The Public Policy major at Gettysburg College offers a rigorous, interdisciplinary curriculum for students interested in problem-solving in domestic and international public arenas. Core courses focus on the nature of public policy, including the processes of problem recognition and articulation, policy development and implementation, ethical and legal deliberations, and policy evaluation. Upper-level courses explore policy theory, evaluation, and reform.
The Public Policy major appeals to students from a wide range of disciplines. All Public Policy students identify a concentration for their policy studies and build their course schedule around that concentration. Students pick a concentration that appeals to them in consultation with their Public Policy adviser, such as criminal justice policy, education policy, environmental policy, national security policy, environmental policy, and social policy.
All Public Policy majors must take one foundational political science course; the introduction to public policy course; the public policy research design course; a policy-making course; a theory course; an ethics course; at least one economics course; and two policy-related electives. They also must complete a Policy Internship and prepare a related Policy Concept Paper. Finally, they must complete a capstone project during their senior year as part of the capstone course.
The Public Policy major embodies Gettysburg College’s vision of an interdisciplinary liberal arts education. Students draw upon skills across disciplines to think critically and creatively, lead teams large and small, and communicate effectively and efficiently.
Requirements
All public policy majors are required to take the following core courses:
- PP 221 (Introduction to Public Policy)
- PP 251 (Reseach Design and Methodology)
- PP 305 (Advanced Policy Analysis and Communication)
- PP 306 The Public and Its Problems
- One course on Ethics and Values chosen from this list OR approved by the Ethics and Values Committee
- One course on societal-level forces related to Public Policy, such as ECON 104 Macroeconomics or another pre-approved course
- At least two electives in the Public Policy Department or pre-approved policy-related course from another department approved by the students’ Public Policy faculty adviser.
- PP 470 Internship with Policy Concept Paper
- PP 401 (Public Policy Capstone Course)
Additionally, all Public Policy students take two additional courses:
- Either ECON 103 (Microeconomics) or ECON 105 Economics for Public Problems and
- One foundational Political Science Course, either POL 101 American Government or POL 103 or POL 104