School of Public and International Affairs
Director: A. Khademian
Executive Committee: G. Datz, A. Eckerd, K. Hult, T. Luke, K. Wernstedt, and D. Zahm
Web: www.spia.vt.edu
Overview
The School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) provides opportunities for students interested in public issues to gain perspectives and skills from several related disciplines. SPIA is a school within the College of Architecture and Urban Studies, and is comprised of the Center for Public Administration and Policy, the Government and International Affairs Program, and the Urban Affairs and Planning Program. Undergraduate degrees are offered by Urban Affairs and Planning – a B.S. in Environmental Policy and Planning and a B.A. in Public and Urban Affairs (see Urban Affairs and Planning in this catalog).
SPIA sponsors the Washington Semester, a ten-week summer program that allows undergraduate students to combine Washington, D.C.-area internships with course work for academic credit. For more information about undergraduate degree programs, students should contact Urban Affairs and Planning. Information on graduate programs may be obtained from the Center for Public Administration and Policy, Government and International Affairs, and Urban Affairs and Planning.
Undergraduate Course Descriptions (SPIA)
1024: COMMUNITY SERVICE LEARNING
An introduction to community service learning with emphasis
on the development of civic agency. Critical perspectives
on community, ethical community engagement, service and
volunteerism, servant leadership, and social change.
Exposure to the socio-political dynamics inherent in
community development and problem solving. Includes
significant community engagement and service-learning
experiences, reflection, and the development of a personal
community engagement action plan.
(3H,3C)
2024: COMMUNITY SYSTEMS THINKING
Introduction to systems thinking concepts and their
application to community-based problem solving and
decision making. Emphasis on identifying interactions
between technical and contextual dimensions of
persistent, complex global problems. Introduces systemic
frameworks for defining problems, identifying and engaging
stakeholders, ideating interventions, selecting and
employing criteria for decision making, and creating
feedback mechanisms for iterative design. Ethics of
community engagement is considered. Includes problem-
based service-learning projects.
(3H,3C)
2984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.
3954: STUDY ABROAD
Variable credit course.
4784: COMMUNITY SYSTEMS CAPSTONE
Collaborative community problem solving in team environment.
Data collection, interpretation, and presentation augment
community-based, iterative design and planning processes.
Consideration of ethical engagement and community goals
related to social justice, resilience, and sustainability.
Discourse-based project culminating in presentation of
intervention proposals to stakeholders. Pre: 3 credits in
Discourse.
Pre: 1024, 2024.
(3H,3C)
4964: FIELD WORK/PRACTICUM
Variable credit course. X-grade allowed.
4984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.