Public Policy

Students are required to do an internship while in the public policy program. This will provide an opportunity to apply the skills and knowledge acquired through coursework in a professional setting, as well as to expand valuable social network connections.

Public Policy students learn to draw upon skills from multiple disciplines to analyze and evaluate contemporary public policy problems. They apply their academic skills through internships and undergraduate research, develop their communication skills by writing policy briefs and papers for more in-depth analyses of issues in the academic discipline of public policy studies, and conduct public policy research and policy analysis.

Our student learn to address public policy questions such as:

• Given rising fuel costs, should state and local governments invest more dollars in alternative fuel sources or increase subsidies for public transportation?
• Which educational programs and methods have proven most effective for improving the high school graduation rates of children from low-income families?
• How can we best secure our nation’s borders?
• What are the best approaches to solving “wicked problems” in public policy, like climate change, poverty, and health care?