Management and Civic Leadership (B.S.P.A.)
The Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs requires 120 credit hours. The program includes five main areas: I. IU Indianapolis Common Core, II. O'Neill 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 and Civic Leadership 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. IU Indianapolis Common Core (30 Credits)Students at IU Indianapolis will complete 30 hours of general education coursework prior to graduation with a baccalaureate degree. The coursework is aligned with the Indiana College Core (formerly INSTGEC). For more information, please click here.
- Core Communication (2 courses; 6 credits) From approved list, students must take at least one writing course (ENG-W 131 - Reading, Writing and Inquiry I or ENG-W 140 Honors Composition I) and one speaking and listening course (COMM-R 110 Fundamentals of Speech Communication) for a total of two courses and six credits.
- Analytical Reasoning (2 courses, 6 credits) From approved list, at least one college level math course. It is recommended that O'Neill students take Math-M 118 (finite) and SPEA-K 300 (Statistical Techniques).
- Life and Physical Sciences (2 courses, 6 credits) From approved list, at least two courses and six credits toward the life and physical sciences.
- Cultural Understanding (1 course; 3 credits) From approved list, at least one course. O'Neill students are encouraged to complete first year competency in a foreign language.
- 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.
Classes in this area must be a minimum of three credits each
Choose one course:
- BUS-X 204 Business Communication (3 cr.)
- ENG-W 231 Professional Writing (3 cr.)
- ENG-W 270 Argumentative Writing (3 cr.)
Choose one course:
- ECON-E 201 Introduction to Microeconomics (3 cr.)
Choose one course:
- POLS-Y 103 Introduction to American Politics (3 cr.)
- POLS-Y 217 Comparative Politics (3 cr.)
Choose one course:
- BUS-F 260 (or BUS-F 151 or BUS-F 152 or BUS-F 251) Personal Finance (3 cr.)
- PSY-B 110 Introduction to Psychology (3 cr.)
- ECON-E 202 Introduction to Macroeconomics (3 cr.)
- SOC-R 100 Introduction to Sociology (3 cr.)
- SOC-R 121 Social Problems (3 cr.)
- OLS 25200 Human Behavior in Organizations (3 cr.)
- OLS 26300 Ethical Decisions in Leadership (3 cr.)
- OLS 27400 Applied Leadership (3 cr.)
- PHST-P 210 Philanthropy in Social Sciences (3 cr.)
Choose one course:
- Select from any IU Indianapolis Common Core (from cultural understanding or social sciences domain) (3 cr.)
*If ECON-E 201, ECON-E 202, and/or POLS-Y 103 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 O'Neill 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 an O'Neill Academic Advisor.
All O'Neill 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 (8 courses; 21-26 credits)- SPEA-V 170 Introduction to Public Affairs (3 cr.)
- SPEA-V 252 Career Development and Planning (3 cr.)
- SPEA-V 261 Using IT in Public Affairs (3 cr.)
- SPEA-V 264 Community Structures and Policy (3 cr.)
- SPEA-V 370 Research Methods (3 cr.)
- SPEA-V 376 Law and Public Affairs (3 cr.)
- SPEA-V 380 Internship in Public and Environmental Affairs (0-6 cr.)
- SPEA-V 473 Management, Leadership, and Policy Capstone (3 cr.)
IV. Management and Civic Leadership Major (Required Courses 27 cr.; Major 33 cr.)
Required courses:- SPEA-V 221 Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector (3 cr.)
- SPEA-V 361 Financial Management (3 cr.)
- SPEA-V 366 Managing Behavior in Public Organizations (3 cr.)
- SPEA-V 367 Project Planning and Management (3 cr.)
- SPEA-V 382 Political Action and Civic Engagement (3 cr.)
- SPEA-V 412 Ethics and Leadership (3 cr.)
- SPEA-V 435 Negotiation and Alternative Dispute Resolution (3 cr.)
- SPEA-V 443 Managing Workforce Diversity (3 cr.)
Choose one course:
- SPEA-V 263 Public Management (3 cr.)
- SPEA-V 362 Nonprofit Management & Leadership (3 cr.)
For this area, students may: a) select a specific track and take 3 courses from the approved list, b) select any 3 courses from any of the approved courses on any of the listed tracks, c) work with an O'Neill advisor to build a track
Human Resource Track
- SPEA-V 265 Challenges in Social Policy (3 cr.)
- SPEA-V 373 Human Resource Management (3 cr.)
- SPEA-V 379 Performance Measurement and Program Evaluation (3 cr.)
- SWK-S 102 Understanding Diversity in a Pluralistic Society (3 cr.)
- COMM-C 482 Intercultural Communication (3 cr.)
- LSTU-L 210 Workplace Discrimination/Fair Employment (3 cr.)
- OLS 38300 Human Resource Management (3 cr.)
Nonprofit Management Track
- SPEA-V 265 Challenges in Social Policy (3 cr.)
- SPEA-V 356 Intro to Nonprofit Accounting and Reporting (3 cr.)
- SPEA-V 362 Nonprofit Management and Leadership (3 cr.)
- SPEA-V 379 Performance Measurement and Program Evaluation (3 cr.)
- SPEA-V 458 Fund Development for Nonprofit Organizations (3 cr.)
- PHST-P 201 Introduction to Philanthropic Studies (3 cr.)
- PHST-P 212 Philanthropy and Civic Engagement (3 cr.)
- PHST-P 370 Learning by Giving (3 cr.)
- OLS 32800 Principles of International Management (3 cr.)
- OLS 37100 Project Management (3 cr.)
Public Management Track
- SPEA-V 265 Challenges in Social Policy (3 cr.)
- SPEA-V 346 Introduction to Government Accounting (3 cr.)
- SPEA-V 348 Management Science (3 cr.)
- SPEA-V 372 Government Finance and Budgets (3 cr.)
- SPEA-V 373 Human Resource Management (3 cr.)
- SPEA-V 379 Performance Measurement and Program Evaluation (3 cr.)
- BUS-A 201 (Introduction to Financial Accounting) or BUS-A 202 (Introduction to Managerial Accounting) OR BUS-L 203 (Commercial Law) (3 cr.)
- OLS 32800 Principles of International Management (3 cr.)
- OLS 37100 Project Management (3 cr.)
*If courses are selected that are also on the IU Indianapolis Common Core, only 3 courses can double for the IU Indianapolis Common Core and for the major.
V. Open Electives (credit hours vary)
Additional courses beyond the IU Indianapolis Common Core, O'Neill 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 O'Neill School of Public & Environmental Affairs once they acquire 12 credit hours, an overall cumulative GPA of 2.0, and a previous semester GPA of 2.0.
O'Neill Good Standing requires: a previous semester 2.0 GPA and a cumulative 2.0 GPA.
Please see your O'Neill Academic Advisor with any questions. To make an appointment with your advisor, call O'Neill Student Services at 317-274-4656.
