Social Policy Minor Requirements

Social Policy Minor Program is not offered in the 2023-2024 Academic Year

A Social Policy minor is offered jointly by the Departments of Economics, Political Science, and Sociology. To complete the minor, students must take an introductory course, Introduction to Social Policy and Inequality: Baltimore and Beyond; a 300-level social policy elective in one of the three departments; the Baltimore Policy Fellowship; and a capstone course to be taken after the semester is completed. The preferred sequence is for students to take the introductory course in their freshman or sophomore years, the elective in the fall of their junior year, the Baltimore Policy Fellowship semester in the spring of their junior year, and the capstone course in their senior year. However, modifications in the sequence will be considered. The Fellowship semester will involve course work focusing on urban and national social policy problems coupled with an internship in Baltimore or Washington in a governmental agency or non-governmental organization that is involved with some aspect of social policy, or as a research assistant to a faculty member conducting research on social policy. The capstone course will involve discussion and research among students who have completed the Fellowship semester and is intended to build upon experiences in that semester.

Enrollment in the Fellowship semester will be limited to 15 and requires application and admission. The Social Policy Minor is grounded in the three disciplines and priority will be given to students who are majoring in Economics, Political Science, or Sociology, but students with other majors will be considered.

A list of electives to be used to fulfill the 300-level social policy elective is available on the Social Policy Program website. Students can identify these courses in the schedule of classes as they will have a POS-Tag of SPOL-UL.

Students interested in the minor should contact the Director of the Social Policy Program, by sending a message to socialpolicy@jhu.edu.

All courses must be taken for a letter grade and a grade of C- or better must be earned in all minor requirements.

Program Requirements

AS.360.247Introduction to Social Policy and Inequality: Baltimore and Beyond3
AS.360.401Social Policy Seminar3
One 300- or 400-level approved social policy elective course from the Economics, Sociology, or Political Science Department3
Baltimore Policy Fellowship semester
AS.190.380The American Welfare State3
AS.230.357Baltimore and Beyond3
AS.360.308Policy and Practice in Human Services3
AS.360.331Methods for Policy Research3
AS.360.366Public Policy Writing Workshop3
Total Credits24