Financial aid for the doctoral students will come from fellowship money provided by the Kennedy School and from the NSF grant.

The new program will only expand the numbers of students admitted to the graduate programs in sociology or government by one or two students per year.

Students admitted to the program will go through a joint admissions process. First they must complete the regular admissions process for the sociology or government department. In a second phase, an interdisciplinary committee of Kennedy School and FAS faculty will admit the student into the social policy program.

The social policy program will also feature a summer institute for under-graduate participants.

According to Newman, national scholars, who are participating as program faculty along with Harvard faculty, will nominate undergraduates for the program.

The undergraduates will be paired with graduate students who will serve as hosts and mentors for the duration of the summer program.

"I am hopeful that minority students will be interested in this program, but it is not especially for them," Newman said. "I hope this will encourage gifted undergraduate students to think about specializing in scholarly work in any of these areas."

After some discussion of the creation of new classes and other logistical concerns, the Faculty Council expressed approval for the program.

"I don't have any reservations about the program. I personally think that it is a good idea and I'm pleased to see that the departments at the Kennedy School thinks it is a good idea," said David Cutler, a member of the council.

Pending approval by the full Faculty, the program will begin to admit students this fall