Oct 08, 2024  
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Political Science, Public Policy and Management Concentration, B.A.


Political and Global Affairs  
615-898-2708
Steven Livingston, program coordinator
pga@mtsu.edu

Students majoring in Political Science can choose a general focus or a concentration in either Public Policy and Management or Pre-law.

The Public Policy and Management concentration is for those seeking administrative careers in government or public service agencies. A combination of general political science courses, core public administration courses, pertinent political science electives, and courses in related disciplines provides a sound background for an administrative career.

Academic Map


Following is a printable, suggested four-year schedule of courses:

Political Science, Public Policy and Management, B.A., Academic Map   

Degree Requirements


True Blue Core (TBC) 41 hours
Major Requirements 46 hours*
Public Policy and Management Cognate 9 hours
Foreign Language Requirement 6 hours
Electives 18-21 hours
TOTAL 120 hours

*This program requires courses that can also fulfill requirements of the True Blue Core curriculum. If program requirements are also used to fulfill True Blue Core requirements, the number of elective hours will increase.

True Blue Core (41 hours)


True Blue Core (TBC)  requirements (shown in curricular listings below) include courses in the Foundational Skills areas of Written Communication (WC), Information Literacy (Info Lit), Non-Written Communication (NWC), and Quantitative Literacy (Quant Lit). Knowledge Domains include Human Society and Social Relationships (HSSR), Scientific Literacy (Sci Lit), Creativity and Cultural Expression (CCE), and History and Civic Learning (HCL), which include Discovery and Explorations categories. Students must choose at least one course from each Discovery category.

The following courses required by the program meet True Blue Core requirements:

  • PS 1005  (HSSR)
  • 3 credit hours from foreign language 1010, 1020, 2010, or 2020 (NWC)

Major Requirements (46 hours)


Political Science Electives (9 hours)


  • Choose from all Political and Global Affairs non-internship courses 9 credit hours

Public Policy and Management Cognate (9 hours)


This cognate takes the place of one minor. Choose 9 hours from the following courses in consultation with advisor.

Public Policy Management


  • Any courses listed under “Policy” and “Management” not used toward the major.

Foreign Language Requirement (6 hours)


  • B.A. students must successfully complete 2010 and 2020 or any courses numbered above the 2000 level in a single foreign language.

Electives (18-21 hours)


Curriculum: Political Science, Public Policy and Management, B.A.


Freshman Fall


  • Written Communication 3 credit hours
  • Quantitative Literacy 3 credit hours
  • Scientific Literacy 4 credit hours
  • Human Society and Social Relationships/General elective 3 credit hours
  • 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 16 Hours


Freshman Spring


Subtotal: 14 Hours


Sophomore Fall


  • Creativity and Cultural Expression Literature 3 credit hours
  • Non-Written Communication 3 credit hours
  • General elective 3 credit hours
  • Foreign language course 3 credit hours
  • 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 15 Hours


Sophomore Spring


  • History and Civic Learning 3 credit hours
  • Foreign language course 3 credit hours
  • Creativity and Cultural Expression 3 credit hours
  • Public Policy elective 3 credit hours
  • 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 15 Hours


Junior Fall


Subtotal: 15 Hours


Junior Spring


  • 1 to 12 credit hours (3 credit hours required)
  • Public Policy elective 3 credit hours
  • PS elective 3 credit hours
  • Public Management elective 3 credit hours
  • Foreign language course 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 15 Hours


Senior Fall


  • Public Policy elective 3 credit hours
  • PPM cognate 6 credit hours
  • PS elective 3 credit hours
  • General elective 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 15 Hours


Senior Spring


  • 3 credit hours
  • PPM cognate 3 credit hours
  • General electives 6 credit hours
  • PS elective 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 15 Hours


NOTE:


NOTE: Topics courses may be taken if topic is appropriate; seek departmental advisor approval.