Public Service and Policy Major

Evans School of Public Policy & Governance

Become An Actor in Creating Change

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) with a major in Public Service and Policy is an interdisciplinary program designed to bring students to a deeper understanding of their roles in public service, the creation and implementation of public policy, and civic health. Learning is organized around three broad outcomes including understanding the context in which policy is created and implemented; cultivating a methodological toolkit that brings diverse evidence into public service and policymaking; and expanding communication, management, and leadership skills for public service impact. By understanding challenges and being well versed in the development of multiple, useful, and realistic solutions, graduates will contribute to the development of local, national, and global communities.

Interdisciplinary coursework

Courses you’ll take cover a broad range of areas across campus, while in the public service and policy foundation courses, you’ll dig deep into policy context, methods, leadership, and application.

Bachelor of Arts

A liberal arts degree from a professional school provides intellectual and practical skills like inquiry, analysis, communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving, all of which are valuable in today’s marketplace.

Experiential learning

You’ll complete a policy lab, which is an opportunity to explore solutions to real-world issues in partnership with a professional client.

Top-ranked in Public Affairs

As a major in one of the best schools in the nation and world, you’ll benefit from our impactful faculty and influential alumni.

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2025-2026 Courses

This list includes the undergraduate courses offered during this academic year. While every effort is made to ensure this information is accurate and up to date, it is subject to change.

Autumn 2025

PUBPOL 201 Introduction to Public Policy and Governance (5)
PUBPOL 301 Truth, Evidence, and Public Policy Analytics (5)
PUBPOL 313 Evidence-Based Policy Implementation (5)
PUBPOL 392 Health Equity & Policy (5)
PUBPOL 400 Public Policy and Governance Seminar (1)
PUBPOL 403 Leadership in Action (5)
PUBPOL 407 Negotiation Skills and Strategies for the Public Sector (5)
PUBPOL 481 Data Science, Economy, and Policy (5)
PUBPOL 497 Undergrad Internship (1-5)
PUBPOL 498 Undergrad Research (1-5)
PUBPOL 499 Topics: Development Management and Governance (5)
PUBPOL 499 Topics: Legislative Relations (5)
PUBPOL 499 Topics: Climate Change and Energy Policy (5)
PUBPOL 499 Topics: Local Government Management (5)
PUBPOL 499 Topics: Natural Resource Policy (5)

Winter 2026

PUBPOL 201 Introduction to Public Policy and Governance (5)
PUBPOL 303 Methods of Policy Inquiry (5)
PUBPOL 350 Intro to Nonprofits and Philanthropy (5)
PUBPOL 391 Education and Workforce Policy (5)
PUBPOL 499 Topics: Local Gov’t Management (5)
PUBPOL 499 Topics: Advocacy (5)
PUBPOL 499 Topics: Natural Resources (5)

Spring 2026

PUBPOL 201 Introduction to Public Policy and Governance (5)
PUBPOL 302 Public Service Leadership (5)
PUBPOL 303 Methods of Policy Inquiry (5)
PUBPOL 321 Decision Making, Behavior, and Policy Design (5)
PUBPOL 390 Environmental Policy (5)
PUBPOL 400 Public Policy and Governance Seminar (1)
PUBPOL 402 Ethics, Leadership, and Policy Implementation (5)
PUBPOL 403 Leadership in Action (5)
PUBPOL 480 Geographic Information Systems for Public Policy (5)
PUBPOL 497 Undergrad Internship (1-5)
PUBPOL 498 Undergrad Research (1-5)
PUBPOL 499A Topics: Transportation Policy (5)

Summer 2026

PUBPOL 201 Introduction to Public Policy and Governance (5)
PUBPOL 497 Undergrad Internship (1-5)
PUBPOL 498 Undergrad Research (1-5)

Learning Outcomes

The major empowers students to become public service actors equipped to engage in the policymaking process.

Outcomes for the Public Service and Policy Major are organized around three learning areas

Understand the context in which policy is created and implemented.

Develop a knowledge base about public service and policy across and within policy domains.

Foster a contextual understanding of policy across institutional settings that transcend domains (local to international).

Cultivate a methodological toolkit that brings diverse evidence into public service and policymaking.

Develop knowledge and skills about multiple forms of policy inquiry.

Build skills in community engagement and diverse ways of knowing.

Expand communication, management, and leadership skills for public service impact.

Communicate among policy makers and implementers.

Equitably engage with diverse groups of stakeholders.

Manage scarce/limited (human, financial, information) resources.

Declare the Major

Prior to declaring the Public Service and Policy major, we suggest exploring any of the following first- and second-year courses: Composition or writing, economics, leadership, political science, public policy, regional studies, sociology, statistics, and courses that cover the areas of inquiry.

We encourage you to learn more about the major by attending an information session and reading through this website.

Public Service and Policy is a minimum requirement major. All students complete the following to declare the major:

45 college credits with a min 2.0 GPA
2.00 in PUBPOL 201 Intro to Public Policy & Governance

Intentions to join the major are reviewed quarterly to confirm minimum requirements are met and to ensure the degree can be completed within the University’s satisfactory progress policies. Because of when courses are offered, it is not possible to expedite time to graduation, which typically takes 6 quarters.

Transfer applicants to the UW can declare an intention to join the major and be admitted with the provision they complete PUBPOL 201 with min 2.0 in their first quarter.

Complete the online Declare the Major form and upload transcripts. While the form to declare the major is always available, invitations to join the major are made once per quarter following the third Friday. Students are notified two to three weeks following the third Friday review date. PLEASE NOTE: In SPR 2025, invitations to join the major will be made after the sixth Friday, or May 9. In SUM 2025, we will resume with the third Friday, which is July 11.

Entry to the major is for the quarter immediately following the quarter the Declare the Major form is submitted.
Transfer applicants to the UW can declare an intention to join the major and be admitted provisionally to the major assuming they receive an offer from the UW.

Careers

Graduates of the Public Service and Policy major will have developed skills in policy systems analysis, communication, ethical decision-making, and leadership. By understanding the challenges and being well versed in the development of multiple, useful, and realistic solutions, graduates will contribute to the development of local, national, and global networks by making policy and implementing solutions.

They will be equipped to address challenges and contribute to local, national, and global policy networks. Career paths include public service across various government levels, roles in not-for-profit organizations, and business positions utilizing their policy knowledge. Additionally, graduates will be academically prepared for further studies in law, public health, public policy, and social sciences.