This survey course that introduces students to the history, politics, and economic and social significance of the major challenges facing 21st century U.S. policymakers. Examples of topics that may be explored include: the federal deficit and debt, the rise of China and India, health care costs, climate policy, energy security, economic opportunity in an era of globalization, the future of public higher education, and U.S. foreign policy.

This course will provide an overview of research methods and data analysis in public policy, integrating basic statistical modeling. The class will promote a critical understanding of what good research is, how people sometimes lie with statistics, and how flawed research can be identified, and an appreciation of the relationship between researchers and the rest of society, and how researchers can most suitably deal with the existence of skeptics

The Startup class is a fourteen-week course-plus-simulation designed to provide students with not only the basic tools and vocabulary of new ventures, but also a sense of what it feels like to start, fund, and manage such a venture. The course, by way of in-class case discussions, mentored group work, and startup simulations introduces students to a broad range of issues faced by founders and funders of both for-profit and non-profit ventures.

This course will introduce students to both the process of public policy and the tools of policy analysis. The first part examines the actors, institutions, and procedures involved in the adoption, implementation, and evaluation of public policy. The second part introduces students to the basic concepts and tools of policy analysis including problem definition, specification of alternatives, and solution analysis.

This course takes an ethnographically informed approach to the question of how to understand corruption by examining practices of and perspectives on corruption from across the globe - including the so-called Global North. It aims to encourage students to 1) critically assess assumptions at the heart of international anti-corruption discourses; 2) examine tensions between global discourses of corruption and local practices; 3) compare and contrast corruption between different localities.

In this class students will learn to analyze claims about the material and social worlds through formulation and testing of new questions and hypotheses based on observation and experience.

Presents the basic step patterns, rhythmic patterns and positions in ballroom dance. Includes techniques based upon traditional (American Style Ballroom) steps with basic choreographic patterns. Emphasizes proper lead and follow. Will be tailored to students' interests and strengths.

Discussion-based course w/a developmental examination of child poverty (multi-layer effects of history, culture,&geographic location). Examine: school reform efforts ("turnaround" schools,charter schools); implications of No Child Left Behind &2015 Every Student Succeeds Act; barriers (social isolation,violence,oppression,etc.) that contribute to failure of previous reform initiatives; education policies&proposals aiming to address these issues.

Course builds students' skills in "the art of getting things done". Students will establish the critical leadership & team-building competencies that distinguish highly effective leaders. We will introduce frameworks that will enhance student's: resilience; team leadership skills; capacity for thriving in times of adversity; emotional intelligence; interpersonal skills (including conflict resolution & negotiation skills) & decision making.

This class is an introduction to K'iche', a Maya language spoken by about a million people in the western Highlands of Guatemala; it is one of the major indigenous languages in the Americas. This class aims to make students competent in basic conversation and to introduce students to Maya culture. It is offered as part of the UVa-Duke-Vanderbilt consortium for distance learning in less commonly taught languages.