Curriculum

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Curriculum

Our Public Policy curriculum is comprised ofcore courses, advanced courses, and capstone project. You'll also have opportunities to participate with experiential learning opportunities through the Eisenhower Institute, the Center for Public Service, and the Center for Global Education.

Students are also required to complete a policy-related internship for academic credit. Public Policy internships can be in local, state, federal, or international environments. They can occur in governmental and non-governmental settings.

Major

The Public Policy major consists of 12 courses, thoughtfully structured to provide both depth and breadth in the discipline.

A summary of the Public Policy major requirements and opportunities.
Category Description
Core Courses Introduction to Public Policy (PP 221), Research Design and Methodologies (PP 251), one introductory Political Science class, and Microeconomics. These provide a foundation in policy frameworks and research methods.
Advanced Courses The required upper-level courses include Advanced Policy Analysis and Communication PP 305, the Public and Its Problems PP 306, one Ethics and Values class from a pre-approved list, and the Internship Course. You will also take two electives in a policy arena of your choosing and complete an internship course. There are dozens of electives to choose from, such as National Security Policy, Environmental Policy, Determinants of Health and Policy, Environmental Economics, Non-Profit Management, Criminology and Criminal Justice Policy, Health Economics, and Foreign Policy.
Capstone Project All students complete a senior policy research seminar. The capstone class allows you to develop a research question and pursue guided research on a project that reflects your intellectual interests and showcases your ability to apply interdisciplinary analysis to real-world issues.
Experiential Opportunities Students can participate in off-campus study, community-based research with the Center for Public Service, programs in Washington, D.C. through the Eisenhower Institute, international internships via the Center for Global Education, and competitive placements in government, non-profits, or think tanks.

Courses

This list is a sampling of the kinds of courses offered through the Public Policy department curriculum. Not all courses shown here will be offered every semester. For a complete list of currently available courses, students may log into their account on Student Center.

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