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A Great Pitt Honors College Essay Example

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The University of Pittsburgh is a large public university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that is known for its great academics. The David C. Frederick Honors College at Pitt offers even more opportunities to a select group of talented students. Given the highly selective nature of the Pitt Honors College, you need to have strong essays to help your application stand out and gain admission. In this post, we’ll share a real essay a student submitted to the University of Pittsburgh Honors College, and outline its strengths and areas of improvement. (Names and identifying information have been changed, but all other details are preserved).

Please note: Looking at examples of real essays students have submitted to colleges can be very beneficial to get inspiration for your essays. You should never copy or plagiarize from these examples when writing your own essays. Colleges can tell when an essay isn’t genuine and will not view students favorably if they plagiarized. 

Read our Pitt essay breakdown to get a comprehensive overview of this year’s supplemental prompts.

Prompt: If you could change anything in the world, what would it be? Explain why and how you would change it. (No word count given)

While growing up, I was constantly reminded about my health. When I would rant about my trivial problems, my mother would respond with: “the most important thing is you are healthy.” As a young and naive child, this response irritated me. I never understood the blessing of good health until I was diagnosed with migraines. Every month I was met with throbbing headaches that made me lose all sensation and control of my body.

On one New Year’s Eve, I went to visit family friends with my father and sister. The flashing lights on the television and little sleep triggered a migraine attack. Without my mother present, everyone was unfamiliar with my frightening symptoms. Out of panic, they decided to call an ambulance. That one simple call and visit resulted in a one-year battle with our insurance company. For months on end, my mother argued against the unfair and hurtful statements the insurance listed as reasons for their refusal of payment. These endless calls brought about extreme stress and frustration, but we did not have the means to pay. There was no other option but to keep on fighting.

This was my first memorable experience with healthcare and its failures. From that day forward, I associated care with payment. I became worried about affording medical treatment at an early age. And so, if I had the power to change the world, I would make healthcare more affordable. Every individual deserves to be treated without the worry of a costly bill.

While I realize that affordable healthcare is a point of debate in our nation, I maintain my stance that it is a human right. I also understand that it will take years to put into place, but this does not discourage me. I can help start the change. With Pitt Honors, I will be exposed to interactive research, a matched mentor, and personalized co-curricular activities. I will be able to become a skilled nurse with critical thinking abilities. With the development of leadership skills, I plan to make a difference. Whether it be taking a high position role at a no-cost clinic or shaping healthcare reforms, I know Pitt Honors College will help me achieve my dream. Whether it be taking a high position role at a no-cost clinic or shaping healthcare reforms, I plan to make a difference.

What the Essay Did Well

Something that makes this essay strong is how it takes time to tell a story and build an understanding for the author before we even learn what they would change about the world. The essay begins by introducing the idea of health, but because we aren’t told what they want to change yet, we are compelled to keep reading. Then, the anecdote helps us appreciate the personal connection this student has to affordable healthcare. They take the time to fully flesh out the context needed to answer the why aspect of the prompt, while at the same time building suspense for the what .

Additionally, this student went above and beyond the prompt by connecting it back to Pitt. They weren’t explicitly asked to discuss how an education from the Pitt Honors Program would help them change the world, but by including this paragraph it demonstrates genuine interest in the school. If an essay can prove that you can only accomplish your goals — especially such impressive ones like changing the world — by taking advantage of unique opportunities at that specific school, then admissions officers might feel they are denying you the chance to reach your full potential by not accepting you.

What Could Be Improved

The area that could use the most improvement in this essay is the last paragraph dedicated to Pitt. Although it’s great that this student took the extra step to include how attending the Honors College will allow them to achieve their goals, the paragraph is a bit vague. To improve it, there should be more specific details, about classes, programs, professors, etc, to show that they have done their research and think taking advantage of these offerings are the only way to change the world. 

For example, the essay says, “With the development of leadership skills, I plan to make a difference.” This sentence would be far stronger if the student mentioned a specific club or volunteer program they want to be a part of and how emerging as a leader in that experience would help them become a leader in the medical field. Or, they mention the Honors College will expose them to research and match them with a mentor, but they don’t elaborate on this. 

The entire paragraph could have just been dedicated to one specific professor whose research aligns with affordable healthcare and what this student hopes to learn from them. Having a more focused and detailed approach to why you want to attend a college will always make for a stronger essay than briefly touching on general opportunities offered at most schools. 

Want feedback like this on your University of Pittsburgh essay before you submit? We offer expert essay review by advisors who have helped students get into their dream schools. You can book a review with an expert to receive notes on your topic, grammar, and essay structure to make your essay stand out to admissions officers.

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How to write the pitt honors college application essays, school supplements.

UPDATE: The Pitt Honors College application essays have been updated for 2020-21.   Learn all about the changes!

To win admittance to the University of Pittsburgh Honors College, you'll have to respond to two short answer questions. Like the other Pitt essays ( check out our guide here ) the Pitt Honors essays are to the point, with a recommended length of 200-300 words. The prompts give you the perfect opportunity to display two traits that are essential for any Pitt Honors College student: contribution to the public good, and intellectual curiosity.

Let's start by looking at the Pitt Honors College application essay prompts!

In lieu of an essay or personal statement, we ask interested applicants to answer short answer questions. The Admissions Committee reviews responses for quality rather than length. However, the most effective responses typically range from 200-300 words per question. Responses that are longer or shorter are acceptable.

• An important emphasis of PittHonors is working for the public good. Please describe how you have worked for the public good in the past and how you expect to continue to do so as a student at the University of Pittsburgh and after graduation.
• A hallmark of students in PittHonors is intellectual curiosity. Please describe how you have demonstrated intellectual curiosity in the past and how you expect to manifest that intellectual curiosity as a student at the University of Pittsburgh.

Step One: Past Evidence

The key to both of the Pitt Honors application essay prompts is that phrase "in the past." This tells you that Pitt wants you to describe specific incidents from your life when you have demonstrated these key qualities. That is, don't just tell them you like to give back, and that you are passionate about learning, give them the evidence!

Try a brainstorming exercise to come up with ideas. Open up a new document, or grab a notebook, and write down as many answers as you can think of to the following questions.

Public Good : What's an issue that you care about? What have you done to raise awareness of that issue? Can you think of a time where you made one or more people’s lives better? What communities are you a part of (school, neighborhood, church, clubs, etc.)? How would they be different if you weren't there? What is something you frequently do that others in your community will miss when you are in college? What in your world wouldn't exist without you, or wouldn't be the same without you?

Intellectual Curiosity : What is a subject or topic you learn just for the fun of it? Describe a time you found yourself immersed in a topic. What did you learn? How did it change how you think about the world, yourself, or others? What was your favorite school project, and how did it inspire you or affect your plans for the future?How do you seek out additional learning outside school, whether it's through programs or independent learning? Are there any barriers you have overcome to gain knowledge? How did you overcome them?

Step Two: Future Plans

Both Pitt Honor essay prompts also ask you to look to the future. This is a perfect opportunity to connect your goals to specific resources at Pitt. This time, start with research. Browse the University of Pittsburgh website (paying particular attention to the Honors College section ) and use it to help answer the following questions.

Public Good : What's the problem in the world that you would most like to solve? How would a degree from Pitt (especially a BPhil from the Honors College) equip you to solve it? What classes (especially honors classes ) or academic resources would you use to prepare yourself? How would you utilize PittServes ? Are there any community service or advocacy organizations at Pitt that you want to join? How do they connect to work you've done in the past, or work you hope to do in the future?

Intellectual Curiosity : What are some specific classes or honors classes , inside or outside your major, that relate to the topic or project you want to discuss in your essay? If you were to apply for an Honors undergraduate fellowship , what project would you use it to fund? Are there any intriguing centers or institutes at Pitt that relate to the topic you want to discuss? Are there any specific professors that interest you, or Pitt grads working in the field you are passionate about?

Remember, these essays should work together! They can complement each other, or even cover the same passion, but you don't want to repeat your specific evidence between essays. Let's take a look at an example student's brainstorming list.

Public Good

• Past evidence
• Volunteering to teach self-expression through art at a camp for children dealing with grief.
• Future plans
• Advocate for art therapy in schools
• Seminar in Composition: Service Learning
• Community research project with a local outreach group for refugees

Intellectual Curiosity

• Art history project- drawing a portrait of mom in ten different historical styles
• Honors research fellowship in art history
• Internship with Collecting Knowledge Pittsburgh consortium
• Studio Arts option in History of Art and Architecture major

As you can see, both brainstorming lists cover the student's interest in art, but mention different resources at Pitt and tell different stories from the student's life.

Step Three: Put it all Together

When you sit down to write the Pitt Honors essays, keep the structure simple and straightforward. You don't have time to set the scene! Instead, begin by summarizing the biggest, most important takeaway from the story you are telling. For example:

• "When I decided to create a Monet-style picture of my mom for her birthday, I had no idea it would lead to a year-long, ten-painting project that would cover the entire history of European art."

Aim to spend two thirds of each essay on "past evidence" (that is, a story about something you've done that shows your contribution or intellectual curiosity) and one third on "future plans" (specific resources at Pitt that connect to your interests and motivations).

Remember, the most important part of writing the Pitt Honors application essays is finding the right topics, so don't skimp on the brainstorming and research. (If you need more help figuring out what to write about, sign up for a Prompt account to get access to our free brainstorming tools .) Happy writing!

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University of Pittsburgh 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide 

University of pittsburgh 2023-24 application essay question explanations.

The Requirements: 1 essay of 200-300 words

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Oddball

Hello, future University of Pittsburgh grads. (We’re speaking it into existence!) The prompt below is only for applicants who wish to apply to Pitt Honors. Let’s dive in!

In lieu of an essay or personal statement, we ask interested applicants to answer a short answer question. The Admissions Committee reviews responses for quality rather than length. However, the most effective responses typically range from 200-300 words per question. Responses that are longer or shorter are acceptable. The question is required for Pitt Honors consideration.

Please select one of these questions., what is something you would like to see change in the world explain why..

The Admissions Committee wants to accept ambitious students who want to change the world for the better. So, if you could change anything in the world, what would it be? Take some time to brainstorm and write down anything that comes to mind. Maybe, if you had the power, you would make sure that no one in your city went to bed hungry. Why is this particular issue important to you? What steps would you take to enact this change? If, after reading this prompt, you immediately thought of something on the sillier side (flying cars! superpowers! robot dogs!), don’t be afraid to explore that topic and why it matters, too. As long as you are giving admissions better insight into who you are and what makes you tick, you’re on the right track. Let your imagination run wild and show the University of Pittsburgh admissions committee that you aren’t afraid to dream big.

If you had 10 minutes and the attention of a million people, what would your TED Talk be about?

We at CEA love this question because it’s a unique way of asking applicants the following questions: What do you care about and why? What’s important to you? What information do you wish other people had access to? Start by making a list of topics you could discuss or read about for hours. Maybe you’d like to use your TED Talk platform to speak about media literacy and how we can and should consider what we see online through the lens of the powers that dictate how and when we receive information. Perhaps you’d want to discuss AI art, plagiarism, and how it threatens human artists’ livelihoods. What keeps you up at night? What kind of positive effect do you want to have on the world? These are the questions you should be asking yourself when brainstorming for this prompt. Bonus points if you can speak to how a Pittsburgh education will prepare you to address this issue head-on in the future! 

What does it mean to be “educated”?

Since this question is for those applying to the honors college, we can assume that most applicants answering it are high-achievers in the traditional sense. But we all know that’s not the only type of education out there. Pitt is looking for a deeply considered, creatively written essay , so as we here at CEA so often recommend, grab a sheet of paper and start brainstorming! Which words, feelings, or characteristics do you associate with the word “educated?” Are there any people you can think of—people in your life, thought leaders, or even fictional characters—who don’t have a formal education but whom you would consider to be highly educated? What different kinds of education can you think of? In what ways are they different and in what ways are they fundamentally the same? Bonus points if you can describe how a Pitt degree would educate you in more than one way! 

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, upitt honors college essay requirements.

I'm applying to the University of Pittsburgh's Honors College and I'm wondering if there are any specific essay prompts or requirements I should be aware of? Or should I just focus on their general application? Thanks for any advice!

When applying to the University of Pittsburgh's Honors College, you will need to complete the general application as well as choose one of three Honors College-specific essay prompts to respond to. You can read up on how to tackle this extra essay on CollegeVine's blog: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-university-of-pittsburgh-essays.

If you're looking for help polishing your application, remember that CollegeVine offers both free peer essay reviews and paid reviews by expert college admissions advisors. Sometimes, getting a second set of eyes on your writing is just the thing that takes it from good to great.

Best of luck with your Pitt Honors College application!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

Frederick Honors College Application

The Frederick Honors College application will be available on Thursday, August 1, 2024 .

UPitt Honors Essays

I noticed that both the UPitt Honors essays had a 750 word limit. For the regular essays, I know it’s recommended that the essays be between 200-300 words. Does this apply to the UPitt Honors essays too or should I use the full 750 words?

Hi @mramesh

I just asked this question a couple of days ago on another thread, and I got a response from the Pitt AO who frequents the forum:

Hi @ShrimpBurrito they are essays which are different from short answers. There is no word count but he should write a well-structured essay. -Pitt Admissions Staffer

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Honors College Essay: Tips, Prompt examples and How to Write

Writing honors college essay

An honors college essay is an academic paper that students typically complete to establish entrance into an honors college, program, or division. An honors paper seeks to test students’ research skills and focus their analytical abilities on a subject of academic interest. 

Due to the specialized focus of the paper, students benefit from serious attention to the college essay topics, which are vital in developing the essay.

An Honors College essay is unique in terms of its requirements, structure, and background. The purpose of this article is to provide advice on writing and structuring an Honors College essay.

Which Universities do Ask for Honors College Essay

1) uci (university of california irvine) .

The UCI has two programs, the Academic Honors Program and the Honors Program. Both are popular with many members. They are not mutually exclusive, but they have different requirements and different goals.

The Academic Honors Program is for students who want to get recognized by their professors for academic achievement. It does not require an essay but several letters of recommendation from faculty members.

You should not apply to either program if you are only interested in one or the other because there is no guarantee that either program will accept your application or that you will gain acceptance into either program.

2) VCU (Virginia Commonwealth University)

The applicants must complete the 500-word Essay on Honors. The essay should address the following topics:

• Your interests and goals, especially as they pertain to your intended major(s) and career path(s). How do you feel about being a lifelong learner?
• Your ideas about leadership, including h
• How you would define leadership, what your leadership style is, how you would use your abilities as a leader to positively impact your community in and out of college, and how you would lead if given the opportunity.

3) NJT (New Jersey Institute of Technology)

NJT requires you to write an essay and submit it along with your application.

These honors college essays usually focus on your intellectual interests and experiences, using specific examples to illustrate your points. It’s essential to select an area you are interested in and know about. 

You should also pick something that you can write about easily; it will be evident if you are writing a research paper or other academic work instead of an honors college essay, so don’t try to fake it!

4) Purdue University

Purdue University’s Honors College focuses on scholarship, leadership, research, and engagement by integrating residential and co-curricular learning opportunities with academic classroom experiences.

Your college application essay needs to breathe life into your application. It should capture your genuine personality, explaining who you are beyond a series of grades, test scores, and after-school activities. 

Take a minute and think about the college or university admission officers who will be reading your essay.

5) Stony Brook University

The Stony Brook Honors College provides an exceptional opportunity for students who want to pursue a challenging course of study in the company of talented peers. Your essay should be no longer than three double-spaced pages and should address certain questions.

It is an opportunity to explain an event that took place on any day in history; what would that event be? Discuss why you chose this particular day. Also, as this question, what do you hope to learn/experience by being present?

How to Write a Good Honors College Essay

Honors college essays follow a formal style with a clear structure. To get your honors college essay, follow these tips:

• Think about the prompt and what you want to say.
• Brainstorm.
• Organize your thoughts into a logical outline.
• Write your introduction.
• End with a conclusion that sums up the main points of your argument and connects those points back to the prompt.

Technically, the honors college essay can be a five-paragraph essay, but it should be more than that.

It should be closer to a 10-paragraph essay, with an introduction and conclusion paragraph that are each about four or five sentences long.

The introduction and conclusion paragraphs should be about the same size. The middle of the essay should be about three paragraphs long, and each of them should be about four to five sentences long.

1. Introduction 

The introduction should have a hook which is a catchy sentence or two that gets the reader interested in reading your essay. Furthermore, it should have an explanation of why you want to go to Honors College: This is usually possible in one sentence. 

Also, there should be a thesis statement. This is usually evident in one sentence at the end of the paragraph. The thesis statement tells the reader what you plan to write about in your essay. For example: “I want to attend honors college because of their strong pre-med program.”

Write the body of your paper using transition words to connect your ideas and explain the connections between them.

The middle paragraphs should include an explanation of why you have chosen your career path and why you are interested. 

3. Conclusion

End with a strong conclusion that ties together everything you discussed within your paper, providing important takeaways for readers as well as leaving them feeling satisfied with what they just read.

Takeaways 

• You are writing an essay, not a text message. In other words, please use complete sentences and correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation. If proper English is not your strong suit, enlist someone proficient at it to help edit your essay.
• Be specific about what you want to study and why. Do not just say that you want an education; tell the reader what kind of education you want and why. This is particularly important if you plan to study something that you did not find at your high school. 
• The readers do not expect you to know everything about the field you plan to enter. They expect that you give serious consideration to it and explain why you want to pursue it beyond the fact that “it sounds interesting” or “it pays well.”
• Proofread your essays before sending them in. Errors will distract from whatever else is in those essays and may give us a negative impression of your abilities.

Things to Remember about Honor Essays

The honors essay is one of your best chances to stand out in a meaningful way from other applicants, so be sure to invest time in crafting a great response.

The admission office is looking for the following:

• The office wants to know that you understand what makes the honors program special. We have a diverse group of students and faculty who are passionate about learning and interacting across disciplines.
• What do you think this will mean for you? How will you take advantage of being in an environment that values interdisciplinary thinking?
• Your accomplishments. Let the audience know your talents. Have you excelled academically? What leadership roles have you taken on, or awards have you won? They want to discover what drives your passion for learning, leadership, and service.
• Your plans for the future. The honors program will prepare you for success beyond your skills, whether that’s graduate school or medical school, or a career in a completely different field. 

Examples of Honors College Essay Topics

• Considering your lifetime goals, explain how your present and future academic activities will assist you in achieving your goals. 
• Settle for an issue of importance to you, whether it is political, personal, local, or international related. Then, craft an essay to explain the significance of that issue to yourself, your community, and your generation. 

When not handling complex essays and academic writing tasks, Josh is busy advising students on how to pass assignments. In spare time, he loves playing football or walking with his dog around the park.

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Honors Courses

Dig deeper into your interests by taking Frederick Honors College courses, which are both more challenging and more interesting. In these courses, you will engage in the material with richer analysis, cutting-edge tools, and through the lens of culture and society. Frederick Honors College faculty fellows, specialists from across the University, design and teach our courses with the intellectual needs of our students in mind. With the spring 2024 term around the corner, start looking at honors course options for your schedule!

Enrolling in Honors courses

Use PeopleSoft/Campus Experience (CX) to find the list of all Honors courses being offered. On the Class Search page, select Frederick Honors Course in the Course Attribute pull-down menu to get the list.

If you do not meet the enrollment requirements for an Honors course, you must contact the professor teaching the course to obtain their permission to enroll in it. When you email the professor, explain why you're interested in taking the course and offer details about any skills/experiences you will bring to the course.

If the professor is willing to waive the enrollment requirements to allow you to enroll in the course, the professor can direct you to someone in their department who can issue you a permission number, or the professor can send an email message to David Hornyak ( [email protected] ) with the following information:

• The course department and number (e.g., HIST 1234)
• Your email address
• Your PeopleSoft ID number

You will be emailed a permission number in return.

Honors Course Enhancement Contracts

Honors course enhancement contracts allow David C. Frederick Honors College students the opportunity to earn course credit for Honors Degree or Honors Distinction program requirements in an undergraduate course that does not already fulfill an FHC requirement.

Examples of courses approved for FHC requirements that cannot have a course enhancement include:

• Courses with the Frederick Honors Course attribute
• Courses with the High Impact Attribute Values of Undergraduate Research, Undergraduate Internship, and Capstone Course
• Courses with the Civic Learning and Civic Learning + Engagement attributes
• Courses used to fulfill honors-approved certificates/programs
• Courses that have an honors version of it available (e.g., introductory biology, chemistry, physics, etc.)

Additionally, undergraduate courses with the writing intensive course (w-course) attribute cannot have an honors course enhancement contract associated with them.

Instructors are not obligated to agree to a request from a student to create an honors course enhancement contract for their class.

The experience and subsequent product(s) must engage the student beyond a more passive requirement, such as adding one additional paper for the class, although a paper may be one component of the deliverable.

Instructors and students are encouraged to be creative in their approach by considering:

• Presentations
• Individual research projects or assistance with instructor research
• Using innovative technologies
• Producing creative works
• Community engagement or service-learning projects
• Preparing and presenting class lectures or designing and testing lab projects
• Reflecting on intellectual development opportunities related to the course, such as visiting museums, galleries, archives, or attending guest lectures or seminars

An honors course enhancement may be designed for an individual student, or several students may work together under one contract.

A contract form (PDF)  is submitted to David Hornyak no later than the end of the add/drop period of the semester in which the course is being taught. The contract form includes details of how the course enhancement provides greater depth to the course and a description of the deliverable product(s). The contract form is signed by the student and the course instructor. If several students are working on the same enhancement project together, separate contract forms must be completed for each student, although the details about the enhancement project can be the same for all students involved.

At the end of the semester, David Hornyak will provide the instructor with an evaluation form through Qualtrics to assess the student’s performance and success in meeting the requirements of the contract. The evaluation is due when course grades are submitted.

The evaluation of the honors course enhancement contract is separate from the grading for the course. Failure to complete the contract’s requirements will have no impact on the grade the student receives for the course.

If the student successfully completes the requirements of the honors course enhancement contract, they will be given credit for an honors course requirement as part of the Honors Degree or Honors Distinction.

For questions or assistance in developing an honors course enhancement contract, students and instructors are encouraged to discuss possible ideas with the Frederick Honors College by contacting Assistant Dean David Hornyak at [email protected] .

GSPIA courses for Frederick Honors students: 2024 fall term

Are you interested in public service and learning how our world works? Do you want to challenge yourself by taking a graduate-level course? Any Honors College student is welcome to cross-register and take a course from the Graduate School of Public & International Affairs.   

To request a permission code that will allow you to register, please email [email protected] and specify which course you would like to take. You will receive a reply within 2-3 business days. 

Professor Jeremy Weber , Tuesdays 3:00–6:00 p.m. This class examines the energy policy choices facing local, state, and federal policymakers. The choices involve myriad issues, including, but not limited to how and when to regulate energy markets, such as for environmental reasons; ensuring electricity is delivered safely and reliably; allocating research and development resources; and growing concerns about environmental (in)justice. This class will connect realistic policy outcomes to theoretical ideals underlying energy policy, including supply and demand, benefit-cost analysis, monetizing non-market goods, taxes and subsidies, discounting, and equity. Students should expect to build practical, intellectual, and interdisciplinary skills applicable to making energy policy decisions, particularly decisions that impact the environment.

Professor Rashad Williams , Tuesdays 3:00–6:00 p.m. The title of this course is meant to signal the objective of scrutinizing how systems of white supremacy have shaped the American city and how the American city functions in ways that reproduce and reinforce white supremacy. As George Lipsitz (2007: 12) tells us, "The lived experience of race has a spatial dimension, and the lived experience of space has a racial dimension." The first section of the course will focus on frameworks for understanding white supremacy generally, and as it relates to urban development specifically. The second section considers specific domains of urban policy and planning using white supremacy as the analytic framework. We will examine how white supremacy has been expressed across a range of urban development issue areas, including housing, transportation, the urban environment, education, criminal justice, and urban design, and how policies and planning practice have maintained or disrupted systems of white supremacy.

Professor Sabina Deitrick , Mondays 3:00–6:00 p.m. This course is about the current challenges faced in cities and regions, nearby and around the world - and how those challenges might be met.  The majority of the world's citizens live in cities, and therefore one cannot talk about human progress without thinking about progress in cities.  As "mega-regions" consolidate, small cities grow rapidly, and older industrial cities shrink, the managerial, policy, and planning capacities of governments come under increasing stress. How can cities meet these challenges? To facilitate understanding of these dynamics and issues, this course is divided into two parts.  The first part provides a general background necessary for the second part.  We define the general concepts of "city" and "region," and we talk about measurement issues involved in understanding what is happening to them.  We also learn about the policy and planning process involved in addressing any issue in a city or region. The second part focuses on the challenges cities and regions face, and how to solve them.  Solving them implies having a theory about what causes them, so this part will begin with a discussion of what urban scholars define as an ideal city and region.  It will then move on to cover specific urban policies such as transit oriented development, the use of eminent domain for urban projects, community development, etc.  Emphasis will be placed on understanding the practical issues of implementing urban and regional policies, and learning about actual experiences with such policies in particular places.

Professor Shanti Gamper-Rabindran , Tuesdays 12:00–3:00 p.m.

We examine strategies at the local, national and international level to address the climate emergency and to transition to more sustainable and equitable economies. These include mandating climate risks disclosure for financial institutions, climate litigation to hold governments and fossil companies to account and the declining costs and technology advancement for greater deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency. We discuss how to advocate for shifting taxpayers' funds from fossil fuels to renewable energy and for the just transition of fossil fuel reliant communities and how to counter climate misinformation and false solutions.  The course is relevant for students in international development, public administration, and international affairs.

Professors Kathy Buechel & Anne Marie Toccket , Tuesdays 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. This course traces the historic origins and contemporary expressions of philanthropy to offer an overview of the multiple dimensions of this growing and increasingly global source of capital and innovation in the nonprofit sector. Students become familiar with who gives, why, and how they structure their philanthropy. The course assesses different strategies and how new approaches like ephilanthropy and giving circles open and diversify the field. Global, faith-based, and venture philanthropy are among the topics covered. Market-based approaches like social enterprise and corporate social responsibility, along with accountability, impact measures, transparency, and their public policy implications are explored. The course draws on case studies and guest speakers. Students participate in GSPIA's student philanthropy project, gaining hands-on grant-making experience throughout the semester by awarding funds to area nonprofits. This exercise links philanthropic theory to practice. At the end of this course students are able to articulate a robust definition of philanthropy's goals and the structures that advance them; demonstrate a range of hands-on grant-making skills; connect applied learning in grant-making to policy and practice issues examined in the course; model effective team work and decision-making practices that enhance grant-making; incorporate knowledge gained from practitioners and course work into personal philanthropic practices; recognize how contemporary issues in philanthropy intersect with the nonprofit, public and civic sectors; develop a research topic that contributes to peer learning; better assess community needs though an enhanced understanding of the Pittsburgh nonprofit sector.

Professor Ilia Murtazashvili , Tuesdays 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Natural resource management is complex and emerges from frameworks of governance - the rules that govern ownership in society and the political and administrative institutions that have responsibility for management of natural resources. The course will examine resource ownership and management by government, private owners, and communal property actors. Institutional frameworks reflect nature of the resource being managed, the characteristics of the community seeking to manage the resource, and historical socio-economic factors. Geographically, the course will take a global view, with regional illustrations.  The course will look at the theoretical approach referred to as "managing the commons."  Institutionally, the course will examine government entities, international organizations, communities, non-governmental organizations, and trade associations.  Substantively, the course will look at land, soil, and forests; water and rivers; oceans, fisheries, and coastlines; energy and mineral resources; and ecosystem services, and species protection.

Professor Lisa Nelson , Thursdays 12:00–3:00 p.m. Information technology and the information that it generates has increasingly become part of our daily lives shaping our practices, discourses, and institutions in fundamental ways. Personal information is used by consumers, professionals, and organizations to a variety of ends and in a few different settings. The growing reliance on personal information not only challenges long standing demarcations between public and private institution in terms of responsibilities, obligations, and limits, but also calls for a reconsideration of how to ensure the protection of long-standing civil liberties and civil rights. This course will consider the impact of emerging technologies within existing constitutional, statutory, and international guidelines and will then explore a range of policy solutions for managing the use of personal information in our public and private sectors.

Professor Lisa Alfredson , Fridays 12:00–3:00 p.m. Human rights are powerful and important tools in governmental, intergovernmental, and non-governmental work across a range of fields -- from international development, to politics and public administration, to security and justice. This course provides students with analytical and policy skills in human rights, using an interdisciplinary approach which engages human rights in law/policy, politics and society, philosophy, and ethics. It provides students with essential understanding of international human rights laws as tools of individual empowerment, and as evolving social norms shaped by individuals seeking to create fairer societies. We learn to interpret international human rights laws and underlying principles, to grapple with debates and controversies in diverse contexts and cases, and to apply theories of how international human rights create social change in domestic settings worldwide. Questions driving this course include: How can international human rights law (IHRL) help to solve chronic domestic policy problems? What specifically are states' obligations under IHRL? What are the obligations and roles of nonstate actors? What are some common myths and misunderstandings about human rights? Why do some countries comply with human rights while others do not? How can obstacles to implementation be overcome in specific settings? How do NGOs and other non-state actors participate in human rights change? How do nonstate and transnational actors utilize human rights to promote justice and to combat harmful state and societal actions? What are some processes and strategies of human rights change? We use case studies to illustrate and give depth to a wide range of intersectional human rights issues, such as health, harmful social practices, education, poverty, hunger, policing and justice. We focus on discriminated groups such as children, the poor, women, indigenous, racial, ethnic, and LGBTQIA+ groups.

Professor An Lewis, Mondays 6:00–9:00 p.m. A geographic information system (GIS) is a powerful tool for the public sector and used in a variety of disciplines. GIS builds on existing methods while offering new dimensions. This course provides students with a solid foundation of the principles and applications of GIS, an introduction to the desktop software ArcGIS, and demonstrates its uses in the public sectors. Students utilize ArcGIS to analyze and display spatial and demographic data. The construction of policy is then predicated on analysis. Skills learned in core courses can be brought to this course and built upon. Students have the flexibility to focus on their area of interest within the public sector through project work. The course is taught via lecture and hands-on experience using the ArcGIS software.

Professor Ryan Grauer , Wednesdays 6:00–9:00 p.m. Wars are relatively common events in the international arena, and political communities fight them for myriad reasons. The outcomes of wars have profound consequences for the course of historical events, political outcomes, and the lives and well-being of millions, including those who did not fight. But what happens in between the decision to go to war and the end of fighting? HOW do belligerents fight wars? This course will introduce students to how wars are fought on land. Students will learn about the translation of national political objectives into military strategy and campaign plans; the raising, training, and equipping of forces; the different types of combat arms available for use and their limitations; the role of naval, air, cyber, and space forces in land warfare; the principles of command; the crucial role of logistics; and the unquantifiable, but often decisive, human element of warfighting. These topics and issues will be introduced and considered using specialist texts, military and official documents, battle histories, and the critical examination of contemporary conflicts. Students will have opportunities to apply the insights they gain through in-class simulations (wargames), net assessments, and mock briefings. States' abilities to fight shape their decisions about whether to go to war. Additionally, the ways that states fight have profound implications for the consequences of war, with attritional and maneuver systems of force employment having very different impacts on both combatants and non-combatants in warzones.  Accordingly, at the end of this course, students will not only have a clear understanding of how wars are fought, but also be better prepared to understand, partake in, and shape debates about the use of force in the international arena.

Professor Sabina Deitrick , Wednesdays 3:00–6:00 p.m.

In mid-century America, interstate highway development across cities cut through largely Black and minority neighborhoods and devastated long standing economic, social, spatial, and cultural connections in these communities. Elevated highway Route 65 split the Manchester neighborhood in two and eliminated its once prosperous business corridor on Beaver Avenue. Over decades, the community has responded through multiple means of resilience – organizing, social development, community development, historic housing preservation, environmental improvements, safe places for kids – making Manchester a vibrant, Black community. But the highway remained, most prominent in its cut through the geographic spine of the community.

Today, plans are in place for a re-imaging of Route 65 and what conception of the elevated highway can be and bring to the neighborhood. Highway removal and reconstruction are becoming increasingly common across America, supported by federal funds to deconstruct elevated highways and old infrastructure (Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant Program, $185 million; Inflation Reduction Act, $3.2 billion). Here at Pitt, GSPIA and Swanson School of Engineering have contributed to the thinking and process of the highway’s removal through PIA 2705 and Capstones, along with multiple classes and projects at CMU. This Capstone class builds on previous work with Manchester Citizens’ Corp. (MCC) at the Route 65 transformation moves ahead. The class will address key issues of reimagining a business district, such as a Black Wall Street, centered on residents’ long-standing plans, planning and prospects for the business heart of the community.

The specific projects for the class will be determined with MCC and registered students later in the spring. Please contact instructor Sabina Deitrick, [email protected] for additional information.

https://www.transportation.gov/grants/rcnprogram/about-rcp#:~:text=The%20Bipartisan%20Infrastructure%20Law%20(BIL,over%20the%20next%205%20years .       

https://www.pghcitypaper.com/news/north-side-neighborhoods-are-still-scarred-by-the-the-great-wall-of-manchester-23918312     

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2024/02/22/biden-inflation-reduction-act-black-communities-destroyed-highways/72683374007/     

Professor Michael Lewin, Thursdays 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. This capstone course aims to provide students with a real-world consulting experience in the intersecting fields of international economics and international affairs.  Students will work in teams on issues of direct interest to U.S. Government Agencies (such as the GAO) and/or international financial organizations. Past projects included the analysis of the national security implications for the U.S. of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, the advisability of a Carbon Border Adjustment, and strategic and economic aspects of international trade in global precious metals. Through this course, students will enhance and apply their knowledge and skills to address real-world policy problems and demonstrate mastery of theory and practice. In addition to gaining expertise on international trade, finance and international affairs, students will also gain valuable professional experience and practice key skills such as collaboration, analysis, and communication. The course will culminate in a final presentation and report, showcasing the team's research and findings.

Professor Marcela Gonzalez Rivas , Mondays 12:00–3:00 p.m.

The core objective of this capstone course is two-fold. The first is that the course gives students the experience of working on a “real life problem”. Capstone courses give students the opportunity to apply their expertise and skills to addressing planning or policy problems, usually by working with a local organization, community organization or local government. This type of exercise is essential for students to translate the knowledge they have gained in their programs into practice.

The second objective of the course is to participate in exploratory research on the role of civil society and advocacy organizations on climate justice. Specifically, students will be engaged in exploring the extent to which civil society organizations and social movements in general in Belem, Brazil have access to participate effectively in the climate action agenda.

In this Capstone course, students will work with various climate justice organizations in Brazil, in the context of the COP30 taking place in November 2025 in Belém do Pará, the capital of the state of Pará, located in the fringes of the Amazon’s Forest and river estuary. The COP (Conference of the parties) is the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. It is a multilateral environmental agreement body of the UN, in which representatives from all governments (the parties) meet yearly to discuss and agree on measures and actions (policy decisions) to address environment challenges.