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Bachelor of Public Policy and Service

Degree Program Hours: 120

The Bachelor of Public Policy and Service (BPPS) degree is offered for students interested in a public service career upon completion of their undergraduate work and for those who wish to continue in public administration at the graduate level. The BPPS program is offered both in-person and fully online.

Admission Requirements

Students are admitted directly to their chosen major at the University. To complete an undergraduate application for admission to the Bachelor of Public Policy and Service (BPPS) program, please Click Here. 

Foreign Language Requirement

Students must demonstrate competency in a foreign language or American Sign Language at the level of the second semester of a college language sequence. (High school courses cannot be used to fulfill this requirement). This requirement may be met by successfully completing with a grade of ‘C’ or better: a) the second semester of a two-semester sequence basic language course or b) any second-year or third-year foreign language course. This requirement may also be fulfilled by presenting acceptable scores in the Advanced Placement Exam, the SAT II, the CLEP exam, or other approved instruments. Students should consult their advisors for more specific information.

Lower Division Preparation

It is recommended that applicants complete the Associate of Arts degree (60 semester hours) in the lower division and the University Core Curriculum (UCC) requirements.

Program prerequisites include the following courses: American Government (POS 2041), Economics (ECO 2013/2023) and Microcomputers (CGS 2060 OR CGS 2100).

Upper Division Program

Students must complete 60 credit hours of coursework, of which 48 credit hours must be at the 3000 level or greater

Students must complete the following requirements:

  1. Eight core courses (24 credits), including the three credit seminar, PAD 4934 (Integrative Seminar in Public Administration).
  2. Four courses (12 credits) in an administrative area of concentration to be taken within the Program or School of International and Public Affairs
  3. Eight courses (24 credits) of general electives from any department at the 3000 level or greater
  4. Students must earn a grade of ‘C’ or higher in each of the 8 core courses, in the concentration electives, and in the general electives.

Students are strongly encouraged to enroll in PAD 3003 and PAD 3034 during the first 24 hours of upper-division coursework.

Degree Requirements:

Core Curriculum (Effective as of Fall 2022)

24 required credit hours (8 core courses) with a ‘C’ or better.
If you do not receive a ‘C’ or better, the course must be repeated.

The following four of the courses in the existing (2015) curriculum will be retained in the new curriculum, so no substitutions are necessary: 

  • PAD 3003(GL) - Introduction to Public Policy and Service (this is now a GL course)
  • PAD 3034(GL) - Policy Development and Implementation
  • PAD 3800(GL) - Managing Global Cities
  • PAD 4934 - Integrative Seminar in Public Policy and Service

The remaining courses either replace a course or may be used as a substitution at the descretion of the BPPS Program Director:

  • PUP 4110 - Public Service Budgeting and Fiscal Managemen (Replaces PAD 4223 - Public Sector Budgeting)
  • PUP 4033(GL) - Public Service Leadership and Management (Replaces PAD 4414 - Personnel Skills for Public Administrators)
  • PAD 3431 - Exploring Leadership (Replaces PAD 4432 - Administrative Leadership and Behavior)
  • PUP 4033(GL) - Public Service Leadership and Management (Replaces PAD 4432 - Administrative Leadership and Behavior)
  • PUP 4042 - Analytical Tools for Public Service (Replaces PAD 4723 - Applied Research Methods for Policy & Management)
  • PUP 4214(GL) - Global Perspectives on Poverty (May replace another course subject to approval by the BPPS Program Director)
  • PUP 4033(GL) - Public Service Leadership and Management (May replace another course subject to approval by the BPPS Program Director)

Please follow this link to learn about how you can earn a Global Learning medallion

Click here to download the new Program Requirements (Fall 2022 onward)

Integrative Seminar (3 credits):

All students must complete PAD 4934, the Integrative Seminar in Public Policy and Service. Must obtain a ‘C’ or better in the Seminar. Must be in last semester and obtain advisor’s approval.

Concentration Electives (12 credits):

Students are required to take 12 credits of upper-division coursework from the following SIPA departments: Public Administration; Global and Sociocultural Studies; Criminal Justice; and Politics and International Relations. These courses may constitute part of a minor or a certificate program in another department. Such a minor or certificate program must be pre-approved by the undergraduate advisor and be relevant to the chosen administrative area of concentration

General Electives (24 Credits):

Students are required to take 24 hours of general electives. Students with no relevant public or nonprofit experience are strongly encouraged to use the elective credits to complete a relevant Internship.

Recommended Undergraduate Certificates to fulfill Elective Requirements:

For more information, please contact:

Dr. Keith Revell
BPPS Program Director
11200 SW 8 Street, PCA 251B
Miami, FL 33199
Phone: 305-348-0411
Email: revellk@fiu.edu