Please note: Coursework for undergraduate students span the 3000-5000 level. Graduate courses start at the 5000-level.
LPPS 3045: Leadership in US Diplomacy
Taught by former senior U.S. State Department official Jane Zimmerman, this course explores leadership in U.S. diplomacy through oral histories, memoirs, biographies and documentaries from post-WWII to today. Students examine how diplomats shaped policy, influenced institutions and faced ethical and leadership challenges.
LPPS 5045: Humanitarian Diplomacy
This course, also taught by Zimmerman, examines the principles, practices and challenges of diplomacy in humanitarian policy and action. Through discussion-based classes, students explore how diplomacy addresses humanitarian crises, including the ethical, legal and practical dimensions of humanitarian engagement.
LPPS 7250: National Security Leadership & Policy: Afghanistan
The threat of international terrorism in the wake of 9/11 prompted costly and controversial U.S. military and stabilization efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Initially targeting terrorism, it expanded into regime change. Bush, Obama and Trump administrations struggled to craft effective strategies, facing setbacks like ISIS and Taliban resurgence. Professor Daniel Moy, a retired Air Force Colonel, leads students in a study of what to learn from this chapter in America’s endeavor to counter terrorist and security threats abroad.
LPPP 3559: The Soldier, The Citizen & The State
As the 28th Under Secretary of the Air Force with more than 20 years of experience in U.S. defense strategy, policy, and national security affairs, Melissa Dalton is no stranger to the delicate relationship between a democracy and the military that serves it – or to UVA. An ’03 graduate with a B.A. in Foreign Affairs, Dalton returns to Grounds to teach this brand-new offering. She will lead undergraduate students in an exploration of the intersection of U.S. military and democratic institutions, including topics such as conscription, “coup proofing,” limits on political speech, civilian control, and extremism.
LPPS 6810: Virginia Politics and Policy
With Professor Andy Pennock, an expert in state and local politics, students will explore how Virginia’s history, political institutions and social divisions shape policymaking today. Graduate students will also examine current and future policy challenges facing the Commonwealth and develop strategies to address them.
LPPS 4735: Experiential Social Entrepreneurship
In this experiential learning course, students will work in teams to address real-world challenges proposed by a set of local and international social entrepreneurs. This is a design-thinking-centric course for students interested in investigating how our world is adapting to solve the greatest social and environmental challenges of this century.
UVA Batten short courses are a way to earn one to two credits over a short time (five weeks) in interesting, practical skills like data wrangling or public speaking, or timely policy topics. Here are a few selected offerings this fall:
LPPP 5500-20849: Future of Higher Ed: Reform & Public Interest
What do you want the higher ed landscape to look like when your children apply to college? UVA Batten Professor of Practice of Public Policy Gerry Warburg will lead students in a collaborative discussion of the existential challenges confronting higher ed policymakers. Invited guests will include such scholars as former UVA President Jim Ryan and current Virginia Undersecretary of (Higher) Education Connor Andrews (MPP ‘17).
LPPP 5500-21275: Policy Research: Air Pollution in Mexico City
Lucy Bassett, a professor of practice in public policy and an expert in children, caregivers, and communities in humanitarian and development contexts, will explore the issue of air pollution in Mexico City and its impacts on children. After learning about consequences for children and current policy and gaps, students will follow a research project in real time, including learning about innovative wearable data collection tools, data analysis, and action-oriented policy recommendations.
LPPP 5540-10429: Environmental Advocacy Clinic
Environmental law and policy expert Jacqueline Goodrum will introduce students to the public notice and comment process required for regulatory rulemaking through the lens of environmental advocacy. This course emphasizes best practices and writing techniques for effective commenting. Students will have an opportunity to write, revise, and submit a public comment of their own on an emerging environmental issue.
