PUBP 4211/6606 Urban Policy

Policy and Practice

Training Future Policymakers to Address Urban Inequities

The course PUBP 4211/6606 Urban Policy is a core course offering of the Center for Urban Research, examining urban policy and economic development, with a focus on how cities can utilize policy to remediate the consequences of historical racism. It examines these problems through the lens of municipal management and policy with a complex adaptive systems approach.

Two stand-out features of this course are the guest speakers and the capstone project.

Guest Speakers

The class features weekly guest speakers, all of whom have substantially contributed to addressing the issues discussed. Past speakers have included former mayors and city councilors, as well as non-profit executives and community organizers.

Capstone Project

The capstone project is a semester-long project in which you apply the skills learned in class to develop a strategy to close racial equity gaps and improve the long-term health of an assigned Atlanta neighborhood. These capstone projects are especially important, as they have real potential to be seen and implemented by the relevant stakeholders.

For some examples of past capstone projects, visit to the Student Projects page.

Course Goals and Learning Outcomes

After the completion of this course, you should be able to:

• Understand how cities generate value
• Understand how cities can address historical inequities through urban policy and planning
• Speak fluently about the "nuts and bolt" of policymaking in today's urban environment
• Effectively address urban problems and develop practical solutions
• Make effective presentations and communicate complex ideas
• Interact meaningfully with local political and non-profit leaders

Prior knowledge of these topics is helpful, but not necessary to excel in this class.

Course Materials