Academic Programs Catalog

The Public Policy major is designed to prepare students for careers in public service, advocacy, and analysis. It aims at a broad understanding of the goals and problems of public policy, the political process that leads to policy development, and the implementation and evaluation of public policy. The major is valuable preparation for those who intend to engage in research for public agencies, non-profits, or voluntary associations interested in the problems of government. A master’s degree program concentrating in public policy is also available for advanced work in preparation for an executive career in these fields.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Policy

1. The University requirements for bachelor's degrees as described in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog; 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Policy.
   
   The University's Tier II writing requirement for the Public Policy  major is met by completing  Political Science 422.  That course is referenced in item 3. below.
2. The requirements of the College of Social Science for the Bachelor of Arts degree.
3. The following requirements for the major:

   a.	All of the following courses (33 credits):
   	(1)	All of the following courses (9credits):
   		PLS	100	Introduction to American Politics					3
   		PLS	200	Introduction to Political Science					3
   		PLS	494	Field Experience in Political Science					3
   	(2)	One of the following courses (3 credits):
   		PLS	201	Introduction to Methods of Political Analysis					3
   		PLS	202	Introduction to Data Analytics and the Social Sciences					3
   	(3)	One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):
   		PLS	392	Special Topics in Political Science					3 or 4
   		PLS	397	Analyzing and Visualizing Data in Politics					3
   	(4)	One of the following courses (3 credits):
   		PLS	310	Public Administration and Policy Making					3
   		PLS	313	American Public Policy					3
   		The course used to fulfill this requirement may not be used to fulfill requirement (5) below.
   	(5)	Complete a minimum of four of the following courses (12 credits):
   		PLS	301	American State Government					3
   		PLS	302	Urban Politics					3
   		PLS	310	Public Administration and Policy Making					3
   		PLS	313	American Public Policy					3
   		PLS	324	Congress					3
   		PLS	325	The Presidency					3
   		PLS	342	Comparative Political Economy					3
   		PLS	363	International and Domestic Political Conflict					3
   		PLS	364	Politics of the United Nations and International Organizations					3
   	(6)	One of the following courses (3 credits):
   		PLS	422	Seminar in Political Science (W)					3
   		PLS	481	Undergraduate Research Seminar (W)					3