The major in social policy and public service (SPPS) provides an interdisciplinary perspective on the study of society, both at the individual and group level. Using the knowledge and methods of all social science disciplines, a student majoring in social policy and public service develops the skills to think clearly about social concepts and issues.
Through SPPS, students can integrate a curriculum that focuses on governance, community management, leadership, and social service. Grounded in research, the curriculum highlights societal inequalities and partners with local non-profit and government agencies to facilitate student learning and 300 hours of field work and internships. The non-profit organizations serve as field placements to complete ethnographic research. Further, the three-quarter field placement facilitates the development of community skills, leadership, mentoring relationships with community supervisors, and networking. Majors use their classroom knowledge in applied and individual learning experiences, such as internships, field studies, or research with a faculty advisor.
Dr. Castellanos directs the SPPS major. If you have any questions about the major, please email Dr. Castellanos at castellj@uci.edu