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Course Catalog

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Detailed Information

Programs of Study

The Heller School offers graduate degree programs designed explicitly to bridge the gap between theory and practice in a stimulating and supportive learning environment. The newest program is the Master of Public Policy (M.P.P.) in social policy, with concentrations in health; behavioral health; children, youth, and families; poverty alleviation and development; and aging policy. A joint M.A./M.P.P. with Jewish Professional Leadership is also offered. The M.P.P. program is designed to train a new generation of social policy experts to design social policies, draft effective legislation, understand how values shape policies, study finance mechanisms, and use social science techniques to evaluate the effectiveness, fairness, and impact of public policy. M.P.P. students enroll in the program for two traditional academic years. The program provides the skills necessary to design, implement, reform, analyze, and bring to scale innovative solutions to society’s most critical problems.

Policy research is distinct from theoretical research in its application to specific problems in government, business, or nonprofit organizational settings. The M.P.P. core curriculum provides students with the broad range of tools that today’s policy analyst needs in order to evaluate, create, and recommend policy options to solve complex social problems.

Heller M.P.P. graduates will be prepared for careers in government policy analysis at every public-sector level: federal, state, county, and municipal; policy research in consulting firms, think tanks, or policy offices in the nonprofit or private sector; implementation of policies in the public and private sector; business settings where policy has an impact on the industry; and advocacy on certain issues or lobbying for specific policies and legislation representing important stakeholder groups, from civil rights to business interests

Since its founding in 1959 as the University’s first professional school, the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University has been committed to developing new knowledge and insights in the fields of social policy research and health and human services management. Faculty members and students actively engage in examining policies and programs that respond to the changing needs of vulnerable individuals and social groups in society. Heller has pioneered in the policy areas of domestic and international health; mental health; substance abuse; children, youth, and families; aging; international development; hunger and poverty; and work, inequality, and social change. The faculty represents many social science disciplines and includes both scholars and practitioners.

Research Facilities

Students benefit from association with an expert research staff in numerous policy centers conducting nationally and internationally significant projects in a wide range of areas. Some of these are described in the final section of this narrative. Heller’s degree and course offerings reflect the work of the Schneider Institutes for Health Policy; the Institute on Assets and Social Policy; the Institute for Child, Youth and Family Policy; and the Center for International Development.

Financial Aid

The Heller School awards a number of generous partial tuition remission scholarships. Candidates for admission are expected to explore a variety of outside funding sources, such as private scholarships and government loan programs. Forms may be obtained from the Office of Admissions. Aid decisions are made on the combined basis of financial need and academic merit.

Cost of Study

For 2007–08, the full-time (two semesters) cost of study was $34,566. Part-time study was $3200 per course.

Living and Housing Costs

The minimum yearly cost of living is estimated at $12,000. Limited graduate housing is available on campus; rent for a one-bedroom apartment nearby ranges from $500 to $800 per month.

Student Group

The M.P.P. program enrolled 13 students in 2007–08. Most graduated from their undergraduate programs within the past five years and had some professional experience at entrance.

Location

Located in Waltham, Massachusetts, 16 miles west of Boston, Brandeis University is part of a metropolitan area that includes educational institutions, museums and galleries, theaters, cultural events, and other attractions of the city. Students are able to travel easily into Cambridge or Boston via either the commuter train or public bus, both of which stop within steps of the campus.

The University

Brandeis University is ranked in the top tier of the nation’s universities. It is the youngest private research university in the country. The Heller School is committed to developing new knowledge and insights in the fields of social policy, sustainable development, and in health and human services management. As a research institution, Heller has pioneered in a variety of policy areas, including mental health, substance abuse, international and community development, developmental disabilities, and poverty and hunger.

Applying

Application forms and financial aid information can be obtained from the Office of Admissions. Students must submit a completed application, transcripts, recommendations, writing samples, resume, and GRE scores. The application fee is $55. M.P.P. applications are accepted continuously on a rolling admissions basis until the class is full. Although professional experience is desirable for M.P.P. candidates, admission is granted to applicants who show a clear, demonstrated career path. Prospective applicants are invited to attend information sessions held monthly between September and March.

The Faculty and Research Staff and Selected Policy Centers and Institutes

• Faculty
• Stuart H. Altman, Sol C. Chaiken Professor of National Health Policy and Dean; Ph.D., UCLA.
• Brenda Anderson, Adjunct Lecturer; Ph.D., Massachusetts Amherst.
• Jeffrey Ashe, Adjunct Professor; M.A., Boston University.
• Lawrence Neil Bailis, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Harvard.
• Sarita Bhalotra, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Brandeis.
• Christine E. Bishop, Professor and Director, Ph.D. Program; Ph.D., Harvard.
• David Boyer, Adjunct Lecturer; M.S., Antioch New England.
• Jon A. Chilingerian, Associate Professor; Ph.D., MIT.
• Susan P. Curnan, Associate Professor; M.F.S., Yale.
• Michael T. Doonan, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Brandeis.
• Stephen Fournier, Lecturer; Ph.D., MIT.
• Barry L. Friedman, Professor; Ph.D., MIT.
• Deborah Garnick, Professor; Sc.D., Johns Hopkins.
• David G. Gil, Professor of Social Policy; D.S.W., Pennsylvania.
• Jody Hoffer Gittell, Professor; Ph.D., MIT.
• Ricardo A. Godoy, Professor; Ph.D., Columbia.
• Maria Green, Assistant Professor; J.D., Harvard.
• Jose Suaya Grezzi, Lecturer; Ph.D., Brandeis.
• Andrew B. Hahn, Professor; Ph.D., Brandeis.
• Anita Hill, Professor of Social Policy, Law, and Women’s Studies; J.D., Yale.
• Dominic Hodgkin, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Boston University.
• Susan Holcombe, Professor of the Practice; Ph.D., NYU.
• Constance M. Horgan, Professor; Sc.D., Johns Hopkins.
• Milton Obote Joshua, Adjunct Lecturer; M.A., Nairobi.
• Sajed Kamal, Adjunct Lecturer; Ph.D., Boston University.
• Attila O. Klein, Adjunct Lecturer; Ph.D., Indiana.
• Lorraine Klerman, Professor; Dr.P.H., Harvard.
• Marty Wyngaarden Krauss, Professor and Provost; Ph.D., Brandeis.
• Ravi Lakshmikanthan, Lecturer; M.A., Brandeis.
• Walter N. Leutz, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Brandeis.
• Thomas McLaughlin, Adjunct Lecturer; M.B.A., Boston University.
• Ellen Messer, Adjunct Lecturer; Ph.D., Michigan.
• Phyllis H. Mutschler, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Brandeis.
• A. K. Nandakumar, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Boston University.
• Huong H. Nguyen, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Michigan State.
• Eric Olson, Adjunct Lecturer; Ph.D., Pennsylvania.
• Jeffrey Prottas, Professor; Ph.D., MIT.
• Jehan Raheem, Adjunct Professor; M.B.A., CUNY, Baruch.
• Carol A. (Kelley) Ready, Adjunct Lecturer; Ph.D., CUNY Graduate Center.
• Laura Roper, Adjunct Lecturer; Ph.D., Pennsylvania.
• Leonard Saxe, Professor; Ph.D., Pittsburgh.
• Ann Seidman, Adjunct Lecturer; Ph.D., Wisconsin.
• Robert Seidman, Adjunct Professor; LL.M., Columbia.
• Thomas Shapiro, Pokross Professor of Law and Social Policy; Ph.D., Washington (St. Louis).
• Donald Shepard, Professor; Ph.D., Harvard.
• Joseph Short, Adjunct Professor; Ph.D., Columbia.
• Laurence Simon, Professor; Ph.D., Clark.
• Christopher Tompkins, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Brandeis.
• Stanley S. Wallack, Professor; Ph.D., Washington (St. Louis).
• David Whalen, Adjunct Lecturer; M.B.A., Brandeis.
• Professors Emeriti
• Jim Callahan, Ph.D., Brandeis.
• Janet Giele, Ph.D., Harvard.
• Ken Jones, Ed.D., Harvard.
• Norman R. Kurtz, Ph.D., Colorado.
• Robert Perlman, Ph.D., Brandeis.
• James H. Schulz, Ph.D., Yale.
• Roland Warren, Ph.D., Heidelberg.
• Constance Williams, Ph.D., Brandeis.
• Research Staff
• Janet Boguslaw, Senior Research Associate; Ph.D., Boston College.
• Mary Brolin, Senior Research Associate; Ph.D., Brandeis.
• Cathy Burack, Senior Research Associate; Ed.D., Harvard.
• Garen Corbett, Senior Research Associate; M.S., Massachusetts.
• Marilyn Daley, Senior Research Associate; Ph.D., Brandeis.
• Joseph Frees, Senior Research Associate; Ph.D., Minnesota.
• Deborah Gurewich, Senior Research Associate; Ph.D., Brandeis.
• Della Hughes, Senior Research Associate; M.S.S.W., Tennessee; M.Div., Vanderbilt.
• Joan Kaufman, Senior Scientist; Sc.D., Harvard.
• Christopher Kingsley, Senior Program Associate; B.S., Clarkson.
• Peter Kreiner, Scientist; Ph.D., USC.
• Brad Krevor, Senior Research Associate; Ph.D., Boston University.
• Susan Lanspery, Senior Research Associate; Ph.D., Brandeis.
• A. James Lee, Senior Scientist; Ph.D., Wisconsin.
• Margaret T. Lee, Scientist; Ph.D., Berkeley.
• Tim Martin, Senior Research Associate; Ph.D., Brandeis.
• Alan Melchior, Senior Research Associate; B.A., Brandeis.
• Elizabeth Merrick, Scientist; Ph.D., Brandeis.
• Sharon Reif, Scientist; Ph.D., Brandeis.
• Grant Ritter, Senior Scientist and Lecturer; Ph.D., Cornell.
• Amy Smalarz, Senior Research Associate; Ph.D., Brandeis.
• William Stason, Senior Scientist; M.D., Harvard.
• Cindy Thomas, Senior Scientist; Ph.D., Brandeis.
• Elizabeth Tighe, Senior Research Associate; Ph.D., Brandeis.
• Sandra Venner, Senior Program Associate; M.S.S.W., Wisconsin.
• Marjorie Erickson Warfield, Scientist; Ph.D., Brandeis.
• Selected Policy Centers and Institutes
• Lurie Institute for Disability Policy: Through research, policy development, education, and public engagement, the Lurie Institute helps people with disabilities, particularly autism, successfully integrate into the mainstream of society. The University’s ongoing scientific research into developmental disabilities, including autism, inform the Lurie Institute’s activities, providing a comprehensive approach to addressing disability issues across the lifespan.
• Sillerman Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy: As an academic center, the Sillerman Center is committed to expanding knowledge in philanthropy through education, research, and knowledge-based action and influencing social policies.
• Schneider Institutes for Health Policy (SIHP): Established in 1978, SIHP conducts domestic and international research in the broad areas of financing, organization, value, high-cost and high-risk populations, and health technologies. SIHP is composed of its two prestigious affiliated institutes:
• Institute for Behavioral Health (IBH): IBH focuses on the intersection of health, behavior, and systems of care, with an emphasis on the linkages among these areas. Its premise is that these systems can be better used to promote healthier lifestyles and to assist individuals to engage in behaviors that lead to better health.
• Institute on Healthcare Systems (IHS): IHS examines health care from a systems perspective, focusing on how health-care organizations function and the relationship between these organizations, their health-care professionals, and their impact on the coordination of patient care. The affiliates of IHS are the Council on Health Care Economics and Policy, a council of independent, nonpartisan recognized experts in economics and health policy that conducts research and convenes top experts on key health policy research areas; the Health Industry Forum, a new initiative committed to engaging leaders across the health-care community in constructive dialogue and action through cutting-edge research on improving the quality and value of health care; and the Massachusetts Health Policy Forum, which brings public and private health-care leaders together to engage in focused discussions on critical health policy challenges facing the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
• Institute on Assets and Social Policy (IASP): IASP generates policy ideas that broaden wealth, reduce inequality, and improve the social and economic mobility of low-income American households by promoting asset building. Working in partnership with a wide range of organizations, the IASP bridges the worlds of academic research, government policy-making, and the interests of constituencies. IASP’s two affiliates are the Center on Hunger and Poverty, which promotes policies that improve the lives of low-income children and families, and the National Program on Women and Aging, which focuses national attention on the special concerns of women as they age to develop solutions and strategies for dealing with these concerns and to reach out to women and organizations across the country, promoting the changes necessary to improve older women's lives.
• Center for International Development (CID): CID is a research and training group working in partnership with development organizations and universities abroad and in the United States. Its faculty, researchers, and students are engaged in research that furthers knowledge about sustainable development and helps build local capacity to solve problems and plan sound development strategies.
• Institute for Child, Youth and Family Policy(ICYFP): ICYFP brings together faculty, research staff, and students in activities that foster the well-being of children, adolescents, and their families. The institute has a wide-ranging portfolio of research and public engagement projects dealing with vulnerable or disenfranchised populations, reflecting the Heller School's dedication to the concept of knowledge advancing social justice. ICYFP has two affiliated centers.
• Nathan and Toby Starr Center for Retardation: The Nathan and Toby Starr Center focuses its research on the impact on families of lifelong caregiving for a member with mental retardation, the effectiveness of early intervention services on children and families, health-care systems for children with special health-care needs, and organizational and policy issues in the expansion of community-based services for persons with disabilities.
• Center for Youth and Communities (CYC): CYC has established a national reputation as one of the nation's leading research centers and professional development and policy organizations in youth and community development. The center's ultimate goal is to "make knowledge productive" by connecting the knowledge gained from scholarly research and practical experience in ways that help both policy-makers and practitioners.

Correspondence and Information

Brandeis University
Office of Admissions
The Heller School for Social Policy and Management/MS 035
Waltham, Massachusetts 02454-9110
Telephone: 781-736-3820
Fax: 781-736-2774
Email: helleradmissions@brandeis.edu