Santa Clara University

The Public Sector Studies Program

Purpose of the Program
The study of Political Science includes learning about the history, purposes, and functions of government institutions, the actions of interest groups, the behavior of voters, and other aspects of the political environment in the United States and throughout the world. Public Sector Studies can be thought of as “Applied Political Science.” The Public Sector Studies Program at Santa Clara University offers an introduction to the areas traditionally known as Public Policy, Public Administration, Public Affairs, and Urban Planning. The Program is designed to provide a closer look at the creation, implementation, and analysis of public policies, and the operation of governments and public organizations. Students will examine a range of issues, questions, and decisions that are faced by participants, managers, and leaders in the public sector. 

Careers in the Public Sector
Throughout the history of the Santa Clara University Department of Political Science, a significant number of graduates have pursued jobs and careers in the public sector, especially in Washington, DC and California. The Emphasis in Public Sector Studies offers preparation and training for students who are interested in working at the city, county, state, or federal level of government, or in a public agency or nonprofit organization. The Emphasis also provides an excellent foundation for those who would like to pursue graduate studies in public policy or public administration, either immediately after graduation or later. It also offers a very good alternative perspective for students who wish to pursue public law. 

Santa Clara alumni, faculty, and friends who have experience working in government and public organizations offer many opportunities for our students, including guidance with research projects, assistance in finding internships and jobs, and advice on career development. SCU Political Science graduates seeking jobs in the public sector have consistently met with success.

Opportunities for Firsthand Study

Consistent with the applied nature of this emphasis, opportunities to gain hands-on experience in the public sector are offered through the Political Science department, and constitute an integral part of this emphasis. 

Public Sector Internships
Perhaps the best way to understand how political science concepts are applied in the “real world” is through actual practice. Students taking the Public Sector Internship course (Political Science 197A and 197B or Political Science 198) have worked in a wide range of political offices, from the mayor’s office of San Jose to the White House, the public affairs departments of high-tech corporations, public law offices, political campaigns, and nonprofit organizations. 

Internship students work a minimum of 10 hours per week. Other requirements include regular meetings with the faculty internship director and other interns, weekly progress reports, evaluations by work supervisors, and a research paper on a topic related to experiences at work. Credits earned are based on the number of hours worked, typically five credits per quarter for ten to twelve hours of work per week. Credit for summer internships can also be earned by enrolled students.

Washington Semester
For many years, Santa Clara students have participated in the Washington Semester program through American University. Washington Semester students live, study, and work at internships in our nation’s capital for one semester (typically fall semester), along with other students from throughout the country. Numerous programs of study are available, including American Politics, Public Law, Foreign Policy, Arts, International Development, and International Environment. Students work at a public sector internship and participate in classes and other programs at American University. The courses taken at American University transfer to students’ Santa Clara transcripts, fulfilling some departmental and university requirements and counting toward total credits. Students participating in Washington Semester earn 22.5-24 quarter credits for one semester of study.

For more detailed information about the Washington Semester, including answers to frequently asked questions, please check the Washington Semester page. Also, for a summary of application information for 2008, please click here.

Panetta Institute
The Panetta Center at California State University – Monterey Bay, headed by Santa Clara Political Science alumnus and adjunct faculty member Leon Panetta and his wife Sylvia Panetta, conducts a fall leadership program each year, which includes studies at the Panetta Center in Monterey, CA and in Washington, DC. One fully-subsidized position in this program is reserved each year for an exceptional Santa Clara University student. The 2008-09 application is available here.

Study Abroad
Selected study abroad sites offer courses and internships in urban planning, environmental studies and other topics related to the Public Sector Studies Emphasis. Programs in London, Sydney, Madrid, Hong Kong, for example, allow students to add a comparative dimension to their study of the public sector. Study Abroad courses must be approved by the program advisor prior to enrollment.

Fulfillment of Requirements within the University, College of Arts and Sciences, and Political Science Department

The Public Sector Studies Program is not a major or minor; rather, it is an emphasis within the Political Science major. Thus, all University, College, and Political Science Department requirements for the B.S. degree in Political Science must be fulfilled. The Public Sector Studies Program “counts” as an emphasis within the Political Science major and will be noted on the student’s transcript. 

Public Sector Studies Emphasis Course Requirements

A. Courses within the Political Science Department:

Lower-division courses: 

Please see “Lower-division” section under subheading B, below.

Political Science 167:

All students completing the Public Sector Studies emphasis are required to complete Political Science 167, “Making Public Policy,” with a grade of C or higher. This course provides an overview of the creation, implementation, and evaluation of public policies, as well as ethical and other issues faced by policy makers. It is recommended that this course be taken in the junior year. Political Science 167 fulfills the Political Science department’s upper division course requirement.

Internship: 

All students doing the Public Sector Studies Emphasis are required to complete at least 5 units of a Public Sector Studies Internship (Political Science 197A, 197B, or 198, or equivalent transferred internship credits from Washington Semester). Exceptions to this requirement will only be made under rare circumstances and must be applied for in writing to the Faculty Advisor for the Public Sector Studies Emphasis program. The internship course can count towards the Political Science Department’s elective requirement.

Other Upper-division courses: 

In addition to fulfilling the requirement of 7 U/D courses in Political Science (required of all Political Science majors), which should include Political Science 167 and the Internship course, the Public Sector Studies Emphasis student will take an additional one U/D Political Science course from among the recommended Public Sector Studies Emphasis U/D courses.

B. Courses outside the Political Science Department:

Lower-division, required: Economics 1 and 2.

Lower-division: Two total from among the courses recommended for the Public Sector Studies Emphasis, in the Political Science Department or other departments, not including Economics 1 and 2, which are required.

Upper-division: Two of the recommended courses outside the Political Science Department.

C.  Courses to take for the College of Arts & Sciences Ethnic Studies/Women’s Studies Requirement

An understanding of issues related to ethnicity, race, and gender is essential for effective participation, management, and leadership in the public sector. The need for awareness of these issues has been recognized in the College of Arts and Sciences; therefore, the Core requirements already include one course in ethnic studies or women’s studies (please see the Santa Clara University Core Curriculum for details). Students doing the Public Sector Studies emphasis are asked to choose a course relevant to Public Sector Studies to fulfill this Core requirement. The list of suggested courses is attached.

In summary, a total of six (6) extra courses beyond the ordinary requirements for a Political Science major are required for the Public Sector Studies Emphasis:

• Economics 1 and 2
  
• 1 additional U/D in the Political Science Department
• 2 additional lower-division courses inside or outside the Department
• 2 extra outside the Department, from the list of recommended courses (Please see the Majors' Checklist sheet for a list of recommended courses.  The sheets are available from the Political Science Office, Room 230 of A & S). 

The University’s requirement of 175 Quarter Units for graduation remains the same.

Completion of the Emphasis Program Noted on the Student’s Transcript

During Winter Quarter of his or her Senior Year, the student must inform, in writing, the Faculty Advisor, of completion of the requisite number of courses for the particular Emphasis. The courses and the grades received in them should be listed in writing. An average grade of C is required for all courses accepted for the Emphasis program.

The Faculty Advisor will then certify this completion to the Department Chairperson, who will then contact the University Registrar during the next Quarter regarding completion of the Emphasis. The Registrar will make a notation of this fact on the student’s permanent transcript. 

Faculty Advisor

It is strongly recommended that the student’s Emphasis courses be chosen in consultation with Professor Elsa Chen, the director of the Public Sector Studies Program and faculty supervisor for Public Sector internships and Washington Semester. 

Dr. Chen’s relevant experience includes an undergraduate degree in Public and International Affairs, a Master’s in Public Policy, a doctoral dissertation on policy analysis, and practical experience as an analyst at a policy think tank. As a student, she did summer internships at several public sector organizations, including a U.S. Senator’s office, a Washington, DC lobbying organization, and a nonprofit community group. 

Students are always welcome to discuss coursework, internships, graduate study, job prospects, and other topics with Professor Chen (Arts & Sciences 239, x7055).