and communicating the results of data analysis-placing study objectives and results in the context of prior research. Usually offered every year.

HS 411b Advanced Topics in Qualitative Research

Prerequisite: HS 403b or permission of instructor. Open only to PhD students.

Explores study designs used in policy research that rely on qualitative approaches, including mixed methods, interview-based, case, and ethnographic studies, and examines the role of theorizing throughout all stages of the research process. Seminar format with readings tailored to students' policy interests. Exercises on analyzing and interpreting data and on writing research findings. Usually offered every year.

HS 412b Substance Use and Societal Consequences

Provides an overview of the use and abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Examines the consequences of abuse from a societal perspective and reviews types of policy approaches to dealing with the problems associated with substance abuse. Specific topics include an overview of biological and clinical aspects, theories of addictive behavior, epidemiology, medical and economic consequences, prevention and education, and policy approaches including taxation and regulation. Usually offered every second year.

HS 412f Social Policy and Management Through the Lens of Equity

Focuses on theories, structures, policies, strategies, and practices that 1) value diversity in every sense; 2) promote inclusion of marginalized peoples in power structures/systems and decision-making; and 3) seek the creation of meaningful belonging. The course is taught from the perspective that race, gender, class, sexuality, and all other categories used to subordinate groups, are social constructions that can be used as diagnostic tools to identify injustice. Students will explore how power, privilege, white supremacy, and other forms of oppression manifest in policy, management, research, and community development and practice strategic tools and techniques that lead to inclusion and equity. Usually offered every semester.

HS 413f Social Determinants to Health and Development: Introduction to Population Analytics

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit. Open to all degree programs at Heller.

Explores the consequences of population trends and dynamics that affect the wellbeing of families and nations. We examine policies meant to address the state of poverty and inequality, maternal and child health, aging, fertility, epidemiological transitions, workforce development, immigration, and other considerations. We analyze demographic data within specific populations such as children and youth, family, migrants and immigrants, racial and ethnic minorities, and as they reflect or challenge existing social structures and norms including class, race, caste, and occupation. Every week of the course, comparisons are made between high-income countries (such as the US, Japan, and Germany) and low and middle-income countries (such as India, China, and South Africa). We have a “module within a module” on the Mississippi Delta, one of the poorest areas of the US, where the legacies of enslavement are still palpable. The course is taught from an ethical perspective that helps us see the humanity behind data. Usually offered every year.

HS 414f Ethical Issues in Social Science Research

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Provides students an opportunity to explore the ethical dimensions of social science research. Ethical considerations are an integral part of social science research because such research often involves the use of human participants from vulnerable populations. Although social science researchers are expected to have an understanding of the ethical issues associated with their discipline, few have the opportunity to develop this knowledge. In this course students examine different topics associated with research design, data collection, data interpretation, and publication of study findings. Usually offered every second year.

HS 416a Foundations of Social Theory: From the Early Twentieth Century to Critical Race Theory

Explores the theoretical, philosophical and epistemological foundations of social policy formation by examining major paradigms and conceptual frameworks that underpin contemporary social science and social theory. Our goal is to examine various theoretical perspectives on social change and question their assumptions. We will divide the course in to major, topical sections exploring the following fields and sub-fields of social theory: race and inequality; gender and sexuality; disability studies; intersectionality; and critical race theory. Our goal is to examine those interdisciplinary domains and how that impacts the construction and formalization of theories and methods germane to various concentrations in contemporary academic and scholarly social, public, and health policy. Usually offered every year.

HS 419f Labor Economics as Applied to Social Policy

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Introduces theory of the economics of labor markets and uses theory to analyze current policy topics. We will work through the basics of economists' theory of demand for labor (derived demand based on producer choices); supply of labor (individual decisions to work); human capital investment by individuals (education and training) and firms (on-the-job training); and labor market segmentation and discrimination. Theoretical models based in labor economics should be useful to students studying income distribution and inequality, especially because policy in these arenas has been heavily influenced by economists. Usually offered every year.

HS 421g Power and Influence: Beyond Formal Authority

Yields quarter course credit.

How does a physician trained to focus on an individual patient care become a manager able to implement change in a large, complex organization? Physicians have a successful track record of coming up with good ideas and approaches. We have been rewarded for our performance, intelligence, and patient-oriented priorities. We have been enculturated by our training to think logically, to feel we are right, and to often find we are right. Intelligence, knowledge, dedication, orderly thinking, and clinical goals are sufficient for managing a patient, but not enough for managing a team or dealing with a complex organization. What has worked and been rewarded in becoming a physician does not apply wholly or neatly to management…and the fit decreases with the size and scale of the management task and complexity of the organization. Usually offered every year.

HS 422f Cost-Effectiveness

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Addresses the application of the technique of cost-effectiveness analysis to evaluate health and other types of programs in the United States and in developing countries. Presents the theoretical foundations and applications of cost-effectiveness analysis. Uses interactive discussions and computer exercises where students learn to perform cost-effectiveness analyses and apply the technique to a problem of their choice. Usually offered every year.

HS 422g Healthcare Technology

Yields quarter course credit.

The objective of this abbreviated one-credit course is to develop an understanding of the role of science and technology in health care settings. Through case studies of technology companies (pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device, and information technology), you will examine how firms manage the creation, development, adoption, and spread of medical innovations in the context of a cost-constrained marketplace. You will also use current academic literature and newspaper articles to discuss how clinicians, hospitals, insurers, and federal agencies can affect technological progress. Usually offered every year.

HS 424f Housing in the US: From Building Wealth to Homelessness

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit. Open to PhD and MPP students only.

An essential human need, few things intersect and influence as many aspects of our lives as housing does. At its minimal meaning, a home provides shelter from the elements. Housing provides a private space for family life, relaxation. The location of where the home sits matters, determining access to quality schools, parks, transportation, shopping and much more. And housing can be a major component of building financial wealth. As this incomplete list of various aspects of housing indicates, housing impacts people in many different ways, and this course will provide a general introduction on some of the dominant themes: Homeownership, renters, housing instability and homelessness, neighborhoods and segregation, as well as the impact of housing on health and mental health. This module will present an introduction to a range of these separate and connected topics. Usually offered every year.

HS 426f Advanced Techniques of Cost-Effectiveness and Cost-Benefit Analysis

Prerequisite: HS 422f or permission of the instructor. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Provides students with advanced techniques to conduct or critically review cost-effective studies, both in the United States and internationally. Students learn how to present a research question, design a study, obtain and analyze relevant date, and analyze results. Usually offered every year.

HS 433f Health Care Innovation

The objective of this course is to develop an experiential-based understanding of the intricacies specific to creating a healthcare technology company or completing a project in an existing organization. Relying on your expertise as healthcare leaders or experiences in past classes, you will be required to design a company or project (pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device, and information technology) that demonstrates your ability to bring a project to life; starting from the idea stage to ultimate project viability and outcome sustainability. This will happen in a team setting where each member is responsible for their part as well as the overall project completion. Usually offered every year.

HS 441a Corporate Finance I

Yields half-course credit.

Provide an analysis of the major issues affecting the financial policy of a modem corporation and to develop greater depth of financial skills and logical thought processes necessary to formulate and implement business decisions. This module will first review some foundational theoretical and analytical concepts related to security valuation, firm valuation, and capital structure. These issues are central to the investment, financing, and strategic policy decisions facing financial managers. Participants will analyze how firm valuation fluctuates in a world characterized by information asymmetry and uncertainty, which makes the corporate decision-making process challenging. Offered as part of the Heller Executive MBA for Physicians.

HS 442a Corporate Finance II

Yields half-course credit.

Provides an analysis of the major issues affecting the financial policy of a modem corporation and to develop greater depth of financial skills and logical thought processes necessary to formulate and implement business decisions. This course applies some of the concepts covered in the first course related to firm valuation, and capital structure. In this course, we start with a firm's payout policies and security issuance decisions, followed by developing an understanding of options and derivatives, which is then applied to demonstrate aspects of financial engineering and use of real options in addressing corporate valuation and decision making. Offered as part of the Heller Executive MBA for Physicians.

HS 443b Healthcare Entrepreneurship

Yields half-course credit.

Enables students to master the fundamentals of entrepreneurship. It explores how entrepreneurship has become a driving force in the healthcare sector, provides tools for developing and evaluating new ventures, and explores the blurring line between for profit and non-profit social initiatives. Offered as part of the Heller Executive MBA for Physicians.

HS 447a Healthcare Technology and Information Systems

Discusses the role of science and technology in health care settings. Through case studies of technology companies (pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device, and information technology), the class examines how firms manage the creation, development, adoption, and spread of medical innovations in the context of a cost-constrained marketplace. The class uses current academic literature and newspaper articles to discuss how hospitals, insurers, and federal agencies can affect technological progress. Offered as part of the Heller Executive MBA for Physicians.

HS 447b Healthcare Technology and Information Systems

Discusses the role of science and technology in health care settings. Through case studies of technology companies (pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device, and information technology), the class examines how firms manage the creation, development, adoption, and spread of medical innovations in the context of a cost-constrained marketplace. The class uses current academic literature and newspaper articles to discuss how hospitals, insurers, and federal agencies can affect technological progress. Offered as part of the Heller Executive MBA for Physicians.

HS 448f Introduction to SAS® Programming and Data Management

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

The purpose of this module is to introduce students to basic programming in SAS® and to provide guidance on data management strategies. The course will cover creating simple datasets and accessing existing ones, modifying and managing data, and performing simple statistical analysis in both software packages. Data management strategies will be woven into each lecture and will emphasized throughout the course itself. This course is intended for students who have no, or minimal, experience using these statistical software programs. Usually offered every year.

HS 450a Healthcare Financial Reporting and Analysis

Develops a fundamental understanding of financial accounting and reporting issues as they apply to nonprofit and for-profit organizations. Students will learn about the importance of fiscal responsibility and integrity in the efficient utilization of an organization's resources relative to organizational goals. Accounting practices that are unique to nonprofit organizations will be introduced, discussed, and differentiated from those practices employed by for-profit entities. Emphasis will be placed on interpreting financial statements to understand how accounting information, in a variety of settings, can be utilized by decision makers. Offered as part of the Heller Executive MBA for Physicians.

HS 451b Managerial Accounting

Provides general introduction to the concepts, problems, and issues related to managerial accounting. Managerial accounting predominantly addresses the internal use of economic information regarding the resources used in the process of producing goods and providing services. Fundamental aspects of cost behavior and cost accounting will be discussed, but always from the perspective of the manager who must make decisions rather than the accountant who prepares the information. Offered as part of the Heller Executive MBA for Physicians.

HS 452b Strategic Management

Provides students with the theoretical constructs and practical tools necessary to create and manage organizations strategically. Includes strategic process, organizational design, and development of planning tools and cycles. All students perform an applied strategic analysis for an actual organization. Offered as part of the Heller Executive MBA for Physicians.

HS 453b Leadership and Organizational Behavior

Focuses on leadership and managing organizations. Uses cases on a variety of organizations to expose students to problems and to improve their effectiveness in analyzing, diagnosing, and leading people in organizations. Students learn organizational concepts, analytic frameworks, and models, and practice their leadership skills in class. Uses case discussions, simulations, role-playing, mini-lecturing, and experimental exercises. Provides an opportunity to develop leadership skills through group work and reflection. Offered as part of the Heller Executive MBA for Physicians.

HS 457a Healthcare Law and Ethics

Yields half-course credit.

Introduces students to patient care and liability issues within the context of the U.S. health care delivery system. The course will cover legal and ethical aspects of: 1.) the provider/patient relationship and liability; 2.) health care quality, cost, and access; 3.) relationships between physicians and organizations; 4.) insurance, health care delivery systems, regulation, and the Affordable Care Act. Offered as part of the Heller Executive MBA for Physicians.

HS 458a Operations Management

Explores how operations management skills can help organizations to deliver high-quality services, while using resources efficiently. Students develop skills including quality assessment, process mapping, productivity analysis, wait-time analysis, process improvement, and supply chain analysis. A field project involves assessing social and technical aspects of operations. Offered as part of the Heller Executive MBA for Physicians.

HS 462b Systems Thinking: Uncertainty Data and Judgment

Yields half-course credit.

Studies how people make decisions. When people make decisions, they draw on data, models (mental or formal), and goals that are shaped by their own experiences and the contexts--political, organizational, and otherwise--in which they are immersed. Decision making often suffers when situations include uncertainty, dynamically complex problems, high stakes, and time and performance pressures. We will look for connections between how people make decisions and the organizational outcomes we experience. The course will include a mix of some basic tools, such as linear programming and causal loop diagramming, and some more macro level reflection on decision processes in health care environments. To assist this reflection, the course introduces the tools of systems thinking for modeling and analyzing organizational policy and strategy. Using role playing games, simulation models, case studies, and management flight simulators, we develop insights essential to managing in a world characterized by dynamic complexity. You will apply these tools to examples from your own institutions and experience. Offered as part of the Heller Executive MBA for Physicians.

HS 463a National Health Policy

An overview of the U.S. health care system is followed by a critical analysis of the major issues and trends in the health care field. Concentrates on the activities of federal and state governments and the private sector. Also explores likely future issues affecting our health system. Of special concern is the issue of the large number of Americans with no or inadequate health insurance. A related problem is the rising cost of medical care, which results in increases in the number of uninsured. Offered as part of the Heller Executive MBA for Physicians.

HS 465a Healthcare Marketing

Yields half-course credit.

An overview of healthcare marketing with a focus on how to formulate marketing strategies and identify and evaluate strategy-based tactics in order to achieve organizational marketing goals. Topics include strategic market planning, market research and analysis; consumer behavior; market segmentation, targeting, and positioning; social marketing; and the marketing mix-product, price, distribution, promotion, and marketing communications. Highlights include developing a digital market strategy for a mission-driven organization. Offered as part of the Heller Executive MBA for Physicians.

HS 467b State Health Policy

Yields half-course credit.

Examines the role of the states in the U.S. health care system. Provides an overview of state activities in health, including state responsibilities for managing health programs and institutions. Models to understand the nature of policy making and politics in states are presented and discussed. Examines major state health programs such as Medicaid. Outlines and explores the policy and legislative processes. States' efforts to reform their health care systems are discussed with special attention to implementation issues, barriers, limits of state action, and prospects for the future of state health reform. Offered as part of the Heller Executive MBA for Physicians.

HS 468a Management of Healthcare Organizations

Introduces students to the concepts, theories, and practical problems of managing people in health care organizations. Case material is drawn from hospital, HMO, group practice, public health agency, and for-profit company settings. Students gain a better understanding of the range of strategic and operational problems faced by managers, some of the analytic tools to diagnose problems, and the role of leadership (and management) in improving performance. Offered as part of the Heller Executive MBA for Physicians.

HS 475a Quality and Performance Measurement in Healthcare

Yields half-course credit.

A conceptual and analytic framework of the field of quality of health care, which includes quality improvement and performance measurement; understanding of the contemporary research and policy initiatives that relate to quality of health care; and insights into the ways that quality relates to issues of provider payment, organization of health care facilities, and costs and access to health care. By the end of the module, students should have an understanding of the centrality of quality of care issues in contemporary health services research, health care policy, and management of health care organizations. Offered as part of the Heller Executive MBA for Physicians.

HS 477b Conflict Resolution by Negotiation

Yields half-course credit.

Develops in students an understanding of the nature, advantages, and limitations of negotiations as a conflict resolution tool. Provides a normative and practical framework for pursuing a negotiation strategy as a method of resolving disputes. Provides students with opportunities to apply this knowledge in a variety of simulated negotiation contexts. Finally, exposes students to feedback regarding their negotiation approaches via explicit instructor evaluation and via the impact of their actions on their teammates and opponents. Offered as part of the Heller Executive MBA for Physicians.

HS 480b Economic Analysis for Physicians as Managers

Yields half-course credit.

Introduces tools of economics that can be used for managerial decision making in the health sector. A framework based on optimization of objectives will enable us to organize information concerning input costs, the market for your output, and technology. For clear managerial decisions, it is important to know what your organization is maximizing, what aspects of a situation you can affect, and what constraints you cannot change. We will apply these ideas as we consider the economics of supply and production, consumer demand, and market power. Along the way, we will examine health policy initiatives that attempt to change managerial and consumer incentives to change market outcomes. Offered as part of the Heller Executive MBA for Physicians.

HS 481b Relational Coordination: High Performance Teams

Yields half-course credit.

Students will learn about relational coordination and its impact on quality, safety, efficiency, employee well-being, learning, and innovation. Students will learn how to analyze work processes that pose a coordination challenge, mapping out the current state of relational coordination, and assessing areas of strength and areas in need of improvement. Students will learn how to diagnose these structures that weaken or strengthen relational coordination. Students will be introduced to the Relational Model of Organizational Change as a guiding framework for designing interventions. Moving from analysis to action, you will engage with key stakeholders regarding the coordination challenge you have identified in your PFE Project and use tools from this Master Class to refine the scope of your PFE Project and to carry it out successfully. Offered as part of the Heller Executive MBA for Physicians.

HS 489b Executive Team Consulting Project

Yields half-course credit.

A capstone educational experience for students nearing the end of the eMBA program. Working under the supervision of a faculty adviser, teams of three to five students provide management consulting services to nonprofit, community-based health and human services agencies. Offered as part of the Heller Executive MBA for Physicians.

HS 490g Leadership Coaching

Yields quarter course credit. May be repeated for credit, as the seminar topic varies.

Offered as part of the Heller Executive MBA for Physicians.

HS 491g Physician Field Experience

Yields quarter course credit. May be repeated for credit, as the seminar topic varies.

Offered as part of the Heller Executive MBA for Physicians.

HS 492a PhD Internship
Provides an opportunity for PhD students to carry out a formal internship with a client organization under the supervision of a faculty advisor. Allows students to apply principles from the PhD curriculum for a client organization. Usually offered every semester.
Staff

HS 492f PhD Internship

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit. Offered with permission of the program director.

Provides an opportunity for PhD students to carry out a formal internship with a client organization under the supervision of a faculty advisor. Allows students to apply principles from the PhD curriculum for a client organization. Usually offered every summer.

HS 505f Quality and Performance Measurement in Healthcare

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.
 

Quality and performance measurement are central to virtually every facet of health care including: new approaches to “value-based payment;” quality improvement in organizations; public reporting; patient-reported outcomes; and better understanding disparities and social drivers of health. This module provides a conceptual framework for understanding the field, interpreting contemporary research and policy issues, implementing quality improvement initiatives, and building broad analytic skills. The focus ranges from the specifics of measure specification and data sources to the broader issues of values and equity. Covers fundamental frameworks and current issues, identifies key organizations and leading thinkers, and offers tools so you can become a consumer of emerging information and approaches with a critical eye. Usually offered every year.

HS 506f Advanced Topics in Quality and Performance Measurement in Healthcare

Prerequisite: HS 505f. Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Builds on the prerequisite first module and is offered every other year. The first several sessions will be focused on specific topics collaboratively selected by students and the professor to best meet students’ interests. Examples include: challenges to developing measures for complex patients, relationship of process or structure measures to outcomes, interpreting research on disparities, and composite measures. In the remaining sessions, students explore a topic in depth through a term-long project of researching, writing and presenting a paper, and responding to comments by class peers and guest faculty/researchers. There is no one set style of paper, because the aim is to be most useful to each student’s goals. In the past, students have proposed new performance measures, investigated an approach to quality improvement (e.g., checklists), and evaluated state policies and their impact – the choice is yours. Usually offered as an elective every other year.

HS 507f State Health Policy

Examines the role of the states in the U.S. health care system. Provides an overview of state activities in health, including state responsibilities for managing health programs and institutions. Models to understand the nature of policy making and politics in states are presented and discussed. Examines major state health programs such as Medicaid. Outlines and explores the policy and legislative processes. States' efforts to reform their health care systems are discussed with special attention to implementation issues, barriers, limits of state action, and prospects for the future of state health reform. Usually offered every year.

HS 508a Theory of Social Policy and Change

This required seminar surveys different theoretical paradigms of social policy formation and social change while considering the subject from a number of positions, perspectives, and disciplines.  The disciplines comprise multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary research. The goal is to acquire a deeper understanding of the theoretical foundations that underpin robust social policy innovation. The seminar aims to enhance awareness of the following: the range of interrelated goals of social policy; debates on the means and ends of social policy formulation and its implementation; and the effects of power and politics when it comes to social policy discussions in the public sphere. We will examine contemporary events, movements, and developments in the U.S., not precluding other comparative contexts in a broader global landscape.  These point to various social justice issues: wealth and assets inequality; education; health disparities; migration and immigration; housing equity; law and voting rights; youth, family, and communities; and the role of civil society in relation to the state.  We will explore these topics in relation to critical race studies, critical disability studies, gender and sexuality studies, and theories of intersectionality.  By equipping students with various approaches, the goal is to integrate theory with quantitative and qualitative research methods that could inform eventual dissertation proposals. Usually offered ever year.

HS 510a Applied Design and Analysis

Focuses on the experiment designs in research and the basics of model building in linear or logistic regression. The goal of the design portion of the class will be to recognize the relative strengths of various designs and identify properties with stronger claims of internal validity and causal inference. The regression portion of the class will touch on variable selection, interpreting coefficients, interactions, model fit statics, and determination of best models. Additional analytic topics, including difference-in-difference modeling, moderation and mediation, matching and propensity score methods, will also be covered. Usually offered every year.

HS 511b Contemporary Issues in the Management of Child, Youth, and Family Services

Managing human service systems and programs to benefit children, youth, and families in America today means managing people in a time of fiscal constraint and dramatic social, economic, and political change, and, on the other hand, in a time of great organizational and civic innovation. Builds on the analytic tools students have begun to hone in the master's program and helps them learn how to apply these tools to effectively implement policies and programs in the not-for-profit sector. Usually offered every year.

HS 513a Issues in National Health Policy

An overview of the U.S. health care system is followed by a critical analysis of the major issues and trends in the health care field. Concentrates on the activities of federal and state governments and the private sector. Also explores likely future issues affecting our health system. Of special concern is the issue of the large number of Americans with no or inadequate health insurance. A related problem is the rising cost of medical care, which results in increases in the number of uninsured. Usually offered every year.

HS 518a Management of Health Care Organizations

Introduces students to the concepts, theories, and practical problems of managing people in health care organizations. Case material is drawn from hospital, HMO, group practice, public health agency, and for-profit company settings. Students gain a better understanding of the range of strategic and operational problems faced by managers, some of the analytic tools to diagnose problems, and the role of leadership (and management) in improving performance. Usually offered every year.

HS 519a Health Economics

Prerequisite: An introductory microeconomics course.

Economic models of demand, production, and markets for goods and services can be used to analyze the key resource allocation questions in health care. Applies economic models to questions of demand concerning the utilization and distribution of health care and to questions of supply, encompassing issues of cost, efficiency, and accessibility of care. The incentives and behavior of consumers and producers of health care are considered using these models. Usually offered every second year.

HS 520a Payment and Financing of Health Care

Examines current payment practices to health care providers, the problems with current methods, and possible modifications. Focuses only upon hospital care, physician services, and managed care. Covers the different ways that managed care organizations are structured. The payment and performance of managed care organizations and how performance is related to organizational strategies are included. Usually offered every second year.

HS 526a Organizational Theory and Behavior

An introduction to organizational theory and behavior from a policy and management perspective. Examines a number of major perspectives on the nature and process of organization. The course objectives are: to develop an awareness of what organizational theory is and why it is important in providing analytical lenses to see (or ignore) phenomena which might be overlooked; to review how some theorists have analyzed organizations; to develop a critical attitude toward the literature; and to encourage the development of an integrative (and creative) point of view. Usually offered every year.

HS 528f Law and Social Justice: Constructions of Race and Ethnicity and Their Consequences

Meets for one-half semester and yields one-half course credit.

Explores historic and contemporary social framings of race and ethnicity and how they contribute to contemporary racial and ethnic injustice. We will employ the case method to facilitate a multicultural inquiry into discrimination that contextualizes and historicizes law and social justice policy. The ultimate goal of the course is to propose solutions to today's complex and socially constructed ethnic and racial inequities. Areas of study include race and ethnic legal history, contemporary U.S. Supreme Court legal reasoning, critical race theory, and transformative justice. Usually offered every year.

HS 532b Social Policy Analysis: Technique and Application

Examines approaches to policy analysis and assesses strength and limitations of various methods. Exposes students to a range of methods and theoretical frameworks for exploring and understanding contemporary social problems and policy challenges. Begins with an overview of the stages of policy process, including policy formulation, rule making, and implementation. Policy analysis will be defined and a distinction made with policy research. The course also focuses on the criteria for evaluating policy options, including efficiency, equity, security, and liberty. Ethics and the role of values in shaping analysis will be explored. Actual policy analysis is evaluated in the areas of children and family policy, health, and welfare policy. Students have the opportunity to write and present a policy analysis critique. Usually offered every year.

HS 534b Perspectives on Economic and Racial Equity

This course starts with the assumption that our current economic system is designed to concentrate and maintain wealth and power in the hands of the few. It presents analytic frameworks to dissect the power dynamics embedded in structures of economic and racial inequality and then applies those frameworks to several policy areas. It centers the frameworks of racial capitalism and critical race theory. The course also explores the vision and policies emerging from the economic solidarity movement to promote equitable, sustainable communities and economic democracy. Usually offered every year.

HS 572a Economics of Behavioral Health

Applies economic analysis to policy and research issues in the mental health sector, including cost-effectiveness, managed care, benefit design, and adverse selection. Studies the impact of different approaches to financing treatment and paying providers in the public and private sectors. Usually offered every second year.

HS 586a Issues in Addiction Treatment

Provides an overview of issues related to clinical prevention and treatment services for alcohol, tobacco, and other drug abuse. Examines the organization, delivery, and financing of abuse services. Specific topics include the structure of the treatment system, access to service, the process of treatment, and the effectiveness, cost, cost-effectiveness, and quality of treatment. Examines the impact of managed care on the way services are organized and delivered and on clinical outcome. Usually offered every second year.

HS 602c Children, Youth, and Families Doctoral Seminar

HS 603c Health Policy Doctoral Seminar

HS 604c Economic and Racial Equity Doctoral Seminar

HS 605c Behavioral Health Doctoral Seminar

HS 607c Disability, Health and Disparities Research Doctoral Seminar

HS 777a Social Welfare Tutorial

Open to PhD students only. Usually offered every year.

HS 777f Social Welfare Tutorial

Open to PhD students only.

HS 800g Proseminar

Priority given to Heller students; other students may enroll with permission of the instructor. Yields one-quarter course credit (one credit). May be repeated for credit, as the seminar topic varies.

Usually offered every fall.

HS 801g Proseminar

Open only to Heller students. Yields one-quarter course credit (one credit). May be repeated for credit, as the seminar topic varies.

Usually offered every spring.

HS/POL 220a Social Justice and Democracy Seminar

This joint GSAS-Heller graduate level course brings together graduate students from these schools in the engaged analysis of, and in an experience planning and executing, a collaborative campaign for political change. It include presentations by specialized scholars and practitioners from across Brandeis and from outside the university. It will combine the methods of analysis, and the political advantages of three approaches: the values revealed in personal narrative, the rules and authority structures of law and the analytical strategies of the social sciences. Usually offered every year.