Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy

Benchmark Requirements

Students are expected to demonstrate continuing progress in their major by successfully completing the following courses in the specified timeframes:

Benchmark Requirement 1 

Must be completed by the end of two semesters into the major

• PLCY100 Foundations of Public Policy
• HIST201 Interpreting American History: From 1865 to the Present

Benchmark Requirement 2

Must be completed by the end of four semesters into the major

• PLCY101 Great Thinkers on Public Policy
• STAT100 Elementary Statistics and Probability or higher (STAT100 equivalent accepted)

Core Requirement

• PLCY201 Public Leaders and Active Citizens
• PLCY203 Liberty and Justice for All: Ethics and Moral Issues in Public Policy
• PLCY300 Governance: Collective Action in the Public Interest (Pre-req: PLCY100)
• PLCY302 Examining Pluralism in Public Policy
• PLCY303 Public Economics: Raising and Spending the People's Money (Pre-req: ECON200)
• PLCY304 Evaluating Evidence: Finding Truth in Numbers (Pre-req: STAT100 or equivalent)
• PLCY306 Public Policy Analysis in Action (taken after 60 credits)
• PLCY309 Policy Internship (or approved study abroad)
• PLCY400 Senior Capstone (taken after 90 credits; Pre-req: PLCY306)
• PLCY401 Contemporary Issues in Public Policy (taken after 90 credits)
• ECON200 Principles of Microeconomics
• Introduction to Public Policy Focus Area or General Policy elective

In addition to the required core courses for the Public Policy major, Policy majors must take four policy elective courses. Students have two options when it comes to selecting electives: 1) They can choose to declare a focus area, working with an advisor to select a focus area (listed below), or (2) they can choose general policy electives from either within or outside the School of Public Policy.

General Elective Plan

Students who wish to take a variety of Public Policy courses and not declare a focus area may select four electives to round out their Policy curriculum. These students have the option to choose from courses within the School of Public Policy (PLCY courses) or select electives from other schools/departments. 

- If all four electives are PLCY courses, no approval is needed. Students may choose any four electives that interest them from the School of Public Policy.
- If any of the four electives are outside of the School of Public Policy, students must have their course plans approved by their academic advisor and should complete the Using Non-PLCY Courses as Electives Form.

Focus Areas 

Gender and Racial Justice
Students pursuing the Gender and Racial Justice Focus area must take the required anchor course as well as three additional electives from the list below.  Students should then complete the Focus Area Approval Request Form.

• PLCY288A Introduction to Public Policy Topics; 21st Century Racial Justice and Gender from the Bullhorn to the Ballot (required anchor course)
• PLCY311 Women in Leadership
• PLCY388A Special Topics in Public Policy:  Child and Family Policy Impact
• Other courses outside of the School of Public Policy upon approval 

Global Action and Problem Solving (GAP)
Students in the GAP Focus area must take the required anchor course as well as three additional electives from the list below.  Students should then complete the Focus Area Approval Request Form.  Students wanting additional courses focused on global and international issues can look for sections of core classes designated as global as well as the Politics and Pandemics section of PLCY401.

• PLCY288W Special Topics in Public Policy; Global Action and Problem Solving (Required anchor course)
• PLCY388C Special Topics in Public Policy; Cybersecurity Policy: Practical Hacking for Policymakers
• PLCY288Q Special Topics in Public Policy; Introduction to International Security
• PLCY388R Special Topics in Public Policy: Nuclear Security Policy
• ANTH265 Anthropology of Global Health
• ANTH323 Plagues, Pathogens and Public Policy
• AREC365 World Hunger, Population, and Food Supplies
• CCJS325 Slavery in the Twenty First Century: Combating Human Trafficking
• ENST233 Introduction to Environmental Health
• ENST436 Emerging Environmental Threats (pre-req of ENST233)
• FGSM310--FGSM390
• FMSC110S Families and Global Health
• SOCY335 Sociology of Health and Illness
• Other courses outside of the School of Public Policy upon approval 

International Security Policy
Students in the Security Policy Focus area must take the required anchor course and then choose three additional electives from the list below.  Students should then complete the Focus Area Approval Request Form.  Students wanting an additional course in the core can take the Modern Warfare section of PLCY401 or the Politics and Pandemics section of PLCY401.

• PLCY288Q Special Topics in Public Policy; Introduction to International Security (required anchor course)
• PLCY388C Special Topics in Public Policy; Cybersecurity Policy: Practical Hacking for Policymakers
• PLCY388R Special Topics in Public Policy: Nuclear Security Policy
• PLCY699K Civil Conflict and Terrorism (by permission)
• PLCY798M Cooperative Security, Arms Control, and Nonproliferation Policy (by permission)
• FGSM330/HNUH338T Homeland & National Security Policy
• FGSM355/HNUH359T International Security and Intelligence
• FGSM350/HNUH358T Critical Regions & International Relations
• FGSM360/HNUH368T U.S. Diplomacy
• Other courses outside of the School of Public Policy upon approval 

Nonprofit Leadership and Social Innovation 
Choose four courses from the Nonprofit Leadership and Social Innovation course list and complete the Focus Area Approval Request Form.

Public Leadership 
Choose four courses from the Public Leadership minor course list and complete the Focus Area Approval Request Form.

Sustainability Studies 
Choose four courses from the Sustainability minor course list and complete the Focus Area Approval Request Form.

Create your own Focus Area 
Students interested in building their own focus area should create a sample plan including four electives that share a common area of study.  Examples include Education Policy, Criminal Justice Policy, Election Security, etc. Students who wish to take this route must have their sample plan of study approved by their academic advisor by completing the Focus Area Approval Request Form. 
 

The foundation of undergraduate education at the University is its general education program, with all students taking series of courses within specially designed categories. The general education program provides you with fundamental skills, broad knowledge and approaches to intellectual inquiry that will benefit you regardless of your area of study.

Fundamental Studies

Fundamental Studies courses ensure that you have the basic skills in written and oral communication, in mathematical analysis and in critical thinking that are important to your success across the curriculum and in your career.

Distributive Studies

Distributive Studies courses expose you to a variety of disciplines even as you concentrate in your chosen field. They offer insights into the methods of different disciplines, the kinds of questions disciplines asks, and their standards for judging answers.

I-Series

I-Series courses speak to important issues that spark the imagination, demand intellect, and inspire innovation. They challenge you to wrestle with big question, and examine the ways that different disciplines address them.

Diversity

Diversity courses investigate the complexities of human difference and commonality, emphasizing the promises and problems of plural societies and the challenges that must be addressed to achieve just, equitable, and productive societies. 

Learn more about the General Education Program at the University.

The Public Policy major requires students to receive credit for a policy-related internship, research opportunity or study abroad.  Many students do more than one or all three!  See below for credit information about each opportunity.

Internship, Study Abroad and Research Opportunities

Internship Credit:

PLCY309 serves as the academic component of the School of Public Policy’s internship requirement. It provides a basis for reflection upon and evaluation of a student’s practical, substantive work experience in a professional environment of public policy and leadership. While no in-person class meetings occur, the academic curriculum spans the duration of the semester, comprising journal entries and a final reflection paper. Internship site supervisors sign an internship contract and complete a mid-semester and final evaluation of students’ performance. 

If you are already receiving internship credit for a policy-related internship, please see your academic advisor for information on how that might apply to the major.

Permission to register: Students must first receive approval of their internship experience. Internships can be paid or unpaid and with an organization from the public, private or nonprofit sector. It must have a direct relationship to public policy. Once approved, students will then be sent an internship contract to complete with their supervisor before receiving permission to register for the course. 

Research Credit:

The purpose of research credit is to allow advanced undergraduates to pursue an in-depth research project driven by the student and overseen by a faculty member.  PLCY399R: Directed Study in Public Policy; Independent Research fulfills the Experiential Learning requirement for the Bachelors of Arts Public Policy major. The course provides a basis for reflection upon and evaluation of a student’s practical, substantive work experience in working on research with a faculty member. A faculty member oversees the research, and the academic curriculum spans the semester's duration. 

Prior to registration, students should (1) plan their individualized research project, (2) present their ideas to a faculty member with expertise in the subject, and, should the faculty member agree to sponsor the student, (3) produce an independent research proposal and contract.  This document acts as a contract/syllabus to ensure that both parties meet the expectations set out during the planning stage and that undergraduate course policies are followed. (4) The faculty member and student then submit the research proposal to the Director of Undergraduate Studies for approval.  Upon approval, (5) a SPP advisor will give the student permission to register for PLCY399R in a section with the sponsoring faculty member.

Study Abroad:

A policy-related study abroad course fulfills the experiential learning requirement for the Public Policy major. The School of Public Policy directly sponsors education abroad experiences; however, a range of other courses and programs can also provide a rich public policy experience. Course options can be explored on the Education Abroad website and students should meet with both their academic advisor and education abroad public policy advisor.

Undergraduate students in the School of Public Policy are encouraged to develop an academic plan to map out all courses needed to graduate within a public policy major. Our undergraduate academic advising team is available to work with students throughout this process. Sample four-year and two-year plans are available below. These materials may be downloaded to assist both current and prospective students in planning their education and monitoring their progress to a degree.

This information is to be used as an advising tool. The plan will require periodic modification as a result of the semester in which a student enters a particular major, changes in course sequence or offering times, availability of courses, satisfactory progress, etc. No guarantee is offered or implied by the creation and use of a four-year or two-year plan. Development of your individual plan and all changes thereafter should be made in consultation with your assigned academic advisor.

If you have questions about the development of your plan of study, consult with your academic advisor.