A group of students participating in a mock legislative session inside the New York State Capitol building.

Bachelor of Arts in
Public Policy and Management

Tackle Social Problems with Innovative Public Policy Solutions

Deepen your understanding of major civic issues and explore different ways you can help solve social problems by developing creative public policy solutions and improving management.

The interdisciplinary Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy and Management at UAlbany will give you a broad understanding of the relationships between government legislation, public policy, economics, politics, civil rights, regulation and finance, and city, state, federal, and global affairs.

The program includes foundational coursework and electives in management and politics, and quantitative methods and policy. Then you get to earn a concentration in the area of study that best matches your personal interests and career goals.

Program of Study

programofstudy

First, you’ll learn to navigate complex policy environments in core courses that span the fields of economics, statistics, American politics, and management.

Then, you get to choose concentration courses that interest you most.

Ultimately, you apply what you learn in the public policy or applied public affairs capstone classes.


Foundational Coursework

  • Principles of Economics I: Microeconomics
  • Principles of Economics II: Macroeconomics
  • Introduction to Public Policy
  • Understanding Public Organizations
  • Methodological Tools for Public Policy
  • American Politics


Elective Courses (12 Credits)

The elective courses are designed to deepen your familiarity with analytic skills used in the field. Courses in Management and Politics explore the design and implementation of policy. Quantitative Methods and Policy Analysis courses examine the methods policy experts use to analyze empirical data and to model policy systems. You must take two elective courses in each area. At least one course in each area must be at the 300-level or above. Elective courses are selected in consultation with your faculty advisors as course offerings vary from term to term.

Concentration Courses (18 credits)

If you choose to pursue a concentration, you will need to choose six courses in one area of concentration or design your own concentration by selecting three courses in two areas (at least 3 courses must be at 300-level or higher).

See concentration descriptions below.

Capstone Course

Applied Public Affairs Capstone (Internship) and Policy Capstone

Program Concentrations
Environmental Policy

You will have the ability to develop basic science skills and gather knowledge about our environment as well as dive deeper into the policies effecting climate change, air quality, and overall life on planet Earth.

Gender, Race, and Society

Combines the disciplines of sociology, Latin American and Caribbean studies, African American studies, and gender and sexuality to provide a comprehensive approach to understanding how gender, race, ethnicity, and ability interact in today’s world.

Human Services: Health, Education, and Labor

This concentration is ideal if you're interested in health and education policy.  Courses and topics in this concentration include genetic makeup, primary and secondary education policy and management, peer-education, and learning. Heavily influenced by the courses from psychology, education, and sociology, this concentration offers depth and breadth of content. 

Law and Civil Rights

Law and policy go hand in hand. This concentration prepares future lawyers and policy makers. By pursuing studies in this area, you will learn how policy impacts civil rights and how civil rights movements influence laws and public policy.

Local Government

Everything you need to know about local government will be offered in this concentration. From urban planning to public finance, and from community organizing to motivating public and non-profit workers. This concentration is ideal if you're interested in becoming a mayor, county manager, or other local government official.

Philosophy and Ethics

All policies have ethical implications. Should the law help the majority or minority? Who will decide? In this concentration you will explore many of the moral dilemmas confronted by public servants, non-profit leaders, and business owners.

Politics

Can a policy come to life without politics? Take on the deep dive into the world of politics and explore how politics and policy interact and support each other. Understanding campaigns and elections in the U.S., as well as the role of federal, state and local governments, will help every future policy maker be better at their job.

Quantitative Tools

Policy analysis requires strong quantitative skills and analytical thinking. This concentration will help you master your understanding of how numbers work, how population and demographic changes affect policy, and what factors may need to be accounted for when policy decisions are made. 

Regulation and Public Finance

Are you focusing your studies on finance? Try learning more about regulations. In this concentration you will explore the important links between regulations and public finances for public (government/non-profit) and private organizations. Concentration courses include Micro and macroeconomics, Broker-dealer Accounting, Regulation, and Auditing.

Technology and Policy

We cannot imagine a world without technological advances, but is technology always helpful? What can go wrong if an algorithm is poorly designed? You will practice technical skills, including programming and geospatial analysis, and gain a broad understanding of emerging trends in information and technology.

Urban Issues

Gain an understanding of cities and the complexities that they are facing. You will learn about the intricacies of urban issues utilizing sociology, urban planning, and geography.

World Affairs

When and how will a policy made in another country have an effect on the rest of the world? The world affairs concentration encourages you to consider the impact of globalization on all societies and the challenges of public administration in countries with different cultures, histories, and political regimes.

Career-Building Internships

A required internship gives you the opportunity to gain practical experience and develop your professional network, in preparation for your career.

UAlbany’s location near the seat of New York’s state government puts valuable opportunities in the legislature, state agencies and many other nearby firms within reach.

You can also complete your internship in cities like New York and Washington, D.C., or as part of your study abroad program.

UAlbany alum in Washington, D.C.
internships

Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate Options


You can save time and money by beginning your graduate degree coursework while still enrolled as an undergraduate student. Up to 12 academic credits, billed at the undergraduate rate, will count towards both degrees – so you’ll complete your combined program in only 5 years and spend less than you would if you completed each program separately. Choose to combine your Public Policy and Management undergraduate degree with the following graduate programs:

combined

MPA in Public Administration and Policy
This top-ranked master’s program prepares you to help solve complex socioeconomic problems with concentration areas including non-profit management and leadership, public policy, healthcare management, information technology management, public economics and finance, and homeland security.

MIA in International Affairs
This master’s program studies foreign relations and global cooperation with concentrations in Global Public Management, Diplomacy and Global Governance, Global Economic Policy and Global and Homeland Security. You can also create your own custom concentration.

MA in Criminal Justice
This top-ranked master’s program provides you with an advanced understanding of the criminal justice system and criminology for a successful career in areas like policing, law, crime analysis and research.

MS in Information Science 
This ALA-accredited master's program covers a broad range of interdisciplinary topics related to library science, information processing, information management and data analysis.

 

UAlbany graduate at Commencement
Career Paths

With a solid understanding of public policy and management in practice, you’ll be ready for entry-level careers in business and administrative units of government agencies, private corporations, and nonprofit organizations.

Sample job titles of recent public policy & management alumni include:

  • Legislative aide/correspondent
  • Public relations manager
  • Associate policy analyst
  • Political campaign coordinator
  • Special interest lobbyist
  • Human rights advocate

 

Alum Tina Chang in front of the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C.
career

"You get a very practical and real perspective of how government works and how people in government work"

- Oroboghene E. Obaro-Ogbovoh, '25

UAlbany Majors: Public Policy and Management
Student Learning Objectives

Learning objectives that UAlbany students are expected to attain through their course of study within their academic program.

Bachelor of Arts
  1. Understand and apply foundational interdisciplinary concepts, frameworks, theories and analytical tools in public policy and public/nonprofit management.
     
  2. Critically evaluate public policy and public/nonprofit management problems and solutions based on a synthesis of research evidence on the facts and/or values, or an empirical analysis using quantitative or qualitative tools.
     
  3. Analyze the public policy cycle including problem identification, policy formulation, adoption, implementation, and evaluation.
     
  4. Evaluate the political, social, and economic actors and contexts that shape public policy and leadership and management challenges in public and nonprofit organizations.
     
  5. Assess the behavior and critical functions of public/nonprofit organizations, and strategies for effectively leading and managing organizations.
     
  6. Identify the interactions of complementary and competing values and principles in public policy and public/nonprofit management.
     
  7. Evaluates how diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice is improved or denied in public policy and/or public management.
     
  8. Evaluates how diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice is improved or denied in public policy and/or public management.
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What Makes The University at Albany Great

Student move-in day.

Living-Learning Communities

Live and take classes with other incoming freshmen who share your personal interests, passions or intended academic major.

A student abroad visiting a monument.

Study Abroad

Become a global citizen: international experience is crucial to success in business, education, research, and public policy.

A student conducting undergraduate research.

Undergraduate Research

Research, scholarship, and creative activities at the University at Albany is an option for all students, across all academic disciplines. You will be able to learn more about a specific academic field or career path all while building a long-lasting mentoring relationship with a faculty member or principal investigator.

Explore Minors

Build competency in a passion or strengthen your resume.

A minor consists of 18–24 graduation credits which must include a minimum of 9 graduation credits of advanced coursework at or above the 300 level. Most undergraduate degrees require completing a minor and it has to have a different title from your major.

Full List of Minors
  • Acting
  • Africana Studies
  • Anthropology
  • Art
  • Art History
  • Atmospheric Science
  • Bioethics
  • Biology
  • Broadcast Meteorology
  • Business
  • Chemistry
  • Chinese Studies
  • Cognitive Science
  • Communication (Fully Online Option)
  • Computer Science
  • Creative Writing
  • Criminal Justice Studies (Fully Online Option)
  • Cybersecurity (Fully Online Option)
  • Documentary Studies
  • East Asian Studies
  • Economics
  • Educational Studies
  • Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Electronics
  • Film Studies
  • Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity (Fully Online Option)
  • English
  • Forensic Science
  • French
  • Game Design and Development
  • Geographic Information Science
  • Geography
  • Globalization Studies
  • Hebrew
  • History (Fully Online Option)
  • Informatics (Fully Online Option)
  • Instrumental Performance
  • International Studies
  • Italian
  • Japanese Studies
  • Journalism (Fully Online Option)
  • Judaic Studies
  • Korean Studies
  • Latin American and Caribbean Studies
  • Law and Philosophy
  • Leadership
  • Legal Studies
  • LGBTQ Studies
  • Library and Information Science
  • Linguistics
  • Machine Learning
  • Mathematics
  • Medical Anthropology
  • Music
  • Musical Performance
  • Musical Theatre
  • Philosophy
  • Physics
  • Political Science
  • Portuguese
  • Pre-Education
  • Psychology (Fully Online Option)
  • Public Health
  • Public Policy
  • Religious Studies
  • Russian
  • Russian and Eastern European Studies
  • Social Welfare Studies
  • Sociology (Fully Online Option)
  • Spanish
  • Statistics
  • Sustainability
  • Theatre
  • Theatrical Design/Technology
  • Urban Studies and Planning
  • U.S. Latino Studies
  • Vocal Performance
  • Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies

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