The third semester of my MPP Program was also my most favorite one. I had four elective courses that I enjoyed to the maximum:
- “Deliberative Democracy,” with Pete Peterson. In this class I studied various citizen engagement projects aimed at getting citizen input into the policy making process. We analized initiatives like Citizen Assemblies, Deliberative Polling, Study Circles, or Choice Dialogues. We also had Skype conversations with important scholars in this field, like James Fishkin, Director of the Center for Deliberative Democracy at Stanford University. This class has greatly influenced me in creating “SMART Method of Public Policy.”
- “Islamic Economics Seminar,” with Professor Steven Watts. In this class I developed an in-depth understanding of the fundamental components and characteristics of Islamic Economics as well as a comprehensive knowledge of the economic rationale of the Qur’anic concept of khalifa or stewardship of resources. It is this stewardship of natural, intellectual and cultural resources that is at the heart of the Islamic renaissance unfolding in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Jordan. The ultimate objective of this Islamic Economics Seminar is to develop an appreciation and understanding of the impact that Islamic Economics will have on 21st century issues of globalization, local and global public policy, the creation of new corporate and political organization models, global security issues, and resource stewardship. Source, the professor syllabus. I bought the following books: Mahmoud A. El-Gamal, Islamic Finance: Law, Economics, and Practice, Cambridge University Press, 2006; Zamir Iqbal and Abbas Mirakhor, An Introduction to Islamic Finance: Theory and Practice, Wiley, 2006; Cheol Eun and Bruce G. Resnick, International Financial Management, 4th Edition, McGraw-Hill, 2007; and Albert Hourani and Malise Ruthven, A History of the Arab Peoples: Second Edition, Belknap Press, 2003.
- “The Financing of Local and Regional Government,” with Professor Steven Frates. At the end of this course, I was able to: understand and explain the public budgeting process; read and understand public fiscal documents; understand public finance and tax theory and application; understand the public debt and investment process; analyze and evaluate local government revenue and expenditure patterns; analyze and measure government performance; and conduct fiscal analyses of local and regional governments. I also bought the following books: International City/County Management Association, Management Policies in Local Government Finance, ed. By J. Richard Aronson and Ell Schwartz, 2005 (Fifth Edition) and California Taxpayers’ Association, California’s Tax Machine, by David R. Doerr, 2000.
- “Health Policy in America,” with Professor Dennis Robins. In this course I learned about topics such as Consumerism, Health Literacy, Transparency, Safety and Empowerment, Selected Ethical and Medical Jurisprudential Issues, Issues on the Cost Quality Interface, Payment systems, the Technology/Pharmaceutical Approval Process, Reimbursement, Complementary, Alternative and Integrative Medicine Issues, End of Life Decision Making issues and Health Care Sovereignty Issues will be explored. Source, the professor syllabus. Also, the professor had many guest speakers invited during the classes. For this class I bought the book Policy Challenges in Modern Health Care, ed. Mechanic, Rutgers University Press 2005.
Right before starting this semester, I went on a short trip to San Francisco. It was my second time there, but the first one was not very pleasant as I only missed a flight on SF airport.
The semester started with a great “appetite” for me to meet my classmates after approximately 4 month that passed since the second semester was over. So we had quite a few get togethers like Karla’s birthday at my favorite Malibu spot, Paradise Cove, or a night out at Chapter 8 in Agoura Hills. The Malibu beach was also appealing:
Pepperdine University School of Public Policy celebrated its 10th anniversary at Beverly Hills Hotel, in a “black tie” setting. Close friends of the school, together with donors, students, faculty, and staff shared goals of the past and of the future. They also showed their commitment towards lives of purpose, service and leadership.
Life with my friends continued to be as exciting as during the first two semesters. We went to a Halloween party together:
Or to random parties:
As soon as the semester was over, I went to another Vegas weekend with my guys 
This came as a very relaxing time off, especially that I had been working part-time, off campus for Burr Consulting, since the beginning of the semester.
