Public Policy - B.S.Purpose The Public Policy major offered by the Department of History and Political Science is designed for students interested in multidisciplinary training organized around understanding the policy process in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors at both the domestic and international levels. Coursework integrates tools of analysis from disciplines in Behavioral Sciences, Business, Education, Health, Sports Studies, Communication, Leadership, Natural Sciences Mathematics/computing, Nursing, International/Community Development, Philosophy and Theology, and Social Sciences. This multidisciplinary emphasis is intended to encourage students to be culturally aware and socially sensitive and to consider career opportunities in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors in order to strengthen the leadership capacity of public, private, and nonprofit organizations throughout the world. In addition, the capstone course for the Public Policy major provides opportunities for students to work together in teams and apply their skills in the analysis of contemporary policy problems. General Education Competencies Please refer to the general education requirements and competencies section under Division of Social Sciences. Requirements The Public Policy major consists of 36 hours in public policy and a cognate area of 10-12 hours. The core of the program consists of required courses focusing on foundational public policy concepts, skill formation, and applied knowledge, as well as select public policy electives to enhance student preparation given substantive interests and career goals unique to each individual. A concentration or cognate should be chosen by students, in cooperation with both their advisor and the sponsoring department, based on their professional objectives.
In cooperation with the sponsoring department and the student's advisor, a concentration or cognate should be selected by students based on their vocational goals. Potential concentrations: political science, history, international relations, or economics. Suggested cognate areas include, but are not limited to, the following: addictions counseling, biology, business, chemistry, communications, computer and information sciences programs, criminal justice, earth science, education, intercultural studies, international and community development, journalism, leadership studies, mathematics, nursing, public relations, social studies, social work and programs in health, recreation and sports studies. Course descriptions are available through the Course Description Lookup. Declaring and Maintaining a Public Policy Major In order to pursue Public Policy as a first or second major, students need to consult with the coordinator of the Department of History and Political Science and then declare a Public Policy major in the Registrar's Office. Students majoring in Public Policy need to achieve no less than a 2.5 GPA in the major to graduate with a Public Policy degree. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||