Public Policy, B.S.

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Return to: Department of Public Management and Policy

Mission: The mission of the Public Policy program is to prepare students for roles as effective citizens and people who work in the public service. We seek talented and motivated students who want to develop the knowledge, skills, and values required to become responsible and visionary leaders in a wide range of settings. While many graduates of our program choose to enter a career in the public sector or in nonprofit agencies, others make contributions to their community, state, and nation as active citizens in the civic and public arenas.

The career of the namesake of the School, Ambassador Andrew Young, illustrates how individuals can move from nonprofit organizations to public life and the private sector, while being a part of our increasingly global society. Students in the Bachelor of Science in Public Policy program learn about the institutions of a democracy and the ways in which policy making organizations relate to one another. Students acquire skills in policy writing, critical thinking, and analysis that are in demand by governmental agencies and nonprofit groups, as well as graduate and professional schools. Above all, they learn how to make a difference by becoming engaged in civic and public life.

Career Opportunities: A policy major can work as a city manager, community relations specialist, local or regional planner, policy analyst, environmental resource specialist, human resource manager, journalist, politician or campaign strategist, volunteer coordinator, nonprofit leader, or in many other exciting careers that make a difference.

Many graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Public Policy establish careers in public service. These alumni work in a variety of agencies including federal, state, and local governments as well as a number of public agencies. Others are employed in not-for-profit organizations that address many important needs. Some alumni work in the business world, but use the knowledge and skills from their Public Policy degree to become better, more active citizens in the civic and public arenas. The degree program also provides an excellent preparation for graduate study in law, public policy and administration, and related fields.

A Top Ranked Program: The Andrew Young School of Policy Studies (AYSPS) is nationally recognized as having one of the elite programs in the field of public policy and management. U.S. News and World Report’s 2020 Best Public Affairs Schools issue ranks the Andrew Young School No. 21 overall: No. 8 in Urban Policy, No. 9 in Nonprofit Management, No 8 in Public Finance & Budgeting, No. 7 in Local Government Management, No. 19 in Public Management and Leadership, and No. 22 in Public Policy Analysis. A B.S. in Public Policy provides students the resources to be leaders and innovators in the public sphere for years after they have graduated from the program.

Complete descriptions of requirements for Areas A through E of the Undergraduate Core Curriculum can be found in the “University Academic Regulations” chapter of this catalog. The number of semester credit hours required for each section is shown in parentheses.

Degree Requirements

Areas A-E of the Core Curriculum

Area A: Essential Skills
(9 Hours)
Area B: Institutional Foundations
(4 Hours)
Area C: Humanities and Fine Arts
(6 Hours)
Area D: Natural and Computational Sciences
(11 Hours)
Area E: Social Science
(12 Hours)

Area F: Courses Appropriate to the Major (18 Hours)

Required Courses (15 Hours)

ECON 2105 - Principles of Macroeconomics 3 Credit Hours (C or better)
ECON 2106 - Principles of Microeconomics 3 Credit Hours (C or better)
MATH 1401 - Elementary Statistics 3 Credit Hours (C or better) - if taken in Area D, a 1000/2000 level elective from Areas A-E may be substituted.
SOCI 1101 - Introduction to Sociology 3 Credit Hours
PSYC 1101 - Introduction to General Psychology 3 Credit Hours

Elective (3 Hours)

One course chosen from the 1000-2000 level offerings of the College of Arts and Sciences, Robinson College of Business, College of Education and Human Development (with restrictions), or the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies.

Area G: Major Common Core Curriculum (21 Hours)

A minimum Area GPA of 2.0 is required for completion of Area G. Grades of C- may be used in Area G to satisfy graduation requirements. However, some courses have prerequisites that required a grade of C or higher.

PMAP 3021 - Citizenship in the Local Community 3 Credit Hours
PMAP 3031 - Policy Leadership 3 Credit Hours
PMAP 3311 - Critical Policy Issues-CTW 3 Credit Hours
PMAP 4041 - Policy Data Analysis 3 Credit Hours
PMAP 4061 - Introduction to Policy Analysis 3 Credit Hours

Choose one

* All undergraduate students without significant prior administrative experience in a public or nonprofit agency or a related organization must either perform a 200-hour internship (PMAP 4941) or take PMAP 3005. Internship experiences allow students to apply concepts and skills learned in their coursework, enhance professional growth and development, and provide work experience that appeals to employers. The department’s internship coordinators and the AYSPS Office of Career Services assist in searching for appropriate internships, but students are expected to take the lead in this search. Students may work fulltime or part-time, according to their needs and those of their internship sponsor. Many students find paid internships, but some unpaid internships are very desirable. Students should consider the value of the experience that an internship provides, in addition to the pay. Internship information and applications are available from the Department of Public Management and Policy, or the PMAP internship homepage on the web at aysps.gsu.edu/pmap-internship. Students with substantial prior administrative experience may petition to waive this requirement. Petition forms are available online through the Office of Academic Assistance at aysps.wufoo.com/forms/undergraduate-petition/.

* Students who choose to take PMAP 3005 may also perform an internship (PMAP 4941) as an elective in any concentration. Neither PMAP 3005 nor PMAP 4941 can be counted to fulfill both core and concentration requirements.

PMAP 3005 - Career Planning & Management 3 Credit Hours *
PMAP 4941 - Internship 3 Credit Hours *

Area H: Concentration (21 Hours)

A minimum grade of C is recommended for all courses in this area. A grade of C- may be used in Area H to satisfy graduation requirements. However, some courses have prerequisites that required a grade of C or higher.

Students must choose one concentration from:

Area I: Approved Electives (18 Hours)

Students are required to complete 18 credit hours of advisor approved electives to complete an undergraduate degree. These may be accumulated in any field of study outside the PMAP department. PMAP requires 9 hours (three classes) of these electives to be upper division 3000/4000 level classes, with all 18 hours requiring advisor approval. A grade of “C” or better is recommended for approval.