Undergraduate Program in
PUBLIC POLICY
We are a community pursuing innovative policy solutions to create positive change
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I think public policy is the most real-world-oriented major at Duke. Public policy focuses on solutions to real-world problems, in a way that other majors don’t. A lot of the social science majors are very theoretical, while the goal of public policy is to actually implement solutions, policies and programs to solve problems.” —Curtis Scarpignato Public Policy’20
Welcome to Sanford!
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o you want to gain the practical skills to make a difference in the world? Do you want to develop expertise in analysis and help address the most pressing problems of today?
If so, the top-ranked Sanford School of Public Policy is a great place for you. From environment and energy to health and education, whether locally or globally, today’s challenges are complex and interconnected. At Sanford, we apply creative, interdisciplinary approaches to identify and evaluate the options before us. We also draw strength from our different perspectives and personal backgrounds. All are welcome here. Here, students enjoy a degree of mentorship and interpersonal relationships with our distinguished faculty that are rarely found elsewhere. Our professors are dedicated to helping you succeed. Our students develop strong skills in decision analysis, cost-benefit analysis, statistics and economics, as well as teamwork, communication and leadership. And, all our students complete a policy internship. Sanford alumni are making federal policy, starting businesses, leading international aid agencies and much more. They also continue to support and inspire each other— because when you join Sanford, you join a community for life. Judith Kelley Dean and ITT/Terry Sanford Professor of Public Policy; Professor of Political Science
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elcome to the undergraduate program and our community of faculty scholars, staff and students who make Sanford such an exciting place to be. The public policy major teaches students how to apply policy knowledge to real-world problems. Incorporating elements of political science, economics, history and ethics, the major is a liberal arts degree for a 21st century world. Christina Gibson-Davis
Director of Undergraduate Studies; Professor of Public Policy and Sociology
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I honestly didn’t know what I would major in my senior year of high school. But the summer before I came here, I watched all of the TV show Parks and Recreation. I saw so much of myself and my personality in the main character, Leslie Knope, who’s a civil servant who works for her community. I just thought to myself ‘Wow, I could actually really love a career like that in civil service!’” —Betsy Broaddus Public Policy’20
The Public Policy Major
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he public policy major is an interdisciplinary social science program designed to provide students with the skills, analytical perspectives and substantive knowledge needed to respond effectively and fairly to major social problems.
The core curriculum includes courses in economic and political analysis, statistics, political science, history and ethics. Electives offer a range of courses and seminars addressing complex policy issues such as health care, education, public finance, economic development, international trade, media regulation, racial politics and leadership. All students are required to participate in a 10-week practical internship to connect classroom learning to real-world experience. If there is a common theme to the diverse set of courses taken by public policy students, it is the focus on analytical decision-making. How should a leader determine what to do? Answers will not be found in a single analytical tool, such as cost-benefit analysis or political strategizing. Our students are trained to find creative and effective solutions by combining the skills and perspectives of the social sciences and management. The curriculum prepares our majors for careers in the public sector, nonprofit organizations, think tanks, consulting firms and private companies. It also provides great background for further training in management, law, journalism or business.
Professor Nick Carnes talks with students after class.
The Public Policy Curriculum Core Courses (5) PUBPOL 155D Introduction to Policy Analysis Prerequisite for all core courses except Stats requirement PUBPOL 301 Political Analysis for Public Policy PUBPOL 302 Policy Choice as Value Conflict or PUBPOL 330/GLHLTH 210 Global Health Ethics PUBPOL 303 Microeconomic Policy Tools or ECON 201D Intermediate Microecomomics I STA 199 Intro to Data Science or STA 101
Required Courses (2) PUBPOL 304 Economics of the Public Sector History Elective: from list designated by the public policy department
Electives (4) 4 PUBPOL electives at the 160-699 level (one of which MUST be a 400-699 level)
PUBPOL 120 Internship (1) The Sanford School requires that all public policy majors complete a relevant internship prior to graduation. As soon as you declare a public policy major, create an account at Sanford Career Link to stay informed of opportunities, workshops and requirements.
CNN films Professor Gunther Peck’s class.
Career Services Office The Career Services Office works with all public policy majors on fulfilling the internship requirement. The internship gives students an opportunity to apply concepts from the core courses in a real-world setting.
The career services staff.
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The Career Services staff was very open to helping me find internship options that related to my interests. They worked to make sure my internship would be fulfilling not only to my requirement but also to my expectations and passion. The key for me was to reach out to them early because that enabled them to help me with my resume, cover letters, applications and placement approval, all before my deadlines passed.” —Kristen Wade Public Policy’15, now and academic advisor at UNC-Greensboro
Research Opportunities Graduation with Departmental Distinction–Two Tracks to Honors
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The two-semester Honors Seminar provides students with additional support, feedback from seminar participants and training in the presentation of research results. The successful completion of the honors program permits the awarding of Distinction at one of three levels: Distinction, High Distinction and Highest Distinction. Independent Study Course is for students who realize after they have produced significant seminar/independent study papers that they are interested in pursuing topics in more depth.
For entry into either of the two tracks, a student must have at least a 3.40 GPA in a subset of core courses taken to date (ie. PUBPOL 155D, 301, 302, and 303/substitute).
Professor Christina Gibson-Davis talks with an independent study student about her research.
Past Honors Theses Effectiveness of YouTube Videos as a Government Communications Tool · The Analyzing the Development of Social Capital in the Slums of Bangalore · Paying College Athletes: An Analysis of Proposed Reforms for the Collegiate Athletic Model · Surviving the State: A Case Study Analysis of the Employment Relationship in · Contemporary Domestic Work be Part of Somethin”: The Ku Klux Klan and Its Appeal to Working Class North · “To Carolinians During the 1960s
Independent Study Independent study enables a student to pursue individual interests for course credit under the supervision of a faculty member. The central goal is a substantive paper containing significant analysis and interpretation.
Professor Joel Rosch at the Honors Theses poster session.
Research Assistantships The Eads Family Undergraduate Research Endowment Fund provides funding to encourage undergraduate public policy majors to become involved in faculty research projects. Projects are available during the academic year and summer sessions.
Past projects:
Frameworks and International Organizations 路 Accountability Net Worth Poverty the United States 路 Social Accountability in and Care Delivery in Uttar Pradesh, India 路 Effects of Foreign Trade on Health U.S. Labor Unions 路
Professor Deondra Rose listens to a recording with her research assistant.
Certificate Programs Child Policy Research Certificate Program Sponsored by the Center for Child and Family Policy, this certificate program builds students’ knowledge of child and family issues, while also providing the necessary academic tools for students to engage in research that informs policy and practice.
The Policy Journalism and Media Studies Certificate Sponsored by the DeWitt Wallace Center for Media and Democracy, this certificate is designed for students interested in preparing for careers in media policy, journalism or any of the associated professions.
Research Centers and Programs The faculty of the Sanford School of Public Policy lead or collaborate with a wide variety of on-campus interdisciplinary research centers that are exploring vital policy questions and bringing provocative and timely speakers to campus. These research hubs can offer students opportunities to work with faculty on ground-breaking research, and to engage with leaders in many fields. The following centers are housed in the Sanford School and provide opportunities for undergraduate students to get involved. DeWitt Wallace Center for Media and Democracy is Duke University’s hub for the study of journalism. The center studies the interaction between news media and policy; supports watchdog and accountability reporting in the U.S. and around the world; and teaches about the media’s role in democracy. Duke Center for Child and Family Policy brings scholars from many disciplines together with students, policymakers and practitioners to address problems facing children in contemporary society. As a national leader in addressing issues of childhood adversity, education policy reform, youth violence and problem behaviors, and adolescent substance abuse prevention, the center bridges the gap between research and policy by assisting policymakers in making informed decisions based on sound evidence and research.
Professor Bill Adair teaches journalism.
Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley (center) met with students from the American Grand Strategy Program, led by Professor Peter Feaver (far left).
Duke’s Center for Political Leadership, Innovation, and Service (POLIS) seeks to inspire a new generation of political leaders and engaged citizens devoted to fixing the problems of contemporary politics. POLIS promotes what politics could be through classes, a speakers’ series, trainings, podcasts, open and civil dialogue, and collaboration with students, faculty, staff, other North Carolinians, and reform-minded individuals throughout the country. The Duke University Program in American Grand Strategy (AGS) is an interdisciplinary initiative spanning public policy and political science that creates and disseminates new knowledge in the grand strategy field. The program’s mission is to prepare the next generation of strategists by studying past generations and interacting with current strategic leaders. The Hart Leadership Program is the first endowed, undergraduate program at a major university to emphasize ethics, service, social entrepreneurship and the responsibilities of leadership as part of its curriculum. The World Food Policy Center (WFPC) seeks to bridge research, policy and practice to address issues of food security. The WFPC identifies critical multi-stakeholder problems and harnesses research, creates an evidence base, convenes change agents and collaborates with policymakers and institutions to improve practices and policies that affect our food system, with positive impacts on public health, the environment, economic development, and social/cultural traditions, with a focus on low-income, marginalized communities.
Other Opportunities Duke in DC: Policy, Leadership and Innovation Based in the nation’s capital, the Duke in DC program offers a unique and exciting opportunity to experience up close how public policy shapes society and your place in it. Students enroll in three PUBPOL elective courses and an independent study course. The internship may fulfill the required internship course (PUBPOL 120).
Duke in Glasgow Each fall, a seminar-sized contingent of students travels to Scotland to study policy issues at the University of Glasgow, historically esteemed for its contribution to the fields of political economy and moral philosophy. All students enroll in a course on British policy and politics, while three additional elective courses may be chosen from the university’s regular offerings.
EMBARK Program Sanford’s EMBARK program provides programming and career support for students interested in exploring careers and “first jobs” in politics, advocacy, human rights, social justice, lobbying, political research and government. This studentled team connects current students with Sanford and Duke alumni who support their specific policy-related interests through the fall Networking Expo, informal coffee chats, digital profiles shared online, and the Nonprofit & Government Fair and alumni reception in Washington, D.C., each February.
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4+1 Accelerated Master of Public Policy Track Public policy majors have the opportunity to complete both their undergraduate and master’s degree in public policy in five years. Majors who are able to pursue graduatelevel coursework during their senior year will be eligible to apply in the spring semester of their junior year.
Key Contacts for Public Policy Majors Director of Undergraduate Studies Professor Christina Gibson-Davis 228 Rubenstein Hall 919-613-7364 PubPolDUS@duke.edu Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies Professor Catherine Admay 282 Rubenstein Hall 919-613-9232 admay@duke.edu Undergraduate Program Coordinator Suzanne Pierce 104 Rubenstein Hall 919-613-7320 suzanne.pierce@duke.edu Undergraduate Program Assistant Pam Lewis 171A Rubenstein Hall 919-613-7393 pamela.d.lewis@duke.edu Director of Undergraduate Internships Sanford Career Services Elise Goldwasser 256 Sanford Building 919-613-7311 elise.goldwasser@duke.edu
Assistant Internship Director Sanford Career Services Suze Valdivia 257B Sanford Building 919-613-7426 Suzanne.valdivia@duke.edu Office Manager Sanford Career Services Heather Griswold 257 Sanford Building 919-613-7381 heather.griswold@duke.edu Sanford School Registrar Anita Lyon 108 Rubenstein Hall 919-613-7382 Anita.lyon@duke.edu Dean of Sanford School Professor Judith Kelley 124A Sanford Building jkelley@duke.edu Dean’s Assistant Kate Walker kate.walker@duke.edu
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My favorite part of my internship was working with Senator Udall’s staff and the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act—legislation that greatly impacts my tribe (Navajo).” —Shandiin Herrera Public Policy’19, policy analyst and hometown fellow with Lead for America
Ways to Stay Connected For more information, please contact Sanfordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Undergraduate Program at PubPolDUS@duke.edu. duke.sanfordschool
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The information in this publication is accurate, to the best of our knowledge, as of August 2019. The Sanford School of Public Policy and Duke University reserve the right to change programs of study without prior notice, in accordance with established procedures.
Rigorous analysis, inspired action
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