BA in Public Policy in Williamsburg United States | College of William and Mary

Public policy examines how communities utilize public, private, and non-profit resources to address critical societal challenges. This curriculum highlights analytical approaches to decision-making across multiple disciplines, including quantitative and economic methods, the analysis of political institutions that shape policy, and specialized areas like healthcare, social welfare, environmental issues, education, global development, and regional governance. Foundational courses build essential analytical competencies, while electives enable students to investigate diverse policy subjects. The program primarily draws from economics and political science but incorporates perspectives from psychology, sociology, legal studies, philosophy, and other fields.
At W&M, Public Policy is an interdisciplinary initiative with faculty expertise spanning economics, political science, legal studies, sociology, and environmental policy. Students can pursue three distinct pathways:
BA in Public Policy for undergraduates.
The program also provides joint degree options for MPP candidates interested in combining their studies with graduate degrees in law, education, marine science, or business administration.

Each pathway equips students with specialized knowledge and robust analytical capabilities, preparing them for prestigious career opportunities that rival top national programs. Graduates go on to design and implement policies for elected leaders, government bodies at all levels (local to international), as well as non-profit organizations and private sector entities.