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Public Policy Minor

Semester Requirements

College of Liberal Arts, Office of Student Services
(585) 475-2444, libarts@rit.edu

The public policy minor provides students with a foundation in the field of public policy and allows them to make connections between public policy and other fields of study. Students are allowed to select one of two tracks within the minor. The first track, policy issues, develops a broad perspective on public policy and its relationship to other fields. The second track, policy analysis, highlights the analytical tools used by the policy analyst to evaluate and understand policy formulation and impacts. Both tracks explore contemporary public policy issues, especially those connected to the science and technology fields. This minor underscores the role of public policy on science and technology-based problems. Through the minor, students obtain a deeper understanding of what public policy is and how it is integrated within a number of specific contexts. This minor is closed to students majoring in public policy.

Required Courses:
STSO-510 Seminar in Science, Technology and Society
Plus one of the following:
    PUBL-101 Foundations of Public Policy   
    PUBL-120 Contemporary Issues in Public Policy 
    STSO-201 Science and Technology Policy   

Electives–Choose three of the following:
PUBL-101 Foundations of Public Policy*   
PUBL-120 Contemporary Issues in Public Policy*
STSO-201 Science and Technology Policy*
STSO-240 Social Consequences of Technology
PUBL-201 Values and Public Policy
PUBL-210 Introduction to Qualitative Methods
STSO-330 Energy and the Environment
STSO-341 Biomedical Issues
PUBL-301 Public Policy Analysis
PUBL-302 Decision Analysis  
STSO-421 Environmental Policy
STSO-489 Special Topics in STS
PUBL-489 Special Topics in Public Policy
PUBL-510 Technology Innovation and Public Policy
PUBL-520 Information and Communication Policy
PUBL-530 Energy Policy

* Students may take this course as an elective if it was not chosen as one of their required courses.

[arrow] Click to view minor requirements in the Quarter Calendar

Quarter Curriculum - For Reference Only

Effective fall 2013, RIT will convert its academic calendar from quarters to semesters. The following content has been made available as reference only. Currently matriculated students who began their academic programs in quarters should consult their academic adviser for guidance and course selection.

The purpose of this minor is to provide students with a foundation in the field of public policy and allow them to make connections between public policy and other fields of study. Students are allowed to select one of two tracks within the minor. The first track, policy issues, develops a broad perspective on public policy and its relationship to other fields. The second track, policy analysis, highlights the analytical tools used by the policy analyst to evaluate and understand policy formulation and impacts. Both tracks explore contemporary public policy issues, especially those connected to the science and technology fields. This minor underscores the role of public policy on science and technology-based problems. Through the minor, students obtain a deeper understanding of what public policy is and how it is integrated within a number of specific contexts.

Policy issues track
Required Courses:
0521-400 Foundations of Public Policy
Plus one of the following:
    0521-460 Capstone: Public Policy Minor*
    0508-530 Seminar in Science, Technology, and the Environment*

Electives—Choose three of the following:
0508-441 Science and Technology Policy
0508-484 Environmental Policy
0508-540 Science and Technology Policy Seminar‡
0513-455 Politics and Public Policy*
0515-413 Urban Planning and Policy
0515-451 Technology Transfer and Globalization*
0521-401 Values and Public Policy*
0521-406 Introduction to Qualitative Analysis*
0521-408 Technological Innovation and Public Policy*
0521-410 Information and Communication Policy*
0521-449 Special Topics in Public Policy†
0521-451 Energy Policy

Policy analysis track
Required Courses:
0521-400 Foundations of Public Policy
0521-402 Policy Analysis I*
0521-403 Policy Analysis II*
0521-404 Policy Analysis III*

Electives—Choose one of the following courses:
0508-441 Science and Technology Policy
0508-484 Environmental Policy
0508-540 Science and Technology Policy Seminar‡
0515-413 Urban Planning and Policy
0521-401 Values and Public Policy
0521-406 Introduction to Qualitative Analysis*
0521-408 Technological Innovation and Public Policy*
0521-410 Information and Communication Policy*
0521-449 Special Topics in Public Policy†
0521-451 Energy Policy

* Students should check the prerequisites or co-requisites for these courses.

† Topics may vary.

‡ Prerequisite: Science and Technology Policy (0508-441), Environmental Policy (0508-484), or Foundations of Public Policy (0521-400).