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Management (B.S.P.A.)

The Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs requires 120 credit hours. The program includes four main areas: I. IUPUI Common Core, II. SPEA General Education/baccalaureate requirements, III. Public Affairs Core, IV. Program/Major requirements, and V. Open electives.

Public Affairs focuses on how we provide for our citizens, making our communities better places to live, work and raise a family. Public Affairs students study and analyze government policies, and learn how to manage government and nonprofit organizations.

A Management major teaches some of the things you'd learn in a business school, but you get the additional benefit of leaning how public agencies and nonprofit organizations operate. This holistic approach helps graduates move seamlessly between business, nonprofit and government management roles.

I.IUPUI Common Core (30 Credits)

Students at IUPUI will complete 30 hours of general education coursework prior to graduation with a baccalaureate degree. The coursework is aligned with the Indiana Statewide Transferable General Education Core. For more information, please visit http://go.iupui.edu/gened.

  1. Core Communication (2 courses; 6 credits) From approved list, students must take at least one writing course (ENG W131 - Reading, Writing and Inquiry I or ENG W140 Honors Composition I) and one speaking and listening course (COMM R110 - Public Speaking) for a total of two courses and six credits.
  2. Analytical Reasoning (2 courses, 6 credits) From approved list, at least one college level math course. It is recommended that SPEA students take Math M118 (Finite) and SPEA K300 (Statistical Techniques).
  3. Life and Physical Sciences (2 courses, 6 credits) From approved list, at least two courses and six credits toward the life and physical sciences.
  4. Cultural Understanding (1 course; 3 credits) From approved list, at least one course. SPEA students are encouraged to complete first year competency in a foreign language.
  5. Arts & Humanities and Social Sciences (3 courses; 9 credits) From approved list, students must take at least three credits from the Arts & Humanities list and at least three  credits from the Social Sciences list for a total of nine credits.
II. Baccalaureate Requirements: SPEA General Education Requirements (15 credits)

Classes in this area must be a minimum of three credits each.

  • BUS A200 or A201 – Accounting
  • ENG W231 or BUS X204 - Professional Writing Skills or Business Communications
  • *ECON E201 – Introduction to Microeconomics
  • *ECON E202 – Introduction to Macroeconomics
  • *POLS Y103 – Introduction to American Politics

*If ECON E201, ECON E202, and/or POLS Y103 are used to meet a core requirement, the student must take additional credits from any of the core curriculum general areas (Core Communication, Mathematics/Analytical Reasoning, Life and Physical Sciences, Cultural Understanding, Arts & Humanities, Social Sciences) to achieve the additional SPEA general education requirement credits. Though, students are not limited to only the core course listings and are encouraged to take higher level courses in those areas, depending on interests, minors, or certificates. Course selection and approval should be done in consultation with a SPEA Academic Advisor.

All SPEA students are encouraged to complete First Year Competency in a foreign language.

Students cannot double count courses in this area with their major requirements.

III. Public Affairs Core (9 courses; 24-26 credits)
  • SPEA V170 Intro to Public Affairs (3 cr.)
  • SPEA V252 Career Development &Planning (2 cr.)
  • SPEA V261 Computers in Public Affairs (or BUS K201) (3 cr.)
  • SPEA V264 Urban Structure & Policy (3 cr.)
  • SPEA K300 Statistics (or equivalent) (3 cr.)
  • SPEA V370 Research Methods (or SPEA J202) (3 cr.)
  • SPEA V376 Law & Public Policy (3 cr.)
  • SPEA V380 Internship in Public & Environmental Affairs (0-6 cr.)
  • SPEA V473 Management, Leadership & Policy (3 cr.)

IV. Management Major (12 courses; 36 cr.)

Required courses:
  • SPEA-V 348 Management Science (3 cr.)
  • SPEA-V 361 Financial Management (3 cr.)
  • SPEA-V 366 Managing Behavior in Public Organizations (3 cr.)

Choose two courses:

  • PBHL-H 316 Environmental Science & Health (3 cr.)
  • PBHL-H 320 Health Systems Adminstration (3 cr.)
  • SPEA-V 221 Nonprofit & Voluntary Sector (3 cr.)
  • SPEA-V 264 Urban Structure and Policy (3 cr.)
  • SPEA-V 375 Emergency Services Administration (3 cr.)
  • SPEA-V 450 Overseas Study (in consultation with SPEA Academic Advisor and with approval of Program Director)

Choose one course:

  • SPEA-V 263 Public Management (3 cr.)
  • SPEA-V 362 Nonprofit Management & Leadernship (3 cr.)

Choose one course:

  • SPEA-V 346 Intro to Government Accounting & Financial Reporting (3 cr.)
  • SPEA-V 356 Intro to Nonprofit Accounting & Reporting (3 cr.)
Management Electives (15 credit hours)

Choose one course from each section below:

Section 1

  • SPEA-V 372 Government Finance & Budgets (3 cr.)
  • SPEA-V 458 Fund Development for Nonprofit Organizations (3 cr.)

Section 2

  • SPEA-V 369 Managing Information Technology (3 cr.)
  • SPEA-V 379 Performance Measurement & Program Evaluation (3 cr.)

Section 3

  • SPEA-V 322 Sustainable Management (3 cr.)
  • SPEA-V 373 Human Resource Management in the Public Sector (3 cr.)
  • SPEA-V 412 Leadership & Ethics (3 cr.)
  • SPEA-V 435 Negotiation & Alternative Dispute Resolution (3 cr.)
  • SPEA-V 443 Managing Workforce Diversity (3 cr.)

Choose two additional courses from Sections 1, 2, & 3 above. The courses must come from two different sections.

V. Open Electives (approx. 13 cr.)

Additional courses beyond the IUPUI Common Core, SPEA General Education requirements, and Major requirements to total 120 credit hours (these are not required to be SPEA courses but could be).

Only college level course work will count toward open electives. Remedial courses in areas such as math and English do not count.

Important notes:

Students may transfer to IUPUI School of Public & Environmental Affairs once they acquire 12 credit hours, have a cumulative GPA of 2.3 in SPEA major courses (sections III and IV), an overall cumulative GPA of 2.0 and a previous semester GPA of 2.0.

SPEA Good Standing requires: a previous semester 2.0 GPA, a cumulative 2.0 GPA, as well as 2.3 GPA in SPEA major courses.

Please see your SPEA Academic Advisor with any questions. To make an appointment with your advisor, call SPEA Student Services at 317-274-4656.