Bachelor of Science in Public Policy

The Bachelor of Science in Public Policy (BS PP) provides an education that combines strong analytical skills with understanding of a range of substantive policy issues and the political, social, and cultural forces that shape public policies. The BS PP core courses provide students with the broad political, economic, and philosophical foundations of thought pertinent to public policy, a base of rigorous quantitative and qualitative analytical approaches, and a solid understanding of the political and social dynamics that structure policy debates and policy outcomes.

The curriculum moves from disciplinary foundations (in politics, economics, philosophy, and organization theory) to methods of research and data analysis, and to detailed studies of particular policy problems.  Students choose two clusters in environment and energy policy, science and technology policy, social and urban policy, philosophy, or politics and policy, and can select electives in additional areas such as information and telecommunication policy, bioengineering and ethics, and regional development policy. All students have opportunities for internships, research, and study abroad or exchange programs.  The BS PP program culminates in a senior-year two-semester capstone "task force" in which students work in teams with outside clients (e.g., Centers for Disease Control, Marcus Autism Center, Multiple Sclerosis Society, Atlanta Food Bank) on actual policy problems.

The program's emphasis on the development of problem-solving and analytical skills constitutes a strong comparative advantage for BS PP graduates, many of whom move on to law school, management consulting, public sector policy analysis, or nonprofit management.

Wellness Requirement
APPH 1040Scientific Foundations of Health2
or APPH 1050 The Science of Physical Activity and Health
or APPH 1060 Flourishing: Strategies for Well-being and Resilience
Core IMPACTS
Institutional Priority
CS 1315Introduction to Media Computation3
Mathematics and Quantitative Skills
MATH 1712Survey of Calculus4
or MATH 1552 Integral Calculus
Political Science and U.S. History
POL 1101Government of the United States3
Arts, Humanities, and Ethics
Any HUM6
Communicating in Writing
ENGL 1101English Composition I3
ENGL 1102English Composition II3
Technology, Mathematics, and Sciences
Lab Science4
Lab Science4
MATH 1711Finite Mathematics4
or MATH 1551
MATH 1553
Differential Calculus
and Introduction to Linear Algebra
Social Sciences
Any SS9
Field of Study
ECON 2106Principles of Microeconomics 3
PHIL 2025Philosophical Analysis of Policy Choices 3
PUBP 2010Political Processes 23
PUBP 2030Organizations and Policy 23
Science, Computing, or Engineering Elective 16
Major Requirements
PUBP 3020Applied Political Economy 23
PUBP 3030Policy Analysis 23
PUBP 3120Statistical Analysis for Public Policy 23
PUBP 3130Research Methods and Problem Solving 23
PUBP 4010Policy Task Force I 23
PUBP 4020Policy Task Force II 23
PUBP 2651Public Policy Internship 23
or PUBP 4651 Public Policy Internship
Clusters
Students must select nine hours each from two clusters. See Cluster Electives below for options.18
Non-Major Cluster
Any POL, PHIL, or PUBP course 23
Free Electives
Free Electives 317
Total Credit Hours122

Pass-fail only allowed for Free Electives.

1

Must be chosen from the following list: any AE, CEE, ECE, ISYE course, AE 1770/CEE 1770/ME 1770, BC 3630BIOS 2300, BIOS 2600, CHEM 2211, CHEM 2311, CHEM 2312, CHEM 2380, CHEM 3380, COA 6764, CS 6764, CP 4510 , CS 1171, CS 1316, CS 1331, CS 1332, CS 6754/ME 6754, EAS 2420, EAS 2600, EAS 2655, EAS 2750, EAS 4420, EAS 4430, EAS 4450, EAS 4602, ECE 2030, ID 3103, ID 4103, LMC 2700, LMC 2730, LMC 3402, LMC 3710, LMC 6312, ME 2016, MGT 4051, MGT 4058, MUSI 4630, PHYS 2030, PHYS 2213, PHYS 3123, PHYS 3141, PHYS 3266, PHYS 4142, PSYC 2020, PSYC 2270, PSYC 3011, PSYC 3020, PSYC 3031, PSYC 3040, PSYC 3790, PSYC 4010, PSYC 4031, PSYC 4050, PSYC 4090, PSYC 4100, PSYC 4270.

2

Minimum grade of C required.

3

MATH 1111 and MATH 2804 not allowed.

Cluster Electives

Environmental and Energy Policy Cluster

PHIL 4176Environmental Ethics3
PUBP 3315Environmental Policy and Politics3
PUBP 3600Sustainability, Technology, and Policy3
PUBP 4338Environmental Impact Assessment3
PUBP 6300Earth Systems3
PUBP 6310Environmental Issues3
PUBP 6312Economics of Environmental Policy3
PUBP 6314Policy Tools for Environmental Management3
PUBP 6326Environmental Values and Policy Goals3
PUBP 6330Environmental Law3
PUBP 6760Negotiation and Conflict Management3

Science and Technology Policy Cluster

PHIL 3127Science, Technology, and Human Values3
PUBP 3502Information and Communications Technology Policy3
PUBP 4111Internet and Public Policy3
PUBP 4214Gender, Science, Technology, and Public Policy3
PUBP 4410Science, Technology, and Public Policy3
PUBP 4414Technology, Innovation, and Policy3
PUBP 4416Critical Issues in Science and Technology3
PUBP 4756Technology Forecasting and Assessment3
PUBP 6402Research Policy and Management3
PUBP 6415Technology, Regions, and Policy3
PUBP 6417Critical Perspectives on Science and Technology3
PUBP 6421Development of Large-scale Socio-technical Systems3
PUBP 6501Information Policy and Management3
PUBP 6740Innovation, the State and Industrial Development in International Perspecitve3
PUBP 6741Geography of Innovation3
PUBP 6753Comparative Science and Technology Policy3
PUBP 6777Analysis of Emerging Technologies3

Social and Urban Policy Cluster

PUBP 3201Introduction to Social Policy3
PUBP 3214African American Politics3
PUBP 4200Social Policy Issues3
PUBP 4211Urban Policy3
PUBP 4212Women and Public Policy3
PUBP 4214Gender, Science, Technology, and Public Policy3
PUBP 6604Methods of Urban Policy Analysis and Planning3
PUBP 6606Urban Development Policy3

Philosophy Cluster

PHIL 3102Ancient Philosophy3
PHIL 3103Modern Philosophy3
PHIL 3105Ethical Theories3
PHIL 3109Engineering Ethics3
PHIL 3113Logic and Critical Thinking3
PHIL 3115Philosophy of Science3
PHIL 3127Science, Technology, and Human Values3
PHIL 3790Introduction to Cognitive Science3
PHIL 4110Theories of Knowledge3
PHIL 4174Perspectives in Science and Technology3
PHIL 4176Environmental Ethics3
PHIL 4752Philosophical Issues in Computation3
PHIL 4790Semi-Cognitive Science3
PHIL 6010Biotechnology and Research Ethics2

Politics and Policy Cluster

POL 2101State and Local Government3
PHIL 3050Political Philosophy3
PUBP 1142Teams and Collaboration3
PUBP 2142Teams and Collaboration in Context3
PUBP 3016Judicial Process3
PUBP 3141Leading Social Organizations3
PUBP 3214African American Politics3
PUBP 3510Politics and Policy3
PUBP 4140Foundations of Leadership3
PUBP 4226Business and Government3
PUBP 4440Science, Technology, and Regulation3

BS/MS Public Policy

The School of Public Policy offers a BS/MS program for students enrolled in the undergraduate program who demonstrate an interest in and ability for additional education beyond the BS degree.

Students in the BS/MS program remain undergraduates until they meet requirements for the undergraduate degree, at which point they receive their BS degree and change to graduate status. Students are eligible to apply for the program after completion of 30 semester credit hours at Georgia Tech (i.e., at the end of their first year), and if they show appropriate progress in their degree program thereafter. Admissions decisions will be based on GPA and judgments of the faculty who have served as advisors or instructors. Continuation in the program requires the student to maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher in public policy courses. Students participating in this program will be eligible for the six semester credit-hour Graduate Course Option, which allows students completing both the bachelor's and master's in the same discipline to use up to 6 credit hours of graduate-level coursework in the major discipline for both degrees.

The graduate-level credits required in the BS/MS Program are usually as follows:

Core22
Electives12
Research Paper3
Total Credit Hours37

Specific Requirements for the Program

Required Courses
PUBP 6001Introduction to Public Policy1
PUBP 6010Ethics, Epistemology, and Public Policy3
PUBP 6112Research Design in Policy Science 13
PUBP 3130Research Methods and Problem Solving3
PUBP 6114Applied Policy Methods and Data Analysis3
PUBP 6116Microeconomics for Policy Analysis3
PUBP 6118Public Finance Policy3
PUBP 6201Public Policy Analysis3
Select one of the following:3
Organization Theory
Public Management
Policy Implementation and Administration
Concentration
Concentration 26
Total Credit Hours31
1

NOTE: This course should be taken as an undergraduate instead of PUBP 3130 and will count for both programs.

2

Students are required to develop, in consultation with their advisor, a six credit hour concentration in an area or specialty relevant to public policy and management (e.g. environmental policy, science and technology policy, urban policy, economic development, information and communications policy, policy evaluation, public management).

Contact the BS PP program director for further information.