The Education Policy Specialization is designed to provide students with the background, concepts, and tools necessary to understand and address policy problems in education. The specialization’s curriculum will afford students opportunities to expose themselves to the multiple disciplines and fields that speak to global and domestic education challenges, such as labor economics, public economics, development economics, development psychology, behavioral science, mechanism design, sociology, and education and child studies.

In addition to the course requirements, students electing the specialization will be encouraged to participate in Committee on Education (COE)-sponsored events, as well as events sponsored by student organizations such as EPSA (Education Policy Students Association). 

Application Process

The specialization is open to any University of Chicago graduate student. Harris students please indicate your intent to pursue this specialization using the Harris Specialization Declaration Form.

University of Chicago students from outside Harris can pursue this specialization so long as they will complete it by spring 2025. Please submit the Harris Specialization Application for Non-Harris Students to indicate you are pursuing this specialization.

For specialization registration questions, please reach out to harrisregistration@uchicago.edu.

Planning for the Specialization

For information on which quarter(s) each course will be offered, see the Harris Courses page and filter by specialization. For courses offered by other divisions, your academic advisor can provide information on when the course is typically offered.

Specialization Requirements

The specialization requires completion of two of three required courses, along with one additional course from the elective or required course list. Students must achieve at least a B- grade in each course, and there is no pass/fail option. The courses do not need to be taken in a particular order. Note that not all of these courses will be offered each year. Students should complete the formal signup process to indicate their intention to pursue the specialization.

Required Courses (at least two)

Elective Courses

  • PPHA 35710 Introduction to Economics of Education
  • PPHA 41740 Gender and Policy
  • CHDV 44300 Children and Youth Studies
  • EDSO 33002 Schooling and Identity
  • EDSO 33006 Schooling and Social Inequality (open to EdSo students only)
  • EDSO 33011 Beyond the Culture Wars: Social Movements and the Politics of Education
  • EDSO 40315 Inequality in Urban Spaces
  • MAPS 30128 Sociology of Education 
  • SOCI 30112 / PPHA 44650 Applications of Hierarchical Models in Longitudinal and Multilevel Research (must fill out substitution form).
  • SOCI 30192 The Effects of Schooling
  • SSAD 44800 Urban Adolescents in Their Families, Communities, and Schools

Specialization Contact

Anjali Adukia, Specialization Director

Anjali Adukia

Assistant Professor

Anjali Adukia

Anjali Adukia’s research is focused on understanding factors that influence educational decisions and the potential role for institutions, such as government agencies and nonprofit organizations, to improve child outcomes, particularly at the intersection of education and health.