UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY JSI

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

This summer will mark the 42nd year the Goldman School of Public Policy has hosted a PPIA Junior Summer Institute in policy skills. Over the years this program has been grounded programmatically to empower and better address the needs of historically underrepresented communities. The Junior Summer Institute at UC Berkeley offers student participants a rigorous seven-week program of coursework designed to improve the participants’ analytical, quantitative and legal skills vital to success at top-level graduate programs in public policy and international affairs as well as law school. Additionally, the Institute includes a variety of activities intended to give participants a comprehensive knowledge of the opportunities for professional careers in public service. Each year the program admits approximately 30 undergraduates from across the nation.

UCPPIA Law Fellowship – Each summer students interested in pursuing joint degrees in public policy and law are selected as UCPPIA Fellows. In addition to learning the fundamentals of policy analysis, the UCPPIA Fellows will be exposed to the topics and skills necessary to gain entry to and succeed at a top law school. The UCPPIA Fellowship is launched in conjunction with UC Berkeley School of Law and is designed to shape future leaders committed to representing under-served communities in the areas of public policy and law.

COURSES/CURRICULUM

The curriculum is divided into four areas of study: Policy Analysis, Economics, Law & Public Policy and Quantitative Methods. PPIA Fellows attend these three classes each week and receive course grades and PPIA evaluations of individual progress at the conclusion of the program.

Policy Analysis and Communications

The Policy Analysis and Communications course aims to introduce students to the field of policy analysis, to provide guidance on writing to inform the policy process, to provide intensive feedback on writing skills in general, and to provide guidelines and practice in presenting briefings to inform the policy process.

Introduction to Economic Policy Analysis

The Introduction to Economic Policy Analysis course is an introduction to economic concepts and application of those concepts to the analysis of different policy issues. The course is taught using basic college algebra. Past topics have included: Consumer Choice; Demand Supply; Elasticity and Ramsey Pricing; Efficiency and Deadweight Loss. Students with more extensive backgrounds in economic and statistical studies have studied: Consumer Preferences and Choice, Mathematical derivations of optimal/chosen bundle and demand curves, Income Transfer Programs, and analysis of effects of living wage laws.

Quantitative Methods for Policy Analysis

The Quantitative Methods for Policy Analysis course offers a basic introduction to quantitative methods commonly used in policy analysis. Students learn hands-on how to perform data analysis and statistical tests, both by hand and with the aid of STATA, a commonly used statistical software application. Students also learn the ways in which conclusions may or may not be drawn from such analyses and tests. The course focuses on applications to real policy situations, including: aspects of measurement, including reliability, validity, and bias; measures of central tendency and dispersion; data presentation, STATA, random variables, probability distributions, and the Central Limit Theorem, hypothesis testing, confidence intervals, t-tests, regression analysis, and study design.

Public Policy and Law

In addition to the Policy Analysis, Economics, Academic and Career Pathways, and Quantitative Methods courses, UCPPIA Law Fellows will take seminars on law topics such as International Human Rights Law, Voting Rights Law, and Criminal Justice Law. Fellows will be able to attend a law school admissions and personal statement workshop and a site visit to Berkeley Law School.

ENRICHMENT

To enhance the skill-based learning experience, participants will:

  • All Fellows receive GRE or LSAT preparation materials;
  • Attend career and professional development workshops, including a resume workshop, fellowship opportunities and a policy graduate school fair;
  • Enjoy a series of guest speakers in the fields of public policy and law;
  • Participate in field trips and site visits geared toward introducing participants to the different aspects of policy making and the various careers associated with public policy.

CALENDAR

Application deadline -  November 1, 2023

Admission notification -  February 1, 2024

Program begins -  TBD

Program ends - TBD

CONTACT INFORMATION

PPIA Junior Summer Institute at UC Berkeley

Goldman School of Public Policy

2607 Hearst Avenue #7320

Berkeley, CA 94720-7320

Email: ppiaprogram@berkeley.edu Learn more about this program here!