Courses, Schedules, and Syllabi

Initial registration for Winter 2026 opens 10:00am Monday November 17th, 2025.

Check the Registration Schedule to see the registration eligibility order.
You can check DuckWeb for your registration date/time.

View the Winter 2026 PPPM Weekly Schedule

To view course registration details, visit the UO Class Schedule

Choose undergraduate courses based on the Undergraduate Fields of Interest for PPPM Major (PDF).

Jump to Undergraduate Core Courses | Undergraduate Elective Courses | Graduate Courses |PPPM Course Syllabi

Click the CRN for full details of each course.

Undergraduate Course Offerings – Winter 2026

Registration opens November 17th, 2025.

PPPM 201: Introduction to Public Policy (4 credits, graded, CRN 24592)
Instructor: J. Maldonado

Overview of public policy, the policy process and how the daily lives of us and our neighbors are affected by those making and implementing decisions. Students will learn to understand how politics, institutions and everyday people play a role within the process. A focus on meaningful ways to engage in the policy process from city hall to congress, hold policy makers accountable, and support policies that will make positive changes.

[REQUIRED FOR: PPPM MAJOR, PPPM MINOR]

PPPM 280: Intro to the Nonprofit Sector (4 credits, graded, CRN 24604)
Instructor: D. Mason

This course provides a broad overview of the nonprofit sector, including its origin, growth, oversight, and varied elements. It will examine theory and research into the effectiveness of nonprofit strategies and structures and expose students to the challenges that every nonprofit faces: how do we structure and govern ourselves? How do we acquire the resources needed to maintain operations? How do we plan for the future? Examination of the nonprofit sector will be compared and contrasted to the government and business sectors.

[PREREQUISITE FOR: PPPM 480 Nonprofit Management]
[REQUIRED FOR: PPPM MAJOR, PPPM MINOR, AND NONPROFIT MINOR]

PPPM 415: Policy & Planning Analysis (4 credits, graded, CRN 24619)
Instructor: J. Coutin

This course will introduce you to some of the major issues that policymakers and planners contend with, and the analytical frameworks and tools that they use to evaluate policy solutions and inform decision making. The primary focus of this course is on the tradecraft of policy analysis in the U.S. policy context.

[PREREQUISITE: EC 201]
[REQUIRED FOR PPPM MAJOR, PPPM MINOR]

PPPM 434: Urban Geographic Information Systems (4 credits, graded, ASYNC WEB, CRN 24621 24622)
Instructor: J. Callister

Introduction to geographic information systems in areas of environmental, demographic, suitability, and transportation-related research.

[REQUIRED FOR: PPPM MAJOR]

Undergraduate Elective Course Offerings – Winter 2026

Note: All courses listed below are electives for the PPPM major and PPPM minor. Core courses and electives for the Nonprofit Administration minor are specified.

PPPM 202: Healthy Communities (4 credits, 24599) >2, >AC, >US
Instructor: N. Ngo

This course introduces students to the issues, approaches and methodologies of the public health field and considers three modifiable factors influencing health: medical care factors, social and behavioral factors and environmental issues. In addition to examining the evidence that links these factors to community health, this course will evaluate public policy influences, healthcare delivery system design factors and community planning strategies to improve public health. Students will be introduced to basic methodologies to collect meaningful data, discover how to read and interpret health-related research and learn how research findings can be applied to impact public policy.

*Majors and minors may apply a maximum of 4 credits numbered below the 300-level to elective requirements.

PPPM 321: Inclusive Urbanism (4 credits, graded, CRN 15886) >2, >AC, >US
Instructor: A. Huerta

Urban exclusion has manifested in different forms throughout history as the result of prejudice, intolerance, and discrimination. These consequences have had profound effects on the form and function of cities, and, in turn, on the ability of underrepresented segments of the population to reach their full economic and human potential—and in some cases their ability to be valued members of society at all. This course investigates the relationship between social and economic inclusion and the built environment of cities through a range of scales (building, neighborhood, district, city, region) and from multiple disciplinary perspectives (architecture, planning, urban design, nonprofit management, public policy, landscape architecture, and environmental studies). Social equity, environmental justice, and economic opportunity – and the critical perspectives through which these and similar topics are addressed – will enable students to better understand, advocate for, and build communities that are more inclusive, healthy, and just.

PPPM 325: Community Leadership and Change, 4 credits (CRN 24609)
Instructor: B. Choquette

Leadership is not just reserved for people who are in formal leadership positions, be they elected officials or people in upper-level management. We all have opportunities to take leadership roles in our lives, both formally and informally, and we need the skills and abilities to take advantage of those informal opportunities if we want to affect change. Many academic disciplines study the root causes of society’s challenges. In PPPM, we acknowledge those challenges, but focus on action – on making the changes that need to happen to improve our world. This class will focus on increasing your understanding of leadership, on identifying and developing your leadership traits, and increasing your skills to lead and be the change agent you want to be.

[NONPROFIT MINOR ELECTIVE]

PPPM 331: Environmental Management, 4 credits (CRN 24610)
Instructor: P. Hunnicutt

Myriad environmental problems threaten human well-being, and effectively managing these problems requires practices that address their root causes and affect meaningful change. This course first introduces students to the broad field of environmental management, with an emphasis on thinking critically about what environmental management is and how environmental management often sparks social conflict. Then, the course introduces students to a framework for managing common pool resources like clean air from the bottom-up. Ultimately, students will work in groups to author a case study evaluating a community’s efforts to manage a common pool resource.

PPPM 340: Climate Change Policy (4 credits, 25686)
Instructor: J. Hicks

This course provides an introduction to climate change policy. It highlights the growing scientific consensus around the effects of climate change and the potential impact that has for policymakers evaluating mitigation and adaptation responses. It examines, by sector, the sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and how international, national, state and local governance influences the rate of global emissions. Because energy consumption is the dominating contributor to GHG emissions in the U.S., it closely examines the patterns of U.S. energy policymaking and implementation as well as institutional challenges and opportunities that will fundamentally reshape the way global society produces and consumes energy. It is organized around historical patterns, current issues, and future prospects. An integrating theme is the role played by science and technology.

PPPM 360: International Public Policy (4 credits, 24611) >2 >GP, >IC
Instructor: P. Lambert

Introduces international dimensions of public policy making by comparing national systems and institutions of governance, public policy making processes, and public policy decisions. Investigates concepts, theories, and approaches to compare public policies in economic, welfare, educational, health, and environmental sectors.

PPPM 399: Sp St Navigating the Housing Crisis in Oregon (4 credits, 25687)
Instructor: R. Lewis

This course explores the structural causes and policy responses to the housing crisis with a focus on Oregon, using Escaping the Housing Trap by Charles Marohn and Daniel Herriges as the core text. Students will learn about the foundations of the housing market in the United States and then explores the forces that affect the functioning of the housing market and outcomes in terms of housing affordability and homelessness. Based on our understanding of the housing market and these forces, we will explore local solutions to improve housing production, affordability, and choice in Oregon cities.

PPPM 399: Sp St Social Prescribing (4 credits, 25688)
Instructor: L. Abia-Smith

This course addresses the interdisciplinary practice of social prescribing, linking non-medical resources such as arts, nature, and cultural engagement with healthcare to foster health and well-being. It emphasizes the role of museums and cultural institutions in addressing health disparities, fostering social equity, and promoting well-being. Students will explore how museums, arts agencies, and nature can play a critical role in social prescribing, working in partnership with healthcare to foster social equity and public health. The course combines global case studies, policy analysis, and hands-on applications of arts and nature-based interventions, offering students insights into how nonprofit cultural organizations can contribute to community wellness. The course will guide students through global case studies, policy analysis, and practical applications of arts and nature-based interventions in healthcare.

[NONPROFIT MINOR ELECTIVE]

PPPM 404: Internship (CRN 24614) and PPPM 404 Internship Nonprofit (CRN 24615)
(1 – 12 credits, P/NP only, *instructor approval required*)
Instructor: K. Gatlin

This course offers students individualized opportunities to gain hands-on experience in a workplace setting, explore and clarify career interests, apply theory, learn new skills, and network with professionals. Internships integrate academic study with planned, supervised work experience. An academic (credit) internship is optional, but highly recommended for undergraduate students.

*PPPM 412 is a pre-requisite. Instructor approval required. Students must begin preauthorization process with instructor the term prior to the start of the proposed internship.

[PPPM 404 Internship Nonprofit is a NONPROFIT MINOR ELECTIVE]

PPPM 407 Sem Lobby & Legal Process, (2 credits, 24617)
Instructor: C. Conrad

This course is designed as a seminar to introduce students to the legislative process and the role of lobbyists in legislative advocacy and policymaking. The course will offer students a fundamental overview of the processes and steps for the enactment of legislation, the way legislative texts and legislative history are important, and the connection between lobbyists, legislation and the creation of public policy. In addition, students may be directly exposed to lawmaking in action by viewing or attending legislative hearings at the Oregon Legislature, the City Council, or County Commission meetings, potentially setting up meetings with state legislators/councilors/commissioners and interacting with lobbyists who advocate before the state legislature. Through practical exercises, students will develop skills in conducting policy analysis as background for lawmaking, drafting written testimony, and making oral presentations to legislative committees. This class is particularly appropriate for students who want to enhance their exposure policy and law making.

PPPM 410: Behavioral Bias N Policy Design, (4 credits, 25689)
Instructor: J. Hicks

This course explores the intersection of behavioral economics, psychology, and public administration to examine how individuals and institutions make decisions in the public sector. Drawing on foundational theories such as bounded rationality, prospect theory, mental accounting, hyperbolic discounting, and social preferences, students will analyze how real-world behavior often diverges from classical economic assumptions. Through case studies and policy applications, the course investigates how cognitive biases, heuristics, and framing effects influence decisions made by citizens, public servants, and elected officials.

A central focus of the course is the design and evaluation of “choice architectures”—the environments in which people make decisions—and how these can be improved to promote better outcomes in areas such as energy and health policy, tax compliance, retirement planning, sustainability, and public program uptake. Students will critically assess the ethical and practical dimensions of behavioral interventions, including nudges, defaults, and information design, with particular attention to transparency in policy implementation. Ultimately, the goal is to better understand how to structure policies that remove the biases that prevent the public from aligning revealed preferences with their stated preferences. By the end of the course, students will be equipped to apply behavioral insights to improve public policy design and administrative practices.

PPPM 410: Event Management, (4 credits, 25690)
Instructor: K. Gatlin

Each week features guest speakers – representing a variety of events – to share their unique experiences and what they’ve learned along the way about managing successful events.

PPPM 410: Public Budget Admin, (4 credits, 25692)
Instructor: B. Clark

This course equips you with the essential tools to understand, design, and manage budgets in the U.S. context. From decoding revenue streams and mastering Excel-based financial analysis to applying real-world case studies, you’ll gain practical skills and critical insights that drive effective decision-making. Whether you’re an undergraduate building foundational knowledge or a graduate student tackling complex policy trade-offs, this course blends theory with hands-on application to prepare you for leadership in public finance

PPPM 410: Planning Growth & Housing (4 credits, 25700)
Instructor: R. Lewis

This course covers planning for managing growth and providing housing. This course examines motivations for managing growth to curb sprawl, minimize fiscal costs and preserve environmental quality while balancing the need to construct housing and provide infrastructure. Surveys regulatory and incentive based tools for managing and regulatory tools and barriers for accommodating growth at the state, regional and local level. Discusses tools and strategies to accommodate population growth and increase housing production.

*PPPM 205 is a pre-requisite. Instructor approval required and priority will be given to seniors, then juniors, then sophomores. Contact Rebecca Lewis by November 12 to express interest in registering (rlewis9@uoregon.edu)

PPPM 412: Internship & Professional Development (2 credits, P/NP, 24618)
Instructor: K. Gatlin

Introduction to the department’s internship program and career development. Includes overview of professionalism and effective communication, résumé and cover letter writing, and interviewing and networking skills. The topics covered focus on professional development, so all PPPM students are encouraged to take the class even if they do not plan to pursue an academic internship. [NONPROFIT MINOR ELECTIVE]

[Pre-requisite for PPPM 404 Internship & PPPM 404 Internship Nonprofit]

PPPM 422: Grant Proposal Writing (1 credit, Pass/NP, CRN 24620)
Instructor: B. Choquette

This course introduces students to the fundamentals of grant proposal writing and provides an opportunity to develop a draft proposal for a funded activity. Attendance is mandatory at both sessions to pass.

[REQUIRED FOR: NONPROFIT MINOR]

PPPM 439: Transportation Policy (4 credits, graded, 26534)
Instructor: R. Binder

Transportation policies shape urban spatial structure and impact outcomes ranging from environmental justice to travel behavior to public health. This course provides a foundation in transportation policy and covers topics related to local, state, and federal transportation policy. The course overviews multimodal transportation policy and uses international cases to explore an array of transportation policy issues, including public transportation; the connections between transportation and land use; transportation, the environment, and public health; transportation finance; goods movement policy; transportation technologies; and large transportation infrastructure such as airports. Course assignments challenge students to use the knowledge learned in class to examine real-world transportation policy practices.

PPPM 442: Sustainable Urban Development (4 credits, 24623)
Instructor: Y. Yang

Introduces issues revolving around cities as the nexus for environmental challenges, including land-use planning, transportation planning, community and neighborhood design, and green buildings.

PPPM 444: Environmental Policy (4 credits, CRN, 25694)
Instructor: P. Hunnicutt

This course surveys key policies for addressing environmental problems in the United States and abroad, with an eye towards understanding how politics both constrains and enables meaningful environmental policy action. The course’s first learning module will compare different types of environmental policies, referencing cases such as California’s emissions trading scheme, the Endangered Species Act, and recent proposals for global climate reparations. The course’s second learning module introduces students to a framework for analyzing the relationship between politics and environmental policy, focusing on the role of ideas, interests, and institutions.

PPPM 445: Green Cities (4 credits, CRN 24624)
Instructor: B. Choquette

Examines the history and future of the interface between urban growth and environmental concerns, and the technological, social, and political forces that continue to shape it.

PPPM 446: Socioeconomic Development Planning (4 credits, CRN 24625)
Instructor: E. Jepson

Planning for responsible economic and social development. Policy problems and issues in providing a stable economic base and social and economic well-being while avoiding environmental degradation.

PPPM 472: Creative Placemaking (4 credits, ASYNC WEB, CRN 25695)
Instructor: E. Stapleton

This course provides an overview of the relationship between the arts and culture to community development. It is based on an exploration of the theories and practices of the NEA policy of creative placemaking as well as early iterations and/or independent forms of “placemaking” and “place-keeping”. The course has a strong emphasis on understanding strategies for community cultural development and the sustained roles that artists and cultural leaders play within community development, especially through a social justice lens. The course will include analysis of case studies across urban and rural communities. Career opportunities will be discovered and explored. 

PPPM 481: Fundraising for Nonprofit Organizations (4 credits, graded for NPA minors, 24628)
Instructor: M. Meador

There’s never been a better time to gain a foundational understanding of nonprofit fundraising. Nonprofits are having to go back to the basics, get creative with their outreach, and make a strong case for continued support of their work. In this class, we’ll focus on the practical applications of a wide range of fundraising approaches, including major donor development, direct mail, special events, corporate sponsorships, capital campaigns, planned giving, board engagement and how to pull all of those strategies into a succinct budget and timeline. For seasoned and new fundraisers, this course will prepare you to take on fundraising under any circumstances.

[REQUIRED FOR: NONPROFIT MINOR]

PPPM 483: Volunteer Resource Management (2 credits, CRN 24629)
Instructor: J. Matthiesen

This course is an introduction to effective practices in nonprofit and public sector volunteer resource management. We will focus on volunteerism in public service organizations with an emphasis on designing programs and opportunities to be accessible, inclusive, and representative. Students will develop and strengthen skills transferable to their current and future work with groups, volunteers, and organizations, while also engaging with their classmates and learning from each other throughout the term.

[Nonprofit Minor elective]

PPPM 484: Public and Nonprofit Financial Management (4 credits, 24630)
Instructor: L. Leete

Introduction to financial management for public agencies and nonprofit organizations. Topics include budget processes, financial statements, financial resource management (taxes, donations, grants), expenditure systems, and capital project analysis.

[REQUIRED FOR: NONPROFIT MINOR]

Graduate Course Offerings – Winter 2026

Registration opens November 17th, 2025.

PPPM 510: Behavioral Bias N Policy Design (4 credits, CRN 25696),
Instructor: J. Hicks

PPPM 510: Event Management (4 credits, P/NP, 25697)
Instructor: K. Gatlin

This course focuses on event management for nonprofit and public entities. With a focus in practical application, this class covers events from start to finish, including: defining an event, finance, marketing, operations, volunteer management, risk management, sponsorships, impact, and evaluation. Students select a real-world event as their case study for the term so the material is relevant to each individual interest.
Each week features guest speakers – representing a variety of events – to share their unique experiences and what they’ve learned along the way about managing successful events

PPPM 510: Public Budget Admin (4 credits, P/NP, 25699)
Instructor: B. Clark

PPPM 510: Planning Growth & Housing, (4 credits, CRN 25700)
Instructor: R. Lewis

This course examines the organizational and personal side of leadership by learning and evaluating different traits, approaches, styles and theories of leadership. Taking a closer look at the unique opportunities nonprofit leaders face, we will analyze the difference between leadership and management. In this course, we will look at building teams, establishing and building a culture that works for your organization. In addition, you will spend time on analyzing yourself as a leader and use that understanding to identify adaptations you can make to be the most effective leader in a nonprofit organization.

PPPM 522: Grant Proposal Writing (1 credit, CRN 24634)
Instructor: B. Choquette

PPPM 534: Urban Geographic Information System (4 credits, graded, ASYNC WEB, CRN 24635/24636)
Instructor: J. Callister

The Urban GIS class is designed for students who are newcomers to GIS. Through online activities, tutorial book exercises, and lab assignments this course helps students gain working knowledge of the Geographic Information Systems, and trains them to apply ArcGIS in urban studies and planning analyses. Examples of GIS applications introduced in this class include those in areas of public service provision, environment studies, and transportation planning. By completing this course, students will gain a practical understanding of basic cartographic principles and methods of spatial data visualization and analyses and develop spatial and quantitative analysis skills of using ArcGIS apps to analyze planning-relevant issues.

PPPM 542:

Sustainable Urban Development (4 credits, grading optional, CRN 24637)
Instructor: Y. Yang

Introduces issues revolving around cities as the nexus for environmental challenges, including land-use planning, transportation planning, community and neighborhood design, and green buildings.

PPPM 546: Socioeconomic Development Planning (4 credits, grading optional, ASYNC WEB ,CRN 24638)
Instructor: E. Jepson

Planning for responsible economic and social development. Policy problems and issues in providing a stable economic base and social and economic well-being while avoiding environmental degradation.

PPPM 572: Creative Placemaking (4 credits, 25701)
Instructor: E. Stapleton

There are more than 40 years of data pointing to the value of strategic marketing and communications for nonprofits and the public sector. Yet, it is still common for communicators to be called for a meeting to announce an initiative or “make it ‘go viral’” a few days before the intended launch. This practice affects the whole organization, leaving money, awareness, and opportunity on the table. This course is designed to help you—future nonprofit and government managers—understand and learn the tools to implement intentional strategic communications that propel an organization forward in the quest to achieve its mission. Through this course, you will develop skills needed to oversee the communications of an organization.

PPPM 581: Fundraising for Nonprofit Organizations, (4 credits, CRN 24641)
Instructor: M. Meador

PPPM 583 Volunteer Resource Management, (2 credits, 24642)
Instructor: J. Matthiesen

PPPM 604: Internship, (CRN 24648); NP(CRN 24649) Comm Srv Cnt (CRN 24649 ) 1-10 credits* P/NP only
Instructor: J. Voelker-Morris

The purpose of this course is to integrate academic study with planned, supervised work experience that supports the career interests of students. Internships offer students opportunities to explore and clarify career goals, apply academic learning, enhance and learn new skills, gain experience, and network with professionals. Internships prepare students for professional positions, fellowships, and further academic study.

*1 credit of PPPM 604 Internship = 3 hours of internship/week during the course of a 10-week term.

PPPM 612: Legal Issues in Planning (4 credits, CRN 24654)
Instructor: R. Dohrman

Federal and state legal relationships, the role of the courts in reviewing public sector decision- making, sources of the law, issues in land-use regulation, and basic legal research skills.

PPPM 620: Plan & Mgmt Research Skills CRP (2 credits, CRN 24655)
Instructor: J. Matonte/M. Howard

The general purpose of this course is to provide students exposure to common research skills utilized the planning field. This course will provide exposure to and practice using various skills so that students can apply these concepts to Community Planning Workshop, professional projects, and professional experiences after graduate school.

PPPM 625: Community Planning Workshop (5 credits, CRN 24656)
Instructor: M.Graciosa

First in a two-term sequence of planning and problem-solving courses. Students working in teams conduct research and develop solutions to planning problems for a client community. Sequence with PPPM 626.

PPPM 630: Visual Design Applied Practice (4 credits, CRN 24658)
Instructor: A. Brown

Graphic presentation and visual communication products have become increasingly important within Planning, Public Administration, and Nonprofit Administration to engage stakeholders, advocate for positions, and encourage participation. This hands-on course provides strong foundational skills in the Adobe Creative Suite, including Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop. This course explores topics to effectively communicate ideas graphically including working effectively with font, color, visual hierarchy, infographics, maps, and creating cohesive and compelling visuals for a range of professional settings. Each class includes a discussion of the day’s topic followed by applied labs to engage and build new skills. No prior knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite or graphic design required.

PPPM 636: Public Policy Analysis (4 credits, CRN 24659)
Instructor: J. Coutin

This course offers an introduction to some of the major issues facing the public and policymakers, and the analytical tools used to evaluate public policy solutions. Students will explore frameworks for assessing the impact of policies on social values such as efficiency, effectiveness, equity, and feasibility, and apply these methods to real-world issues. Through a structured policy analysis project, you will learn to define a public policy problem, identify evaluation criteria, develop and assess alternatives, and communicate recommendations to decision-makers. The primary focus of this course is on the tradecraft of policy analysis in the U.S. policy context.

PPPM 638: MPA Capstone Applied Research Project I (5 credits, CRN 24660)
Instructor: Aniko Drlik-Muehlek.

Teams prepare applied research projects for client organizations using analytical and managerial skills to solve problems in public policy analysis or public management.

[Sequence with PPPM 639. Prereq: PPPM 618, 629, 633, 636, 657, 684.]

PPPM 657: Research Methods Public Policy & Management (4 credits, CRN 24661)
Instructor: Nicole Ngo

Survey of research methods used in the analysis of public policy issues. Emphasis is on determining the appropriate methodology for a given research question.

[Pre-requisite: PPPM 656]

PPPM 663: Professional Development II (1 credit, CRN 24662),
Instructor: J. Voelker-Morris

This seminar course is the second of two courses designed to help prepare students for the professional job market and workplace practices. Coursework invites pre-professional students to practice the habits and activities associated with positive, professional, relational behaviors that help secure professional positions and promotions and identify individual student’s strengths and areas for professional growth. Sequence with PPPM 623. Repeatable once for maximum of 2 credits.

PPPM 687 Nonprofit Board Governance (1 credit, CRN 24663)
Instructor: D. Lang

Students serve on governing boards of nonprofit organizations for one year: fall, winter, and spring terms. Repeatable twice for a maximum of 3 credits.