Politics and Public Policy, Minor
The Minor in Politics and Public Policy
Audrey Kurth Cronin, Director, and Trustees Professor of Security and Technology
acronin@andrew.cmu.edu, Posner Hall 385A
Emily Half, Deputy Director for Academic Affairs
ehalf@andrew.cmu.edu, Posner Hall 391
http://www.cmu.edu/cmist
Overview
Sponsored by the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy and Technology (CMIST) and rooted in the discipline of political science, the minor in Politics and Public Policy investigates US public policy issues and other matters of domestic politics while providing students hands-on and practical learning experiences. Students pursuing the Politics and Public Policy minor must participate in the Carnegie Mellon University Washington Semester Program (CMU/WSP) for one semester during their undergraduate years.
The CMU/WSP, sponsored by the university's Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy & Technology (CMIST), is a semester-long program in which students live, intern, and take CMU classes on Capitol Hill in Washington. Undergraduates from any course of study at the university may participate in the program. Students earn 48 units for the Carnegie Mellon University Washington Semester Program, interning about twenty-four hours per week in any sector or field of interest within the District of Columbia, metropolitan region, while taking classes on American politics, public policy, and law taught by CMU faculty.
Through this experiential learning program, CMU/WSP participants develop professional and networking skills, explore how coursework connects to the real world, learn to give and receive constructive feedback in the workplace and classroom, and intentionally reflect on their learning and growth. CMU/WSP students are connected with Washington, DC-based alumni to share career advice and tips about life in DC. CMIST also sponsors events and policy-oriented opportunities in Washington for students participating in the program to further enrich their experience and enhance their understanding of how Washington functions as a hub of international and US policy decision making.
Curriculum
Minor in Politics and Public Policy66 units
Foundational Course9 units
Students select one course (9 units) from the following list of courses offered at Carnegie Mellon University’s Pittsburgh or Qatar campus. Students may take this course before or after participating in the CMU/WSP.
| Units | ||
| 84-101 | Introduction to Political Science | 9 |
| 84-104 | Decision Processes in American Political Institutions | 9 |
| 84-226 | International Relations | 9 |
| 84-275 | Comparative Politics | 9 |
Data Science/Economics Requirement9 units
Students must complete one course (9 units) from the following list of courses offered Carnegie Mellon University’s Pittsburgh or Qatar campus. Students may take this course before or after participating in the CMU/WSP.
| 84-110 | The Economics of Politics and Technology | 9 |
| 36-202 | Methods for Statistics & Data Science | 9 |
| 73-102 | Principles of Microeconomics | 9 |
| 73-103 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 9 |
| 73-104 | Principles of Microeconomics Accelerated | 9 |
Internship24 units
| 84-360 | CMU/WSP Internship Seminar | 24 |
Seminar on Public Policy Research, Writing, and Implementation12 units
Full semester course. Options vary by semester. Students enroll in one course from the following list:
| 84-336 | Implementing Public Policy: From Good Idea To Reality | 12 |
| 84-339 | Seminar in Public Policy Research | 12 |
Seminars on American Politics, Governance, Institutions, and Law12 units
Students enroll in one course in each mini during the semester they are in Washington, DC, for a total of 2 seminars and 12 units.
| 84-332 | Contemporary US Constitutional Law Issues | 6 |
| 84-338 | Analysis of US Presidential Powers | 6 |
Double Counting
Students may double count a maximum of two courses with another major or minor. Unlimited double counting is permitted with general education requirements.