Mar 28, 2024  
Undergraduate Bulletin 2008-2009 
    
Undergraduate Bulletin 2008-2009 [Archived Catalog]

Public Affairs (B.S.P.A.)


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Program: Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs

Neff Hall 260 ~ 260-481-6351 ~ www.ipfw.edu/SPEA/


The student learning outcomes for the degree are as follows:

 Students should be able to:

  • Understand fiscal management of public agencies.
  • Apply techniques of revenue administration, debt management, and public budgeting.
  • Understand origins, processes, and impact of law in the creation and implementation of public policy.
  • Understand the capabilities of management science.
  • Appropriately use quantitative approaches for dealing with management and policy problems.

 


The B.S.P.A. degree program provides a background in the liberal arts and a focus on public affairs. This degree offers majors in criminal justice, environmental policy, health services administration, legal studies, and public management. In addition, a specialized study major may be developed with the approval of a faculty advisor and the program director to meet special career needs. Internships are available and strongly encouraged to provide qualified students with the opportunity to apply classroom theory and techniques to real-life experiences. The internship program is designed for maximum flexibility; internships can be full or part time, paid or unpaid, credit or noncredit.

 

The DPEA curriculum is divided into four categories — general education, public affairs core, a major area, and general electives. The B.S.P.A. requires a minimum of 120 credit hours with a 2.00 or higher cumulative grade-point average and a 2.30 or higher grade-point average in core and major courses. No more than 90 credits may be transferred from other accredited institutions (60 credits from a junior college). No more than 10 credits can be taken by correspondence through the IU School of Continuing Studies. A maximum of 10 credits may be applied from military experience, and a maximum of 12 credits may be awarded for police academy training completed within the past year. Courses taken to meet specific DPEA degree requirements cannot be used to satisfy any other DPEA degree requirement, but may be double-counted to satisfy the IPFW general-education distribution requirements.

To earn the Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs at IPFW, you must fulfill the requirements of IPFW (see Part 7) and the Division of Public and Environmental Affairs, and complete the following requirements:

IPFW General Education Requirements


Area I—Linguistic and Numerical Foundations Credits: 9


Area I - Reading/Writing Credits: 3


Area I - Listening/Speaking Credits: 3


Area I - Quantitative Reasoning Credits: 3


See Part 2 General Education Requirements for approved courses.

Note on double counting:
Some courses may be used to fulfill both Quantitative Reasoning and the DPEA Quantitative Methods requirements.

 

Area II—Natural and Physical Sciences Credits: 6


See Part 2 General Education Requirements for approved courses.

Note on double counting:
Some courses may be used to fulfill both Natural and Physical Sciences Requirements and the DPEA Natural Sciences Requirements.

Area III—The Individual, Culture, and Society Credits: 6


See Part 2 General Education Requirements for approved courses.

Note on double counting
Some courses may be used to fulfill both The Individual, Culture, and Society requirements and DPEA Arts and Humanities requirements or DPEA Social and Behavioral Sciences requirements.

Area IV—Humanistic Thought Credits: 6


See Part 2 General Education Requirements for approved courses.

Note on double counting
Some courses may be used to fulfill both Humanistic Thought and the DPEA Arts and Humanities requirements.

Area V—Creative and Artistic Expression Credits: 3


See Part 2 General Education Requirements for approved courses

Note on double counting
Some courses may be used to fulfill both the Creative and Artistic Expression requirement and a DPEA Arts and Humanities requirement or a Social and Behavioral Science requirement.

Area VI—Inquiry and Analysis Credits: 3


See Part 2 General Education Requirements for approved courses.

Note on double counting
Some courses may be used to fulfill both the Inquiry and Analysis requirement and a DPEA Arts and Humanities requirement or a Social and Behavioral Sciences requirement.

Division of Public and Environmental Affairs


I. General Education Courses Credits: 53


B. Quantitative Methods Credits: 9


C. Arts and Humanities Credits: 12


Arts & Humanities Electives


Choose two courses (six credits) from at least two of the following subject areas:

Classical Studies, Communication, English, Film, Fine Arts, Folklore, Foreign Language, History, Honors (Humanities only), Music, Philosophy, Theatre

D. Natural Sciences Credits: 8


Social & Behavioral Science Electives


Choose two courses (six credits) from the following subject areas:

Anthropology, Criminal Justice (for non-Criminal Justice majors), Economics, Geography (selected), Journalism, Linguistics, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Women’s Studies

II. Public Affairs Core Credits: 12


A grade of C or better is required in each of these courses.

III. Major Credits: 27 to 30


Additional SPEA Electives Approved By Advisor Credits: 9


A maximum of 6 credits may be taken in the following internship courses.

Additional 9 credits of DPEA electives approved by advisor


A maximum of 6 credits may be earned in SPEA V380, Internship in Public Affairs.  

Three Additional SPEA Electives Approved By Advisor Credits: 9


F. Specialized Study Major Credits: 27


This major is intended for students, often working professionals, with special needs regarding a course of study in Public Affairs. The courses for the major must be approved by a faculty advisor in the Division of Public and Environmental Affairs. The minimum guidelines are nine courses at the 300-400 level, four of which must be SPEA courses.  

IV. General Electives Credits: 25–28


Additional courses of interest should be selected to raise the total credits to the required 120 for the BSPA degree. Students majoring in Criminal Justice or Legal Studies need an additional 25 credits minimum. Students majoring in Environmental Policy, Health Services Administration, Public Management, or Specialized Study need an additional 28 credits minimum.  

Total Credits: 120


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