Public Policy (BS)

Pre-Major Requirements

Students must complete the pre-major requirements. A minimum grade of C, 2.0 (A = 4.0), must be earned in each of the pre-major courses. All pre-major requirements must be taken for a letter grade.

• MATH 117g Precalculus for Business and Economics Units: 4
• PPD 203 Economic Analysis for Public Policy Units: 4

Core Curriculum (30 Units)

• PPD 225 Solving Public Problems Units: 4
• PPD 240g Citizenship and Public Ethics Units: 4
• PPD 300 Social Justice Issues in Public Policy and Urban Planning Units: 4
• PPD 301 PPD Practices: Internship Seminar Units: 2
• PPD 303 Statistics for Policy, Planning, and Development Units: 4
• PPD 315 Analytic Foundations for Public Policy Units: 4
• PPD 373 Public Policy and Planning Analysis Units: 4
• PPD 431 Undergraduate Policy, Planning, and Development Studio Units: 4 *

• *See alternate capstone options in Additional Requirements section, below. 

Tracks

Students select one track for degree emphasis; they take 28 units from the track selected. Each track includes five required courses and two elective courses with the exception of the Public Policy and Data Analysis track, which has four required courses and three elective courses. During advisement, students will be given a list of recommended elective courses particularly appropriate for the chosen track. Students may work with their adviser for approval to take track electives outside of the courses listed to meet their academic needs. The required courses for each track are listed below followed by track elective options.

Cross-cutting Topics Course

Students will be required to take 4 units of a cross-cutting topics course. It is taken preferably junior year after completion of the core curriculum. Students may select a course from the list below. If a student uses a course to satisfy a requirement or elective that has already been taken in the track requirements, it can not be double-counted as the cross-cutting course. The cross-cutting course must be a different course. 

• PPD 313 Finance of the Public Sector Units: 4
• PPD 314 Public Policy and Law Units: 4
• PPD 325 Fundamentals of Health Policy and Management Units: 4
• PPD 342 Crime and Public Policy Units: 4
• PPD 353 Philanthropy and Social Change Units: 4
• PPD 357 Government and Business Units: 4
• PPD 371 The Nonprofit Sector and the Public Interest Units: 4
• PPD 380a Urban Problem-Solving and Public Policy Units: 4
• PPD 400 Topics in Public Policy and Urban Studies Units: 4
• PPD 404 Empirical Methods for Public Policy Units: 4

Additional Requirements

*Capstone

All students will take 4 units of a capstone experience during their senior year. This may be fulfilled by taking PPD 431 Undergraduate Policy, Planning, and Development Studio  (4) or PPD 497a Senior Thesis ,  PPD 497b Senior Thesis  (2-2). Students wishing to enroll in PPD 497a , PPD 497b  must have a 3.7 GPA in PPD courses and an overall 3.5 GPA.

Internships

Public Policy majors are required to complete 140 hours of internship by enrolling in PPD 301 PPD Practices: Internship Seminar  or the Washington, D.C., Semester internship. Internships are matched as closely as possible to the student’s interests and skills.

PPD 301  and the internship in a position provide numerous opportunities to develop and formulate future career goals, as well as to gain personal and professional experience while completing the undergraduate degree.

Honors

Price School honors are available at graduation to qualified PPD majors and result in a special designation of departmental honors on a student’s transcript. Achievement of PPD honors requires a 3.7 GPA in PPD major courses and a 3.5 overall GPA as well as nomination by the professor in the capstone experience. In addition, students must earn an A in their capstone course (PPD 497a , PPD 497b  or PPD 431 ).

Washington, D.C., Semester

The Washington, D.C., Semester program provides an intensive semester of confrontation with the political center of the nation and its complex components. The program offers opportunities for behind-the-scenes work in national government agencies and related organizations, combined with an academic environment and the chance to explore, share and learn with a group of fellow students.