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Mar 31, 2025
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2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog
Public Policy Minor
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Return to: Graduate School of Public and International Affairs
The 15-credit minor in Public Policy equips students with the necessary skills and experience to transform knowledge into tangible impact. This program enhances students’ primary degree or major by enabling them to bridge their area of study with meaningful contributions in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.
Public policy processes and decisions have a profound influence on every facet of society, ranging from the provision of police services and advancements in civil rights to the safety of our water and food supplies, as well as our endeavors in space exploration. Through this minor, students will develop an understanding of how leaders at various levels of government assess and tackle contemporary challenges.
Students who pursue a minor in Public Policy will learn:
- How public policy processes work
- The roles of elected officials, analysts, agencies, and interest groups
- How federal, state, and local jurisdictions cooperate and compete to create policy outcomes
- Effective communication skills to influence public policies
- How to use data to analyze problems and identify whether policies and programs work
Students will also have the opportunity to engage with policies and community organizations aligned with their career aspirations.
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Course Curriculum
Students in the minor will engage with faculty in GSPIA across disciplines including political science, economics, and urban planning. A GSPIA Minor in Public Policy will address the following key competencies through curriculum and experiential learning. Upon completion of the minor, students will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to:
- Understand public service and the principles of ethical and effective service.
- Understand policy issues at multiple levels of government.
- Outline the roles of elected officials, administrators, nonprofit organizations, citizens, and business firms in making public policy decisions.
- Structure, interpret, and communicate data to inform the policy process, balanced by social values.
- Demonstrate an understanding of policy analysis and program evaluation practices.
- Recognize the role of intergovernmental relations between local, state and federal governments and the importance of cross-jurisdictional or regional efforts to solve complex problems.
Required Courses: 9 credits
Electives: 6 credits
Students will take two elective courses (6 credits) to complete the minor. This represents a selection of initial electives. GSPIA faculty will develop and offer additional electives over time. Students may also take, with approval, appropriate graduate-level courses in GSPIA.
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Return to: Graduate School of Public and International Affairs
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