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Programs Offered

Undergraduate Education in Public Policy at GSPP

The Goldman School regularly offers a variety of courses for undergraduates, and to which undergraduates and graduates are admitted. We welcome students from the entire Berkeley community. With five of these courses (including Public Policy 101) undergraduates qualify for a minor that is noted on their transcript.

Why Public Policy?

Public Policy Analysis and Management, to give the field its complete name, is a professional training of about 35 years’ standing in US—and, increasingly in overseas—universities originally directed at developing a professional cadre of policy analysts in government agencies and legislatures. More recently public policy education has broadened to train government executives and administrators, and high-level personnel in the non-profit organizations that perform social functions commonly undertaken by government outside the US. The core program in public policy is a two-year master’s degree offered by dozens of schools in the US and elsewhere alone and jointly with engineering, law, public health, and other graduate degrees.

The underlying model of public policy professional education is integration of disciplinary insights from economics, political science, law, statistics, operations research, psychology, and more with an intellectual spirit best characterized as “compared to what?” For example, the faculty at GSPP have terminal degrees in economics, political science, psychology, engineering, law, physics…and public policy. Policy analysis is directed to identifying the best thing governments can do about important problems and opportunities, including known options and newly invented initiatives, and is distinguished by its expectation that a good policy analysis will demonstrate critical thinking of more than one kind at once. In the early 1980’s the field experienced its most recent major adaptation, when it was recognized that to be effective, alumni needed not only to ‘win the argument on the merits’ but also to practice executive and leadership skills in real organizations. This recognition led to the integration of public management in the core curriculum.

Over the years, we have realized that the underlying model of policy analysis enriches and complements a variety of undergraduate specializations, and that public policy training can be valuable not only as a “pre-MPP” experience, but also to students whose graduate training won’t include the MPP degree. Lawyers, doctors, engineers, entrepreneurs, and others need to understand government choices as citizens, as participants in government, and on behalf of their organizations, many of which are profoundly affected by public policy.

Why undertake the minor?

Employers and graduate schools recognize a completed minor as indicative of broader preparation than a single degree, not to mention curiosity and willingness to do extra work. The Public Policy minor also certifies interest and background in public affairs.

Furthermore, registration for the minor View PDF (which does not obligate one to complete it) makes you eligible for various GSPP undergraduate programs and activities and gets you on a mailing list for GSPP events of interest to anyone concerned with public affairs.

What’s available this year?

View current and upcoming course offerings at GSPP.

How do I find out more?

For administrative help and advice, ask Jalilah LaBrie. For substantive and program policy issues, ask Michael O’Hare. To get the real scoop on GSPP undergraduate offerings, ask some of the current students and minor alums who have volunteered to give advice and share experience.

Eligibility

All UCB undergraduate students are eligible for enrollment in the Public Policy minor. Please pick up a Minor Enrollment Form View PDF at the front desk of our offices at 2607 Hearst Avenue or download a copy (pdf format) and return it to the School as early in your academic career as possible, or, at the latest, shortly before your final semester begins.

Please note: Early declaration of the minor does not obligate you to the program should it become unfeasible later in your academic pursuits.

Requirements

Outlined below are the requirements for the minor and a listing of courses, with their current numbers, that may be taken as part of this program.

  1. The minor will consist of five undergraduate courses in public policy. PP1, PP6 and PP24 do not count toward the minor. NOTE: Students may enroll in graduate level Public Policy electives, with the permission of the instructor, in order to complete their minor requirements. Please obtain an instructor consent form from the GSPP Student Affairs Officer, Jalilah LaBrie, 642-1940 jalilah@berkeley.edu.
  2. All five courses must be taken through the Goldman School of Public Policy except as noted on the attached course list.
  3. PP101 is required, but is not a prerequisite, for the other courses.
  4. All courses must be taken for a letter grade. However, there may be an exceptional case for students wishing to take PP199 (Independent Study) on a P/NP basis. Students should consult with the GSPP Student Affairs Officer, Jalilah LaBrie, 642-1940, before making arrangements to take this course.
  5. Students must achieve a grade of at least “C” in each of the five courses to satisfy the minor requirement. Any course in which a grade of D or less is earned will not count toward completion of the minor.
  6. Students may count an unlimited number of PP 190 courses (Special Topics in Public Policy) towards the minor provided that the topic is not repeated. Each PP 190 course must be a minimum of 3 units.
  7. Two, 2-unit PP 198 (DeCal) courses may count as one course towards the minor.
  8. Students may notify the Student Affairs Officer, Jalilah LaBrie, at the Goldman School of Public Policy, of their intent to minor in Public Policy by turning in the Declaration of Intent to Pursue the Minor in Public Policy form. When the student completes the requirements, the Office of Admissions and Records will be notified and the Minor will be included on the student's transcript.

Courses that may be used to fulfill Minor Program Requirements

  • PP 101 Introduction to Public Policy Analysis
  • PP 103 Wealth and Poverty
  • PP 117AC Race, Ethnicity and Public Policy
  • PP C142 Applied Econometrics and Public Policy
  • PP 156 Program and Policy Design
  • PP 157 Arts and Cultural Policy (formerly PP108)
  • PP 162 Drug, Tobacco, and Alcohol Policy
  • PP C164 Impact of Government Policies on Poor Children and Families
    (same as Demography C164 can be applied to the Demography major)
  • PP 170 Ethics in Public Policy
  • PP 169/269 Public Budgeting (please talk to instructor prior to enrollment)
  • PP 184 The Economics of Public-Problem Solving
  • PP 190 Special Topics in Public Policy (topics vary each semester)
  • PP 199 Independent Study

Non-Public Policy Courses that count towards the Public Policy Minor

  • MassComm 104 Mass Communications
  • ER 100 Energy & Society
  • Env. Econ & Policy 153 Population, Environment, and Development
  • Poli Sci. 109 Special Topics in American Politics
    (topics vary, see the department website and OSOC for latest listings)
  • PH 126: Health Economics and Public Policy
  • Poli Sci 181 Public Organizations and Administration
  • Env Sci Pol & Mgt 150 Special Topics in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management
  • Public Health 150D (F) Introduction to Health Policy and Management
  • Public Health 181 Population and Poverty (3 units)
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Last Updated: 01/2008