If you care about affecting the issues in the United States (and there are plenty to choose from) public policy might be a good academic path for you. The major or area of study looks different at different schools, but the broad strokes idea is students in the public policy disciplines will look at how to solve problems through, well, policy. Students with a degree of focus in public policy often go on to work in government, politics, and non-profits. If you are someone who watches the news every night and has ideas about how to get regulate corporate carbon footprints, public policy might be the right trajectory for you.
Harvard
Harvard rounds out U.S. News & World Report’s list for the top school to study Public Policy. The undergraduate Government program offers a concentration in Public Policy. Students are required to take classes in Ethics, in addition to three courses on politics and analysis of a particular policy area. Students may choose from social policy (like education and immigration), economic policy and foreign policy, or they can propose an alternative policy area.
UCal Berkley
UCal Berkley also made the list at U.S. News & World Report. The university offers an undergraduate minor within the Goldman School of Public Policy. The school offers various courses, from introductory to ethics to energy regulation.
George Washington University
GW offers a Political Science major with a Public Policy focus. That’ housed within the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. In addition to the general Poli Sci pre-requisites, students are also required to take coursework in Comparative Politics, American Politics and Government and International Politics. This is a popular focus for study abroad, but the real appeal of studying Public Policy at GW is being in the center of the action in D.C.
American University
For similar reasons to GW, we recommend American University for politics junkies and policy wonks alike, particularly the Department of Public Administration and Policy. What better way to learn the inner-workings of government than from within the belly of the beast? American offers a minor in Public Administration & Policy with course offerings and requirements in leadership, homeland security, drugs, crime and public policy, environmental policy and more.
Princeton
Princeton’s prestigious School of Public and International Affairs offers a major of its own that’s a good fit for students interesting in Public Policy. Students must take core coursework in statistics, microeconomics, ethics, history, politics and sociology or psychology, and a foreign language. The most notable feature of this program is that students must participate in a Public Policy Task Force, in which they propose and debate policy recommendations.
Stanford
Stanford’s Public Policy major within the School of Humanities and Sciences includes many course offerings, from the basic prerequisites of economics, to core coursework in ethics, healthcare policy, and California state policy. Stanford also offers a host of concentrations, from discrimination, crime, and poverty policy to education policy, to urban and regional policy, and science and tech.
Duke
Duke’s renowned Sanford School of Public Policy offers, not only a traditional major in the field, but also a 4+1 accelerated master’s program. Students who embark upon the Public Policy major are required to take foundational courses, electives and an internship throughout college.
Brown
Brown offers a public policy concentration within the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs. Requirements include coursework in ethics and statistics and elective offerings allow students to dive deep into a particular policy area, such as city politics or the environment.
Michigan
Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy is one of the best of its kind in the nation and offers both majors and minors to undergraduate students. These programs are rooted in social sciences and allows students to dive deeply into the topic of public policy and then even further into a particular focus, from energy to health care.
Indiana
Indiana’s Kelley School of Business is an excellent place for students interesting in pursuing Public Policy paths. IU offers a Public Policy Analysis major that focuses a bit more on the economics of government policy. Course requirements cover the gamut from game theory to international economics.
While it might seem excessive, knowing what you want to pursue academically in university is important. While you can always change your mind once you get there, having a particular brand that aligns with what you’ve been working on throughout high school is one way in which you can have a competitive advantage. If public policy is within your own academic area of expertise, it’s a good idea to research the top schools with policy programs.
Need help deciding what major is right for you? Call us. We’re great at helping students match with the right program for them.