Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree with a Major in Social Policy Analysis
Program Learning Outcomes for the Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree with a Major in Social Policy Analysis
Upon completing the BA degree with a major in Social Policy Analysis, students will be able to:
- Understand social policy as an interdisciplinary field and demonstrate the ability to synthesize key knowledge, theories, and research across different disciplines in the social sciences.
- Develop critical analysis, problem solving and research skills in order to design and evaluate evidence-based interventions for social problems.
- Demonstrate the ability to communicate policy research and findings clearly and persuasively in written and oral formats.
- Analyze public problems, evaluate policy alternatives against criteria such as equity, efficiency, and effectiveness, and demonstrate knowledge and understanding of social policy analysis tools and methods.
- Demonstrate mastery of the above outcomes in the senior capstone project.
Requirements for the BA Degree with a Major in Social Policy Analysis
For general university requirements, see Graduation Requirements. Students pursuing the BA degree with a major in Social Policy Analysis must complete:
- A minimum of 13 courses (39-40 credit hours, depending on course selection) to satisfy major requirements.
- A minimum of 120 credit hours required to satisfy degree requirements.
- A minimum of 5 courses (15 credit hours) taken at the 300-level or above.
- A maximum of 2 courses (6 credit hours) from study abroad or transfer credit. For additional program guidelines regarding transfer credit, see the Policies tab.
The courses listed below satisfy the requirements for this major. In certain instances, courses not on this official list may be substituted upon approval of the major’s academic advisor or, where applicable, the department's Director of Undergraduate Studies. (Course substitutions must be formally applied and entered into Degree Works by the major's Official Certifier.) Students and their academic advisors should identify and clearly document the courses to be taken.
Summary
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Total Credit Hours Required for the Major in Social Policy Analysis | 39-40 | |
| Total Credit Hours Required for the BA Degree with a Major in Social Policy Analysis | 120 | |
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| Foundations Coursework 1 | ||
| ECON 100 | PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS | 3 |
| POLI 210 | INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN POLITICS | 3 |
| POLI 338 / SOSC 301 | POLICY ANALYSIS | 3 |
| SOPA 200 | APPROACHES TO SOCIAL POLICY | 3 |
| SOPA 309 | APPLIED ECONOMETRICS FOR POLICY EVALUATION | 3 |
| Select 1 course from the following: | 3-4 | |
| QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS FOR THE SOCIAL SCIENCES | ||
| PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS | ||
| PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS FOR DATA SCIENCE | ||
| Advanced Coursework 1 | ||
| SOPA 400 | SOPA CAPSTONE RESEARCH SEMINAR I | 3 |
| SOPA 401 | SOPA CAPSTONE RESEARCH SEMINAR II | 3 |
| Elective Requirements | 15 | |
| Students must complete a total of 5 courses from the Areas of Specialization listed below. At least 1 course must be taken from each of the 3 Areas of Specialization (see below for course lists for each Area of Specialization): | ||
Groups and Identities | ||
Institutions | ||
Policies, Processes, and Outcomes | ||
| Total Credit Hours Required for the Major in Social Policy Analysis | 39-40 | |
| Additional Credit Hours to Complete Degree Requirements * | 49-50 | |
| University Graduation Requirements * | 31 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
Footnotes and Additional Information
| * | Note: University Graduation Requirements include 31 credit hours, comprised of Distribution Requirements (Groups I, II, and III), FWIS, and LPAP coursework. In some instances, courses satisfying FWIS or distribution requirements may additionally meet other requirements, such as the Analyzing Diversity (AD) requirement, or some of the student’s declared major, minor, or certificate requirements. Additional Credit Hours to Complete Degree Requirements include general electives, coursework completed as upper-level, residency (hours taken at Rice), and/or any other additional academic program requirements. |
| 1 | Students who have declared the Social Policy Analysis (SOPA) major are recommended to complete the required Foundations Coursework in the following order:
Advanced Coursework (SOPA 400 and SOPA 401) should be completed after the Foundations Coursework. |
Course Lists to Satisfy Requirements
Elective Requirements
Students must complete a total of 5 courses (15 credit hours) from the Areas of Specialization listed below as electives. At least 1 course (3 credit hours) must be taken from each of the 3 Areas of Specialization. The remaining 2 courses (6 credit hours) may be taken from any of the Areas of Specialization. Below is an illustrative list of courses. Student may consult with the major advisor to apply courses not on this list.
Area of Specialization: Groups and Identities
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select at least 1 course from the following: | ||
| ILLNESS, DISABILITY, AND THE GENDERED BODY | ||
| ANTHROPOLOGY OF RACE, ETHNICITY AND HEALTH | ||
| RACE, CLASS, GENDER IN EDUCATION | ||
| LANGUAGE AND SOCIETY | ||
| LANGUAGE, GENDER & SEXUALITY | ||
| LANGUAGE AND LAW | ||
| LANGUAGE AND ETHNICITY | ||
| AFRICAN AMERICAN POLITICS | ||
| LATINO POLITICS IN THE UNITED STATES | ||
| RACE, ETHNICITY, AND POLITICS IN AMERICA | ||
| AMERICAN POLITICAL PARTIES | ||
| RACE AND THE LAW IN THE UNITED STATES | ||
| POLITICAL PARTIES AND INTEREST GROUPS IN AMERICAN POLITICS | ||
| PSYCHOLOGY OF GENDER | ||
| MULTICULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY | ||
| GROUP DYNAMICS | ||
| STEREOTYPING AND PREJUDICE | ||
| SOCIAL PROBLEMS | ||
| SOCIAL INEQUALITY | ||
| SOCIOLOGY OF GENDER | ||
| RACE AND ETHNIC RELATIONS | ||
| SOCIOLOGY OF ASIANS AND ASIAN AMERICANS | ||
| DEMOGRAPHY | ||
| MULTIRACIAL AMERICA | ||
| RACE, SOCIETY AND POPULATION CHANGE | ||
| SOCIOLOGY OF MENTAL HEALTH | ||
| MUSLIMS IN AMERICAN SOCIETY | ||
| SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY OF PREJUDICE | ||
| THE ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT | ||
| INEQUALITY AND URBAN LIFE | ||
| CURRENT HEALTHCARE ISSUES IN LATINE COMMUNITIES | ||
| SEXUAL DEBATES IN THE U.S.: SOCIAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXTS OF SUPREME COURTS DECISIONS | ||
Area of Specialization: Institutions
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select at least 1 course from the following: | ||
| LAW, POWER AND CULTURE | ||
| NEOLIBERALISM AND GLOBALIZATION | ||
| MUSEUMS AND HERITAGE: EXHIBITING ART, EXHIBITING CULTURE | ||
| THE POLITICS OF THE PAST: ARCHAEOLOGY IN SOCIAL CONTEXT | ||
| BEHAVIORAL ECONOMICS | ||
| LAW AND ECONOMICS | ||
| MICROECONOMICS AND PUBLIC POLICY | ||
| MACROECONOMICS AND PUBLIC POLICY | ||
| INTERNATIONAL MACROECONOMICS AND PUBLIC POLICY | ||
| CORPORATE FINANCE | ||
| FINANCIAL MARKETS | ||
| WORLD ECONOMIC HISTORY | ||
| INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATION | ||
| ADVANCED TOPICS IN LAW AND ECONOMICS | ||
| RELIGION, ETHICS, AND ECONOMICS | ||
| MONEY AND BANKING | ||
| STATE POLITICS | ||
| U.S. ELECTIONS AND VOTING BEHAVIOR | ||
| THE CONGRESS | ||
| THE PRESIDENCY | ||
| AMERICAN CONSTITUTIONAL LAW: STRUCTURES AND POWERS | ||
| URBAN POLITICS | ||
| POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT OF BUSINESS | ||
| POLITICS OF THE JUDICIARY | ||
| MEDIA AND POLITICS | ||
| MODERN AMERICAN PRESIDENCY | ||
| URBAN POLITICS | ||
| SEMINAR IN JUDICIAL PROCESS AND BEHAVIOR | ||
| INDUSTRIAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY | ||
| ELECTION SYSTEMS, TECHNOLOGIES, AND ADMINISTRATION | ||
| ADVANCED ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY | ||
| HOUSTON: THE SOCIOLOGY OF A CITY | ||
| URBAN SOCIOLOGY | ||
| SCIENCE AT RISK? OUT OF THE LAB AND INTO PUBLIC SPHERE | ||
| SOCIOLOGY OF WORK AND OCCUPATIONS | ||
| SOCIOLOGY OF LAW | ||
| SOCIOLOGY OF THE FAMILY | ||
| CRIME, PUNISHMENT AND SOCIETY | ||
| RACE, GENDER, CLASS IN FILM | ||
| SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION | ||
| SPECIAL TOPICS | ||
Area of Specialization: Policies, Processes, and Outcomes
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select at least 1 course from the following: | ||
| THE SOCIAL LIFE OF CLEAN ENERGY | ||
| HOUSING AND URBAN PROGRAMS: ISSUES IN POLICY | ||
| LABOR ECONOMICS | ||
| ECONOMIC FORECASTING | ||
| QUANTITATIVE METHODS FOR POLICY EVALUATION + PRACTICAL LAB | ||
| POLITICAL ECONOMY | ||
| ENERGY ECONOMICS | ||
| ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | ||
| ECONOMICS OF HUMAN CAPITAL | ||
| MARKET DESIGN | ||
| MATHEMATICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR COMPUTATIONAL ECONOMICS | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS | ||
| HEALTH ECONOMICS | ||
| PUBLIC ECONOMICS: TAXATION | ||
| PUBLIC ECONOMICS: EXPENDITURES | ||
| JUSTICE IN THE FOOD SYSTEM | ||
| SEMINAR IN URBAN SUSTAINABILITY AND LIVABILITY RESEARCH METHODS AND APPLICATIONS | ||
| LAB IN ENGAGED URBAN SUSTAINABILITY AND LIVABILITY RESEARCH | ||
| PRINCIPLES OF PUBLIC AND COMMUNITY HEALTH | ||
| DISPARITIES IN HEALTH IN AMERICA | ||
| PLANNING AND EVALUATION OF HEALTH PROMOTION AND EDUCATION | ||
| THE SHAPING OF HEALTH POLICY | ||
| ADVOCATING FOR IDEAS TO CHANGE THE WORLD | ||
| RACE, ETHNICITY, AND U.S. PUBLIC POLICY | ||
| U.S. ELECTIONS AND VOTING BEHAVIOR | ||
| POLITICS OF INFLUENCE IN THE UNITED STATES | ||
| HEALTH POLICY | ||
| PUBLIC POLICY | ||
| URBAN POLITICS LAB | ||
| POLITICAL REPRESENTATION IN CONTEMPORARY DEMOCRACIES | ||
| COMPARATIVE URBAN POLITICS AND POLICY | ||
| URBAN POLITICS | ||
| SEMINAR ON MONEY AND POLITICS | ||
| EDUCATION POLICY | ||
| RACE AND PUBLIC POLICY | ||
| RESEARCH SEMINAR ON PUBLIC POLICY | ||
| GOVERNING THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMONS | ||
| SEMINAR IN JUDICIAL PROCESS AND BEHAVIOR | ||
| POLITICAL PARTIES AND VOTING BEHAVIOR IN WESTERN DEMOCRACIES | ||
| HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY | ||
| STRESS AND HEALTH ACROSS THE LIFESPAN | ||
| POLLUTION AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT | ||
| ADVANCED SEMINAR IN HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY | ||
| SPORT FINANCE | ||
| CRIMINOLOGY | ||
| SUPERVISED RESEARCH I | ||
| SUPERVISED RESEARCH II | ||
| SOCIOLOGY OF IMMIGRATION | ||
| SOCIOLOGY OF MENTAL HEALTH | ||
| MEDICAL SOCIOLOGY | ||
| URBAN TRANSPORTATION | ||
| HOUSING AND SCHOOLS: THE SOCIAL LOCATIONS OF INEQUALITY | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIOLOGY | ||
| SOCIOLOGY OF DISASTER | ||
| BASIC DEMOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUES | ||
| SOCIAL AUTOPSIES: HOW SOCIETY KILLS US | ||
| POPULATION HEALTH SEMINAR | ||
| IMMIGRATION IN A GLOBAL WORLD | ||
| GENDER AND HEALTH | ||
| SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP | ||
| CURRENT HEALTHCARE ISSUES IN LATINE COMMUNITIES | ||
Policies for the BA Degree with a Major in Social Policy Analysis
Transfer Credit
For Rice University’s policy regarding transfer credit, see Transfer Credit. Some departments and programs have additional restrictions on transfer credit. Requests for transfer credit must be approved for Rice equivalency by the designated transfer credit advisor for the appropriate academic department offering the Rice equivalent course (corresponding to the subject code of the course content). The Office of Academic Advising maintains the university’s official list of transfer credit advisors on their website: https://oaa.rice.edu. Students are encouraged to meet with the applicable transfer credit advisor as well as their academic program director when considering transfer credit possibilities.
Program Transfer Credit Guidelines
Students pursuing the major in Social Policy Analysis should be aware of the following program-specific transfer credit guideline:
- No more than 2 courses (6 credit hours) of transfer credit from U.S. or international universities of similar standing may apply towards the major.
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the Social Policy Analysis website: https://sopa.rice.edu/.
Opportunities for the BA Degree with a Major in Social Policy Analysis
Academic Honors
The university recognizes academic excellence achieved over an undergraduate’s academic history at Rice. For information on university honors, please see Latin Honors (summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude) and Distinction in Research and Creative Work. Some departments have department-specific Honors awards or designations.
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the Social Policy Analysis website: https://sopa.rice.edu/.