Faculty
Robert Lemke
Professor of Economics
Morten Chair of Public Policy
Christine Walker
Instructor in Public Policy
David Boden
Associate Professor of Sociology
Stephanie Caparelli
Visiting Assistant Professor of Politics
Ajar Chekirova
Assistant Professor of Politics
Danielle Cohen
Lecturer in History and Politics
Zachary Cook
Assistant Professor of Politics
Tilahun Emiru
Assistant Professor of Economics
Amanda J. Felkey
Professor of Economics
Minor in Public Policy
No major is available.
Requirements for the Minor
Students must take all three required classes.
ECON 110 Principles of Economics
ECON 255 The Economics of Public Policy
POLS 150 Public Policy Studies (Formerly POLS 226)
Elective Classes
Students must take three classes from the menu of classes listed below.
Double‐Counting classes
Four of the above six credits must “stand alone” and not count toward both a student’s minor and major requirements. Additionally, at most three of the six credits taken to satisfy the minor can have the same prefix, including cross‐lists.
Menu of Elective Classes
AFAM/AMER 235: Racism and Ethnic Relations
COLL 107: Community-Based Learning (0.50 credits)
COMM 287: Media Systems and Institutions
COMM 381: History and Theory of Freedom of Expression
COMM 389: Political Economy of Media
ECON 208: Systemic Racism in the US Economy
ECON 310: Industrial Organization
ECON/GSWS 320: Labor Economics
ECON 325: Economics of Land
ECON/ES 340: Environmental and Natural Resource Economics
ECON 345: Economics and Law
ECON 350: Public Finance
ECON 360: Health Economics
ECON 381: Economics of Development
ECON/BUSN 410: Markets, Public Policy, and Society
ECON 430: International Trade Theory and Policy
ECON/BUSN/GSWS 465: Poverty, Inequality, Discrimination
ECON/BUSN 489: Globalization and Its Impact
EDUC 220: Philosophy of Education
EDUC 310/ETHC 340: Equity and Social Justice in Education
EDUC 320/ETHC 330/SOAN 344: Comparative and International Education
EDUC 322/SOAN 343: Education and Developing Countries
ES 210: Environmental Ethics
ES/PSYC 215: Environmental Psychology
ES 236/POLS 237: Environmental Politics and Policy
ES 361/POLS 368: Environmental Law
HIST 235/AMER 263/ES 263/URBS120: American Cities
HIST 239/AMER 270/EDUC 239: History of Education in American Society
HIST 306/AFAM 361/AMER 361: Civil Rights Movement
HIST 312/AMER 355: Immigration in US History
HIST/AFAM/AMER 319: Protest and Police in US History
PHIL/GSWS 200: Philosophy and Gender
PHIL 220: Philosophy of Education
PHIL 240: Philosophy of Law
PHIL 242: Catastrophe & Risk: The Philosophy of Insurance
PHIL 245: Philosophy of Humans and Animals
PHIL/AFAM 255: Philosophy of Race and Racism
PHIL/ETHC 276: Social Justice and Human Rights
PHIL/ETHC 277: Identities, Rights, Social Justice
POLS/AMER 221: The Presidency
POLS/AMER 222: Congress
POLS 223 LGBTQ Politics
POLS 224/AMER 225: Mass Media and American Politics
POLS 225/AMER 242: Influence and Interest Groups
POLS 228: Voting Rights
POLS 233: Chicago Politics
POLS 234: Urban Politics
POLS 240/AMER 241/IREL 240: American Foreign Policy
POLS 243: Fake News, Free Speech
POLS/IREL 247: Transnational Social Movements
POLS 254 Ethics and Public Policy
POLS 265/AMER 277: Immigration Law and Policy
POLS 317: International Political Economy
POLS 345: Migration and Citizenship
POLS/IREL 347: Global Governance
PPCY 200: Public Policy Incubator (Formerly PPCY 100)
PPCY 300: Public Policy Workshop (0.50 credits)
PSYC/GSWS 355: Community Psychology
PSYC 430: Psychology and Law
PSYC 450: Health Psychology
PSYC 470: Gender‐Based Violence
RELG 239: Religion, Biology, and Public Health
SOAN 235: Racism and Ethnic Relations
SOAN 240: Deviance
SOAN 290: Social Problems & Social Policy
SOAN 395: Sociology of Law
A pre-approved internship related to public policy can be used to satisfy one of the three elective classes, as long as the internship is completed for at least one credit. Contact Prof. Lemke prior to starting the internship to receive pre-approval (1 credit per internship experience).
PPCY 107: Community-Based Learning
In this course, students prepare to make the most of community-based and public leadership internships to develop professional skills. In non-profit organizations, the likelihood of being involved from the beginning of your internship in meaningful projects, team-based learning, and product/program development are high. These types of opportunities require “soft skills” such as good communication, problem solving, project management, and, most importantly, the ability to reflect and build on experiences without losing momentum on projects. In this half credit course, students analyze and develop their emotional intelligence, conflict resolution skills, interpersonal skills, and time management tools and practices. Students develop an internship search plan, and practice networking and interviewing for such experiences. By the end of this course, students not only have a plan for making the most of their public service internship, they have the confidence to do so.
cross listed: COLL 107
PPCY 150: Public Policy Studies
This course focuses on how public officials address policy problems, and why they select the solutions they do. We examine the public policymaking process, paying particular attention to the role played by political actors (elected officials, interest groups, governmental agencies) seeking to influence the tone and direction of policy. Attention will also be paid to how particular policy issues and problems gain (or fail to gain) the public's attention, including the role that political elites and the media play in agenda setting. Finally, the course assesses the effects of public polices on citizens' lives. In doing so, students will assume the role of "policy analyst," learning how to write briefs in which they evaluate various policy reforms. In sum, students will gain the necessary tools to systematically assess when a public policy is achieving its desired goals and whether it is being implemented effectively and efficiently. No prerequisites.
cross listed: POLS 150
PPCY 200: Public Policy Incubator
This course emulates the kind of work taking place at thinktanks, non-government organizations, government agencies, and political offices. After a four-week introduction to a particular public policy issue, students work to produce white papers on an array of issues. Policy and industry leaders are called upon to help students hone their analysis in ways that allow for real-world consideration and discussion by policy makers. Teams produce white papers and develop presentations of their analyses. All teams are required to submit their work to the College’s annual Public Policy Challenge. White papers are also presented to external policy makers. (A maximum of 2 practicum project credits is allowed towards graduation.) Prerequiste: ECON 110, POLS 120, POLS 226, or POLS 260 or permission of instructor
PPCY 254: Ethics and Public Policy
This course examines the philosophical and ethical foundations of various controversies that arise in the development and application of contemporary public policy. After surveying a wide range of classic ethical theories and perspectives, students apply these to a variety of sometimes vexing and challenging questions in public policy. These questions include: Are certain taxation schemes fairer than others? To what extent can states limit immigration? Is the regulation and/or limitation of abortion permissible? Is affirmative action ethically sound? More than anything, students gain the conceptual tools and frameworks to develop their own independent critically informed answers to these and other questions.
cross listed: POLS 254
PPCY 255: Economic Analysis of Public Policy
This course introduces students to the economic methods used in policy making and evaluation. The course examines efficiency and equity rationales for enacting policy. Case studies are used to introduce current issues and policy proposals. Students learn how to identify and account for positive and negative externalities, and how to apply cost-benefit analysis and other policy evaluation techniques. Case studies are chosen from a variety of areas, including inequality, economic growth, regulation, and the provision of services, among others. Prerequisite: ECON 110.
cross listed: ECON 255
PPCY 300: Public Policy Workshop
In this course, students work independently and in groups on a particular policy issue. They produce white papers and develop presentations of their analyses. This class is largely a self-guided extension of PPCY 200: Public Policy Incubator, with the same access to outside policy makers, consultants, and industry leaders. All students are required to submit their work to the College’s annual Public Policy Challenge. White papers are also presented to external policy makers. Prerequisite: PPCY 100 or PPCY 200
Learning Outcomes
Programming Statement
The minor in Public Policy Studies emphasizes experiential learning to help students pursue careers in government, non-government organizations, non-profit organizations, and the private sector. The curriculum initially immerses students in issues of the day and shows them how to ask important questions and how to evaluate all sides of an issue. Upper-level seminars require students to analyze policy issues for themselves, to use that analysis in the development of policy proposals, and to further consider strategies to implement their proposed solutions. Each faculty member works proactively to create personalized learning opportunities for students, and we engage elected and appointed officials at all levels of government as well as policy stakeholders in order to provide mentorship opportunities for students who wish to pursue particular areas of policy.
Lake Forest College also provides regular opportunities for the entire campus community to engage in policy discussions. We sponsor leaders from academic, industry, and government backgrounds to give talks and engage in lively debate on campus. Every student has the opportunity to take a seminar on a topic of particular interest with diverse topics being offered each semester. The College hosts an annual campus-wide competition in which teams of students compete by developing, presenting, and defending their own solution to an urgent societal issue. The College also funds student research and internships.
Program Goal 1:
Students minoring in public policy will be able to assess whether policies have achieved their stated goals.
- SLO 1.1: Students will articulate whether a policy achieved its stated goal as assessed in ECON 255.
- SLO 1.2: Students will evaluate a cost-benefit analysis of a policy and be able to articulate strengths and weaknesses of the CBA as assessed in ECON 255.
Program Goal 2:
Students minoring in public policy will be able to persuasively present analysis of a policy issue in both written and spoken form.
- SLO 2.1: Students will write a persuasive analysis of a policy issue as assessed in POLS 226.
- SLO 2.2: Students will present a persuasive analysis of a policy issue as assessed in POLS 226.
Program Goal 3:
Students minoring in public policy will know the process required to move a proposed solution through the legislative process to implementation.
- SLO 3.1: Students will identify the process required to move a proposed solution through the legislative process to implementation as assessed in POLS 226.