In the U.S., social policy accounts for two-thirds of government spending. Knowing how policies are constructed, what values underlie them, and how they succeed or fail makes everyone more effective at work or in their civic role. This specialization includes an HONORS track in which learners will complete a professional social policy analysis.
Teachers, health care workers, police, and social workers interact with policy daily, but all of us should care about the impact and effectiveness of these programs. Health and mental health programs, education, housing and income supports, pensions, criminal justice services, veterans’ programs, child protective services, and immigration services create a support system all Americans will draw upon. They also reveal Americans' ethics and values, indicating how we regard and care for our most vulnerable.
This specialization will explore the size, structure, and outcomes of U.S. social policy by
-comparing it with the approaches of other developed nations.
-examining the history of our efforts and probing population effects that shape policy.
-looking deeply into support for families in general, poor families, people with disabilities, and the elderly.
-mapping out existing policies for housing, education, healthcare, immigration and child welfare.
-addressing issues of power, oppression, and white supremacy.
By the end of the course the learner will be at home working in, utilizing, and voting in the U.S. welfare system.
关于此 专项课程
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您将学到的内容有
Compare historical, intellectual and cross-national perspectives on the size, structure and outcomes of U.S. social policy
Demonstrate knowledge of U.S. social welfare policy and its economic, social, and political contexts, in order to be an engaged citizen
Differentiate the various levels and structures of public benefits, and the social justice impact on people receiving them
Formulate skills in social policy implementation in order to be more effective in professional practice
您将获得的技能
Formulate practice strategies to overcome the historic biases in social welfare programsdistinguish the values inherent in each social policy initiativedifferentiate alternative approaches to social policy problemsCritique components of a social policy based on their effectiveness at meeting the goals stated in the initiativedevelop social welfare policy analysis and reform proposals
专项课程 的运作方式
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实践项目
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在结束每门课程并完成实践项目之后，您会获得一个证书，您可以向您的潜在雇主展示该证书并在您的职业社交网络中分享。
此专项课程包含 5 门课程
课程1
What Is the Welfare State? A Cross-National Comparison
4.6
13 个评分
In all nations, social policy is a very large public investment. Course 1 will explore the size, structure, and outcomes of U.S. social policy and compare this policy to those of similar developed countries. The course will also probe the values this policy represents and the values debate regarding about how big our welfare state should be— in other words, how much of our education, housing, health, income support, and social services the government should supply and how much individuals should supply for themselves. This course addresses issues of power, oppression, and white supremacy.
The course is part of a sequence in social policy that has an HONORS TRACK. This track will prepare the learner for masters-level work in policy, which involves reading the literature, writing concise summaries and probing critiques. Over the sequence the learner will develop a policy analysis that will create a foundation for professional policy analyst assignments.
课程2
The Welfare State: Where Did It Come From?
4.5
6 个评分
The course probes the formation of social policy in the United States from its very first cultural and religious roots. Starting with the transition from hunter-gatherer groups to agrarian villages, the course will examine the passage of the Poor Laws that shaped social policy through the colonial period until the beginnings of the 20th century, when the challenge of making the industrial city livable gave rise to the development of the welfare state. As part of this transformation, the provider of social welfare shifted from the local community to the state to the federal government. The course ends with an exploration of the debate regarding the role of government in the late 20th century: should it foster entitlements or self-sufficiency? This course addresses issues of power, oppression, and white supremacy.
The course is part of a sequence in social policy that has an HONORS TRACK. This track will prepare the learner for masters-level work in policy, which involves reading the literature, writing concise summaries and probing critiques. Over the sequence the learner will develop a policy analysis that will create a foundation for professional policy analyst assignments.
课程3
Poverty & Population: How Demographics Shape Policy
4.8
16 个评分
This course has four modules, or foci. The first is to understand the categories of social welfare—populations, income, earnings, and assets— and some related concepts that play a very large role in shaping policy decisions: unemployment, inflation, and the minimum wage. The second deals with the central institution of social welfare—the labor market, which largely determines how many resources a person has. The labor market also establishes hierarchy, both through meritocracy and through categories of privilege. The third is poverty: the differing ways we define who is poor, and how effective U.S. anti-poverty efforts have been. The final module looks directly at federal decision making, the political organization of ideas, the structure of U.S. government, and the legislative process that shapes much of our social policy. This course addresses issues of power, oppression, and white supremacy.
The course is part of a sequence in social policy that has an HONORS TRACK. This track will prepare the learner for masters-level work in policy, which involves reading the literature, writing concise summaries and probing critiques. Over the sequence the learner will develop a policy analysis that will create a foundation for professional policy analyst assignments.
课程4
Income Transfer Policies for Families, People with Disabilities, and the Aging Population
Course 4 discusses four populations: families, poor families, people with disabilities, and people as they age. This course addresses issues of power, oppression, and white supremacy.
-The first module identifies the needs of children and the role of the state in child development. We will explore changes in the family and the resulting debates about how to best support families and child development. We’ll appraise family leave and child care programs for their role in supporting paid work and in strengthening child development, as well as income support efforts including the child tax credit and proposals for a family allowance.
-The second module begins with a description of child poverty—both the forces leading to it, and its effects. This module also describes public support programs and critiques the debates surrounding them.
-The third module focuses on persons living with disabilities, evaluating the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act. We will also critique the processes of establishing a disability social insurance program and the public aid programs that make people with disabilities eligible for income support and health support.
-The final module begins with a report on the aging of the U.S. population. Building on this, we’ll examine social insurance programs and public aid programs for seniors for their longterm viability, and assess the various reforms that have been proposed to stabilize these programs.
The course is part of a sequence in social policy that has an HONORS TRACK. This track will prepare the learner for masters-level work in policy, which involves reading the literature, writing concise summaries and probing critiques. Over the sequence the learner will develop a policy analysis that will create a foundation for professional policy analyst assignments.
讲师
John Robertson
Policy LecturerSchool of Social Work, Columbia University in New York City
关于 哥伦比亚大学
For more than 250 years, Columbia has been a leader in higher education in the nation and around the world. At the core of our wide range of academic inquiry is the commitment to attract and engage the best minds in pursuit of greater human understanding, pioneering new discoveries and service to society.
常见问题
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我可以免费学习课程吗？
此课程是 100% 在线学习吗？是否需要现场参加课程？
此课程完全在线学习，无需到教室现场上课。您可以通过网络或移动设备随时随地访问课程视频、阅读材料和作业。
Do I need to take the courses in a specific order?
Yes, the courses are in order
完成专项课程后我会获得大学学分吗？
If you complete the honors requirements and register in the Masters of Social Work program at the Columbia University School of Social Work, you will be given credit for this course
Is there any opportunity to interact with other learners in this course?
Yes, learners can interact in the discussion forums.
Is this specialization biased toward a particular worldview, such as liberalism?
The United States has an ongoing national debate about the welfare state and the role of government. This sequence tries to present both sides, but it springs from the pro government point of view that believes the welfare state is essential in the modern world.
Who this class is for?
-Any educator, government employee, or health or social service provider
-Concerned citizens who want to know more about the U.S. social welfare system
-Learners with the skills to analyze and synthesize a great deal of information
-Learners with the willingness to expand their views of social welfare policy
-For the HONORS course, learners with skills to develop a topic, complete research, and interpret findings
还有其他问题吗？请访问 学生帮助中心。
