This core course is designed to introduce students to the study of urban areas, to some of the more exciting and difficult issues faced by cities, and finally, to some of the policies designed to address these issues. Readings assist students in exploring what makes cities function, how they have changed over time and what it was like to live through those changes, can show us how modern ways of seeing and modern ways of making sense came into being. If student is a PPS major, then students are encouraged to take PPS 200 prior to PPS 201.

This core course reviews the environmental public policy issues in the United States. The history of the modern environmental movement and the impact it continues to have on public policy is explored. Students apply concepts of environmental policy and move towards proposing policy solutions. If student is a PPS major, then students are encouraged to take PPS 200.

This course focuses on writing of research questions and hypotheses, selection of appropriate quantitative statistical analyses for research questions, interpretation of statistical results, and communication of those results. A significant portion of the course work will involve doing statistical analyses of existing data using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) in the computer lab. Students will prepare a substantial paper using the techniques for public policy analysis learned in class. Students majoring in PPS are strongly encouraged to have completed PPS 205 before taking this course. This core course for PPS majors and minors should be taken before the senior year. Formerly PPS 204.