Public Policy

Neff Hall 260 ~ 260-481-6351 ~ ipfw.edu/public-policy/

The Department of Public Policy is a multidisciplinary department committed to teaching, research, and service. The Department of Public Policy offers a Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs (B.S.P.A.) degree program that provides a sound general baccalaureate education combined with specialized study. Additionally, the department offers minors in criminal justice and public affairs. The department’s multidisciplinary faculty and curriculum address environmental, health, law, management, and public policy issues from a variety of perspectives.

The academic programs in the department are listed below. Requirements for these programs appear in Programs  of this Bulletin.

Special Academic Regulation for Students in Public Policy

Requirements for the undergraduate degree should be completed within 10 years of admission to the Department of Public Policy. You may transfer no more than 90 credit hours (60 credits from a junior college) toward a Bachelor of Science degree program. A maximum of 10 credits will be awarded on the basis of military training toward any degree from the Department of Public Policy.

Good Standing in the Department of Public Policy requires that you maintain a minimum semester and cumulative GPA of 2.00 and a minimum core/major GPA of 2.30. Therefore, you will be placed on academic probation if your semester, cumulative, or core/concentration GPA at the end of any regular semester is lower than these minimum standards. Once on probation, you may be dismissed from the department and IPFW if you fail to make significant progress toward good standing or if you fail to meet the minimum IPFW standards listed in Regulations  of this Bulletin.

PPOL Internships

As a PPOL major, you may earn a maximum of six hours of elective credit during your junior and senior years through the PPOL internship program, if you are a student in good standing and have obtained prior approval from the Internship Coordinator. Internships are strongly encouraged because they give you the opportunity to apply classroom theory and techniques to the real world and to network with professionals in your career field. The program is designed for maximum flexibility so that many valid learning experiences can qualify as internships. Internships can be full or part time, paid or unpaid, credit or noncredit. Interested students should contact the Department of Public Policy Internship Coordinator for further information about internships.

Accelerated Master’s Program

The Accelerated Master’s Program (AMP) is a competitive program for outstanding undergraduate PPOL students. If you have a GPA of 3.50 or higher, you may apply to the AMP program as early as your junior year. This program allows you to fulfill up to 24 credit hours toward the M.P.A. graduate program or 18 credit hours toward the M.P.M. graduate program by taking graduate-level PPOL courses during your senior year that can count toward both your undergraduate program and a future graduate degree program.