Public Policy is a discipline that explores the role and impact of Public decision-making in society. The discipline includes knowledge of both process and substance of a particular policy area. Thus, a major in public policy must have both generalist and specialist skills to apply to a particular public problem. In terms of political process, the study of public policy examines questions of how public policy is formulated, implemented, and evaluated over time. It also explores notions of agenda-setting and framing of issues that lead to a problem gaining the attention of the government. Public Policy specialists and analysts are hired by all levels of government. During the past several years in addition to the government sector, the nonprofit and private sectors have sought public policy analysts for employment.
The Public Policy Studies Program (PPS) is an undergraduate program (BA) offering majors the option to pursue concentrated work in the areas of Environmental or Urban Studies. Students take a common core of six courses dealing with public policy processes, methods of public policy analysis, and important environmental and urban policy issues.
Beyond this core curriculum, students choose either the Environmental Studies or Urban Studies track, selecting from a group of courses within these specializations. A capstone course reconvenes the students from each track to study a public policy problem in-depth under the direction of a public policy professor. These topics change over the years, yet usually reflect a current issue on the public policy agenda.
PPS prepares students who desire to contribute significantly to work in the government, nonprofit or private sectors policy analysts, specialists, or advocates. The curriculum also is tailored to prepare students who would like to continue their education in graduate or law schools. The director of the program works closely with students to place them in internships, and when possible, employment positions. A required orientation occurs in the autumn quarter where students are assigned an advisor for individual attention to the student’s career path. There is an active student organization that has social events and provides input to the director. PPS also has a newsletter and quarterly student events with speakers and career fairs to assist students.
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Programs of Study 
