Curious to know what it is like to learn from the top scholars and practitioners of policy? Want to sample a class before applying to the BA or minor but do not know what to take? We’ve included information below about some special topics and core courses being offered this fall! All courses listed will count toward major and minor requirements unless otherwise noted.

For those interested in national security:

LPPS 3240: Terrorism and Counterterrorism: Explore the various ways our federal government, primarily the Department of Justice and the FBI, have responded to the threat of terrorism, in the US and abroad. The modern terrorist threat, electronic surveillance authorities, US detention authority, terrorist debriefing, cooperating witnesses in terrorism cases, enhanced interrogation techniques, the differences between the intelligence and law enforcement approaches and other topics will be covered. This is an elective course in the Batten BA and minor curriculum.

LPPS 3340: H4D: Defense Innovation and Problem-Solving: Hacking for DoD Innovation offers students the opportunity to work directly with the US Department of Defense (DoD). Student teams are provided real-world national security problems sourced from DoD agencies. Through stakeholder interviews and engagements, student teams develop a solution that addresses the actual needs of their DoD problem sponsor. This is an elective course in the Batten BA and minor curriculum.

For those interested in global policy:

LPPS 3295: Global Humanitarian Crises Response: Course looks at critical questions defining global humanitarian action and policy. The inability to deliver aid inside Syria, record refugee flows, drought in Ethiopia, brutal conflict in Yemen, are only some of today’s crises. Using historical and critical analysis, case studies, and insights from guest speakers, the foundations, dilemmas, and operations of humanitarian aid will be explored. This is an elective course in the Batten BA and minor curriculum.

LPPP 3250: Global Development Policy: This course studies global development and the interdependent responsibilities of global citizens to alleviate poverty and foster shared prosperity. Course tackles key questions of our time: Why have some countries escaped poverty while others have failed or seen poverty worsen? What role do governments, aid agencies and private sector actors have to play in alleviating poverty? Why is foreign aid so hotly contested? Does it help or hurt? How do power dynamics and implicit biases impact development efforts? This is an elective course in the Batten BA and minor curriculum.

For those interested in education policy:

LPPS 3160: Project 1st Gen+ @UVA: What is the experience of first generation and lower income students at the University of Virginia? How can we improve the institutions at UVA to fully incorporate the talents and experiences of these students? This class explores these questions through a project focused on transforming UVA into a place where first gen and lower income students thrive. Instructor permission required. Preference given to students with demonstrated interest in the subject. This course is designed for students interested in the UVA experience for first gen and lower income students, but it will fulfill a special topics requirement in the Batten BA or minor.

LPPS 3370: Trauma & US Public School System: This course explores trauma in the context of child development and how the United States public school system serves to address this issue from policy perspective. Applied policy will be a unique focus of this course with case studies. School based mental health services, educational supports, and the historical context of education will be covered. This is an elective course in the Batten BA and minor curriculum.

LPPP 3559-002: Education and Conflict: Through global case studies in regions including Africa, the Middle East, China, England and Australia, this survey course will explore the ways in which global education systems are both debilitated by and fuel conflict. Each week will focus on a particular theme and study the interconnection between education and conflict through curricula, access inequalities, knowledge gaps and impacts of trade and political agendas. Purposefully broad themes provide students with a working knowledge of the field of global educational studies. This is an elective course in the Batten BA and minor curriculum.

For those interested in criminal justice policy:

LPPS 3310: Police-Community Relations: Problems and Prospects: The current state of US police-community relations is in a precarious condition. Recent incidents of negative police-citizen encounters resulting in deaths of unarmed citizens & police officers has affected public trust & confidence in local law enforcement. Class focuses on problems of police-community relations & deliberates prospects for policy solutions. Students develop & present policy proposals to address a particular problem. This is an elective course in the Batten BA and minor curriculum. Below is one student’s experience in the course:

“I took Police-Community Relations during the pandemic, so it speaks volumes that I still felt the class connected me to the wider Charlottesville area. Professor Brian Williams teaches a very hands-on class. While there are lectures, the purpose of the class is for students to read firsthand accounts and interview real people in the world of criminal justice to actively find solutions to the problems plaguing police-community relations. In this class, I had assignments to personally interview police officers and a member of the Charlottesville Police Civilian Review Board, which was a unique academic experience. I did not have to guess at how these groups thought about police-community relations and potential policy solutions- I got to actually hear about their lived experiences as individuals. This forced me to think about the people behind the policies I designed, as well as the minutiae of criminal justice policy that is easy to overlook when considering facts and figures. Professor Williams also brought in a wide array of speakers, many of whom were members of the Charlottesville community and were willing to share their ideas about how we could improve police-community relations in our immediate area. My favorite part of the class was a large group presentation we presented to stakeholders at the end of the class, which included reporters, police officers, community members, and even officials from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services. I felt like I was speaking in a real, professional setting in front of people I would otherwise never have access to. I walked away understanding there are few easy or quick answers for how to realistically improve police-community relations, but that this is an area of policy that deserves our collective attention as policy students. Whether or not you're interested in criminal justice policy, this class is a fantastic way to connect with Charlottesville and meet the people behind the policies we constantly throw around in Batten.”

- Kate, rising second-year BA student