Department of Public Policy, Management, and Analytics

Contact Information:
Campus Location: 2100 AEH, 400 S. Peoria St, Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 996-3109
https://cuppa.uic.edu/academics/pa/pa-programs/ba-public-policy

Administration:
Director of Undergraduate Programs and Academic Staff Support, Deborah Carroll, Head, deborahc@uic.edu

Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy

Public Policy is a field that promotes the understanding of public problems and how governments and the public attempt to address them. Public Policy provides excellent preparation for careers in government at all levels (federal, state, local), as well as the nonprofit sector, law, and consulting. Given the impact public policy has on medicine, engineering, technology, and other key sectors of the global economy, a minor in Public Policy provides critical knowledge for students pursuing careers in these fields.

This program focuses on the systematic analysis of public policy issues and decision processes, and includes instruction in the role of economic and political factors in public decision-making and policy formulation, microeconomic analysis of policy issues, resource allocation and decision modeling, cost/benefit analysis, statistical methods, and through a three-course specialization sequence, includes applications to specific public policy topics. Students may enter as freshmen or as transfer students from other programs or universities. Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00/4.00 in all coursework taken at UIC and a minimum GPA of 2.50/4.00 in all coursework counting toward core program requirements (see below).

Admission Requirements

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 Policy, Management, and Analytics and the 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. See the Admissions section for more information.

Transfer students who have completed a minimum of 24 semester hours or 36 quarter hours of transferable college coursework 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. See the Admissions section for additional information. See the Office of Admission Transfer Guide for more information about transfer admission requirements.

Grade Point Average

A student must earn a cumulative grade point average of 2.00/4.00 in all work taken at UIC and a cumulative grade point average of 2.50/4.00 for required courses (core program requirements) for the Public Policy degree. In addition, the combined grade point average of a student’s transfer work and work taken at UIC must be at least 2.00.

Minor in Civic Analytics

The Minor in Civic Analytics is open to all undergraduate students. A minimum GPA of 2.50/4.00 for the 15 hours of coursework is required to complete the minor, with at least 6 hours at the 200 level or above. Elective courses may have prerequisites that do not count toward the minor. Students must submit a request form online and consult their home colleges about the acceptability and applicability of College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs course credits toward their degrees. To meet the residency requirement, students must complete at least half (three courses) of their minor coursework at UIC.

No more than two courses can double-count toward both the Public Policy major (including selective courses) and PPMA minor(s). Any course counting for one PPMA minor is prohibited to count for anther PPMA minor unless the course is a required course for both minors.

The minor is distinct from the CUPPA concentration in the BS in Data Science program; therefore, courses used to complete the requirements in that program cannot also be applied toward the Minor in Civic Analytics.

Minor in Nonprofit Management

The Minor in Nonprofit Management is open to all undergraduate students. A minimum GPA of 2.50/4.00 for the 15 hours of coursework is required to complete the minor, with at least 6 hours at the 200 level or above. Elective courses may have prerequisites that do not count toward the minor. Students must submit a request form online and consult their home colleges about the acceptability and applicability of College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs course credits toward their degrees. To meet the residency requirement, students must complete at least half (three courses) of their minor coursework at UIC.

Minor in Public Policy

The minor in Public Policy is open to undergraduate students from any unit or college at UIC. A minimum GPA of 2.50/4.00 for the 15 hours of coursework is required to complete the minor, with at least 6 hours at the 200 level or above. Elective courses may have prerequisites that do not count toward the minor. Students must submit a request form online and consult their home colleges about the acceptability and applicability of College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs course credits toward their degrees. To meet the residency requirement, students must complete at least half (three courses) of their minor coursework at UIC.

Minor in Research Design and Data Analysis

The minor in Research Design and Data Analysis is open to undergraduate students from any unit or college at UIC. A minimum GPA of 2.50/4.00 for the 15 hours of coursework is required to complete the minor, with at least 6 hours at the 200 level or above. Elective courses may have prerequisites that do not count toward the minor. Students must submit a request form online and consult their home colleges about the acceptability and applicability of College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs course credits toward their degrees. To meet the residency requirement, students must complete at least half (three courses) of their minor coursework at UIC.

Degree Programs

Minors

PA 401. Foundations of Public Service. 3 or 4 hours.

Examines political, legal, economic and social environment of public service, internal dynamics of public organizations, relationship between public organizations and external stakeholders, and ethical and moral challenges. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Previously listed as PA 400. Prerequisite(s): Master of Public Administration or Master of Public Policy or Master of Science in Civic Analytics program or consent of the instructor.

PA 402. Principles of Data Analysis. 0-4 hours.

Topics and methods of analyzing information relevant to the administration and management of public programs and organizations. Includes causation, univariate statistics, significance testing, correlation, and regression. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours; 4 graduate hours. Previously listed as PA 407.

PA 403. Economics for Management and Policy. 3 or 4 hours.

Basic economic tools and methods relevant to public admin and current policy: opportunity cost, supply and demand, rational choice, production costs, competition vs monopoly, and economic efficiency versus equity, market failure, and public goods. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Previously listed as PA 410. Prerequisite(s): Master of Public Administration or consent of the instructor.

PA 412. Addressing Public Problems with Data. 3 or 4 hours.

Intended to explore best practices for utilizing data and innovative approaches to application development while ensuring commitment to the public values of access, equity, and sustainability. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours; 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Master of Public Administration, Master of Public Policy, or Master of Science in Civic Analytics program or consent of the instructor.

PA 421. Public Management. 3 or 4 hours.

Theories, concepts, and applications of management in public organizations. Topics include bureaucracy, public versus private organizations, leadership, motivation, and managing organization change, discretion, and networks. Course Information: Previously listed as PA 415. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MPA program or consent of the instructor.

PA 422. Project Management. 4 hours.

A comprehensive review of project management practices and techniques necessary to successfully manage projects in government and non-profit organizations which is rooted largely in Project Management Institute (PMI) standards and practices. Course Information: Previously listed as PA 462.

PA 431. Civic Technology. 3 or 4 hours.

Application of the Internet and related technologies for public management. Topics include, Web-based service delivery, online governance, the technological divide, the use of social media, and the changing role of public managers. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Previously listed as PA 463. Admission to the Master of Public Administration, Master of Public Policy, or Master of Science in Civic Analytics program or consent of the instructor.

PA 432. Management of Information Technology. 3 or 4 hours.

The management of technology in government and nonprofit organizations, including typical organizational models; technology roles, skills, and leadership; integration of technology with business operations; and common technology challenges. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Previously listed as PA 461. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Master of Public Administration, Master of Public Policy, or Master of Science in Civic Analytics program or consent of the instructor.

PA 433. Data Management. 3 or 4 hours.

An overview of the use and leveraging of data in order to allow government and nonprofit organizations to make better decisions and improve operations. Topics to be covered will include the concepts of data management and governance. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Previously listed as PA 460. Prerequisite(s): Graduate or professional standing; or admission to the MPA program or consent of the instructor.

PA 434. Intermediate Data Management and Analysis. 3 or 4 hours.

Latest practices for gaining better value from data, emphasizing hands-on use and application of data analytics for univariate and bivariate statistics and data visualization. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Extensive computer use required. Meets eight weeks of the semester. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Master of Public Administration, Master of Public Policy, or Master of Science in Civic Analytics program or consent of the instructor.

PA 435. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for Public Managers. 4 hours.

Fundamental GIS tools and applications as well as the challenges in implementing and sustaining a GIS function in the public setting. Course information: Prerequisite(s): Latest practices for gaining better value from data, emphasizing hands-on use and application of data analytics for univariate and bivariate statistics and data visualization.

PA 446. Coding for Civic Data Applications. 3 or 4 hours.

Advanced technical skills for coding, transforming, and displaying data with existing platforms, emphasizing using R and Python, SQL, GitHub, data scraping, and mining. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): PA 402 or PA 434 or admission to the Master of Public Administration, Master of Public Policy, or Master of Science in Civic Analytics program; or consent of the instructor. Recommended background: Familiarity with coding environments and programming. To be properly registered, students must enroll in one Lecture and one Laboratory.

PA 447. Survey Planning and Design. 3 hours.

Theory and applications of sample survey planning and design for conducting research in health sciences and related fields. Addresses three major topics: survey design and planning, sampling, and data collection procedures. Course Information: Same as CHSC 447. Prerequisite(s): Graduate or professional standing and BSTT 400 and CHSC 446; or approval of the department.Recommended background: Credit in CHSC 446 or the equivalent.

PA 452. The UIC Freshwater Lab Course. 3 or 4 hours.

Brings a Humanities lens to the Great Lakes watershed to examine how water interacts with socio-political systems, legal structures, cultural perceptions, and artistic visions. Course Information: Same as ENGL 452 and UPP 452. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): ENGL 160 and ENGL 161.

PA 453. Freshwater Lab in Practice: Environmental Research, Projects, and Internships. 3 or 4 hours.

Investigates key issues surrounding Great Lakes water governance through a combination of hands-on research and professional development in fields related to environmental policy, planning, writing and communication. Course Information: Same as ENGL 453 and UPP 453. 3 undergraduate hours; 4 graduate hours. This course offers an internship placement opportunity. Depending on placement/start date, students may begin internship work during the second half of the semester or during the summer. Prerequisite(s): ENGL 160 and ENGL 161.

PA 464. Technology and Innovation Theory. 4 hours.

The course focuses on theories surrounding the creation, development, transfer, and use of technology. Course Information: Extensive computer use required. Meets eight weeks of the semester. Prerequisite(s): Graduate or professional standing and admission to the Ph.D. in Public Administration program or consent of the instructor.

PA 466. Science, Technology and Public Policy. 4 hours.

Addresses the relationships between public policy and science and technology in the United States. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing; or consent of the instructor and admission to the Ph.D. in Public Administration program or consent of the instructor.

PA 467. Civic Engagement. 3 or 4 hours.

Analytic frameworks and practical strategies for utilizing public participation in government and community decisions. Investigates interactions between civic participation, efforts to improve administration of programs and develop new public policies. Course Information: Same as PPOL 467. 3 undergraduate hours; 4 graduate hours. Previously listed as PA 564. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy or Urban Studies; or admission to the Master of Public Administration or Master of Public Policy or Master of Science in Civic Analytics program; or consent of instructor.

PA 468. Topics in Management and Leadership of Public Organizations. 3 or 4 hours.

Examines management and leadership issues through experiences of current and former public managers, political appointees, elected officials, and other key public leaders. Emphasis on topics from Illinois and Chicago metropolitan region. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Master of Public Administration or Master of Public Policy or Master of Science in Civic Analytics program or consent of the instructor.

PA 470. AI & Machine Learning. 3 or 4 hours.

Introduces students to public sector applications of artificial intelligence and machine learning. It begins with the philosophical foundations of artificial intelligence before introducing students to major frameworks for learning. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): PA 402 or PA 434; and admission to the Master of Public Administration or Master of Public Policy or Master of Science in Civic Analytics program or consent of the instructor.

PA 490. Field Experience in Public Policy and Administration. 4 hours.

Students work in an organization such as a government agency, community group, or nonprofit organization. Students are required to submit written work and meet with professor on periodic basis to review work experience. Course Information: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. May be repeated. A maximum of 4 hours of credit may be applied to the Master of Public Administration program. Field work required. Students who have no prior work experience in the public or non-profit sectors are strongly recommended to register for this course. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Master of Public Administration or Master of Public Policy or Master of Science in Civic Analytics, Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy, or Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies program; or consent of the instructor.

PA 494. Special Topics in Public Administration. 3 or 4 hours.

Consideration of timely or enduring issues in public administration not available in regularly offered courses. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Master of Public Administration, Master of Public Policy, or Master of Science in Civic Analytics program or consent of the instructor.

Academic Catalog

2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog