Important: This degree plan is effective for those starting this degree program in fall 2024 through summer 2025. This degree plan will remain in effect for students who do not break enrollment or who do not change degree programs, concentrations, or cognates.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Core Courses
PPOG 500	Introduction to Research and Writing	3
PPOG 502	Economics and Public Policy	3
PPOG 503	Political Philosophy	3
PPOG 504	Leadership, Statesmanship, and Governance 1	3
PPOG 506	Introduction to Geopolitics and International Diplomacy 1	3
PPOL 501	Foundations of American Governance: An Introduction to Public Policy	3
PPOL 505	Applied Public Policy Research Methods 1	3
Total Hours		21

¹

Students are strongly encouraged to take PPOG 500 Introduction to Research and Writing (3 c.h.), PPOG 502 Economics and Public Policy (3 c.h.), PPOG 503 Political Philosophy (3 c.h.), and PPOL 501 Foundations of American Governance: An Introduction to Public Policy (3 c.h.) before this course.  The content of these courses will help set a foundation for the remaining Public Policy course work

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Middle East Affairs Cognate
PPOG 640	Middle East Law and Policy	3
PPOG 641	U.S. Middle East Foreign Policy	3
PPOL 650	International Law, Policy, and Politics	3
Total Hours		9

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Thesis or Elective Courses 1,2,3
PPOG 688	Thesis Proposal	3
PPOG 689	Thesis Research 4,5	3
PPOG 690	Thesis Defense	0
Total Hours		6

¹

Students may take two elective courses^3,4 instead of PPOG 688 Thesis Proposal (3 c.h.), PPOG 689 Thesis Research (3 c.h.), & PPOG 690 Thesis Defense (3 c.h.)

²

Choose from the following courses: Any 500-600 level course offered by the Helms School of Government. Other 500-600 level courses will be considered on a case-by-case basis

³

Students who have obtained or are pursuing a J.D. through Liberty University may substitute electives with up to six credit hours from the following courses: LAW 501 Foundations of Law (2 c.h.), LAW 502 Foundations of Law II (2 c.h.), LAW 531 Constitutional Law I (3 c.h.), LAW 532 Constitutional Law II (3 c.h.), LAW 581 Jurisprudence (3 c.h.), LAW 585 Legal History (3 c.h.), LAW 601 Family Law (3 c.h.), LAW 605 Children & the Law Seminar (2 c.h.), LAW 610 Child Abuse and the Law (2 c.h.), LAW 645 Business Planning (3 c.h.), LAW 721 State & Local Government (3 c.h.), LAW 725 School Law Seminar (2 c.h.), LAW 741 International Law (3 c.h.), LAW 743 International Human Rights (3 c.h.), LAW 745 International Business Transactions (2 c.h.), LAW 755 Bioethics and the Law (3 c.h.), LAW 760 Public Policy Lawyering Skills (2 c.h.), LAW 761 Public Policy Survey (2 c.h.) or LAW 765 Sexual Behavior and the Law (2 c.h.). Non-Liberty students pursuing a J.D. or have a completed J.D. may be able to use up to 6 hours of Law credit towards this degree pending review and approval by the Liberty University School of Law

⁴

Any student who is not ready for enrollment in PPOG 690 Thesis Defense (3 c.h.) after completing PPOG 689 Thesis Research (3 c.h.) may be required, as determined by the student’s thesis chair, to repeat PPOG 689 Thesis Research (3 c.h.) until deemed ready for enrollment in PPOG 690 Thesis Defense (3 c.h.)

⁵

While PPOG 689 Thesis Research (3 c.h.) may be taken more than once, only one enrollment in the course will be permitted to count toward degree requirements

All applicable prerequisites must be met

Graduation Requirements

• Complete 36 hours
• A maximum of 50% of the program hours may be transferred if approved and allowable, including credit from an earned degree from Liberty University on the same academic level
• 3.0 GPA
• No more than two grades of C may be applied to the degree (includes grades of C+ & C-)
• No grade of D or below may be applied to the degree (includes grades of D+ & D-)
• Degree must be completed within 5 years
• Submission of Degree Completion Application must be completed within the last semester of a student’s anticipated graduation date

Program Offered in Online Format

Plan of Study Grid

First Semester		Hours
PPOG 500	Introduction to Research and Writing	3
PPOG 640	Middle East Law and Policy	3
PPOL 501	Foundations of American Governance: An Introduction to Public Policy	3
	Hours	9
Second Semester
PPOG 502	Economics and Public Policy	3
PPOG 503	Political Philosophy	3
PPOL 505	Applied Public Policy Research Methods 1	3
	Hours	9
Third Semester
PPOG 504	Leadership, Statesmanship, and Governance 1	3
PPOG 506	Introduction to Geopolitics and International Diplomacy 1	3
PPOG 641	U.S. Middle East Foreign Policy	3
PPOL 650	International Law, Policy, and Politics	3
	Hours	12
Fourth Semester
PPOG 688	Thesis Proposal	3
PPOG 689	Thesis Research 2,3,4	3
PPOG 690	Thesis Defense 2,3	0
	Hours	6
	Total Hours	36

¹

Students are strongly encouraged to take PPOG 500, PPOG 502, PPOG 503, and PPOL 501 before these courses. The content of the initial courses will help set a foundation for the remaining Public Policy coursework.

²

Students may take two additional elective courses^5,6 instead of PPOG 688, PPOG 689, and PPOG 690. 

³

Any student who is not ready for enrollment in PPOG 690 after completing PPOG 689 may be required, as determined by the student's thesis chair, to repeat PPOG 689 until deemed ready for enrollment in PPOG 690.

⁴

While PPOG 689 may be taken more than once, only one enrollment in the course will be permitted to count toward degree requirements.

⁵

Choose from the following courses: Any 500-600 level course offered by the Helms School of Government. Other 500-600 level courses will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

⁶

Students who have obtained or are pursuing a J.D. through Liberty University may substitute electives with up to nine credit hours from the following courses: LAW 501, LAW 502, LAW 531, LAW 532, LAW 581, LAW 585, LAW 601, LAW 605, LAW 610, LAW 645, LAW 721, LAW 725, LAW 741, LAW 743, LAW 745, LAW 755, LAW 760, LAW 761, or LAW 765. Non-Liberty students pursuing a J.D. or who have a completed J.D. may be able to use up to 9 hours of Law Credit towards this degree pending review and approval by Liberty University School of Law.