Policy Analytics Minor

The minor in Policy Analytics is designed to equip STEM and social science majors with analytical skills to address pressing public issues through data analysis. The minor equips students with the quantitative skills and analytical tools necessary for analyzing, visualizing, and interpreting data within the context of public policy. Through interdisciplinary coursework, students gain proficiency in the policy analysis methods, statistical methods using public datasets to examine human populations and social problems, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for spatial analysis, and the ethical issues of data analytics. Students who complete the minor are prepared for positions as data analysts and other data-intensive roles in private, public and nonprofit organizations that need rapid-cycle analysis for policy-making and innovative public service delivery.

Minor Requirements (15 Credit Hours)

The minor requires the completion of 15 credit hours.

Required Courses (3 Credit Hours)

PMAP 4041 - Policy Data Analysis 3 Credit Hours or an equivalent statistics course with approval from the Department of Public Management and Policy Undergraduate Director (3 Credit Hours)

Elective Courses (12 Credit Hours)

Select four courses from the following:

PMAP 4061 - Policy Evaluation 3 Credit Hours
PMAP 4401 - Urban Demography and Analysis 3 Credit Hours
PMAP 4421 - GIS for Policy Analysis & Planning 3 Credit Hours
PMAP 4511 - Big Data for Public Good 3 Credit Hours
PMAP 4551 - Data Analysis and Visualization 3 Credit Hours
ECON 4970 - Introduction to Data Science for Economics 3 Credit Hours
Students may petition to substitute one 3000-4000 level course toward the electives of the minor with approval from the Department of Public Management and Policy Undergraduate Director.