Requirements: Public Policy

Interdisciplinary

The concentration stresses the analysis and understanding of public policy. Students learn how to apply the disciplines of economics, political science, and sociology to analyze public policy problems and gain an understanding of how public policy is formulated and implemented. Students begin by taking foundation courses in economics and political science. The principles learned in these courses are applied to specific policy areas in the elective courses. In a typical program, a student takes ECON 101 and 102 as a first-year or sophomore, PSCI 310 in the sophomore year, three electives following these foundation courses, and a seminar (300- or 400-level) with a public policy focus in the senior year.

Any course taken on a pass/D/fail basis does not count toward the concentration requirements. This includes the foundation courses (ECON 101, 102 and PSCI 310).

The Kenyon College faculty voted to change from Kenyon units to semester hours. This change will go into effect for all students who start at the College in the fall of 2024. Both systems will be used throughout the course catalog with the Kenyon units being listed first.

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Requirements for the Concentration

The concentration encompasses seven courses in economics, political science and/or sociology. All students are required to take three foundation courses (ECON 101, 102 and PSCI 310) and a 300- or 400-level seminar. The remaining three courses will be selected from the electives designated as appropriate for the concentration. Students must choose elective courses from at least two different departments.

Required Courses (offered every year)

ECON 101: Principles of Microeconomics 
ECON 102: Principles of Macroeconomics
PSCI 310: Public Policy

Economics Electives (not offered every year)

ECON 331: Economics of Development
ECON 336: Environmental Economics
ECON 338: International Trade
ECON 342: Economics of Regulation
ECON 343: Money and Financial Markets
ECON 344: Labor Economics
ECON 347: Economics of the Public Sector
* indicates counts as a seminar

Political Science Electives (not offered every year)

PSCI 280 Political Analysis
PSCI 300: Congress and Public Policymaking
PSCI 313: Making U.S. Foreign Policy
PSCI 315: Gender and Politics in the U.S.
PSCI 342: Politics of Development 
PSCI 355: Immigration, Citizenship and National Identity
PSCI 361: Globalization
PSCI 363: Global Environmental Politics
PSCI 366: Global Poverty, Policy, and Politics
PSCI 446: The Politics of the Welfare State*
PSCI 447: Inequality and Democracy
PSCI 463: American Environmental Politics and Policy
PSCI 480: Science and Politics*
* indicates counts as a seminar

Sociology Electives (not offered every year)

SOCY 222: Economy and Society
SOCY 223: Wealth and Power
SOCY 224: Sociology of Health and Illness
SOCY 225: Notions of Family
SOCY 232: Sexual Harassment: Normative Expectations and Legal Questions
SOCY 237: Border and Border Crossings
SOCY 252: Cultural Foundations of Politics

The co-directors of the concentration will certify when students have completed the concentration. Courses taken for the concentration may also count for a student's major.