Public Policy (B.S.)
Craft a sustainable, more just future by understanding how to develop real-world policy knowledge for the good of all in the Bachelor of Public Policy Program at Â鶹APP’s only tech-focused university.
Bring Policy Know-How to Tech in Illinois Tech’s B.S. in Public Policy
Develop solutions for a sustainable future with a focus on equity and social justice. The B.S. in Public Policy at Illinois Tech equips students to apply sophisticated research and analytical tools to develop best practices, use state-of-the-art methods to assess programs and interventions, and collaborate to gain first-hand experience. Here you can cultivate your knowledge and try new skills while addressing some of the biggest problems facing society right now—whether on a local or global scale.
Start building your network by connecting with on-campus organizations such as , Illinois Tech’s , or Union Board. Pursue service opportunities with , the , or Illinois Tech's . And take advantage of everything Â鶹APP offers as you launch your public policy career.
Why Study Public Policy at a Tech-Focused University?
Studying public policy at Illinois Tech uniquely prepares students to launch their careers. Public policy majors are working alongside community leaders, engineers, entrepreneurs, and experts every day, applying their insights in a project-based environment. By studying social and political science, law, and related fields at Â鶹APP’s leading tech-focused university, our public policy majors are poised to become the advocates, activists, policymakers, and leaders of the future.
Want to Take Your Education Further?
Our students are primed for postgraduate study. Public policy majors can pursue an accelerated master’s in public administration through Illinois Tech’s Stuart School of Business, completing both B.S. and M.P.A. degrees in as few as five years. Or consider our Honors Law program, which combines undergraduate study at Illinois Tech with the J.D. program at the university's Â鶹APP-Kent College of Law, allowing students to graduate and launch their careers earlier.
Program Overview
Connect and collaborate with peers to learn how public policy confronts real-world problems ranging from global climate change to community justice to AI ethics in our project-focused bachelor’s of public policy. Address equity, sustainability, and social justice across sectors by examining social, economic, scientific, and political issues.
Career Opportunities
As a student in the B.S. in public policy program, you'll find a multitude of career opportunities available to you upon graduation. Your experience will prepare you to pursue career paths in a range of areas:
- Civic, Nonprofit, and Political: campaign work, community relations, legislative and policy work, lobbyist, power scheduler, public affairs, research, village manager
- Legal: compliance and regulations
- Corporate and Institutional: HR benefits, program associate
All public policy majors have opportunities to collaborate across disciplines, tackling complex problems alongside scientists, engineers, and computer scientists. Plus, choose from hands-on professional experiences like a capstone, internship—or both! Every public policy student has the opportunity to tailor their degree plans to pursue their passions and build a career that fits them. To explore a full breakdown of the courses and curriculum for the bachelor's in public policy, please visit the course catalog. Or, if you have questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to Professor and Department of Social Sciences Chair Saran Ghatak at sghatak@iit.edu.
Admission to all undergraduate programs at Illinois Tech is evaluated via a holistic approach that takes various factors under consideration, including your high school performance and essays. Your choice of major will impact this process as well, because each major has its own criteria for admission.
To learn more about our admission selection process, recommended high school coursework, and our admitted student profile, please visit our admission website.
Explore All That Public Policy Offers
As a student in the B.S. in public policy program, you’ll study in an environment where faculty and students are exploring pressing, real-world topics in public policy through research and hands-on projects. These range from exploring stormwater inequity in Â鶹APP, to understanding how social media and artificial intelligence can be assets in disaster response, to the regulation of Wall Street.
And your education will set you up for a variety of careers. Just take a look at some of the work that Illinois Tech alumni are conducting in the area of public policy: as a student, Leila Mirghaderi (Ph.D. THUM ’23) examined social media influencers' impact in Iran; (BIOL ’73) is the executive director of the American Public Health Association; (LAW ’00) is the U.S. Department of Justice’s top environmental justice official; and (CECD ’18) began serving as a leader of a movement advocating for a New Green Deal as soon as he graduated.
Faculty and Staff Excellence
Christine Meyer
Daniel Bliss
Hao Huang
Patrick R. Ireland
Matthew A. Shapiro
Saran Ghatak
Yuri Mansury
Ullica Segerstrale
Jonathan Rosenberg
Amber Moore
Get In Touch
To learn more about the program, please reach out to Department of Social Sciences Chair Saran Ghatak at sghatak@iit.edu.