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IUPUI Bulletins » Schools » SPEA » Undergraduate » Degree Programs » Media and Public Affairs (B.S.P.A.)


Media and Public Affairs (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.

Media and Public Affairs gives students an in-depth understanding of governance plus the skills needed to use today's media to communicate to customers, constituents, employees, supporters, opponents and the many other audiences involved in shaping effective public policy. Students who major in Media and Public Affairs will be prepared for careers as public information officers; government affairs personnel for private or nonprofit organizations; public administrators at the local, state, and federal level; lobbyists; representatives of trade organizations; and reporters for various media on the subjects of public affairs, public administration, public policy personnel and decisions. This major teaches anyone who intends to go in to management (public, private or nonprofit) or who will work in the policy area, when and how to deploy traditional and new media tools to achieve their goals.

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. Media and Public Affairs (13 courses; 39 credits)

Required (33 credits):

  • SPEA-V372 Government Finance & Budgets (P: V170, ECON-E201 or ECON-E202) (3 cr.)
  • SPEA-V378 Policy Processes in the United States (3 cr.)
  • SPEA-V382 Political Action and Civic Engagement (3 cr.)
  • SPEA-V438 Mass Media and Public Affairs (3 cr.)
  • NEWM-N311 Digital Paradigm Shift: Effects on International Culture & Society (3 cr.)
  • JOUR-C300 The Citizen and the News (3 cr.)
  • JOUR-J475 Race, Gender and Media (3 cr.)
  • JOUR-J410 Media as Social Institutions (P: JOUR-J300) (3 cr.)
  • POLS-Y317 Voting, Elections, and Public Opinion (3 cr.)

Select four courses from below (12 credits):

  • SPEA-V221 Nonprofit & Voluntary Sector
  • SPEA-V222 Principles of Sustainability
  • SPEA-V263 Public Management
  • SPEA-V412 Leadership & Ethics
  • SPEA-V450 Overseas Study (in consultation with a SPEA Academic advisor and with approval of program director)
  • JOUR-J110 Foundations of Journalism & Mass Media
  • JOUR-J210 Visual Communications
  • JOUR-J321 Principles of Public Relations
  • JOUR-J423 Public Opinion
  • JOUR-J450 History of Journalism
  • POLS-Y215 Introduction to Political Theory
  • POLS-Y321 Media & Politics
  • POLS-Y377 Globalization
  • POLS-Y382 Modern Political Thought
  • SOC-R355 Social Theory
V. Open Electives (approx. 4 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.