PPIA Junior Summer Institute

The Public Policy and International Affairs Program (PPIA) Junior Summer Institute (JSI) is a national fellowship program that prepares students for an advanced degree and ultimately for careers and influential roles serving the public good. The PPIA-JSI is a rigorous seven-week training offered each summer for rising college seniors, with coursework focused on quantitative, analytical, and communication skills.

From a highly selective and competitive national application pool, the composition of each PPIA-JSI class reflects academic, ethnic, regional, sexual orientation, gender, religious belief, and age diversity, as well as the potential and demonstrated leadership necessary to positively impact the public sector.

Core coursework for the PPIA-JSI reflects the multidisciplinary approach and quantitative focus for which Heinz College has become known. Additional components of the program include leadership development, site visits, and guest speakers.

Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College has hosted a PPIA-JSI since 2004, and we are committed to providing students with solid skills to prepare them for graduate study in public policy.

In addition to our traditional policy-focused JSI track, Heinz College offers a first-of-its-kind Data Analytics JSI track for students who are passionate about using big data and analytics to address societal problems.

Students who successfully complete any PPIA-JSI and are admitted to any of Heinz College's full-time master's program will receive a full-tuition scholarship and a stipend of $8,000 per year.

Email hnzadmit@andrew.cmu.edu or visit PPIAProgram.org for more information.

Curriculum

Students will be enrolled in three courses during the Junior Summer Institute, and a micro-course.

In addition to learning from our world-renowned faculty, PPIA students will be exposed to research activities from our leading research centers, including the Block Center for Technology and Society, Metro21 Smart Cities Institute, and Traffic21 Transportation Research Institute.

Coursework may include:

Traditional Track

Poverty and Social Policies: A U.S. and International Comparative
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, conditional and unconditional cash transfers (also known as Universal Basic Income).
Dismantling Systems of Oppression
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
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.
Note: 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 Microeconomics
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?
Note: 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.
Data Analytics Track

Data Visualization and Dashboards
This course is designed to introduce data visualization as an analytical tool, a medium of communication, and the basis for interactive information dashboards. Students will learn best practices in data visualization, sharpen analytical skills, and learn how to design dashboards for use by stakeholders. Students will have the opportunity to practice skills on concrete deliverables and will synthesize course material in a comprehensive team-based final project. This project will reinforce comfort with the Tableau software package and will provide a portfolio item for students. Students will use Tableau as their main tool to visualize data and develop dashboards but will develop transferrable skills which can apply to many of the most popular software packages in the current marketplace.
Dismantling Systems of Oppression
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
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.
Note: 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 Microeconomics
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?
Note: 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.

For more information about co-curricular activities, including our annual cohort trip to Washington, D.C., professional development, and career services support, please visit our program page at PPIAProgram.org.

PPIA Group Shot Students on lawn at CMU