School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences
Public Affairs (BS)
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 embedded in them; and the ability then to act upon the issues with effect, together define the worth of contemporary managers. Students develop an understanding of the political, economic, and social factors that influence decision-making in government and nonprofit organizations.
The Public Affairs program promotes the 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; social service, education, community development, arts, and other nonprofit organizations; and business firms.
Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs
Degree Requirements (120 semester credit hours)1
View an Example of Degree Requirements by Semester
Faculty
Professor: Abraham Benavides, Meghna Sabharwal
Associate Professors: Evgenia Gorina, James R. Harrington, Sarah Maxwell
Assistant Professors: Allison Russell, Elizabeth Searing
Professor Emeritus: L. Douglas Kiel
Clinical Professor: John R. McCaskill
Associate Professor of Practice: Teodoro Benavides
I. Core Curriculum Requirements: 42 semester credit hours2
Communication: 6 semester credit hours
Choose two courses from the following:
COMM 1311 Survey of Oral and Technology-based Communication
RHET 1302 Rhetoric
ECS 3390 Professional and Technical Communication
Or select any 6 semester credit hours from Communication Core courses (see advisor)
Mathematics: 3 semester credit hours
Choose one course from the following:
MATH 1306 College Algebra for the Non-Scientist
MATH 1314 College Algebra
Or select any 3 semester credit hours from Mathematics Core courses (see advisor)
Life and Physical Sciences: 6 semester credit hours
Select any 6 semester credit hours from Life and Physical Sciences Core courses (see advisor)
Language, Philosophy and Culture: 3 semester credit hours
Select any 3 semester credit hours from Language, Philosophy and Culture Core courses (see advisor)
Creative Arts: 3 semester credit hours
Select any 3 semester credit hours from Creative Arts Core courses (see advisor)
American History: 6 semester credit hours
Select any 3 semester credit hours from American History Core courses (see advisor)
Government/Political Science: 6 semester credit hours
GOVT 2305 American National Government
GOVT 2306 State and Local Government
Or select any 6 semester credit hours from Government/Political Science Core courses (see advisor)
Social and Behavioral Sciences: 3 semester credit hours
PA 2325 Introduction to Public and Nonprofit Management3, 4
Or select any 3 semester credit hours from Social and Behavioral Sciences Core courses (see advisor)
Component Area Option: 6 semester credit hours
EPPS 2301 Research Design in the Social and Policy Sciences3, 4, 5
EPPS 2302 Methods of Quantitative Analysis in the Social and Policy Sciences3, 4, 5
Or select any 6 semester credit hours from Component Area Option Core courses (see advisor)
II. Major Requirements: 57 semester credit hours
Major Preparatory Courses: 3 semester credit hours beyond Core Curriculum
ECON 2301 Principles of Macroeconomics
or ECON 2302 Principles of Microeconomics
EPPS 2301 Research Design in the Social and Policy Sciences3, 4, 5
EPPS 2302 Methods of Quantitative Analysis in the Social and Policy Sciences3, 4, 5
PA 2325 Introduction to Public and Nonprofit Management3, 4
Major Core Courses: 24 semester credit hours
PA 3306 Advanced Research and Writing for the Policy Sciences
PA 3310 Managing Government Organizations
PA 3333 Human Resources Management: Leading a Diverse Workforce
PA 3378 Public Finance and Economics
PA 3380 Organizations: Theory and Behavior
PA 4355 Managing Nonprofit Organizations
PA 4370 Leadership, Democracy, and Ethics
PA 4390 Capstone - Social Entrepreneurship: Leading Change
Major Related Courses: 30 semester credit hours
30 semester credit hours of Major and Related electives6
15 semester credit hours of which must come from the following:
PA 3314 Financial Management
PA 3379 Diversity in the Public Sector
PA 3382 Sustainable Communities
PA 4345 Negotiation and Conflict Resolution
PA 4351 Managing the Urban Environment
PA 4350 Public and Nonprofit Agencies, Management and Ethics
PA 4386 Health and Social Policy
III. Elective Requirements: 21 semester credit hours
This requirement may be satisfied with lower- and upper-division courses from any field of study. Students must complete at least 51 semester credit hours of upper-division courses to qualify for graduation.
Minor in Public Affairs: 18 semester credit hours
Required Courses: 6 semester credit hours
PA 3310 or PSCI 3310 Managing Government Organizations
PA 3333 Human Resources Management: Leading a Diverse Workforce
Upper-Division Courses: 12 semester credit hours
Any upper-division course with a PA prefix with the exception of PA 4V97, PA 4V98, and PA 4V99.
1. Incoming freshmen must enroll and complete requirements of UNIV 1010 and the corresponding school-related freshman seminar course. Students, including transfer students, who complete their core curriculum at UT Dallas must take UNIV 2020.
2. Curriculum Requirements can be fulfilled by other approved courses from institutions of higher education. The courses listed are recommended as the most efficient way to satisfy both Core Curriculum and Major Requirements at UT Dallas.
3. A Major requirement that also fulfills a Core Curriculum requirement. Semester credit hours are counted in Core Curriculum.
4. Prerequisite course to upper-division PA courses.
5. The Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs degree requires EPPS 2301 and 2302 as a requirement or as a prerequisite for another required course which makes it a necessity to take both courses as soon as is prudent in a student's academic career. Otherwise students run the risk of falling behind in their time to graduation.
6. Most students take upper-division PA courses. However, subject to advisor approval, courses from other disciplines may be used to satisfy this requirement.