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Courses & Themes of Concentration
 
 

Course Requirements

Credits - 32 course credits

Prerequisite Courses for the Policy Studies Major (7)

  ONE OF:  
    GOVT 101 Introduction to U.S. Politics,
  GOVT 102 Introduction to International Politics, or
  GOVT 103 Introduction to Comparative Politics
   
  ECON 211 Intermediate Microeconomics
(Prerequisites: Econ 101 and Math 141)
  ECON 213 Fundamentals of Econometrics
(Prerequisites: Econ 211 and Math 186)
  HIST 105 Development of the Modern World



Required Core Courses (3)
  PSTD 251 Introduction to Policy Studies
  PSTD 300 Industry, Strategy & Policy
  PSTD 400 Policy Internship & Seminar
(Credit is given after completion of a policy-related internship and a report based on that experience.)

Required Elective Courses (4)

Students work with an advisor to structure four elective courses that relate to a theme of concentration. Examples of themes of concentration include:

• Arts and Media Policy
• Economic Policy and Homeland Security
• Corporate and Public Finance
• Science Policy
• Social Policy

Guidelines to help students plan a theme of concentration are available in the office of the Policy Studies Program Chair. The guidelines describe the research opportunities and internships that can be integrated with required courses and electives. In selecting a theme of concentration, majors work with a faculty advisor to develop a coherent plan for their undergraduate career.
Suggested Course Sequence:
First Year
First Semester   Second Semester
First Year Seminar   ECON 101
GOVT 101 or GOVT 102 or GOVT 103   MATH 186
MATH 141   HIST 105
Common Course of Study Requirement   Common Course of Study Requirement
Second Year
First Semester   Second Semester
PSTD 251   VAST
ECON 211   PSTD 300
Elective (Theme of Concentration)   ECON 213
English 110   Elective (Theme of Concentration)
Themes of Concentration
With guidance from the program’s faculty advisors, students select elective courses and an internship experience that focus on a particular theme of concentration. It should be underscored that regardless of a student’s chosen theme of concentration, the elective courses must include exposure to international political processes and cultures. Policy Studies majors work in consultation with a faculty advisor to design their own concentration, or they may select an approved concentration. The themes of concentration and specific policy topics listed below illustrate the possibilities.
 
  • Arts and Media Policy
Including not-for-profit organizations, ethics, government’s role in promoting and protecting culture, censorship, the licensing and regulation of the information sector, and privacy.
 
  • Economic Policy and National Security
Including fiscal, monetary and regulatory policy, workplace safety, product liability, national defense, homeland security, natural disasters, emergency management, and privacy.
 
  • Corporate and Public Finance
Including the legal and regulatory framework that affect corporate decision-making, government budgetary processes, and tax policies.
 
  • Science Policy
Society will continue to develop and modify policies governing industrial emissions, greenhouse gases, nuclear waste, space exploration, the sovereignty of space and the world's oceans, biotechnology and a host of other highly technical fields. Science policy involves issues such as: the management of natural resources (petroleum exploration and development, timber harvesting on public lands, water resources, etc.); the regulation of hazardous landscapes (floodplains, barrier islands, volcanoes, and seismic zones); and establishing policies for stem cell research, use of animal subjects for biological, medical, neurological, and behavioral research; and the science of climate change.
 
  • Social Policy
Including health care, education, poverty, family and children, consumer protection and safety, public retirement and welfare programs, criminal justice, housing and urban planning, human reproductive rights, civil rights, and human rights.