Public Affairs Minor
Public Affairs Certificate
B.S. Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs
M.P.A. Master of Public Affairs in Health Systems Administration and Policy or Public and Community Services Administration and Policy

Minor in Public Affairs (15 cr.)

(All courses are 3 cr. hours unless otherwise designated.)

SPEA V170 Introduction to Public Affairs

Four of the following:
SPEA V263 Public Management
SPEA V366 Managing Behavior in Public Organizations
SPEA V373 Personnel Management in the Public Sector
SPEA V376 Law and Public Policy
SPEA V432 Labor Relations in the Public Sector
SPEA V450 Contemporary Issues in Public Affairs (1-3 cr.) (may be repeated)
Other courses in public or environmental affairs

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Certificate in Public Affairs

The School of Public and Environmental Affairs offers the Certificate in Public Affairs to provide an organized approach to the study of public policy, governmental organization, and public management for undergraduates in addition to the major area of their undergraduate programs. The program is interdisciplinary and available to students in good academic standing from any other school or department of Indiana University or other accredited colleges and universities.

Eligibility and Application

• Students in good academic standing and enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs at Indiana University or other accredited colleges and universities are eligible.
• Students admitted to the Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs program of the School of Public and Environmental Affairs are not eligible to receive the Public Affairs Certificate.
• Students must declare their intent to earn this certificate prior to completing 15 credit hours creditable toward the certificate.
• Applications for admission to the certificate program may be obtained from the office of the SPEA recorder at the campus where the student plans to enroll in the certificate program.
• Upon certification that the student has been awarded a bachelor’s degree and completion of all certificate requirements, the student will be awarded the certificate.

General Requirements

• A minimum of 27 credit hours, of which at least 15 but not more than 21 credit hours, must have been in SPEA courses.
• A grade point average of 2.0 (C) or higher for all course work credited toward the certificate.
• A maximum of 6 credit hours of appropriate credit from an institution other than Indiana University may be applied toward this certificate.
• Courses for this certificate may be taken at any campus of Indiana University.

Certificate Requirements (9 courses)

(All courses are 3 cr. hours unless otherwise designated.)

Requirements

SPEA V170 Introduction to Public Affairs
SPEA V263 Public Management
SPEA V264 Urban Structure and Policy

Two from one of the following groups:

Organizational Behavior:
SPEA V366 Managing Behavior in Public Organizations
SPEA V373 Personnel Management in Public Sector
Other courses

Law:
SPEA J301 Substantive Criminal Law
SPEA V376 Law and Public Policy

Choose from the following areas:

Criminal Justice:
SPEA J101 The American Criminal Justice System
SPEA J302 Procedural Criminal Law
SPEA J322 Introduction to Criminalistics
SPEA J370 Seminar in Criminal Justice

Public Affairs:
SPEA V348 Management Science
SPEA V365 Urban Development and Planning
SPEA V372 Financial Management and Budgeting
SPEA V373 Personnel Management in Public Sector
SPEA V432 Labor Relations in the Public Sector
SPEA V450 Contemporary Issues in Public Affairs (1-3 cr.)

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Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs

Students are encouraged to develop a program in the area of public affairs that most interests them. The school offers a set of core courses that have been developed as appropriate background for participation in public affairs. In addition, students are expected to select an area of public affairs concentration and a set of elective courses appropriate to their educational and career objectives.

Undergraduates with knowledge in a specific concentration area and a general background in public and environmental affairs will find entry-level employment in their field facilitated by the professional orientation provided in the SPEA program. The curriculum also provides background for advanced academic work in a professional area such as law, economics, city planning, or urban administration.

General Degree Requirements

The Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs is designed to provide the student with both a liberal education and a professional orientation toward a specific career. Students must complete a minimum of 120 credit hours in the four course work areas of general education, public affairs core, concentration, and electives. In addition to meeting the university requirements of a minimum 2.0 GPA, SPEA students must obtain a minimum 2.3 GPA for core and concentration courses.

General Education Requirements (15-17 courses)

(All courses are 3 cr. hours unless otherwise designated.)

Communications (9 cr.)
ENG W131 Elementary Composition
ENG W231 Professional Writing Skills

Speech (3 cr.)

One of the following:
SPCH S121 Public Speaking
SPCH S223 Business and Professional Speaking
SPCH S228 Argumentation and Advocacy
SPCH S229 Discussion and Group Methods

Quantitative Methods (12 cr.)

One of the following:
MATH M118 Finite Mathematics
MATH M107 College Algebra
SPEA K300 Statistical Techniques
SPEA V370 Research Methods and Statistical Modeling

One of the following:
BUS K201 The Computer in Business
CSCI A106 Introduction to Computing
SPEA V261 Computers in Public Affairs

Social and Behavioral Sciences (12 cr.)

ECON E103 Introduction to Microeconomics
ECON E104 Introduction to Macroeconomics
POLS Y103 Introduction to American Politics

One course from the following subject areas:
Anthropology
Criminal Justice
Economics (except ECON E103 Introduction to Microeconomics, ECON E104 Introduction to Macroeconomics)
Geography
Gerontology
Political Science (except POLS Y103 Introduction to American Politics)
Psychology
Sociology

Arts and Humanities (9 cr.)

HIST H105 American History I
HIST H106 American History II

One course from the following subject areas:
Classical Studies
Comparative Literature
English
Fine Arts
Folklore
Foreign Languages and Literature
History
Musicology and Music History
Philosophy
Religious Studies
Theatre and Drama
Women’s Studies

Natural Sciences (8 cr.)

Choose courses from the following subject areas (one course must include a laboratory):
Astronomy
Biological Sciences
Chemistry
Geology
Physical Geography
Physics

Public Affairs Core (18 cr.)

SPEA V170 Introduction to Public Affairs
SPEA V263 Public Management
SPEA V264 Urban Structure and Policy
SPEA V348 Management Science for Policy Analysis Methods
SPEA V372 Financial Management and Budgeting
SPEA V376 Law and Public Policy

Criminal Justice Core (21 cr.)

SPEA J101 The American Criminal Justice System

One of the following
SPEA J301 Substantive Criminal Law
SPEA J306 The Criminal Courts
SPEA J321 American Law Enforcement
SPEA J331 Corrections
SPEA J439 Crime and Public Policy
Two additional courses

Legal Studies Core (21 cr.)

ENG W350 Advanced Expository Writing
SPEA J301 Substantive Criminal Law

One of the following
PHIL P150 Elementary Logic
PHIL P250 Introductory Symbolic Logic
Three additional law-related courses approved by an advisor

Organizational Leadership Core (?? cr.)

SPEA V366 Managing Behavior in Public Organizations
SPEA V373 Personnel Management in the Public Sector

Five of the following, approved by an advisor
SPEA H320 Health Systems Administration
SPEA V340 Urban Government Administration
SPEA V362 Nonprofit Management and Leadership
SPEA V365 Urban Development and Planning
SPEA V368 Managing Government Operations
SPEA V432 Labor Relations in the Public Sector
SPEA V450 Contemporary Issues in Public Affairs (1-3 cr.)
SPEA V473 Management Applications Seminar

Specialized Study in Public and Environmental Affairs (21 cr.)

Seven courses selected with approval of an advisor: (Six courses must be at the 300-level or higher)

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Master of Public Affairs

Core Courses

(Courses are 3 cr. hours unless otherwise designated.)

The M.P.A. core is designed to ensure that each student acquires skills and theoretical knowledge required for effective management and an understanding of the policy context within which managers will work. Thus, 24 credit hours are required in analytical areas dealing with computer usage; quantitative, economic, and legal analysis; and in courses dealing with public management.

CORE COURSES (24hrs.)

 Fall:

 V502 Public Management
V506 Statistical Analysis for Effective Decision-making
V517 Public Management Economics (even years) H514 Health Care Economics (odd years)
H516 Health Care Law (even years) V540 Law and Public Affairs (odd years)

Spring:

V680 Research Design and Methods in Public Affairs
V560 Public Finance and Budgeting
V561 Public Human Resource Management
V600 Capstone in Public Affairs

Unusually well-prepared applicants may petition the graduate committee to waive one or more of the core requirements based on advanced work done elsewhere. Students may be exempted based on satisfactory equivalent course work or by an examination administered by professors in the core fields. Credit hours waived from the core will add to the electives hours a student may take within his or her course of study.

Fields of Concentration

The M.P.A. program at IUSB offers three concentrations: health systems administration and policy, and governmental Administration and Policy, and Non-Profit Administration and Policy. Concentrations are designed to give the student a focused educational experience in a substantive area of interest.

The student chooses a concentration and the course of study in the concentration area in consultation with the graduate program director. Courses offered both within SPEA and in other academic programs of the university are utilized. All concentrations require at least 16 credit hours of course work. In addition, 12 credit hours of electives are required. Up to 6 credit hours in electives may be taken in SPEA V585 Practicum in Public Affairs, if the field experience is relevant to the policy concentration and approved in advance by the program director. Concentration requirements may be waived on the same basis as core requirements.

Health Systems Administration and Policy Concentration

The Health Systems Administration and Policy Concentration is for professionals already working in health care organizations, as well as for students planning health care careers. This concentration affords students the opportunity to study policies, issues, and programs related to the health care field.

Required Courses (12 cr.)

(Courses are 3 cr. hours unless otherwise designated.)

At least four of the following  (12 hours)

H501 Health Care: System, Policies and Ethical Challenges (fall even years)
H503 Health Systems Organization and Management (fall odd years)
H509 Health Care Finance (spring odd years)
H604 Ambulatory Care and Managed Care Programs ((spring even years)

Governmental Administration and Policy Concentration

The Governmental Administration and Policy Concentration is for individuals already employed in government or private not-for-profit organizations, as well as for students planning for such careers. Elective courses enable students to develop career related specializations.

Required Courses (12 cr.)

(Courses are 3 cr. hours unless otherwise designated.)

V512 The Public Policy Process  (spring even years)
V523 Civil Society and Public Policy (fall even years)
V563 The Planning Process or
V578 Comparative Public Management and Administration (fall odd years)
V595 Managerial Decision-making (spring odd years)

Electives (12 hours)

Non-Profit Administration and Policy Concentration

The Non-Profit Administration and Policy Concentration is for individuals already employed in non-profit organizations, as well as for students planning for such careers. Elective courses enable students to develop career related specializations.

Required Courses (12 cr.)

(Courses are 3 cr. hours unless otherwise designated.)

V523 Civil Society and Public Policy (fall even years)
V525 Management in the Nonprofit Sector (fall odd years)
V526 Financial Management for Non-Profit Organizations (spring odd years)
V558 Fund Development for Nonprofits (spring even years)

Electives (12 hours)

*   The School attempts to offer at least one graduate class in each of the two summer sessions.  The classes that the school strives to offer most frequently in the summer are V517 Public Management Economics and V561 Public Human Resource Management.  

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