Bachelor of Arts in Political Science

at State University of New York at Albany USA

Deepen your understanding of major civic issues and explore different ways you can help solve social problems by developing creative public policy solutions and improving management.

The interdisciplinary Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy and Management at UAlbany will give you a broad understanding of the relationships between government legislation, public policy, economics, politics, civil rights, regulation and finance, and city, state, federal, and global affairs.

The program includes foundational coursework and electives in management and politics, and quantitative methods and policy. Then you get to earn a concentration in the area of study that best matches your personal interests and career goals.

Environmental Policy
You will have the ability to develop basic science skills and gather knowledge about our environment as well as dive deeper into the policies effecting climate change, air quality, and overall life on planet Earth.

Gain an advanced understanding of the criminal justice system and criminology. Whether you want to further your role in law enforcement or become active in public policy, you will acquire the knowledge for a successful career in areas like policing, law, crime analysis, and research with a master's degree in criminal justice from the University at Albany.

Build connections and put your knowledge to practice through internships at national, state, and local agencies. Tailor your studies to match your career goals through a general track or select a concentration.

Through diverse course offerings you will learn about the structure of criminal justice systems, theories of crime, and evaluation of effective policy and practice using enhanced research and statistical skills.

You will have the option to pursue a general track or focus your studies with a concentration in:

• Information Technology
• Crime Causation, Prevention, and Intervention
• Justice Systems
• Problem Solving and Analysis

Information Technology
The curriculum is designed to extend and expand the statistical and methodological expertise learned in the traditional sequence of the School's methods and statistical courses.

The bachelor’s in business economics program at UAlbany gives you substantial knowledge of economics relevant for careers in business. You’ll examine relationships between business practice, public sector resource allocation, market structures, international trade, interest rates, employment and wages, production costs, pricing, and more.

With this program, you will gain the necessary economics skills, such as forecasting in various markets and analyzing data to prepare you for business decision-making in a complex economy.

In an era characterized by the proliferation of information, the role of the school librarian is more important than ever. School librarians teach students, teachers and community members how to find and use reliable information, how to be responsible and responsive digital citizens, and how to be both consumers and producers of information.

ISSL’s curriculum combines various disciplines to prepare 21st-century school librarians including: library and information science, education, cognitive science, instructional technology and design, psychology and sociology. The program is aligned to the National School Library Standards and is one of the first school library graduate programs to offer a makerspace course.

Our fully online program is purposefully designed to prepare candidates to be information professionals and leaders as teacher/librarians in New York State and across the nation. We integrate learning experiences throughout the program that enable students to document evidence of their practice on student learning. Thus, in addition to mastering information literacy and technology competencies, our graduates are assessment literate.

Deepen your understanding of major civic issues and explore different ways you can help solve social problems by developing creative public policy solutions and improving management.

The interdisciplinary Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy and Management at UAlbany will give you a broad understanding of the relationships between government legislation, public policy, economics, politics, civil rights, regulation and finance, and city, state, federal, and global affairs.

The program includes foundational coursework and electives in management and politics, and quantitative methods and policy. Then you get to earn a concentration in the area of study that best matches your personal interests and career goals.

Quantitative Tools
Policy analysis requires strong quantitative skills and analytical thinking. This concentration will help you master your understanding of how numbers work, how population and demographic changes affect policy, and what factors may need to be accounted for when policy decisions are made.

Ranked among the top 20 public affairs programs in the nation, the Rockefeller College Master of Public Administration program prepares you to excel as a government administrator, policy analyst, information technology manager, or strategic and financial leader of public and nonprofit institutions.

As you move through the 49-credit MPA curriculum and complete your professional internship, you learn how to successfully oversee projects, support and motivate teams, improve organizational performance, and monitor policy impact to help solve complex socioeconomic problems.

Public Management
Develop a theoretical and practical understanding of the knowledge and skills you need to be an effective manager in public and nonprofit organizations. To develop specialized skills, you can earn sub-concentrations by taking multiple courses in one or two sub-fields (Local Government Management, Organizational Behavior and Theory, Human Resources Management) or work with your advisor to design your own.

Organizational Behavior & Theory Concentration

• The Organizational Behavior & Theory concentration provides you with the people management skills needed in today’s organizations. The focus is on leadership in teams, groups, and organizations. Courses cover both the process and structure of management and often involve exercises and simulations that practice the skills you need to succeed as a manager.

Local Government Concentration

• The local government management concentration to prepare you for the current and future challenges local governments face. You will learn about real examples of how to manage local governments as well as the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively serve our citizens. Graduates of this concentration have gone on to become professional city, county, town or village managers.

Human Resource Management Concentration
The Human Resources Management curriculum trains you to manage organizations and their employees effectively in the public, private, or non-profit sector.
Areas in the Human Resources Management concentration include:

• The political and institutional contexts of public organizations
• Managing and appraising public-sector performance
• Public employee motivation and other employee work attitudes
• Managing workforce diversity, equality, and equity
• Negotiating and managing conflict in the workplace

Find answers to the “why” of human behavior in the bachelor's in psychology program at the University at Albany. The curriculum will prepare you for graduate study or a career in human services or counseling.

Through coursework and research, you will learn about aspects of psychology ranging from the affective, biological, and cognitive bases of human behavior, to developmental and social factors.

If you recently earned your bachelor's degree and want to enhance your knowledge before entering the workplace; or if you have been working and want to make a career change, the Full-Time MBA program at the University at Albany is the right program for you.

In your first year, you learn fundamental concepts in finance, accounting, marketing, operations, human resource management, organizational behavior, and information technology. You will also travel abroad and participate in an international consulting project.

During your second year, you work closely with research faculty and regional business leaders as you develop leading edge knowledge and practical skills in your concentration area through hands-on experiences in real business settings.

Concentration options include cybersecurity, entrepreneurship, finance, human resource information systems, information systems and business analysis, and marketing.

Entrepreneurship
The MBA concentration in entrepreneurship prepares you to think and behave like an entrepreneur, whether you wish to launch your own new venture, work in a corporation, or establish a nonprofit or social venture.

You will learn how to identify and assess opportunities, write an effective business plan, set goals, implement strategies, seek venture capital, and hire and manage employees as a new business grows.

If you like the idea of chasing cyber criminals, thwarting international terrorists, and preventing economic catastrophe when flood waters rise, then a bachelor's in emergency preparedness, homeland security, and cybersecurity may be a good choice for you.

Play an active role in command center simulations and emergency response drills, and gain hands-on experience working with private companies, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies.

This program prepares you for positions in agencies such as the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Secret Service, the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Cybersecurity
Help companies, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations protect sensitive and proprietary information from data breaches, hackers, inside threats, and natural disasters like fires and floods.

Develop your analytical, research and writing skills through the master's in history program at the University at Albany.

Take part in research seminars that encourage you to think critically about your chosen area of focus. Participate in reading seminars that explore new aspects of familiar historical topics like the Revolutionary War, European history, and visual media and culture. Supporting courses will deepen your exploration of your area of study.

This program prepares you to pursue careers in areas like archiving, documentary making, museum curating, and education.