BA in International and Public Affairs - Policy and Governance in Providence United States | Brown University

The International and Public Affairs concentration prepares students to become active global participants by providing essential knowledge and competencies. This program features three specialized pathways: Development, Policy & Governance, and Security. Students complete a shared foundation of five courses, starting with thematic introductory lectures (recommended in their first or second year), progressing through mandatory junior and senior seminars (with an honors thesis option available for qualifying students to fulfill the senior requirement). Participants select one focus area: Development examines human progress across diverse settings worldwide; Security analyzes safety concerns at local and international levels; while Policy and Governance investigates public policy creation, execution, and assessment, along with the institutional frameworks that produce them.

All concentrators specialize in one track: Development, Policy & Governance, or Security. Each pathway requires an introductory course outlining core concepts, followed by five elective choices. Embracing the Open Curriculum philosophy, students have significant flexibility in selecting electives, potentially concentrating on specific nations, regions, or thematic areas (such as equity, humanitarian efforts, arms control, or economic growth). Concurrently, advisors can offer structured curriculum recommendations to facilitate organized knowledge building.

The Policy & Governance Track focuses on formulating solutions to social challenges (at various governmental levels), executing these solutions, and evaluating their real-world impact after implementation.