The realm of public policy encompasses virtually all aspects of contemporary society—economic development, financial markets, health care, education, poverty, crime, the environment, technology, national security and immigration. These complex and often connected issues increasingly demand a rich and sophisticated understanding of the actions of governmental institutions and the motivations of political actors and other stakeholders in a global political environment. The nature of public policy is such that its development almost always involves non-governmental institutions and actors. Businesses, nonprofit and non-governmental organizations, interest groups, academic and legal experts and the public at large all play a role in shaping public policy priorities, the public discourse about those priorities, implementation of public policies and the evaluation of policy outcomes.
A major in Public Policy prepares students for work in all types of organizations and sectors of the job market: federal, state and local governments, nonprofit organizations and private-sector corporations.
In addition to the specific major requirements described below, students must also complete all designated requirements in Foundations for Success, Contexts & Perspectives in the Arts & Sciences, Business Dynamics, Communication Intensive coursework, and the additional degree requirements for arts & science majors (including the Modern Language requirement). Details can be found in the Degree Requirements section of the catalogue, including the Overview and the Arts & Sciences Majors tabs.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | 24 | |
| Students must complete eight courses to fulfill the Public Policy major. Three of these are required: | ||
| GLS 230 | Politics and Public Policy | 3 |
| GLS 405 | Seminar in Government | 3 |
| GLS 422 | Internship in Government | 3 |
| Students must take three GLS electives not otherwise required, two of which, two of which must be from GLS 200-499. | 9 | |
| Choose two additional electives from the following courses: | 6 | |
| GLS 200-499 | ||
| Intermediate Macroeconomics | ||
| Introduction to Econometrics | ||
| International Economic Growth and Development | ||
| Economics of the European Union | ||
| Urban and Regional Economics | ||
| Environmental Economics | ||
| Behavioral and Experimental Economics | ||
| Economics of Regulation and Antitrust | ||
| Monetary Economics | ||
| Law and Society | ||
| Environmental Law | ||
| Gender and the Law | ||
| Race and the Law | ||
| Outsiders and the Law | ||
| Moot Court | ||
| Game Theory | ||
| Global Health Challenges | ||
| Science of Environmental Policy | ||
| Drugs and Society | ||
| Race and Racism in the United States | ||
| Social Problems | ||
| Deviance and Social Control | ||
| Sociology of Native American Peoples | ||