Semester Requirements
Deborah Blizzard, Department Chairperson
(585) 475-4697, dlbgsh@rit.edu
http://www.rit.edu/cla/publicpolicy
Program overview
The public policy major explores the intersection of public policy, technology, and our natural world. The major provides students with an opportunity to integrate their interests in science, technology, government, economics, and other social science fields. The BS degree combines an understanding of these fields with the analytical tools needed to study the impact of public policy on society. Through the curriculum, students acquire policy analysis skills, with particular attention on analyzing policies that emerge in a technology-based society. The program has many key features, including:
Science and technology—Graduates are trained in the vernacular, methodologies, and problem-solving approaches of the sciences and technologies relevant to their chosen policy study concentration, and they possess a well-grounded familiarity in that area.
Interdisciplinary—Public policy core courses ensures the major provides integration of diverse disciplines. This sequence makes up the core of the curriculum and enables students to integrate diverse subjects and apply them to the analysis of public policy.
Integrated qualitative and quantitative skills—The major balances both quantitative and qualitative approaches to the analysis of public policy so that students are able to achieve a full systems-level grasp of policy issues.
Solid grounding in liberal arts—While our graduates have quantitative and qualitative training, by the end of their academic career they also will have taken liberal arts courses with a broad disciplinary range. It is this grounding in humanistic values combined with technology and science that makes our program both balanced and unique.
Curriculum
The curriculum is designed to train students to think and analyze policy in terms of complex, interconnected systems. This training is in high demand in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.
Concentrations
Student must complete a five course concentration in one of the following areas: biotechnology policy, computer crime policy, computer software policy, energy policy, engineering policy, environmental policy, or information and communications policy. Courses demand that students apply skills acquired in public policy courses to specific policy areas or domains. Many concentration courses, including those that provide a firm grounding in science and technology, are offered through other majors and colleges of the university. This gives students an opportunity to interact and study with researchers and faculty from a broad range of disciplines.
Biotechnology policy
STSO-240 Social Consequences of Technology
STSO-421 Environmental Policy
BIOL-105 General Biology I
BIOL-106 General Biology II
MEDS-110 Microbiology in Health and Disease
Computer crime policy
PUBL-520 Information and Communications Policy
STSO-240 Social Consequences of Technology
CRIM-110 Introduction to Criminal Justice System
CRIM-210 Technology in Criminal Justice
CRIM-290 Computer Crime
NSSA-161 Fundamentals of Information Security
Computer software policy
PUBL-520 Information and Communications Policy
STSO-240 Social Consequences of Technology
MATH-191 Discrete Mathematics for Computing
CSCI-141 Computer Science I
CSCI-142 Computer Science II
SWEN-261 Intoduction to Software Engineering
Energy policy
STSO-330 Energy and the Environment
STSO-550 Sustainable Communities
ECON-420 Environmental Economics
ECON-421 Natural Resource Economics
PUBL-530 Energy Policy
Engineering policy
EEEE-120 Digital Systems I
EEEE-220 Digital Systems II
EEEE-281 Circuits I
EEEE-381 Electronics I with Lab
ISEE-250 Engineering Economy
MECE-104 Engineering Design Tools
MECE-103 Statics
MECE-305 Materials Science
MECE-306 Thermodynamics
MECE-110 Fluid Mechanics I
MECE-210 Thermal Fluids Lab I
PHYS-211 University Physics I
PHYS-212 University Physics II
Environmental policy
STSO-220 Environment and Society
STSO-422 Great Lakes
STSO-330 Energy and the Environment
STSO-421 Environmental Policy
STSO-325 History of Environmental
STSO-521 Biodiversity and Society
PHIL-308 Environmental Philosophy
ECON-420 Environmental Economics
ECON-421 Natural Resource Economics
ESHS-150 Principles of Environmental Sustainability, Health and Safety
ESHS-310 Solid and Hazardous Waste Management
ESHS-480 Environmental Health and Safety Law
BIOL-211 Invertebrate Zoology
BIOL-212 Vertebrate Zoology
CHMG-142 General Chemistry II
CHMG-146 General Chemistry II Lab
CHMO-231 Organic Chemistry
Information and communications policy
MGMT-215 Organizational Behavior
MGMT-420 Managing Innovation and Technology
MGIS-120 Business Computer Applications
MGIS-201 Business Information Systems
STSO-240 Social Consequences of Technology
STSO-550 Sustainable Communities
PUBL-510 Technological Innovation and Public Policy
PUBL-520 Information and Communications Policy
COMM-320 Theories of Communication Communications Liberal Arts
COMM-470 Law and Ethics of the Press
COMM-480 Human Communication Communications Liberal Arts
COMM-482 Mass Communications Communications Liberal Arts
ENVS-250 Applications of Geographic Information Systems
ISTE-105 Web Foundations
ISTE-120 Computational Problem Solving I
ISTE-121 Computational Problem Solving II
Public policy colloquium
This required, non-credit-bearing colloquium meets twice each semester. The colloquium is used to bring in policy practitioners and academics to talk about careers, research, and special topics. The colloquium series helps build and sustain a sense of community among policy majors by providing a context for their course work and research.
Public policy, BS degree, typical course sequence (semesters), effective fall 2013
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| PUBL-101 | Foundations of Public Policy | 3 |
| ECON-101 | Microeconomics | 3 |
| LAS Perspective 1, 2, 5†, 7A‡ | 3 | |
| LAS Foundation 1: First-Year Seminar | 3 | |
| STSO-201 | Science, Technology, and Policy | 3 |
| ECON-201 | Macroeconomics | 3 |
| ENGL-150 | LAS Foundation 2: Writing Seminar | 3 |
| Wellness Education* | 0 | |
| Second Year | ||
| PUBL-201 | Values and Public Policy | 3 |
| STSO-220 | Environment and Society | 3 |
| STAT-145 | LAS Perspective 7B: Statistics I | 3 |
| LAS Perspective 3, 4, 6 | 9 | |
| Free Electives | 6 | |
| PUBL-210 | Qualitative Methods and Analysis | 3 |
| Concentration Course | 3 | |
| Third Year | ||
| PUBL-301 | Public Policy Analysis | 3 |
| LAS Immersion 1, 2, 3 | 9 | |
| Free Electives | 6 | |
| LAS Elective | 3 | |
| PUBL-302 | Decision Analysis | 3 |
| POLS-455 | Comparative Public Policy | 3 |
| Concentration Course | 3 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| PUBL-500 | Senior Project (WI) | 3 |
| Concentration Courses | 9 | |
| Free Electives | 6 | |
| LAS Electives | 9 | |
| PUBL-510 | Technology Innovation and Public Policy | 3 |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 120 | |
Please see New General Education Curriculum–Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) for more information.
(WI) Refers to a writing intensive course within the major.
* Please see Wellness Education Requirement for more information.
† Students will satisfy this requirement by taking either a 3- or 4-credit hour lab science course. If a science course consists of separate lecture and laboratory sections, student must take both the lecture and lab portions to satisfy the requirement.
‡ To fulfill LAS Perspective 7A, students choose one of the following calculus options: Elementary Calculus (MATH-161) or Project-based Calculus I (MATH-181).
Additional information
Accelerated dual degree option
Students have the option of completing a five-year, accelerated dual degree leading to a BS in public policy and an MS in science, technology, and public policy. The BS/MS option provides graduates with a considerable advantage in many policy-related careers.
Cooperative education
Students complete a co-op or internship within the private, public, or nonprofit sectors. The co-op experience makes our students attractive to a wide range of agencies, businesses, and organizations.
Employment opportunities
Exciting career opportunities await professionals who can integrate an understanding of science and technology with public policy decision making. Graduates are uniquely positioned to take advantage of the growing job market in public policy, with career options in a range of fields within the private, government, and nonprofit sectors.
Faculty
Faculty have extensive experience in the classroom and as practitioners in their respective fields. In addition to public policy, faculty members have a broad range of backgrounds, including physics, engineering, law, environmental science, energy management, and information technology.
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Click to view program 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.
Program overview
The public policy program explores the intersection of public policy, technology, and our natural world. The program provides students with an opportunity to integrate their interests in science, technology, government, economics, and other social science fields. The BS degree combines an understanding of these fields with the analytical tools needed to study the impact of public policy on society. Through the program, students acquire policy analysis skills, with particular attention on analyzing policies that emerge in a technology-based society. The program has many key features, including:
Science and technology—Graduates are trained in the vernacular, methodologies, and problem-solving approaches of the sciences and technologies relevant to their chosen policy study track, and they possess a well-grounded familiarity in that area. Policy tracks include environmental policy, information and communications policy, energy policy, biotechnology policy, and others designed to meet the students’ interests. Students have an option of tailoring a track to their interests.
Interdisciplinary—A sequence of eight public policy courses ensures the program provides integration of diverse disciplines. This sequence makes up the core of the curriculum and enables students to integrate diverse subjects and apply them to the analysis of public policy.
Integrated qualitative and quantitative skills—The program balances both quantitative and qualitative approaches to the analysis of public policy so that students are able to achieve a full systems-level grasp of policy issues.
Solid grounding in liberal arts—While our graduates have quantitative and qualitative training, by the end of their academic career they also will have taken liberal arts courses with a broad disciplinary range. It is this grounding in humanistic values combined with technology and science that makes our program both balanced and unique.
Curriculum
The curriculum is designed to train students to think and analyze policy in terms of complex, interconnected systems. This training is in high demand in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.
Track courses
Six track courses demand that students apply skills acquired in public policy courses to specific policy areas or domains. Students can concentrate in areas such as environmental policy, information and communications policy, energy policy, and biotechnology policy, among others. Many track courses, including those that provide a firm grounding in the science and technology aspects of the chosen track, are offered through other programs and colleges of the university. This gives students an opportunity to interact and study with researchers and faculty from a broad range of disciplines.
Public policy colloquium
This required, noncredit-bearing colloquium meets twice each quarter. The colloquium is used to bring in policy practitioners and academics to talk about careers, research, and special topics. The colloquium series helps build and sustain a sense of community among policy majors by providing a context for their course work and research.
Public policy, BS degree, typical course sequence (quarters)
| Course | Qtr. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| 0521-400 | Foundations of Public Policy | 4 |
| 0508-441 | Science and Technology Policy | 4 |
| 0511-211 | Principles of Microeconomics | 4 |
| 0511-402 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 4 |
| 0513-211 | American Politics | 4 |
| Mathematics and Science Requirement‡ | 20 | |
| Liberal Arts* | 4 | |
| Free Elective | 4 | |
| Policy Colloquium | 0 | |
| 1105-051, 052 | First-Year Enrichment | 2 |
| Wellness Education† | 0 | |
| Second Year | ||
| 0521-401 | Values and Public Policy | 4 |
| 0521-406 | Qualitative Policy Analysis | 4 |
| 0511-450 | Benefit-Cost Analysis | 4 |
| 1016-319 | Data Analysis I | 4 |
| Choose one of the following: | 4 | |
| 0511-457 | Applied Econometrics | |
| 1016-320 | Data Analysis II | |
| 0513-458 | American Political Thought | 4 |
| 0508-460 | Environment and Society | 4 |
| Liberal Arts* | 20 | |
| Policy Colloquium | 0 | |
| Wellness Education† | 0 | |
| Third Year | ||
| 0521-402, 403, 404 | Policy Analysis I, II, III | 12 |
| Public Policy Track Courses | 12 | |
| Liberal Arts* | 12 | |
| Free Electives | 12 | |
| Cooperative Education (Summer) | Co-op | |
| Policy Colloquium | 0 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| 0521-405 | Senior Project I | 4 |
| 0521-408 | Technological Innovation and Public Policy | 4 |
| Public Policy Track Courses | 12 | |
| Liberal Arts* | 12 | |
| Free Elective | 4 | |
| Total Quarter Credit Hours | 182 | |
* Please see Liberal Arts General Education Requirements for more information.
† Please see Wellness Education Requirement for more information.
‡ Please see Mathematics and Science General Education Curriculum for more information.
Additional information
Accelerated dual degree option
Students have the option of completing a five-year, accelerated dual degree leading to a BS in public policy and an MS in science, technology, and public policy. The BS/MS option provides graduates with a considerable advantage in many policy-related careers.
Cooperative education
Students complete a co-op or internship within the private, public, or nonprofit sectors. The co-op experience makes our students attractive to a wide range of agencies, businesses, and organizations.
Employment opportunities
Exciting career opportunities await professionals who can integrate an understanding of science and technology with public policy decision making. Graduates are uniquely positioned to take advantage of the growing job market in public policy, with career options in a range of fields within the private, government, and nonprofit sectors.
Faculty
Faculty have extensive experience in the classroom and as practitioners in their respective fields. In addition to public policy, faculty members have a broad range of backgrounds, including physics, engineering, law, environmental science, energy management, and information technology.