May 11, 2026  
2026-2027 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2026-2027 Undergraduate Catalog

Political and Global Affairs, Public Policy and Management Concentration, B.A.


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

The Department of Political and Global Affairs offers the Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Science degrees in each of its majors. Students majoring in Political and Global Affairs can choose a general focus or a concentration in International Relations, 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 and Global Affairs, Public Policy and Management, B.A., Academic Map   

Degree Requirements


True Blue Core (TBC) 41 hours
Major Requirements 48 hours*
     Political and Global Affairs Core/Methods   18 hours
     Public Policy and Management Concentration   15 hours
     Public Policy and Public Management electives   15 hours
Public Policy and Management Cognate 9 hours
World Language Requirement 12 hours
Electives 10-19 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 may 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:

  • 6 credit hours from GEOG 2000 PS 1005 , or PS 1010  (HSSR)
  • 3 credit hours from world language 1010, 1020, 2010, or 2020 (NWC)

Major Requirements (48 hours)


Public Policy and Management Concentration (15 hours)


Public Policy and Management Cognate (9 hours)


Take three courses (9 credit hours) from the following categories in consultation with advisor.

Public Policy Management


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

World Language Requirement (12 hours)


Students meet this requirement by successfully completing the 2020-level or a higher course in a single world language. Students may take 1010, 1020, 2010, and 2020 in sequence, or they may use the MTSU Language Placement Test to start at the appropriate level. See Bachelor of Arts Degree  for additional details.

Electives (10-19 hours)


Curriculum: Political and Global Affairs, 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 (HSSR)

Subtotal: 16 hours


Freshman Spring


  • Information Literacy 3 credit hours
  • History and Civic Learning 3 credit hours
  • Scientific Literacy 4 credit hours
  • Human Society and Social Relationships/General elective 3 credit hours
  • 3 credit hours (HSSR)

Subtotal: 16 hours


Sophomore Fall


Subtotal: 15 hours


Sophomore Spring


Subtotal: 15 hours


Junior Fall


Subtotal: 15 hours


Junior Spring


  • Public Management elective 3 credit hours
  • Public Policy elective 3 credit hours
  • History and Civic Learning 3 credit hours
  • World language course 3 credit hours
  • 1 to 12 credit hours (3 credit hours required)

Subtotal: 15 hours


Senior Fall


  • Public Policy elective 3 credit hours
  • Public Policy and Management cognate course 3 credit hours
  • Public Policy and Management cognate course 3 credit hours
  • Non-Written Communication/General elective 3 credit hours
  • General elective 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 15 hours


Senior Spring


Subtotal: 13 hours


NOTE:


Topics courses may be taken if topic is appropriate and relative to the major; seek major/assigned advisor approval.