Today's complex environmental, social and urban issues are best understood by researchers who can work across disciplinary boundaries, and who understand the relationship of research to action. The Urban and Environmental Planning and Policy (UEPP) doctoral program at UCI trains scholars in the analysis of social problems related to the built, natural, and institutional environments. The UEPP Ph.D. is based on the department's internationally prominent research and teaching strengths in environmental policy, urban and community development and design. A specialization in policy in the Ph.D. program in PPD would be based on meeting the following requirement (in addition to fulfillment of the core courses): Develop and fulfill a plan of coursework approved by a two-person committee (advisor, plus one departmental faculty member) that includes at least four courses in policy. In general, it is expected that students will take one course in theory related to policy (in addition to the two theory courses required for the core Ph.D in PPD, which may also be policy-related), one course in methods related to policy (in addition to the methods courses required for the corePh.D. in PPD) and two courses in a policy topic.