Public Policy Studies is a discipline that explores the role and impact of decision-making by governments. The discipline includes knowledge of both process and substance of a particular policy area. Thus, a student in public policy must have both generalist and specialist skills to apply to a particular public problem. In terms of political process, the study of public policy examines questions of how public policy is formulated, implemented, and evaluated over time. It also explores notions of agenda-setting and framing of issues that lead to a problem gaining the attention of the government. Public policy specialists and analysts are hired by all levels of government. During the past several years in addition to the government sector, the nonprofit and private sectors have sought public policy analysts for employment. Therefore, the curriculum prepares students for being public policy specialists in both the private and nonprofit sectors in addition to the public sector. The curriculum also is tailored to prepare students who would like to continue their education in graduate programs or law schools. The faculty members of the department work closely with students to place them in internships, and when possible, employment positions.
The Public Policy Studies Department (PPS) offers an undergraduate degree (BA). Students take a common core of courses dealing with public policy theories, processes, methods of public policy analysis, and important environmental and urban policy issues. In addition, a data analysis course is required that the student selects from a list of approved courses. Microeconomics or statistics is strongly encouraged.
Beyond the core curriculum, a capstone course reconvenes the students at the end of their curriculum to study a public policy problem in-depth under the direction of a public policy professor. The capstone changes approximately every three years, to reflect a current issue on the public policy agenda.
Faculty
Euan Hague, PhD
Director, Professor (Geography)
Syracuse University
Steve Abbey, MBA
Part-time Lecturer
University of Chicago
Andre Ashmore, JD
Part-time Lecturer
University of Illinois Chicago
Hugh Bartling, PhD
Associate Professor
University of Kentucky Lexington
Patricia M. Bombard, BVM, DMin
Director, The Hay Project
Chicago Theological Seminary
Alexander Brown, PhD
Part-time Lecturer
The Institute for Clinical Social Work
Suellen Burns, MS
Part-time Lecturer
DePaul University
William Calzaretta, PhD
Professor Emeritus
Northwestern University
Cheron V. Corbett, MA
Part-time Lecturer
University of Memphis
Lisa Dietlin, MA
Part-time Lecturer
St. Mary's University
Sarah Duda, MUPP
Part-time Lecturer
University of Illinois at Chicago
Michael A. Frigo, MS, CPA
Part-time Lecturer
DePaul University
Rachel M. Gregoire, MS
Part-time Lecturer
DePaul University
Thomas Henkey, MA, CEM
Part-time Lecturer
American Military University
Nicholas Kachiroubas, PhD
Associate Teaching Professor
Cardinal Stritch University
Amanda Kass, PhD
Assistant Professor
University of Illinois Chicago
Kathryn A. Kelly, JD
Part-time Lecturer
DePaul University
Jumana Khalifeh, PhD
Part-time Lecturer
DePaul University
William C. Kling, JD
Part-time Lecturer
Illinois Institute of Technology
Britney MacDonald, JD
Part-time Lecturer
Illinois Institute of Technology
Rosemary McDonnell, MS
Part-time Lecturer
DePaul University
J. Patrick Murphy, PhD
Professor Emeritus
Stanford University
John Newman, PhD
Part-time Lecturer
Emory University
Jamie S. Nolan, MBA
Part-time Lecturer
DeVry University
Raphael Ogom, PhD
Associate Professor
Carleton University
Vincent R. Parisi, MEM
Part-time Lecturer
Duke University
Ramya Ramanath, PhD
Associate Professor
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Ken Rose, PhD
Associate Teaching Professor
University of Illinois at Chicago
James Rudyk, MA
Part-time Lecturer
Northwestern University
Joseph P. Schwieterman, PhD
Professor
University of Chicago
Steven Seidman, PhD
Part-time Lecturer
Cornell University
Kelly Tzoumis, PhD
Professor
University of Chicago
Danielle Vance-McMullen, PhD
Assistant Professor
Duke University