If you are interested in the political process, policy, and public service, the major in Public Policy and Public Service combines all of those areas in one degree. You will develop a deep understanding of modern policy challenges, as well as the leadership skills to meet them.
This program includes:
Foundation in Four Core Areas
Cross-Cultural and Global Affairs; Ethics and Public Policy; Institutions, Policymaking, and Historical Development; Interest Groups and Social Movements
Interdisciplinary and Individualized Study
With courses in eight different disciplines, you can design your concentrations based on your interests.
Local, National, and International Internships
Get practical, applied, professional experience with public and private public policy institutions, including government agencies, elected officials, think tanks, and community and interest groups.
Major and Concentrations
The BA in Public Policy and Public Service is a multidisciplinary program that allows students flexibility to design their own concentrations. Also available is a minor in Public Affairs.
Required Courses
- Introduction to Public Policy
- One course in Statistics
- One course in Social Science Methodology
- One course in four core areas: Cross-Cultural and Global Affairs, Ethics and Public Policy; Institutions, Policymaking, and Historical Development; and Interest Groups and Social Movements
- Internship
Concentrations
All students also are required to complete a concentration of at least 18 semester hours. Below is a list of some typical concentration areas.
- American Foreign Policy
- Civic Engagement and Public Policy
- Environmental Policy
- Food Policy
- Global Health
- Globalization and Public Policy
- Government Institutions and Policymaking in the United States
- Public Policy and International Economic Issues
- Religion, Conflict, and Mediation
- The Struggle for Social Justice in Historical Perspective
- Urban Policy
- Women and Development
Your Professors
Meet Dr. Meena Bose
Meena Bose is executive dean for Public Policy and Public Service Programs at the Peter S. Kalikow School, and director of Hofstra’s Peter S. Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency. A nationally recognized scholar on the American presidency, she frequently comments on presidential politics for media, including, most recently, Fox News Radio, CBS Radio, The New York Times Room for Debate online forum, and Newsday.
Your Future
Career Potential
Among 2017-2018 Hofstra graduates who majored in public service, public policy, and political science, 96% of survey respondents reported that they were employed and/or were attending or planning to attend graduate school within a year of graduation. 93% of those students who reported employment said they secured their position within six months of graduation.
Kalikow Center
Together with Hofstra's conferences on the American presidency, the Peter S. Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency and the Peter S. Kalikow Chair in Presidential Studies make Hofstra one of very few institutions in the country with a unique focus on the presidency.
Internships and Other Opportunities
Internships offer real-world experiences beyond the classroom and prepare students for professional careers.
Hofstra students have interned for the government, media organizations, nonprofit organizations, think tanks, and advocacy groups. Examples include ABC/ABC News, American Legislative Exchange Council, Citizens Committee for NYC, Doctors Without Borders, International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children, National Legal Aid and Defender Association, Planned Parenthood, Uniondale Community Council, Voice of America, and the public relations agency ZE Creative Communications.
In addition, students may want to take advantage of the following opportunities:
The Washington Semester Program
This program invites Hofstra students to become interns in Congress, the executive branch, the federal judiciary, and various nongovernmental organizations. In recent years, Hofstra students have worked for various senators and representatives, in the State Department and the Justice Department, for the Office of the Clerk of the United States Supreme Court, and for groups such as the American Defense Institute.
The New York State Assembly Session Internship
This internship involves working in the office of a member of the New York State Assembly in Albany. Interns are assigned research and administrative responsibilities in an Assembly office, spending a minimum of 30 hours at the capital each week. In addition, interns enroll in a course on Legislative Politics, for which required readings are provided and which meets periodically.
Washington Center January Seminar
Students with outstanding academic records and a keen interest in American politics may be selected to participate in a seminar at The Washington Center examining the current political and media landscapes.
The Washington Center is a nonprofit organization that has hosted seminars and other courses about American politics and governance for more than 30 years. Hofstra has sent students to The Washington Center January Seminar for close to a decade.
Contact Us
For more information on the major in Public Policy and Public Service and the minor in Public Affairs, call 516-463-5616 or email Dr. Meena Bose.