Program and Schedule

Heinz College welcomes PPIA fellows each summer to take part in our Junior Summer Institute. Heinz offers two tracks of study: the flagship track and the data analytics track.

PPIA Fellows in both tracks are registered for four undergraduate-level courses and a project seminar during the summer. Fellows will receive their final class schedule and course syllabi prior to arriving in Pittsburgh.

Classes are held Monday-Friday. Each class meets between three and six hours per week. Each course will require 10-12 hours per week of work (including lectures, meetings, homework, etc.). PPIA fellows should expect to complete assignments, quizzes, exams, group projects and presentations for each class.

PPIA fellows will also complete a course-wide policy project. Their project semniar will meet once per week for approximately two hours.

Courses are graded as A, B, C, D or F by the instructor. PPIA fellows are expected to put forth the time and effort required to earn a grade of B or better in each course.

Students receive an evaluation of their performance from each instructor and can request an official Carnegie Mellon University transcript.  Carnegie Mellon University uses units instead of credits. Three units equal one semester hour of credit.

Credit earned in these courses may transfer to your undergraduate institution. Please refer to your home institution's transfer-credit policy to determine if they will count the PPIA coursework toward your undergraduate degree.

Poverty and Social Policies, 6 units
The goals of this course are to analyze the concept of poverty and its measurements and selected social policies pursued in Western Europe, the U.S. and in developing countries. The first section of the class will analyze and define poverty and inequality measurements. The second section will focus on the concept of the Welfare State and anti-poverty policies pursued in Western Europe. The third section will focus on the U.S. and will analyze health, housing, social security, and welfare policies in the U.S. The fourth section will analyze poverty and the behavior of the poor in very poor countries or poor regions of the world. It will also include a discussion of specific policies such as micro financing, and conditional and unconditional cash transfers (also known as Universal Basic Income).

Understanding Systems of Oppression, 6 units
This class focuses on developing critical consciousness about the relationships between self, culture, and power, connecting the personal with the socio-political to understand both external systems of oppression and the ways they are internalized by individuals and social systems. Specifically, we will focus broadly on differences of power, access, and opportunity within the following institutions: housing, education, criminal justice system, media, labor, immigration, health care and technology.

Applied Statistics for Public Policy, 9 units
This course is an intensive introduction to statistical methods. Topics covered include: descriptive statistics, elementary probability, random sampling, and hypothesis testing. Throughout the course, students will use computational functions in Excel as well as the statistical capabilities available through the Data Analysis Toolpak. The course culminates in a final project for which students apply the concepts and skills learned to a topic and dataset aligned with their individual interests. (Students with a strong statistics background may request an exemption and/or may have the option to take an exemption exam during PPIA orientation. If exempted, an alternative course will be added).

Applied Economics, 9 units
This course will introduce students to the basic concepts and tools of microeconomics and welfare economics, which are used to analyze public policy from an economic perspective. We will apply economic concepts in a practical way, using current events as supplied by the textbook and additional readings. Critical thinking skills will be further developed by using economic theory as a foundation for problem analysis. Examples of issues include: Is free trade a good thing? Is a minimum wage increase a good goal for society? How can the government reduce air and water pollution? (Students with a strong economics background may request an exemption and/or may have the option to take an exemption exam during PPIA orientation. If exempted, an alternative course will be added).

Applied Public Policy Project, 3 units
The Applied Public Policy Project aims to give students the opportunity to apply their learnings across PPIA courses on a team-based project. Students will contextualize a public policy issue impacting the Pittsburgh community, gather relevant data on the policy issue, assess policy alternatives to address that issue, and deliver policy recommendations.

Data Analytics Course, 6 units
In this course, students will explore the challenges and opportunities of achieving social good in the age of analytics. They will focus on the development of analytical models in the presence of conflicting and complementary objectives. Students will also discuss how these models should be presented to various stakeholders. Students will work on a series of case studies that range in topic from disaster response and preparedness to improve decision-making frameworks for community-based organizations. 

Understanding Systems of Oppression, 6 units
This class focuses on developing critical consciousness about the relationships between self, culture, and power, connecting the personal with the socio-political to understand both external systems of oppression and the ways they are internalized by individuals and social systems. Specifically, we will focus broadly on differences of power, access, and opportunity within the following institutions: housing, education, criminal justice system, media, labor, immigration, health care and technology.

Applied Statistics for Public Policy, 9 units
This course is an intensive introduction to statistical methods. Topics covered include: descriptive statistics, elementary probability, random sampling, and hypothesis testing. Throughout the course students will use computational functions in Excel as well as the statistical capabilities available through the Data Analysis Toolpak. The course culminates in a final project for which students apply the concepts and skills learned to a topic and dataset aligned with their individual interests. (Students with a strong statistics background may request an exemption and/or may have the option to take an exemption exam during PPIA orientation. If exempted, an alternative course will be added).

Applied Economics, 9 units
This course will introduce students to the basic concepts and tools of microeconomics and welfare economics, which are used to analyze public policy from an economic perspective. We will apply economic concepts in a practical way, using current events as supplied by the textbook and additional readings. Critical thinking skills will be further developed by using economic theory as a foundation for problem analysis. Examples of issues include: Is free trade a good thing? Is a minimum wage increase a good goal for society? How can the government reduce air and water pollution? (Students with a strong economics background may request an exemption and/or may have the option to take an exemption exam during PPIA orientation. If exempted, an alternative course will be added). 

Applied Public Policy Project, 3 units
The Applied Public Policy Project aims to give students the opportunity to apply their learnings across PPIA courses on a team-based project. Students will contextualize a public policy issue impacting the Pittsburgh community, gather relevant data on the policy issue, assess policy alternatives to address that issue, and deliver policy recommendations.

Coursework is supplemented by co-curricular activities to increase awareness of public service careers, build leadership skills, and prepare students for graduate school admissions. Activities include: speaker series, one-on-one academic, career and graduate admission coaching, and recreational activities in Pittsburgh.

Carnegie Mellon University's PPIA Fellows will travel to Washington, D.C. dates are to be determined.

During this trip, the PPIA Fellows will visit Heinz College’s DC Center. The PPIA Fellows from CMU and Princeton attend a graduate school admissions panel, PPIA alumni panel, and a graduate school fair featuring members of the PPIA Graduate School Consortium.

PPIA fellows are expected to attend each scheduled event, and typically have one free evening to enjoy the city on their own.