Minor in Public Policy
Addressing the “big” problems in society such as education reform, crime reduction, poverty alleviation, and human rights require the input of business, government, and nonprofit actors in a complex environment. The private, public, and nonprofit sectors are increasingly interconnected in efforts to collaborate and coordinate to develop effective policies to solve social problems and address the needs of diverse stakeholders in society. Public policy affects all aspects of society from urban development to healthcare, the environment, education, international relations, and more.
The minor in public policy is designed to enhance student understanding of public problems and how governments attempt to address them. A minor in public policy may be useful for students considering careers in a variety of policy-related fields, including jobs in policy analysis, research, public administration, nonprofit management, program evaluation, and as consultants for business and government entities. Students pursuing a minor in Public Policy will deepen their understanding of public problems, policy solutions, and their own role as individual citizens in the policy environment. Students can select electives to focus their minor on a substantive policy are of their choice (e.g. environmental policy, urban policy, crime and justice policy, etc.)
The minor in public policy would also be beneficial to students that plan to be employed in fields that are regulated by the government (engineering, technology, architecture, education, health care, sciences, and anyone who expects to play a leadership role in a business). Employees in these roles need to understand how decisions are made and how nongovernmental actors (them) are able to shape these decisions.
Open to undergraduates of all disciplines including:
- Anthropology
- Biological Sciences
- Communication
- Computer Science
- Criminology, Law, and Justice
- Economics
- Gender and Women's Studies
- Information & Decision Sciences
- Integrated Health Sciences
- Neuroscience
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Sociology
- Urban Studies
Public Policy Minor Requirements Heading link
Public Policy Minor Requirements (15 credit hours)
2 core courses
- PPOL 210 Introduction to Policy Process (3 credits)
- PPOL 307 Policy Analysis III: Identifying and Developing Alternatives (3 credits)
1 elective within the Department of Public Policy, Management, and Analytics
2 elective courses from the approved list (below)
- PPOL 100 – Individual Action and Democratic Citizenship
- PPOL 212 – Evidence-Based Public Policy
- PPOL 230 – Nonprofit Organizations and Civil Society
- PPOL 231 – Social Welfare State: Policies and Process
- PPOL 232 – International Develop Policy
- PPOL 240 – Environmental Policy
- PPOL 300 – Urban Policy and Metropolitan Governance
- PPOL 303 – Bureaucracy and Public Policy
- PPOL 305 – Managing Government Partnerships
- PPOL 309 – Public Budgeting and Financial Management
- PPOL 405 – Evaluating Public Policies and Programs
- PPOL 467 – Civic Engagement
- PA 403 – Economics for Management and Policy
- US 301 – Political Economy of Urban Development
- UPP 306 – Urban Policy Analysis Methods
- UPP 308 – Globalization & Urban Political Affairs
- CLJ 101 – Introduction to Criminology, Law, and Justice
- CLJ 200 – Law in Society
- ECON 214 – Economics of Education
- ECON 215 – Health Economics
- ECON 220 – Microeconomics: Theory & Application
- ECON 328 – Public Finance
- ECON 331 – Labor Economics
- ECON 332 – Urban Economics
- ECON 370 – Environmental Economics
- PUBH 100 – Health & the Public
- PUBH 110 – Public Health & Global Societies
- SOC 105 – Social Problems
Students are encouraged to consult with their primary advisor in their home unit about the suitability of the Public Policy minor to their overall academic plan of study. Elective courses may have prerequisites that do not count toward the minor. Electives may be taken primarily in one department, or across multiple departments.
*A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 is required for admission to the minor. A GPA of 2.5/4.0 is required in the courses taken towards the minor.
**Students who are pursuing a BA in Urban Public Affairs (UPA) may not count elective courses toward both the UPA degree and the Public Policy minor.
***Students must submit the Public Policy Minor Application form below***
Need more information? Email Sharon Hayes at shar@uic.edu