Public Policy

Degree

B.A.

Division

Interdisciplinary

Program Options

Special Concentration

About the Public Policy Area of Concentration

Students declare Public Policy as a special AOC and work with a faculty mentor to design a plan of study that matches their specific interests and goals. The AOC is an interdisciplinary program designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to address the major public policy issues facing society. The goal is to allow students to examine policy problems within a non-partisan, objective framework, and to formulate effective policy solutions to such problems. Policy issues are inherently multi-faceted, and, as a result, require an array of analytical tools to understand. Economic factors and the political process are fundamental to policy issues, and thus the disciplines of political science and economics constitute the core of the Public Policy AOC.

Beyond the courses and tutorials students plan with their mentors, many of our students complete internships or work in organizations to gain the experience needed not only to understand but also to participate in the policy process. Each student’s program of study culminates in a senior project under close guidance of a faculty member. Our program is particularly useful to students who wish to go into government service, law, nonprofit advocacy, the private sector in a policy-heavy field, journalism, and graduate school.

Featured Course

Recent Courses

  • Introductory Microeconomics
  • Introductory Macroeconomics
  • Public Finance – Government Expenditures
  • Public Finance – Taxation
  • Introduction to American Politics
  • Power and Public Policy

Career Pathways

  • Urban Planning
  • Social Services
  • Communications 
  • Diplomacy
  • Law
  • Politics
  • Nonprofit Administration

Pre-Law Program

In an effort to share valuable resources and create strong connections between students, the pre-law program is designed for students interested in pursuing a legal career.

Contact Us

Social Sciences Division

Phone Number

Email Address

Location

Social Science 102

Mail

Social Science 102

Working Hours

M – F

9 – 5

Public Policy Faculty

Tracy Collins

Associate Professor of Economics

Sarah Hernandez

Associate Professor of Sociology & Caribbean and Latin American Studies

Barbara Hicks

Social Science Division Chair

Professor of Political Science

Dr. Tarron Khemraj

Professor of Economics and International Studies

William and Marie Selby Chair