The School of Public and Environmental Affairs at IU Northwest offers the Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs with concentrations in criminal justice, management, health services administration, environmental policy, and specialized public affairs.

A student who already has a bachelor's degree may be admitted to candidacy for a second bachelor's degree.  Normally, the holder of a bachelor's degree who wishes to pursue further education is encouraged to become qualified for admission to graduate study. In certain cases, however, a student who already has a bachelor's degree may be admitted to candidacy for an associate or a second bachelor's degree. When such admission is granted, the candidate must earn at least 30 additional credit hours as a student enrolled in SPEA and meet all the requirements of the SPEA degree (A.S. or B.S.) being sought.

Degree Requirements

The Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs degree provides the student with both a liberal education and professional orientation toward a specific career.

   1. A minimum of 120 credit hours distributed to meet degree requirements with a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 (C) for all course work completed is required.
   2. A grade point average of at least 2.3 (C+) must be attained in all course work completed to satisfy core and concentration requirements.
   3. Applicable course work taken in a special student or nondegree status will be accepted toward meeting degree requirements.
   4. Not more than 90 credit hours of transfer credit from another accredited institution may be applied toward this degree.
   5. With permission of the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, credit earned through correspondence study in the Division of Independent Study of Indiana University and/or by special credit examination may be applied toward this degree.
   6. Courses taken on the Pass/Fail option can only be applied as electives in meeting degree requirements. In no case can more than eight Pass/Fail courses be used in meeting degree requirements.
   7. Credit work for this degree can be completed at any campus of Indiana University.
   8. All credit of candidates for degrees, except for the current semester / summer session, must be on record at least six weeks prior to the conferring of degrees.
   9. An application for the Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs degree must be filed with the division recorder, or appropriate program office, in accordance with specific campus graduation procedure where the degree is to be awarded.

Curriculum

General Education

The General Education requirements are based on five (5) principles.  These principles guide undergraduate students in their educational experience at Indiana University Northwest and the School of Public and Environmental Affairs.  By fulfilling these requirements students will have an opportunity to develop effective learning and communication skills (principle 1 requirements), a mastery of core concepts in a broad range of disciplines (Principle 2), the ability to analyze and synthesize information (Principle 3), an awareness of diversity (Principle 4) and ethical consideration (Principle 5).

Principle 1 Foundations for Effective Learning and Communication (11 courses)

All students are required to take:

    ENG W131   Elementary Composition (3 cr.)
    SPCH S121  Public Speaking (3 cr.)

In addition, all students must complete the following requirements under Principle 1:

   1. Mathematics (3 cr.)

One of the following courses:

    MATH M118 Finite Mathematics (3 cr.)
    MATH M119 Survey of Calculus I (3 cr.)
    MATH M125 Precalculus Mathematics (3 cr.)
    MATH M215 Analytic Geometry and Calculus (3 cr.)

   2. Natural Science Class with Lab (4-6 cr.)

One course with a lab from biology, chemistry, geology, or physics.

   3. Intensive Writing Courses (6 cr.)

Both of the following courses:

    ENG W231 Professional Writing (3 cr.)
    SPEA V368 Managing Government Operations (3 cr.)

   4. Advanced Oral Communication Course (3 cr.)

One of the following courses:

    SPCH S223 Business and Professional Speaking (3 cr.)
    SPCH S229 Discussion and Group Methods (3 cr.)
    SPEA V373 Human Resources Mangement in the Public Sector (3 cr.)
    SPEA V346 Introduction to Government Accounting and Financial Reporting (3 cr.)

   5. Advanced Math Reasoning Course (3 cr.)

    SPEA K300 Statistical Techniques (3 cr.)

   6. Advanced Scientific Reasoning Course (3 cr.)

One of the following courses:

    SPEA E272 Introduction to Environmental Science (3 cr.)
    SPEA H322 Principles of Epidemiology (3 Cr.)

   7. Information Literacy (3 cr.)

One of the following courses:

    SPEA J202 Criminal Justice Data, Methods and Resources (3 cr.)
    Approved Research Methods class (3 cr.)

   8. Learning Technologies course (3 cr.)

    SPEA V261 Computers in Public Affairs (3 cr.)

Principle 2 Breadth of Learning (9 courses)

   1. Arts & Humanities (6 cr.)

Both of the following:         

    HIST H105 American History I (3 cr.)
    HIST H106 American History II (3 cr.)

   2. Cultural & Historical Studies (6 cr.)

*Two classes from approved College of Arts and Science list* of classes, not including H105 and H106

   3. Social & Behavioral Sciences (6 cr.)

Two of the following courses:

    POLS Y103 Introduction to American Politics (3 cr.)
    ECON E103 Introduction to Microeconomics (3 cr.)
    ECON E104 Introduction to Macroeconomics (3 cr.)

   4. Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences (3 cr.)

One class from approved College of Arts and Sciences list; in addition to the natural science class under Principle 1.

Principle 3 Critical Thinking, Integration, and Application of Knowledge (One Course)

One of the following:

    SPEA J439 Crime and Public Policy (3 cr.)
    Other approved SPEA class (3 cr.)

Principle 4 Diversity (One Course)

One of the following:

    SPEA E272 Introduction to Environmental Sciences (3 cr.)
    SPEA V450 Health Services Utilization (3 cr.)
    Other approved SPEA class (3 cr.)

Principle 5 Ethics & Citizenship (One Course)

One of the following courses:

    SPEA V450 Adminsitrative Ethics (3cr.)
    SPEA V450 Medical Ethics (3 cr.)
    SPEA H441 Legal Aspects of Health Care (3 cr.)
    SPEA J321 American Policing (3 cr.)

Public Affairs Core (6 courses)

    SPEA E272 Introduction to Environmental Science. (3 cr.)
    SPEA V170 Introduction to Public Affairs (3 cr.)
    SPEA V263 Public Management (3 cr.)
    SPEA V264 Urban Structure and Policy (3 cr.)
    SPEA V372 Government Finance and Budgets (3 cr.)
    SPEA V376 Law and Public Policy (3 cr.)

Concentrations

Criminal Justice Concentration (7 courses) Requirements

    SPEA J101 The American Criminal Justice System (3 cr.)

The following courses:

    SPEA J201 Theoretical Foundations of Criminal Justice Policies (3 cr.)
    SPEA J202 Criminal Justice Data, Methods, and Resources (3 cr.)
    SPEA J301 Substantive Criminal Law (3 cr.) or SPEA J302 Procedural Criminal Law (3 cr.)
    SPEA J439 Crime and Public Policy (3 cr.)

Two of the following three courses:

    SPEA J306 The Criminal Courts (3 cr.)
    SPEA J321 American Policing (3 cr.)
    SPEA J331 Corrections (3 cr.)

Management Concentration (6 courses) Requirements

Students will take the following courses:

    SPEA V346 Introduction to Government Accounting and Financial Reporting (3 cr.)
    SPEA V366 Managing Behavior in Public Organizations (3 cr.)
    SPEA V368 Managing Government Operations (3 cr.)

Any three SPEA courses selected with consent of advisor.

Health Services Administration Concentration (6 courses) Requirements

The following three courses:

    SPEA H320 Health Systems Administration (3 cr.)
    SPEA H352 Health Finance and Budgeting (3 cr.)
    SPEA H441 Legal Aspects of Health Care Administration (3 cr.)

Three of the following courses with the consent of the advisor:

    SPEA H316 Environmental Health (3 cr.)
    SPEA H322 Principles of Epidemiology (3 cr.)
    SPEA H371 Human Resource Management in Health Care (3 cr.)
    SPEA V375 Emergency Services Administration (3 cr.)
    SPEA H402 Hospital Administration (3 cr.)
    SPEA H474 Issues in Public Health (3 cr.)

Specialized Public Affairs Concentration (6 courses) Requirements

A specialized concentration adaptable to the student's interest.

    Four of the six courses in the concentration must be SPEA courses.
    All courses in the concentration (SPEA and non­SPEA) must be at the 300 or 400 level.
    *Students must have their advisor's approval for the concentration and the courses selected.

Environmental Policy Concentration (6 courses) Requirements

The following courses:

    SPEA E400 Topics in Environmental Studies: Environmental Law
    SPEA E400 Topics in Environmental Studies: Environmental Planning
    SPEA H316 Environmental Health

Any other three SPEA courses selected with consent of the advisor.

Note: Electives:  Students must take additional courses beyond the requirements listed above to meet the minimum B.S. degree requirement of 120 credit hours

*The College of Arts and Sciences list of classes can be obtained from the School of Public and Environmental Affairs or retrieved from the SPEA website.