Major Requirements

This must be completed by the end of the second semester in the major. Options:

It’s recommended that these be completed by the end of the fourth semester in the major. Required:

Students must achieve a cumulative average of 2.0 across the four introductory courses - SPP 100-level, SPP 280, SPP 203, and SPP 204. 

If you plan to take one of the "substitute" courses, check SPIRE to identify the needed prerequisite class. Also, read the policy below, "Courses Taken outside the Department of Public Policy."

In addition to the required courses, students will select elective courses to explore different interests, acquire additional skills and proficiencies, and develop a policy focus.

At least five elective courses are required for a minimum of 20 credits. At least 12 credits must be at the 300-level or above. A maximum of four credits earned through hands-on practicum units, SPP398R Undergraduate Research Experience Program and/or SPP398PI Public Policy Internship, may be applied toward the required 20 elective credits.

Electives must either be (1) taken with an SPP course prefix, (2) taught by a Public Policy faculty member, or (3) pre-approved to be taken through a domestic or international study program.  Electives include:

Seniors may also request instructor permission to take 600-level graduate courses. (For those in the Commonwealth Honors College, two 500-level or higher graduate classes are likely to be permitted to count toward the honors curriculum. Check with your CHC advisor for details.)

Public Policy majors must complete a total of 44 credits for the major, and complete all General Education requirements. Classes for the Public Policy major must be taken for a letter grade with two exceptions. First, classes that are completed through AP, IB, or other high school exam-based credit do not require a letter grade. Second, students who complete applied coursework through research (SPP 398R) or an internship (SPP 398P) may complete those specific courses with a Pass or a letter grade.

For students who plan to take classes via study abroad or domestic exchange, they may count up to 12 course credits to fulfill Public Policy major requirements (with pre-approval).  

Students with transfer coursework, study abroad coursework, non-SPP prefix courses at UMass Amherst, and/or course credit through exams (including AP and IB) must take, at a minimum, 24 graded credits of combined required and elective courses at UMass Amherst with an SPP prefix with at least 8 credits at the 300-level or higher. 

Courses that are cross-listed with SPP count towards the major.  Cross-listed courses are single courses taught at the same time by the same professor and listed by two departments. For example, POLISCI 280 Public Policy counts toward the Public Policy major requirements because it is cross-listed with SPP 280 Public Policy. In contrast, STATISTC240 Introduction to Statistics is offered only by the Math Department. While it can fulfill the SPP 204 Statistical Models for Public Policy requirement, a student would still be required to take 24 credits with the SPP prefix.

A maximum of 4 credits earned through hands-on practicum units–SPP398R Undergraduate Research Experience Program and/or SPP398P Public Policy Internship–may be applied toward the required 20 elective credits.

Transfer students may transfer up to 20 credits with a maximum of 12 upper division credits inclusive of study abroad credits into the Public Policy major if approved by the Undergraduate Program Director.  All transfer students should meet with the Director of Undergraduate Advising once they arrive on campus.

Numerous opportunities are available for study at other institutions. Students can take Smith, Amherst, Holyoke, and Hampshire College classes as part of the Five College Consortium. Our Domestic Exchange program allows individuals to choose from over 170 institutions in the U.S. and continue UMass degree programs while on exchange. There are a multitude of study abroad programs around the world from which students can choose to enrich their undergraduate experience. 

The Public Policy major will accept up to 12 credits toward major requirements from students participating in study abroad and domestic exchange programs. Students must consult the Undergraduate Program Director on course selection with documentation such as a syllabus for all courses to be counted toward the Public Policy major before starting the exchange.  Accepted courses must be relevant to public policy.

Students who complete Public Policy as their secondary major and fulfill their Junior Year Writing seminar in their primary major are required to take a substitute 300-level or higher SPP elective of three credits.  Students are welcome to enroll in SPP301: Junior Writing Seminar: Communicating Public Policy. If students take the SPP Junior Year Writing course, it counts toward the 24 SPP credit Public Policy major requirement. 

Students in the iCons Program may request that the iCons 2 Junior Year Writing course substitute for  SPP301: Junior Writing Seminar.  However, they must substitute another SPP course to fulfill the 24 credits for the Public Policy major, as outlined in the requirement above, Courses Taken Outside the Department of Public Policy (no SPP prefix).

General Questions: Email @email.

Declare the Major or Learn More (current UMass students): Make an appointment via this link. For Advising Care Unit, choose “Explore How to Declare or Change Majors.” Then, select “Explore Public Policy Major” as the Service.

Get Advising (current UMass students): Make an appointment via this link.