An alternative to choosing the general option, ISS major students can select the Public Service Specialization as a primary, secondary, or combined area of study.
The Public Service emphasis provides an opportunity for students to acquire a broad background for understanding public affairs and social problems with emphasis on public service and administration. The specialization is designed to supply the generalist background attractive to many employers, particularly in state and local government agencies. The program provides an excellent background for students interested in graduate work in Public Administration, Urban and Regional Planning, and Sociology. Students planning to pursue graduate work are urged to take ISS3330, Interdisciplinary Research Methods.
Students may pursue a primary, secondary, or combined area of study in public service. Arrangements for course selections are flexible. However, the required course of PAD3003 must be taken.
Recommendations for the public service specialization are as follows:
1. Required Course Work:
PAD 3003 Public Administration in American Society
2. Political Science, ISS, and Public Administration*:
*Choose 5 courses from this list for the primary area, 3 courses from the list for the secondary area, or 7 courses from this list for combination of both.
ECO 4554 Economics of State and Local Government (Prerequisite: ECO 2023)
ISS 4164 Intersections, Power, and Policy
PAD 4223 Budgets and Finances in Managing Public Affairs
PAD 4301 Disaster Management Planning for Urban Poor Communities
PAD 4372 Leadership and Communication in Emergency Management
PAD 4391 Foundations in Emergency Management
PAD 4393 Emergency Management Programs, Planning and Policy
POS 1041 American Government: National
POS 3122 State Politics
POS 3142 Urban Politics
PUP 3002 Introduction to Public Policy
3. For the combined area of study, take an additional 4 courses from a second disciplinary category below:
Sociology
SYA 4300 Methods of Social Research
SYG 2010 Social Problems
SYO 3100 Family Problems and Social Change
SYO 4300 Sociology of Politics
Geography
GEO 1400 Human Geography
GEO 4602 Urban Geography
Urban and Regional Planning
URP 3000 Introduction to Planning and Urban Development
URP 4022 Collective Decision Making (Prerequisites: URP 3000 or instructor permission)
URP 4710 Introduction to Transportation Issues and Transportation Planning
(Prerequisite: URP 3000 or instructor permission)