PPOL-BA - Public Policy

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The public policy major is an interdisciplinary program in economics and political science designed to provide students with the analytical skills and historical context to understand and address contemporary policy issues. The major in public policy is useful as preparation for work in government and business and as preparation for postgraduate study in law, public policy and the social sciences.

The B.A. degree in public policy requires 39 credit hours of coursework, including at least 15 credit hours of advanced courses selected from the electives, with no fewer than six hours in economics and six hours in political science or public policy. Students must receive at least a C- in all classes counting toward the major. A maximum of 12 credit hours of (preapproved) advanced-level courses in SMU-approved study abroad programs may be counted toward the major.