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 – Spring 2026

Registration opens February 3rd, 2026.

PPPM 201: Introduction to Public Policy (4 credits, graded, CRN 34303)
Instructor: P. Lambert

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 205 Introduction to City Planning (4 credits, graded, CRN 34310)
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 413 Quantitative Methods (4 credits, graded, CRN 34334 )
Instructor: J. Hicks

A key trend in public administration is evidence-based decision-making, and this course is designed to improve your ability to use empirical evidence to make decisions related to planning, public policy, and management. You will learn the basics of statistical analysis, including which statistical techniques are appropriate to use to answer different research questions. You will use statistical software (Stata) to manage data and conduct statistical analysis. Additionally, you will learn to interpret empirical findings and write about the results of data analysis in an accessible and clear manner.

[REQUIRED FOR: PPPM MAJOR]

PPPM 494 Practice of Leadership & Change (4 credits, graded, CRN 34346 )
Instructor: J. Melendez

For advanced PPPM students, this course is an opportunity to apply both the knowledge and experiences you have gained from the program so far, in addition to challenging you to think beyond college. As such, this course will explore leadership across cultures, contexts, and purposes, including organizational (nonprofit, government, and for-profit), community, and political spheres. Answers to leadership questions relate to what we envision leadership to be as well as what leadership we may dismiss depending on our cultural and historical backgrounds and experiences. Students in this class will gain cultural and historical understandings of how leadership is practiced. This includes learning some processes of facilitation skills used for inclusive, rather than exclusive, community involvement. Since leadership has the potential to both inspire and divide, we will turn our analytical lens to focus on the use of language and communication as a tool that can create, divide, or unite.

[REQUIRED FOR: PPPM MAJOR, SENIOR STANDING REQUIRED]

[NONPROFIT MINOR ELECTIVE on a space-available basis after initial registration. NPA minors should email Jessica Matthiesen jessicam@uoregon.edu for more info.]

Undergraduate Elective Course Offerings – Spring 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 101: Advocacy and Social Change (4 credits, 34296)
Instructor: D. Mason

Explores how policy change occurs, how people and organizations create social and policy change, and how individuals can make an impact in their communities and beyond. *Note that PPPM 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 34317) >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 34318)
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 34319)
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 the point of environmental management is. Then, the course tasks students with evaluating different strategies for managing complex environmental problems like air pollution and biodiversity conservation, using Elinor Ostrom’s framework for common pool resource management.

PPPM 370: Global Sustainable Development Policy (4 credits, 34322)
Instructor: S. Bashar

Sustainability seeks to reconcile the economic, social, and environmental problems we face in a world with constrained resources. In this class we discuss the meaning and issues associated with sustainable development and possible policy solutions on an international scale. To have a broader perspective of what sustainability means, we examine problems through an interdisciplinary lens and investigate how these issues form, why they persist, and possible policy solutions.

*This was previously offered as PPPM 407 International Sustainability but has been renamed with a permanent course number.

[NONPROFIT MINOR ELECTIVE]

PPPM 399: Sp St, Justice & Urban Revitalization (4 credits, 35194)
Instructor: G. Sandoval

Students will analyze revitalization initiatives in communities of color from a social, racial and economic  

justice perspective. Redevelopment is supposed to revitalize low-income neighborhoods and individuals experiencing disinvestment by changing their institutional structures and intervening in their markets, all to encourage financial investment, facilitate physical upgrades to infrastructure and buildings, and improve their overall economic and social conditions.   

[NONPROFIT MINOR ELECTIVE] 

PPPM 404: Internship (CRN 34326) and PPPM 404 Internship Nonprofit (CRN 34326)
(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]

This course is a practical look at addressing complex community issues, including understanding organizational and community cultures, political landscapes, stakeholder perspectives and the leadership environment in which a public sector leader must work. We will explore both public and private sector strategies for creating a healthy workplace culture, building cohesive teams, motivating employees and approaches to solving the most challenging issues. The course will include guest speakers with extensive experience and unique insight into public sector leadership.

PPPM 407 Seminar: Public Sector Leadership, 2 credits, P/NP only (CRN 34332)
Instructor: S. Mokrohisky

PPPM 407 Seminar: Development Process, 4 credits (CRN 35195)
Instructor: A. Ferguson

International NGO Management: This seminar style course provides the theoretical and practical implications of international nongovernmental organizations (INGOs). These organizations are crucial in the pursuit of economic development, human rights, climate change mitigation, and the advancement of just and equitable societies. Yet, INGOs are also facing a need to revisit their role within the wider economic and political challenges of our times. We will trace their development, challenges, and triumphs through governance and ethical perspectives.

[NONPROFIT MINOR ELECTIVE]

PPPM 410 Disability Policy (4 credits, CRN 35196)
Instructor: C. Drum

A wide variety of public policies have been adopted in the United States that impact people with disabilities, including children and youth, working age adults, and older adults with disabilities. The purpose of PPPM 410/510 Disability Policy is to provide learners with a summary of significant disability-focused public policies from historical and contemporary perspectives. The course will emphasize real-world implementation of federal disability policy and the role of policy advocacy. The content should be valuable for public administration and planning students and students in social science and other fields.

PPPM 410: Affordable Housing, 4 credits (CRN 35197)
Instructor: K. Knudson

Will not only explore the monetary and fiscal policies driving residential production in the U.S., but will also examine the socioeconomic and political barriers preventing certain housing typologies and funding models from advancing. Students in this course will have an opportunity to learn about the impact of land-use/zoning regulation on affordable development, the importance of integrating wrap-around services when housing higher risk populations, and the role of sustainable design practices in ensuring the long-term viability of existing and future housing supply. The course content will be built around examining real-world policies, practices, and projects to ensure that students are walking away with a working knowledge of the subject area and are able to speak to both the current strategies being implemented to overcome the affordable housing crisis as well as areas of potential growth.

PPPM 410: Energy Policy, 4 credits (CRN 35198)
Instructor: J. Hicks

This course examines the evolution of U.S. energy policy through the lens of energy security, tracing how concerns over reliability, affordability, and national security have shaped policy choices from the early industrial era to the present. The course expands on this historical foundation to incorporate environmental and public health considerations, with particular emphasis on climate change, decarbonization, and the transition to low-carbon energy systems.
Students will examine the formulation and contestation of energy policy across various levels of government and institutions, including the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Supreme Court, the administrative state (e.g., Environmental Protection Agency and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, as well as state, regional, and local entities. Special focus is given to federalism, intergovernmental conflicts, and the increasing influence of sub-state and non-state actors in shaping energy policies.
The course examines essential policy instruments—such as regulation, markets, subsidies, and public-private partnerships—through the perspectives of economics, politics, society, and geopolitics. It evaluates the tradeoffs among energy security, economic development, environmental sustainability, and social equity. The curriculum also critically assesses emerging challenges and opportunities, including innovations in clean energy, grid modernization, the geopolitics surrounding energy transitions, and climate governance, thereby preparing students for advanced academic pursuits or professional careers in energy and public policy.

PPPM 410: Public Management, 4 credits (CRN 35199)
Instructor: B. Clark

Theory and practice of public service management; leadership and organizational capacity building, including key management activities for developing effective public service organizations.

PPPM 410: Qualitative Methods, 4 credits (CRN 35200)
Instructor: R. Binder

This course introduces students to qualitative research methods used in planning, public policy, and public management, with a focus on how qualitative evidence can inform real-world decision-making. Students will learn how to design, implement, and analyze qualitative research using approaches such as interviews, ethnography, case studies, and text analysis, while critically engaging with issues of positionality, reflexivity, and research ethics. Through a series of applied practicums and a scaffolded research proposal, students will develop the skills needed to collect, interpret, and communicate qualitative data in professional and policy-relevant contexts.

PPPM 410: Local Solution Studio (formerly Real World), 4 credits (CRN 35201)
Instructor: M. Howard

Local Solution Studio is a team-based, project-based course that offers unparalleled professional development opportunities to students. At the beginning of the class, students are placed on teams of 3-4 and work with a local client (Lane County, one of the small cities in Lane County, another community or a nonprofit) to develop and complete a real world project. Faculty work with clients to shape projects appropriate to the class timeline and the students’ interests prior to the course, then students work with their client to build and execute a series of tasks that will answer the clients’ key questions during the course. Past project examples include reviewing best practices in universal design for Lane County facilities, creating materials for a public health air-quality awareness campaign, developing a community service program in lieu of fines or jail time, and offering development options for a vacant downtown lot. Students get hands on experience with surveys, interviews, site visits, workshops, and other data collection methods. At the end of the term, students showcase their final products, usually at a City Council or Board meeting.

PPPM 410: Museum Education, 4 credits (CRN 35202)
Instructor: L. Abia-Smith

This course examines methodological approaches to object-based learning in museum settings, with attention to Visual Thinking Strategies, contextual models of learning, art education, and interpretive practice. Topics include decolonizing museums, object repatriation, and the evolving educational and social roles of museums.
Through class discussions, site visits, and engagement with museum educators, students explore how museums design educational programs for diverse audiences through interpretation, technology, and initiatives. The course emphasizes museums as spaces for dialogue, multiple perspectives, and collective memory, and introduces strategies for creating and evaluating accessible, inclusive object-based learning experiences.

PPPM 412: Internship & Professional Development (2 credits, P/NP, 34333)
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 34337)
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 425: Project Management, 4 credits (CRN 34338)
Instructor: J. Matthiesen

Project management is more than just making a plan and trying to follow it. In this class, students will learn to be more effective project managers who ensure projects are completed on time, within budget, and with high quality. In addition to a variety of project management techniques, this class has a strong focus on teamwork and managing project teams. Students can expect to develop and strengthen skills transferable to their current and future work with groups, teams, and organizations while also engaging with their classmates and learning from each other throughout the term.

[NONPROFIT MINOR ELECTIVE]

PPPM 426: Strategic Planning Management, 4 credits (CRN 34339)
Instructor: B. Choquette

This class focuses on the theory and practice of strategic planning in the nonprofit and public sectors. The course will cover various approaches to designing and conducting strategic plans, including specific techniques for conducting environmental scans, SWOT analyses, strategic issue identification, and strategy formulation. Students will work in teams to develop and present a strategic plan for a local organization.
*Instructor approval required. Contact Bob Choquette choquett@uoregon.edu for more info.

[NONPROFIT MINOR ELECTIVE]

PPPM 438 Bicycle Transportation, 4 credits (CRN 34340)
Instructor: M. Schlossberg

Introduction to the social implications of various transportation-related policies and practices. The purpose of this course is to give students the opportunity to explore the various elements involved in planning and advocating for increased utilization of bicycles as a form of urban transportation. The focus will be on three main areas: 1) bicycle transportation policy and planning; 2) design, safety, and legal issues; and 3) social change. The class will consist of a combination of teaching and learning approaches, including the use of lectures, guest lectures by practitioners, in-class exercises, and out-of-class hands-on assignments.

PPPM 443 Natural Resource Policy, 4 credits (CRN 34341)
Instructor: S. Rosenberg

This course explores the historical and current administrative framework of natural resource policy at the federal, state, and local level in the U.S. We investigate how natural resource policies are developed and implemented and the underlying causes for natural resource conflicts. The course covers a variety of natural resource policies related to forests, parks, water, wildlife, rangelands, and energy resources. Students apply what they have learned through individual assignments and group projects.

PPPM 480 Nonprofit Management (4 credits, graded for NPA minors, 34343)
Instructor: P. Lambert

Nonprofit organizations comprise an enormous “third sector” of society and employ millions of people around the world. This course provides a comprehensive overview of challenges and opportunities that nonprofit leaders face in managing these increasingly complex organizations. After reviewing foundations of nonprofit management in America’s vast nonprofit sector, the course addresses nonprofit organizational structure, nonprofit strategic planning and staffing, and strategic management of a nonprofit’s financial resources. Students also explore prospective careers in the nonprofit sector.

[PREREQUISITE: PPPM 280]

[REQUIRED FOR: NONPROFIT MINOR]

PPPM 481: Fundraising for Nonprofit Organizations (4 credits, graded for NPA minors, 34344)
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 486 Philanthropy & Grant Making (2 credits, 34345)
Instructor: K. Gatlin

History, economics, and the practice of philanthropy and grant making in the United States. Students study philanthropy from a multidisciplinary perspective and finish the quarter by awarding a grant to a nonprofit organization of their choice.

[NONPROFIT MINOR ELECTIVE]

PPPM 495 Advanced Urban Geographic Information Systems (GIS) (4 credits, 35203)
Instructor: Y. Yang

Advanced course geographic information systems in areas of environmental, demographic, suitability, and transportation-related research

[Prerequisite: PPPM 434 or other intro GIS course]

Graduate Course Offerings – Spring 2026

Registration opens February 3rd, 2026.

PPPM 507 Seminar: Public Sector Leadership, 2 credits (CRN 34351)
Instructor: S. Mokrohisky

PPPM 507 Seminar: Development Proess, 4 credits (CRN 35205)
Instructor: A. Ferguson

PPPM 510 Disability Policy (4 credits, CRN 35206)
Instructor: C. Drum

PPPM 510: Affordable Housing, (4 credits (CRN 35207)
Instructor: K. Knudson

PPPM 510: Energy Policy, 4 credits (CRN 35208)
Instructor: J. Hicks

PPPM 510: Public Management, 4 credits (CRN 35209)
Instructor: B. Clark

Theory and practice of public service management; leadership and organizational capacity building, including key management activities for developing effective public service organizations.

PPPM 510: Qualitative Methods, 4 credits (CRN 35210)
Instructor: R. Binder

PPPM 510: Museum Education, 4 credits (CRN 35211)
Instructor: L. Abia-Smith

PPPM 522: Grant Proposal Writing (1 credit, CRN 34352)
Instructor: B. Choquette

PPPM 526: Strategic Planning Management, 4 credits (CRN 34354)
Instructor: B. Choquette

PPPM 538: Bicycle Transportation, 4 credits, (CRN 34355)
Instructor: M. Schlossberg

Introduction to the social implications of bicycle transportation-related policies and practices. The purpose of this course is to give students the opportunity to explore the various elements involved in planning and advocating for increased utilization of bicycles as a form of urban transportation. The focus will be on three main areas: 1) Bicycle transportation policy and planning; 2) design, safety, and legal issues; and 3) social change. The class will consist of a combination of teaching and learning approaches, including the use of lectures, guest lectures by practitioners, in-class exercises, and out-of-class hands-on assignments.

PPPM 543: Natural Resource Policy, 4 credits (CNR 34356)
Instructor: S. Rosenberg

PPPM 581: Fundraising for Nonprofit Organizations, (4 credits, CRN 34358)
Instructor: M. Meador

PPPM 586: Philanthropy and Grant Making, 2 credits, grading optional, (CRN 34359)
Instructor: K. Gatlin

History, economics, and the practice of philanthropy and grant making in the United States. Students study Philanthropy from a multidisciplinary perspective and finish the quarter by awarding a grant to a nonprofit organization of their choice.

PPPM 595 Advanced Urban Geographic Information Systems (GIS) (4 credits, 35212)
Instructor: Y. Yang

The “Advanced GIS for Community and Environmental Analysis” class adopts a community-engaged learning approach, emphasizing GIS-based analysis for various community planning issues. It enhances students’ technical GIS skills, evidence-based policymaking understanding, community stakeholder collaboration, and professional communication. Open to undergraduates who have completed an introductory GIS class and required for CRP graduate students with a GIS background, the course serves as a GIS requirement option for PPPM students. Through collaborative group work, students participate in service-learning projects, applying GIS to support community partners and broaden their proficiency in GIS analytics and spatial knowledge resources.

Learning Objectives

Gain experience in co-designing research methodologies and co-producing research outputs with community partners to maximize project impact.
Develop proficiency in utilizing the ArcGIS Online Platform to create ESRI ArcGIS online products, such as web maps and story maps, for effective communication with community partners.
Enhance collaborative and project management skills by working in groups on the ArcGIS Online platform, coordinating with team members, and engaging with community partners for data sharing and analysis.

PPPM 604: Internship, (CRN 34364); NP(CRN 34365) Comm Srv Cnt (CRN 34366 ) 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 610 Engaging Diverse Communities (4 credits, 35204)
Instructor: J. Melendez

This seminar has two main functions: to focus on theories of public engagement and a workshop where students can analyze case studies and practice designing their own systemic approach for engaging underserved and underrepresented communities in meaningful and structural ways. The various theories of public engagement covered in class will be focused on identifying the design elements for engaging traditionally underrepresented communities in decision making. The course will aim to speak across disciplines, fields of practice, and contexts through the readings, case studies, and student work that aim to stimulate students’ social imagining on what is possible. Through this course, students will strengthen their critical eye for identifying both the advantages and limitations of various approaches. This is an advanced course, graduate level only, requiring students to have at least introductory knowledge of community engagement.
In service of the above goals, the course examines theoretical and empirical work on designs for collective, organizational, and social change in a variety of contexts, from diverse theoretical perspectives. Approaches in which practitioners, researchers, and community participants partner in designing systems for social change that include individuals from underrepresented communities are of particular interest. The readings cover examples of collective, organizational, and social change at different scales of space, time, and social organization, examining the nested ecological contexts between individuals, communities, and society.

PPPM 626: Community Planning Workshop, (5 credits, (CRN 34370)
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 639: MPA Capstone Applied Research Project II, 4 credits, (CRN 34372)
Instructor: A Drlik-Muehleck

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 638. Prereq: PPPM 618, 629, 633, 636, 657, 684.]

PPPM 684: Public & Nonprofit Financial Management, 4 credits, (CRN 34373)
Instructor: L. Leete

This course provides an overview of financial management issues and tools for nonprofit organizations and government agencies. For all managers of organizations and agencies, not just the CFO, understanding the basic concepts of funding streams, budgeting, and financial statement analysis is essential to building and maintaining a strong organization, as well as charting the course for the organization’s future growth and innovation. Topics include understanding basic accounting conventions, ongoing and special project and event budgeting, capital (building) project budgeting, cost and strategic pricing concepts, endowment stewardship, financial reporting and analysis, and internal control. The focus will be on preparing students to be skilled strategists for any nonprofit or government agency.

PPPM 687: Nonprofit Board Governance (1 credit, CRN 34374)
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.

PPPM 688 Nonprofit Consultancy, 4 credits, (CRN 34375)
Instructor: A. Drlik-Muehleck
Student teams complete projects for nonprofit organizations, assessing organizational needs and capacity, evaluating alternative strategies, and recommending solutions for organizational success.

[For graduating MNM students and Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management students]