Social Policy

BSPP specialization in Social Policy:

I. Public Policy Core (30 credits)
  1. PPOL 201: Introduction to Public Policy (4)
  2. PS 331: State and Local Politics (4)
  3. PPOL 371: Public Policy Problems (4)
  4. PPOL 372: Public Administration (4)
  5. PPOL 413: Ethics in Public Policy (4)
  6. PPOL 415: Professional Development Seminar (2)
  7. PPOL 460: Power, Inequality, and Public Policy (4)
  8. ECON 435: Public Economics (4) (Prereq: ECON 311 or 411)
    or PS 458: International Political Economy (4)
    or SOC 360: Populations Trends and Policy (4)
II. Methods and WIC (12 credits)
  1. ST 243Z: Elementary Statistics (4)
  2. PPOL 421: Introduction to Policy Research (4)
  3. PPOL 422: Policy Analysis (WIC) (4)
III. Social Policy Specialization Electives (18-20 credits)

Select at least 5 courses for a minimum of 18 credits from the pre-approved list below.

  • ECON 383: The Economics of Discrimination (4) (Prereq: ECON 201)
  • ECON 414: Behavioral Economics (4) (Prereq: Econ 311 or Econ 411)
  • ECON 439: Public Policy Analysis (4) (Prereq: Econ 311 or Econ 411)
  • ECON 440: Economics of Globalization (4) (Prereq: Econ 311)
  • ECON 455: Economic Development (4) (Prereqs: Econ 201/Econ 201H & Econ 202/Econ 202H)
  • ECON 464: Economics of Education (4)
  • ECON 480: Labor Economics and Social Policy (4) e (Prereq: Econ 311)
  • ECON 491: Economics of Inequality (4) (Prereq: ECON 311)
  • PPOL 410: Internship/Work Experience (1 - 4)
  • PPOL 441/SOC 482: Energy, Climate and Society (4)
  • PPOL 450: Leadership Lessons from Higher Education (4)
  • PPOL 455: Housing Policy (4)
  • PS 315: Politics of Media (4)
  • PS 317: Gender and Politics (4)
  • PS 325: Gender and the Law (4)
  • PS 345: Politics of Developing Nations (4) e
  • PS 363: Gender and Race in American Political Thought (4) e
  • PS 375: The Civil Rights Movement and Policies (4) e
  • PS 470: Global Food Politics and Policy (4) e
  • SOC 312: Sociology of the Family (4) e
  • SOC 350: Health, Illness and Society (4) e
  • SOC 355: Death and Dying (4) e
  • SOC 412: Sociology of Work and Family (4)
  • SOC 426: Social Inequality (4) e
  • SOC 430: Gender and Society (4)
  • SOC 432: Sociology of Aging (4)
  • SOC 437: Race and Ethnic Relations (4)
  • SOC 438: US Immigration Issues in the 21st Century (4) e
  • SOC 439: Welfare and Social Services (4) e
  • SOC 452: Sociology of Religion (4)
  • SOC 454: Leisure and Culture (4) e
  • SOC 460: The Sociology of Globalization (4)
  • SOC 470: Collective Behavior (4)
  • SOC 471: Social Movements (4) e

“e” denotes courses offered online as well as on campus

IV. Learning Beyond the Major

Opportunities to put learning into practice are built into the BSPP curriculum. However, in seeking to maximize your educational experience, there are other opportunities students might consider. Internships, jobs, and volunteer work can broaden students’ understanding of how public policy is developed, applied, and/or experienced in the field. A minor or second major can allow a student to develop deeper content knowledge in the policy areas that interest them most. Study abroad programs deepen cross-cultural understanding and expose you to different systems and policymaking approaches. Consult with one of the BSPP advisors about complementing your major with the options that best fit your interests and goals.