Popular Courses and Degrees
SPEA offers a broad variety of courses and majors. You don’t have to make any decisions now but it’s never too early to start thinking about your options. Here is a guide to our degree programs:
Public Affairs
The Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs (BSPA) includes majors as diverse as Environmental Management, Legal Studies, Management, Policy Analysis, Public Financial Management, and Public and Nonprofit Management. These degrees prepare you to work in the corporate world, for a government agency or for a charity. A BSPA also prepares you for law school or an advanced degree that will widen your career options. Learn more!
Arts Management
The Bachelor of Science in Arts Management (BSAM) looks at the behind-the-scenes elements that keep the arts running, such as management, marketing, development and more. The BSAM prepares you to lead a museum, concert hall, music company or art gallery. Learn more!
Health Administration
The Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) focuses on the managerial and policy elements of healthcare. The BSPH prepares you to run a hospital or health care agency or to work as a consultant or administrator to a medical provider. Learn more!
Environmental Science
The Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science (BSES) is a rigorous science curriculum that prepares students with a multi-disciplinary approach. The BSES gives you the general scientific knowledge and specific expertise to work as a watchdog for a government agency or an industry concerned about the environment. Learn more!
Here are some of the courses many first year students take:
V160 – National and International Policy. In a democracy, policy is the domain of the people—and that means you. Policy is a big responsibility, and you need to be informed about issues and trends and how people make decisions. So, at the end of this course, you should have a better idea about what is shaping the future when it comes to topics such as health care, national security and energy, how we decide about priorities, and what you can do to influence them.
E162 – Environment and People. Environment and People is an introductory course that examines the ways that humans interact with their environment. You’ll develop an appreciation for your place on this planet, the impact, negative and positive, of your existence and resources for learning what to do about our eco-system.
V161 – Urban Problems and Solutions. This is an introduction to urban policy issues in the United States. You will learn the history and development of urban areas and then will examine a number of substantive issues (e.g., poverty, crime, economic development) that are particularly relevant to cities today.
H124 - Health Care Management and Policy. You will get an overview of the U.S. health care delivery system and examine the organization, function, and role of the system. You’ll also examine current problems with health care in the U.S., alternative systems and solutions.
A163 - Art Worlds: Management, Markets and Policy. This course provides students with a taste of the variety of topics they will encounter when pursuing the B.S. in Arts Management, including public policy in the arts, the economic structure of markets in various branches of the arts, and the issues facing administrators in the arts.
V220 – Law and Public Affairs. An ideal course if you’re thinking pre-law. You’ll get the concepts necessary to understand the judicial system and the law including a basic introduction to the U.S. legal system and U.S. Constitution, a brief overview of the Indiana Constitution and an outline of the federal and state court structures.