Sena's favorite classes at SIPA as a social policy student

Looking to come to SIPA? Here are three classes that would pique your interest if you are a social policy student. I chose these classes because I am interested in systemic inequalities through a social policy lens. 

Comparative Social Welfare Policy 

An incredibly amazing class taught by Professor Yumiko Shimabukuro. This class has been the only required class for social policy students at SIPA (though this might be subject to change). While SIPA has an international student body with many wanting to return home, many of the social policy classes cater towards the US domestic policy landscape. Rather than highlighting only the US policies, Professor Yumi utilized the strength of every individual student and encouraged us to talk about our own homes. As an international student, I appreciated the chance to talk about my home and native land, Canada. The class became ever more captivating because we got to talk about welfare policies across the world. From South Korea, Japan and Mexico, it truly was the most global class and engaging theoretical class that I had taken at SIPA. 

Human Rights Research and Reporting 

Initially, I enrolled in this class because I wanted to learn how to research and write better (as suggested by the course title). But, I quickly became captivated by Professor Andrew Heinrich’s teaching methods. As a refugee lawyer by day, Professor brought in what he called his “pens down” stories. These were stories that he learned from clients throughout his career, showing his students to put the humans at the center of human rights. So, simple. But, I realized by the end of the class, it is something we as human rights practitioners forget. Beyond the theories, politics, and arguments, at the end of the day we are fighting for the humans for the causes we care about. A class I thought I would focus on writing, I came out learning so much more about the type of practitioner I need to become: one that centered humans in my practice. 

Collaborative Social Justice and Health 

I took this class in a span of two days as part of SIPAs short courses, which are 1.5 credit classes completed in a short period of time. Professor Goldenberg flies in from California where she works and lives. This class touched on medical-legal partnerships, a term I hadn’t heard before but intrigued me as I had been entered in bioethics lately. Unfortunately, SIPA does not have many classes focused on health policies. So, it was great to have this class that touched on the health of people who encounter the criminal legal system frequently.

I love the flexibility within the USP concentration and hope you consider one of these three classes when you come to SIPA!