The academic discipline of public policy offers an integrative framework for using the tools and insights of economics and political science, as well as other social science disciplines, in the analysis of public problems and the design of policy solutions. Public policy at Mills College prepares students for engaged citizenship, further study, and careers in such fields as law, city and regional planning, economic development, public health, nonprofit and public sector management, and policy analysis per se.

The core requirements of the major provide an introduction to policy analysis and the policy-making process, the fundamental skills of policy analysis, and a senior capstone project in which students apply their policy training to a real-world problem. In the Applied Policy Analysis courses, students apply analytic frameworks to a substantive policy area. The Dimensions requirements expose students to academic fields most relevant to policy studies beyond the level included in the core. Finally, the Policy Issues and Methods Electives enable students to develop skill or knowledge in a substantive policy area (such as education policy or health policy), in analytic methods or tools (such as qualitative research methods or geographic information systems), or in public communications (such as print and broadcast journalism).

The Public Policy Program aims to involve many more women in the public domain as decision makers, policy analysts, and advocates. In addition, the Public Policy Program at Mills often serves as a campus portal for involvement in the wider Oakland community and a site for policy-related lectures and events.

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Public Policy