Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy
University of Illinois at Chicago College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs
Key Information
Campus location
Chicago, USA
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
4 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
USD 14,870 / per year *
Application deadline
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Earliest start date
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* - in-state students; $28,562 - out-of state students; $30,144 - international students
Scholarships
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Introduction
In 2018, the Education Advisory Board (EAB) ranked Public Policy as the 15th most valuable major out of 162 degrees. Researchers evaluated majors based on graduates’ unemployment rate, average salary, and the number of graduates with a post-secondary degree. Out of the top 15, Public Policy is the only social science major listed.
Policy is just a fancy word for “rules”. From schools to parks to your own workplace, policies determine what can (or cannot) be done in a particular space. From administrative policies to ordinances and laws, we train you to locate, understand and analyze the policies that impact you, your family, community, state, nation, and world.
Who is a good fit for our program?
We like to think of our public policy program as an “applied” political science degree. Students who are curious about why bad policies are perpetuated, how to fix them, at what level of government is there an opportunity for positive change, and the role of non-profits in transforming democracy is an ideal fit.
Highlights of our core program:
- Values-driven public service training means that we encourage all our students to have a vision about what a high-functioning democracy should look like
- Analytically grounded training gives you concrete skills to take directly into the workforce, and soft-skills and leadership development to help our students work in highly collaborative environments
- Experiential learning opportunities in-class and through field placements at some of the top government agencies and non-profits in the city, state or nationally
- Real opportunities, real careers to help transform our democracy!
Policy Groups, Internships, and Student Testimonials
We encourage our students to make a difference by participating in our student groups. The internship placement course allows our students to integrate classroom learning with practical experience in a real workplace environment.
"I am fond of the feedback, exchange of ideas, and fairness in reasoning that transpires between faculty and students at CUPPA. I believe that every Professor brings a unique style of discipline that can be used by individual students (if attentive) to craft a vast repertoire of theoretical and experiential knowledge in this field." Benjamin Brown | Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy Student
“The classes I took at the College of Urban Planning & Public Affairs (CUPPA) provided the conceptual foundation for approaching key policy issues, and giving us the tools to change or dismantle policies using values of equity, transparency, efficiency, and accountability. At CUPPA I found a chosen family that are all dedicated to making this world a better and sustainable place. I will forever be grateful for my experience at CUPPA because they helped me to elevate and empower my voice.” Sief Salameh | Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy Student
Admissions
New first-year students interested in admission to the BA in Public Policy program must apply using the Common Application and be admitted by the Department of Public Administration, College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs. Admission is competitive, and preference is given to those applicants selected to have the best potential for academic success.
Transfer students who have completed a minimum of 24 semester hours or 36 quarter hours of transferable college course work by the time of application, and do not meet the definition of an incoming first-year or readmission applicant may apply to transfer into the BA in Public Policy. While 24 semester or 36 quarter hours are the minimum number of hours required, most curricula require additional credit hours and the completion of some specific core first-year courses. The minimum transfer grade point average for admission is 2.00/4.00.
Degree Requirements
The Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy offers the following specializations: Economic Development Policy, Health Policy, Social Welfare Policy, Environmental Policy, Education Policy & Global Policy.
To earn a Bachelor of Arts degree from UIC, students must complete University, college, and department degree requirements.
Sample Course Schedule
Freshman Year
First Semester
- UPA 120 Urban and Public Affairs Seminar I 1
- MATH 110 College Algebra 4
- ENGL 160 Academic Writing I: Writing in Academic and Public Contexts 3
- PPOL 100 Individual Action and Democratic Citizenship 3
- POLS 101 Introduction to American Government and Politics 3
Hours 14
Second Semester
- UPA 121 Urban and Public Affairs Seminar II 1
- STAT 101 Introduction to Statistics 4
- ENGL 161 Academic Writing II: Writing for Inquiry and Research 3
- ECON 120 Principles of Microeconomics 4
- General Education course 3
- General Education course 3
Hours 18
Sophomore Year
First Semester
- PPOL 210 Introduction to Public Policy 3
- PPOL 230 Nonprofit Organizations and Civil Society 3
- ECON 220 Microeconomics: Theory and Applications 3
- General Education course 3
- General Education course 3
Hours 15
Second Semester
- PPOL 307 Policy Analysis III: Identifying and Developing Alternatives 3
- General Education course 3
- Elective 3
- Elective 3
- Elective 3
Hours 15
Junior Year
First Semester
- PPOL 300 Urban Policy and Process 3
- PPOL 303 Bureaucracy and Public Policy 3
- Elective 3
- Elective 3
- Elective 3
Hours 15
Second Semester
- PPOL 305 Managing Government Partnerships 3
- PPOL 309 Public Budgeting and Financial Management 3
- Elective 3
- Elective 3
- Elective 3
Hours 15
Senior Year
First Semester
- PPOL 405 Advanced Topics in Policy Analysis: Evaluating Public Policies and Programs 3
- Elective 3
- Elective 3
- Policy Specialization course 3
- Policy Specialization course 3
Hours 15
Second Semester
- PPOL 490 Field Experience in Public Policy and Administration 4
- Policy Specialization course 3
- Elective 3
- Elective 3
Hours 13
Total Hours 120