Courses in Urban & Public Affairs
Courses in Urban & Public Affairs
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Required Courses in Urban & Public Affairs
Required Courses in Urban & Public Affairs
UPA 630: Urban Power Seminar
UPA 630: Urban Power Seminar
In this foundational course, we consider the historical challenges of urban growth, the role of political power, and the importance of key factors in shaping urban power dynamics, like race/racism, class and capital, social movements, government, and corporate power. Who or what rules cities and how has this changed over time?
In this foundational course, we consider the historical challenges of urban growth, the role of political power, and the importance of key factors in shaping urban power dynamics, like race/racism, class and capital, social movements, government, and corporate power. Who or what rules cities and how has this changed over time?
UPA 651: Rhetoric for the Common Good
UPA 651: Rhetoric for the Common Good
This seminar surveys the ethical dimensions of public service work, while students begin capstone research. The course is designed to integrate internship experiences and research design with the study of ethics and leadership. Students leave with a clear capstone proposal and literature review.
This seminar surveys the ethical dimensions of public service work, while students begin capstone research. The course is designed to integrate internship experiences and research design with the study of ethics and leadership. Students leave with a clear capstone proposal and literature review.
UPA 650: Community-Engaged Research Methods
UPA 650: Community-Engaged Research Methods
In this core course of the MA in Urban and Public Affairs, students are challenged to conceptualize community engagement in both theoretical and practical terms. How can theories of sustained engagement be woven into rigorous academic research to create a praxis that serves the city while advancing our own thinking? Students develop community-engaged research through a series of exercises leading to a substantive project. Each year the course has a fresh research direction, determined by faculty and community partners.
In this core course of the MA in Urban and Public Affairs, students are challenged to conceptualize community engagement in both theoretical and practical terms. How can theories of sustained engagement be woven into rigorous academic research to create a praxis that serves the city while advancing our own thinking? Students develop community-engaged research through a series of exercises leading to a substantive project. Each year the course has a fresh research direction, determined by faculty and community partners.
UPA 652: Masters Capstone Project
UPA 652: Masters Capstone Project
Master’s degree candidates propose, design and implement a substantial and professional-caliber project intended to integrate concepts, skills and methods learned in their coursework into a written paper. Topics are designed in conjunction with the internship experience whenever possible, and provide evidence that the degree candidate can apply the skills and knowledge learned in coursework to the analysis of a practical urban/ public affairs challenge. The project is designed and initiated in the Rhetoric for the Common Good course during the prior semester.
Master’s degree candidates propose, design and implement a substantial and professional-caliber project intended to integrate concepts, skills and methods learned in their coursework into a written paper. Topics are designed in conjunction with the internship experience whenever possible, and provide evidence that the degree candidate can apply the skills and knowledge learned in coursework to the analysis of a practical urban/ public affairs challenge. The project is designed and initiated in the Rhetoric for the Common Good course during the prior semester.
Elective Courses in Urban & Public Affairs
Elective Courses in Urban & Public Affairs
UPA 682: Campaigns & Political Mobilizations
UPA 682: Campaigns & Political Mobilizations
This is a hands-on class in the techniques of designing and managing a political campaign or grassroots mobilization. We will learn from experts in the field and practical campaign experience. The goal is to provide students with the necessary tools to work on campaigns; many of those tools are also useful in much of political life. The skills learned are very much in demand today.
This is a hands-on class in the techniques of designing and managing a political campaign or grassroots mobilization. We will learn from experts in the field and practical campaign experience. The goal is to provide students with the necessary tools to work on campaigns; many of those tools are also useful in much of political life. The skills learned are very much in demand today.
Senior campaign managers and politicians say they can't find enough trained staff for campaign and organizing work.
Senior campaign managers and politicians say they can't find enough trained staff for campaign and organizing work.
Fifty years ago, the idea of a career in political campaigns was still very new. Most campaigns, particularly on the local level, were run by volunteers, who went back to their day jobs after the election was over.
Fifty years ago, the idea of a career in political campaigns was still very new. Most campaigns, particularly on the local level, were run by volunteers, who went back to their day jobs after the election was over.
Today, the campaign consulting and management field is a multi-billion-dollar industry, with thousands of trained professionals doing everything from polling to fundraising to strategy to fieldwork to communications, and more.
Today, the campaign consulting and management field is a multi-billion-dollar industry, with thousands of trained professionals doing everything from polling to fundraising to strategy to fieldwork to communications, and more.
Every student will work for at least 40 hours during the semester as an intern/volunteer on a local campaign of their choice. You must write regular, short reflections on your campaign work, and you will write a final paper based on that work on a campaign-related topic (of your choice) that will be discussed and finalized in class.
Every student will work for at least 40 hours during the semester as an intern/volunteer on a local campaign of their choice. You must write regular, short reflections on your campaign work, and you will write a final paper based on that work on a campaign-related topic (of your choice) that will be discussed and finalized in class.
*I chose to work as an intern/volunteer for Pablo Benavente's political campaign for Concord City Council, District 4, in Concord, California.
*I chose to work as an intern/volunteer for Pablo Benavente's political campaign for Concord City Council, District 4, in Concord, California.
UPA 665: Urban Racial Politics
UPA 665: Urban Racial Politics
This course is a comprehensive study of urban racial politics. Migrations, labor relations, political economy, climate impacts, peoples' movements, service delivery, gender, race, ethnicity, class, space, and place are important for study. This graduate-level seminar exposes students to intersectional histories of exclusion and segregation. My research projects for this class focused more on urban racial politics in the city of Richmond, California.
This course is a comprehensive study of urban racial politics. Migrations, labor relations, political economy, climate impacts, peoples' movements, service delivery, gender, race, ethnicity, class, space, and place are important for study. This graduate-level seminar exposes students to intersectional histories of exclusion and segregation. My research projects for this class focused more on urban racial politics in the city of Richmond, California.
UPA 672: The Immigrant City
UPA 672: The Immigrant City
This course offers an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the layers of the immigrant city, with an emphasis on unpacking the global and structural forces that create and shape waves of human migration and the ways that these forces intersect with global urbanism. With US cities as our focus, we look at urban places and the range of ways that immigration crafts and shapes cities. Among other things, we consider: urban politics built around immigrant identity, the role of immigrants in shaping local economies, the trans-urban and trans-national networks that sustain immigrant communities, the role of diaspora in both place-making and urban social justice, and the intersection between national and local immigration policies. Student research connects the global to local through case studies developed in connection with Bay Area immigrant community organizations.
This course offers an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the layers of the immigrant city, with an emphasis on unpacking the global and structural forces that create and shape waves of human migration and the ways that these forces intersect with global urbanism. With US cities as our focus, we look at urban places and the range of ways that immigration crafts and shapes cities. Among other things, we consider: urban politics built around immigrant identity, the role of immigrants in shaping local economies, the trans-urban and trans-national networks that sustain immigrant communities, the role of diaspora in both place-making and urban social justice, and the intersection between national and local immigration policies. Student research connects the global to local through case studies developed in connection with Bay Area immigrant community organizations.
UPA 667: Housing, Community, & Policy
UPA 667: Housing, Community, & Policy
Focusing on the role of housing in shaping urban life, this course focuses on the legacy and impact of housing policy interventions. The course focuses on strategies that community-based organizations and social movements have used to bring about change in US cities. The course trains students – often with hands-on projects – to critically challenge existing policies and solutions, and to look at political, economic and cultural dynamics of the urban housing challenge.
Focusing on the role of housing in shaping urban life, this course focuses on the legacy and impact of housing policy interventions. The course focuses on strategies that community-based organizations and social movements have used to bring about change in US cities. The course trains students – often with hands-on projects – to critically challenge existing policies and solutions, and to look at political, economic and cultural dynamics of the urban housing challenge.
San Francisco Housing Politics focuses on the role of housing development in San Francisco urban politics, beginning with an understanding of the legacy of Bay Area regional development and racial segregation, the role of community organizing in building housing solutions responsive to people’s needs, and concluding with an overview of the range of policy interventions impacting housing affordability and stability in San Francisco. The class is structured to give students an understanding of the “lay of the land” of San Francisco’s diverse housing justice movement, and to help students critically challenge housing supply and gentrification discourse.
San Francisco Housing Politics focuses on the role of housing development in San Francisco urban politics, beginning with an understanding of the legacy of Bay Area regional development and racial segregation, the role of community organizing in building housing solutions responsive to people’s needs, and concluding with an overview of the range of policy interventions impacting housing affordability and stability in San Francisco. The class is structured to give students an understanding of the “lay of the land” of San Francisco’s diverse housing justice movement, and to help students critically challenge housing supply and gentrification discourse.
Elective Courses
Elective Courses
MPL 623: Fundraising & Budgeting
MPL 623: Fundraising & Budgeting
This course introduces students to the elements of fundraising for political campaigns and organizations, and how those techniques can also be applied to nonprofit groups. This includes the fundamental best practices for fundraising, the intracies of creating a finance plan, and culminates in the creation of a comprehensive fundraising strategy.
This course introduces students to the elements of fundraising for political campaigns and organizations, and how those techniques can also be applied to nonprofit groups. This includes the fundamental best practices for fundraising, the intracies of creating a finance plan, and culminates in the creation of a comprehensive fundraising strategy.
MPL 607: Grassroots & Voter Targeting
MPL 607: Grassroots & Voter Targeting
The data revolution fundamentally changed modern political campaigning, but not necessarily in the way you might think. Data has enabled a renaissance in community building and personalized politics. This course provides an in-depth look into how to use data to enable strong community engagement. You will also learn the channels available to both electoral and advocacy campaigns, how to shape communications to target universes, how analytics and polling work with the voter file, and building a grassroots mobilization strategy.
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