• Graduate Programs
• HOD Undergraduate Program
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    • Community Leadership and Development Track
    • Health and Human Services Track
    • International Leadership and Development Track
    • Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness Track
    • Public Policy Track
  • HOD Undergraduate Program of Studies Checklists
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  • HOD Minor
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• Newbrough Graduate Award

Public Policy Track

The Public Policy (PP) track is designed to provide students both a scholarly and an applied understanding of the interactions in a democracy between politics, economics, and governments. This track engages participants in an exploration of political system dynamics, formal public policy processes, public finance principles, modern policy analytic methods, program evaluation techniques, and political system leadership.

Students in the PP track focus on issues of public policy using methods of analysis derived from multiple disciplines, including sociology, economics, and political science. As a capstone experience, PP track students complete an internship focused on their area of interest.

This multidisciplinary track is intended to provide participants with a scholarly and applied understanding of the public policy process. The coursework prepares students for careers as policy analysts and leaders in public service, both in and out of government, and is closely connected to the fifth-year master's program in Public Policy and Education.

The nine-hour PP track core consists of the following required courses:

• HOD 2800, Policy Analysis Methods (Fall)
• HOD 2810, Politics of Public Policy (Fall)
• HOD 2820, Introduction to Public Finance (Spring)

In addition, PP track students are required to select six hours of electives from HOD courses above the 2100 level (other than HOD 2260, 2900, 2910, 2920, 2930, and 2980-2989). Recommended elective courses include the following:

• HOD 2430, Education and Economic Development
• HOD 2610, Community Development, Organizations, and Policies
• HOD 2620, Action Research and Program Evaluation
• HOD 2830, Reforming America's Schools
• HOD 2880, Seminars in Public Policy