School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences
Public Affairs (B.S.)
The Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs is intended for individuals called upon to manage in the arenas of government, nonprofits, or business. These generalist managers must synthesize many forms of knowledge derived from government, economics, sociology, and other fields, and must apply that knowledge creatively to meet the varied and multiple challenges of public administration. The ability to understand the substance of policy and program issues; the ability to grasp the administrative, political, and ethical implications imbedded in them; and the ability then to act upon the issues with effect, together define the worth of contemporary managers.
The Public Affairs program promotes acquisition of knowledge and skills essential to the tasks of identification, analysis, design implementation, supervision, evaluation, communication, and other key functions that are integral components of management careers in federal, state, and local governments; criminal justice; in social service, education, community development, arts and other nonprofit organizations; and in business firms.
Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs
Degree Requirements (120 hours)
I. Core Curriculum Requirements1: 42 hours
Social and Behavioral Sciences (15 hours)
Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning (6 hours)
Science (9 hours including at least one course with a substantial laboratory component)
II. Major Requirements: 49 hours
Major Preparatory Courses (4 hours beyond Core Curriculum)
Major Core Courses (18 hours)
Major Related Courses (27 hours)
- 27 hours Major and Related electives4
III. Elective Requirements: 29 hours
Advanced Electives (6 hours)
All students are required to take at least six hours of Advanced Electives outside their major field of study. These must be either upper-division classes or lower-division classes that have prerequisites.
Free Electives (23 hours)
This requirement may be satisfied with lower- and upper-division courses from any field of study. Students must complete at least 51 hours of upper-division credit to qualify for graduation.
Minor in Public Affairs (18 hours)
For a minor in Public Affairs, students must take PA/PSCI 3310, PA 3333, PA 4312, and any nine semester hours of upper-division classes with a PA prefix with the exception of PA 4V97, PA 4V98, and PA 4V99 or from the following list of courses: ECON 4320, ECON 4330, GEOG 3370, PSCI 3326.
Minor in Public Health (18 hours)
For a minor in Public Health, students must take the following: SOC 4369, SOC 4384, SOC 4385, and nine hours of the following upper-division electives, ECON 3330, GEOG 3357, GEOG 3372, HIST 3328, HLTH 1322, HTLH 3301, HTLH 3305, HTLH 3310, HTLH 4380, HGMT 4301, ISIS 3315, PSCI 4365, PSY 4328, PSY 4346, SOC 4357, SOC 4371, SOC 4372, SOC 4377, or SPAN 3341.
- Curriculum Requirements can be fulfilled by other approved courses from accredited institutions of higher education. The courses listed in parentheses are the most efficient way to satisfy both Core Curriculum and Major Requirements at UT Dallas.
- A Major requirement that also fulfills a Core Curriculum requirement. Hours are counted in Core Curriculum.
- Three hours are counted under Quantitative Reasoning core, and one hour is counted under Major Preparatory Courses.
- Most students take upper-division PA courses. However, subject to advisor approval, courses from other disciplines may be used to satisfy this requirement.