Public Affairs
Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs
Degree Requirements (120 cr.)
Students with a Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs (B.S.P.A.) degree can continue their education in law, planning, policy analysis, or business administration. For those who choose immediate employment, the degree is flexible enough to provide the necessary background to begin a career in the public or nonprofit sector. The B.S.P.A. requires 120 credit hours. The degree includes a Criminal Justice track and a Management track.
The program includes three main areas: general education, general electives, and major area.
General Education
- ENG-W 131 Elementary Composition I
- ENG-W 132 Elementary Composition II
- SPCH-S 121 Public Speaking or SPCH-S 223 Business and Professional Communication or SPCH-S 229 Discussion and Group Methods
- HIST-H 105 American History I
- HIST-H 106 American History II
- Three courses from at least two of the following areas:
- Afro-American Studies Musicology/Music History
- Comparative Literature Philosophy
- English Religious Studies
- Folkore Speech
- Foreign Languages/Literature History
- Theater and Drama
- ECON-E 103 Introduction to Microeconomics
- ECON-E 104 Introduction to Macroeconomics
- POLS-Y 103 Introduction to American Politics
- Three courses from the following subject areas:
- Anthropology Psychology
- Geography Sociology
- Journalism Telecommunications
- Linguistics Women's Studies
- Political Science (not POLS-Y 103)
- Natural Sciences-two to four natural science courses of more than one credit each. One of the courses must have an associated laboratory of one or two credits. The courses and laboratory must total a minimum of 10 credit hours selected from at least two of the following disciplines:
- Biology
- BIOL-L 100 Humans and the Biological World
- BIOL-L 101 Introduction to Biological Sciences I
- BIOL-L 102 Introduction to Biological Sciences II
- Chemistry
- CHEM-C 100 The World of Chemistry
- CHEM-C 101 Elementary Chemistry I
- CHEM-C 121 Elementary Chemistry Laboratory
- CHEM-C 102 Elementary Chemistry II
- CHEM-C 122 Elementary Chemistry Laboratory
- CHEM-C 105 Principles of Chemistry I
- CHEM-C 125 Experimental Chemistry I
- CHEM-C 106 Principles of Chemistry II
- CHEM-C 126 Experimental Chemistry II
- Earth Sciences
- GEOG-G 107 Physical Systems of the Environment
- GEOL-G 111 Physical Geology
- GEOL-G 112 Historical Geology
- Physics
- PHYS-P 101 Physics in the Modern World
- PHYS-P 201 General Physics I
- PHYS-P 202 General Physics II
Quantitative Methods-four courses for a minimum of 12 credit hours
- CSCI-C 100 Computing Tools
- CSCI-C 106 Introduction to Computers and Their Use
- PSY-K 300 (Psychology) Statistical Techniques
Two of the following mathematics courses:
- MATH-M 118 Finite Mathematics
- MATH-M 119 Brief Survey of Calculus or MATH-M215 Calculus I
- MATH-M 125 Pre-Calculus Mathematics
Note: MATH-M 119 and MATH-M 215 require a grade of C- or better. All other courses contained in the core require a C or better (excluding CSCI-C 100).
General Electives
Additional courses beyond the general education core and concentration requirements are needed to complete the minimum of 120 hours required for the degree.
Public Affairs Core
- SPEA-E 272 Introduction to Environmental Sciences (3 cr.)
- SPEA-V 170 Introduction to Public Affairs (3 cr.)
- SPEA-V 263 Public Management (3 cr.)
- SPEA-V 264 Urban Structure and Policy (3 cr.)
- SPEA-V 348 Management Science (3 cr.)
- SPEA-V 372 Government Finance and Budgets (3 cr.)
- SPEA-V 376 Law and Public Policy (3 cr.)
MAJORS (SELECT ONE – Organizational Leadership, Public Management OR Criminal Justice)
Organizational Leadership Major
Requirements: 9 courses from the following, chosen in consultation with SPEA advisor.
- V221 Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector (3 cr. hr.)
- V241 Management Foundations and Approaches (3 cr. hr.)
- V340 Urban Government Administration (3 cr. hr.)
- V362 Nonprofit Management and Leadership (3 cr. hr.)
- V365 Urban Development and Planning (3 cr. hr.)
- V366 Managing Behavior in Public Organizations (3 cr. hr.)
- V380 Internship in Public Affairs (3 cr. hr.)
- V412 Leadership and Ethics (3 cr. hr.)
- V443 Managing Workforce Diversity (3 cr. hr.)
- V450 Contemporary Issues in Public Affairs (3 cr. hr.)
- V473 Management, Leadership, and Policy (3 cr. hr.)
PLUS three (3) additional Public Affairs courses with SPEA advisor approval.
Public Management Major
Requirements: 9 courses from the following, chosen in consultation with SPEA advisor.
- V346 Introduction to Government Accounting & Financial Reporting (3 cr. hr.)
- V350 Introduction to Development Administration (3 cr. hr.)
- V368 Managing Government Operations (3 cr. hr.)
- V370 Research Methods and Statistics (3 cr. hr.)
- V373 Human Resources Management in the Public Sector (3 cr. hr.)
- V379 Performance Measurement and Program Evaluation (3 cr. hr.)
- V380 Internship in Public Affairs (3 cr. hr.)
- V386 Case Study for Policy Analysis (3 cr. hr.)
- V405 Public Law and the Legislative Process (3 cr. hr.)
- V444 Public Administrative Organization (3 cr. hr.)
- V460 Intergovernmental Relations (3 cr. hr.)
PLUS three (3) additional Public Affairs courses with SPEA advisor approval.
Criminal Justice
Requirements: 9courses from the following, chosen in consultation with SPEA advisor.
- J101 American Criminal Justice System (3 cr. hr.)
- J201 Theoretical Foundations of Criminal Justice Policies (3 cr. hr.)
- J202 Criminal Justice Data, Methods, and Resources (3 cr. hr.)
- J301 Substantive Criminal Law (3 cr. hr.)
- J306 The Criminal Courts (3 cr. hr.)
- J321 American Policing (3 cr. hr.)
- J331 Corrections (3 cr. hr.)
- J380 Internship in Criminal Justice (3 cr. hr.)
- J439 Crime and Public Policy (3 cr. hr.)
- J480 Research in Criminal Justice (1-6 cr. hr.)
PLUS three (3) additional CJ courses with SPEA advisor approval.
ADDITIONAL elective courses to reach 120 credit hours required for graduation.
