SOCIAL POLICY & PRACTICE COORDINATE MAJOR
The multidisciplinary coordinate Major in Social Policy & Practice introduces students to problems, policies, and methods in the social policy and welfare field through three core courses and additional elective coursework in the social and behavioral sciences. The major is designed to encourage students to explore social policy interests prior to employment or graduate education. It also serves as an excellent pre-professional major for social work, the social sciences, education, law, public health, public policy, and related fields.
The program in Social Policy & Practice is designed to grant students a considerable degree of freedom in the choice of electives and to offer ample avenues for students interested in pursuing independent research and/or internship experiences. The program is particularly interested in encouraging the study of social problems related to living in an urban environment such as issues related to race, class, poverty, gender, social justice and the intersections among them.
Social Policy & Practice graduates often find that they have many career options because of their broad academic backgrounds and well-developed writing, critical thinking, and interpersonal skills that are highly valued by employers in a wide variety of settings. Students in the major are well prepared for entering the fields of social work, education, public policy, public health, law, medicine, business, and any other field that values a solid liberal arts education.
Director
Michele Adams, Sociology
Faculty Associates
- Kevin Gotham, Sociology
- Celeste Lay, Political Science
- Nora Lustig, Economics
- Christopher S. Oliver, Sociology/Environmental Studies
- Stephen Ostertag, Sociology
Social Policy & Practice Degree Requirements at Tulane
NOTE: An independent study with a clear and integrated policy and/or practice component may qualify for one of your electives over the 4000 level. Students will need to produce a clear plan of study and the final product to the SPP director to be approved for SPP credit. Students are strongly advised to seek approval from the SPP director as they construct their study. Students seeking SPP credit for an independent study after its completion might not receive it.
Likewise, an internship may also count as one of your SPP electives at the 4000 level. Students should enroll in the Center for Public Service internship course or the Social Innovation & Social Entrepreneurship internship course (SISE 4560). They will need to cater at least some of their assignments towards policy related issues. Again, students are strongly advised to consult the SPP director before signing up for an internship should they want it to count as SPP credit. Students seeking SPP credit after completing an internship are not likely to receive it.
Finally, students taking courses abroad may petition for a course to count towards their SPP coordinate major. They will need to present the SPP director with a course syllabus. Course number systems at Tulane University often differ from institutions abroad. Upper-level courses will need to include some combination of the reading of original research (articles and books rather than textbooks), involved and well-developed research projects, and address clear policy issues.