Students will gain leadership skills and boost their engagement in democracy through learning from policy professionals, elected officials, and civic leaders.
Spring 2024
Strategies and Skills for Civic Leadership
Instructor: Emily Bhandari
Open to: Currently enrolled LBJ students
The principal objective of the course is to build skills and offer opportunities to practice what is needed to become an effective civic leader, including: as an everyday citizen; as an organization leader; or as an elected or appointed official.
Students will get to hear from active professionals about their career journeys and receive personalized feedback reports on their own leadership strengths.
Students will have increased their knowledge and skills about public leadership and will feel more confident in their ability to engage in civic life.
The Politics and Issues of the Election Cycle
Instructor: Evan Smith
Open to: Currently enrolled LBJ students
This course will focus on the 2024 election cycle — both the primaries (the first half of the semester) and the general election (the second half). Each class will be built around the central ideas of the moment in politics as well as the handful of issues atop of the campaign season's agenda.
We’ll have big-name guests visit our class each week, in person and virtually, to discuss what's really going on: in races and in parties, in the halls of government, from one end of the state to the other, and along the treacherous path from Texas to D.C. This class will put you in the intimate company of some of the most powerful and celebrated figures in politics and policy.
Psychology for Policy Analysis
Instructor: Becca North
Open to: Currently enrolled LBJ students
This course will explore how psychological research relates to public policy, including the design and analysis of public policy.
Findings from the field of psychology have implications for the development, evaluation, and analysis of policies that affect individual citizens, as well as the functioning and health of organizations that set policy. This course will guide students in thinking about the implications and applications of psychological research for public policy.
A central goal of the course is to expand students’ capacity to be effective agents of change.
Maymester in D.C.: Effective Advocacy for Influencing Federal Policymaking
Instructor: Emily Bhandari
Open to: All currently enrolled UT students and non-degree seeking professionals
Democracy functions best when policymakers receive information on the likely impacts of proposed policy. Located in Washington D.C., students will learn effective advocacy strategies and skills directly from active professionals.
Students will be able to develop an advocacy plan; frame an issue and present a cause to stakeholders; lead education campaigns; motivate decision-makers; recognize allies; and identify threats to success. Students will hear from elected officials, legislative staff, interest group leaders, lobbyists, communication professionals, and think tank representatives.
Fall 2024
Strategies and Skills for Winning Campaigns and Elections
Instructor: Emily Bhandari
Open to: Currently enrolled LBJ students
This course will give students the knowledge they need to win campaigns and elections.
Sessions will help build skills in fundraising, campaign math, voter databases, crafting effective messages, talking with the media, getting your message out through earned or paid media, polling, and volunteer management.
Speakers will include active political professionals who will share their on-the-ground insights for gaining support and building a winning campaign. As a result of attending this course, students will have increased their knowledge about the dynamics of political campaigns and will feel confident in their ability to implement effective strategies to win.