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Bachelor of Arts in Applied Public Policy Analysis
Overview
Offered by the Department of Public Administration and Policy, the Bachelor of Arts in Applied Public Policy Analysis is a selective, 90-credit program designed to provide students with applied training in the theory and practice of public policy analysis within an accelerated undergraduate degree format. The curriculum emphasizes quantitative reasoning, evidence-based analysis, and the institutional and political contexts of public policymaking. Students receive preparation for a variety of careers in the public, non-profit, and for-profit sectors, as well as for graduate study. Eligible students can complete the program in three years. Read on to find out if this undergraduate major can help you work towards your career goals.
Admissions
Admission to the program is selective. New first-year and transfer students must first be admitted to AU through the university's Admissions Office. Learn more about American University's undergraduate admissions requirements and application process.
New first-year and transfer students interested in applying for this accelerated 90 credit bachelor’s degree program will do so according to the steps outlined on the special academic programs site.
Curriculum
Public policy analysis is the science and practice of solving public problems using evidence, data and critical thinking skills. The applied curriculum integrates coursework in public policy design and implementation, data analysis, economics, politics, technology and communication. Students are prepared to analyze evidence, evaluate competing perspectives, communicate findings, and make informed decisions in a policy setting.
To enable students to complete the 90-credit degree program within three years, the curriculum is highly structured.
Read our complete overview of course requirements and curriculum.
Sample Program Schedule
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Sample Courses: Policy Context
How Public Policy Works
Public policy exists in every corner of contemporary society and affects every facet of our daily lives. In this course students explore where federal, state, and local policies come from and how policy analysts working in the private, non-profit, and government sectors influence the U.S. policymaking process. In addition to readings and class discussions, the course engages students through experiential learning visits to organizations and institutions in the Washington DC area where policies are invented, evaluated, debated, decided, and put into operation.
Implementing and Managing Public Policies: Putting Policy into Action
This course studies implementation, the art and science of putting public policies into action. Through strategic management of resources, public organizations. and their partners, implementors create policy delivery systems designed to achieve stated goals. Students learn that successful implementation requires measuring performance, facilitating evaluation, and navigating the competing incentives of a range of stakeholders including political actors, administrative entities, and the citizens the policy is intended to serve.
Cities as Laboratories for Public Policy
This course examines cities as laboratories for public policy innovation, analyzing their varied responses to social, economic, and environmental challenges. Students develop proficiency in elements of policy analysis, including problem identification, evidence-based evaluation, and the assessment of equity and efficiency tradeoffs. Through case studies in areas such as housing, transportation, public health, economic development, environmental sustainability, and others, the course integrates research and analytic tools to evaluate and enhance urban policy design.
Sample Courses: Skills and Methods
Causal Inference and Policy Evaluation
This course examines the theory and practice of program evaluation and policy analysis, focusing on methods for identifying causal effects. Students explore the potential outcomes framework, randomized and quasi-experimental designs, and approaches for estimating treatment effects from observational data. The course emphasizes research design, statistical reasoning, and the critical evaluation of empirical evidence in policy contexts.
Survey Design and Analysis
This course explores use of surveys to study policy, including its implementation. Surveys can help reveal attitudes and experiences among public employees, program participants, and the general public. Students learn about best practices for designing and fielding surveys. They also learn techniques for analysis of survey data, such as qualitative coding of open-ended responses, validation of measures, factor analysis, survey weights, and path analysis.
GIS and Spatial Analysis of Public Policy
This course introduces geographic information systems (GIS) and their applications to public policy and administration. The course enables students to work with GIS data structures and understand cartography, geographical data, perform geocoding, and conduct spatial analysis. The course provides hands-on experience in using ArcPro and other open-source GIS software to visualize and analyze various types of geographical data, including shapefiles, historical maps, point data, and raster data.
Internship Opportunities
- Washington, DC provides a variety of opportunities for internships in policy analysis; students are strongly encouraged to complete an internship.
- Students can earn up to 6 credits from internships toward their degree; these 6 credits also count toward major requirements, with approval from the Program Director.
- Students should complete at least 30 credit hours at AU before registering for an internship for credit.
Study Abroad Opportunities
- Students may study abroad during the summer between their first and second year or second and third year.
- Students may also choose to study abroad during a Fall or Spring semester in the second or third year of the program.
- Students may apply up to 9 credits from study abroad towards their degree; these 9 credits can also count toward major requirements, with approval from the Program Director.
Research Opportunities
- All students complete two research methods courses, providing a great foundation for further work with faculty: Introduction to Policy Research Methods, and Artificial Intelligence and Information Literacy for Public Policy.
- Students learn research design, regression analysis, information literacy, scholarly research skills, and the ethical and responsible use of AI in the policy context. Further coursework provides skills in survey design, geographical information systems, data science, and causal inference.
- Interested students have opportunities to work with faculty mentors and their original research projects.
Combined 3+1 with MPP and MPA
- Interested students may complete a Master of Public Policy or Master of Public Administration degree in combination with the BA.
- Such students may be able to complete the 3+1 program within four years; admission to the MPP or MPA is guaranteed for high-performing students in the Applied Public Policy Analysis BA.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of how public policies are developed, funded, implemented, and evaluated, and how government institutions and stakeholders influence policy outcomes.
- Use quantitative methods and data analysis to investigate policy issues and assess the quality and relevance of evidence for decision-making.
- Critically evaluate policy alternatives and develop evidence-based recommendations that balance data, political and administrative context, economics, and public values.
- Apply data, technology, and emerging analytical tools—including AI—ethically and effectively to support public policy analysis.
- Produce and communicate professional-quality policy analyses in a variety of formats that translate evidence into clear, actionable insights for diverse audiences.