Certificate in Policy Analysis and Administration

Policy Analysis and Administration will give you  the analytic and technical skills, broad understanding and a specialization that will help you succeed in the policy area that interests you. Students who study for this certificate:

• Learn the nature of the policy-making process;
• Gain an understanding of the techniques of policy analysis and social science research methodology;
• Investigate at least one substantive areas of public policy (e.g. health, environment, housing, community development).

A certificate in policy analysis and administration prepares graduates to devise, analyze and implement policies to respond to today's challenging social and political problems, to work as administrators or policy analysts in public, private and non-profit organizations.

Students concentrating in policy analysis and administration receive a certificate of proficiency upon completion of the following required courses (24 credits):

The Policymaking Process (6 credits)

• PLCR 506, Social and Public Policy Analysis
• One of the following: PLCR 518, The Politics of Civic Problems; PLCR 524, Women and Politics; PLCR 525, Policy Implementation; PLCR 526, American Politics and Policy

Policy Techniques (9 credits)

• PLCR 502, Research Methods
• PLCR 503, Quantitative Analysis
• One additional course

Substantive Area (6 credits)

Internship (PLCR 605, 3 credits)

You may earn the certificate either independently or in connection with another graduate program, for example, in business or law.