In most cases, it is probably a good idea to compliment the policy studies major with another major or minor. After the Liberal Arts Core and the Policy Studies Major requirements are completed, you will still have about 45 credits to take. You can pick and choose courses without having another major or minor if you wish to have maximum freedom, but most students take on a second or even third major.
A Dual or Double Major in Policy Studies for Professional School Students
Students in the professional schools (i.e., Newhouse, VPA, Engineering) may benefit from the policy studies major for several reasons:
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Students may decide eventually that they do not want the career for which their professional school trained them.
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Many employers like liberal arts degrees to accompany professional degrees -- some even prefer a liberal arts degree to a professional degree. This is especially true of people over 50, who are likely to hire or promote you.
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Some professional school programs, especially those in Newhouse, require a lot of electives outside of their school, and it is better to show a second degree than a scattering of unrelated courses or a minor.
If you have even the slightest idea that you may lose interest in your professional school-based career, you should purchase the insurance of a policy studies or any other arts and science major. Some professional schools’ advisors oppose a second major because they assume that students need to focus all of their energy on one major. This viewpoint makes sense for some but not for all. Other advisors recommend a College of Arts and Sciences dual, which in most cases makes a lot of sense. Ultimately, the choice is up to you.
To get a good idea of the procedures and requirements for a dual or double major, see How to Declare Policy Studies as a Double Major in Management, VPA and HSHP.
Dual Majors and Minors for Policy Studies Majors
Students majoring in policy studies should seriously consider another major in either arts and sciences or one of the professional schools. Even if it is not very helpful for your skill development, a second major will help you be more conversant with adults in job interviews and informal conversations. It can also provide you with intellectual fun, a need that should not be ignored. For these purposes, your choice of a second major should not be based solely on what is good for your career but also on what you like to learn.
Consult our web site http://www/maxwell.syr.edu/paf for more detailed information on how the Policy Studies Major relates to the following options. The office location for these programs is also provided below.
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Economics Major or Minor 443-3612, Room 110 Eggers
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Information Studies Major or Minor 443-1713, Room 4-206 of the Center for Science and Technology.
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Geography Major l 443-2605 or Room 144 Eggers.
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Political Science Major 443-2416, Room100 Eggers
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International Relations Majors 443-4431, Room 225 Eggers
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Other Social Science Majors: Anthropology, history, sociology, and psychology are more of a stretch as far as adding value your skills, but if you enjoy such topics or are considering graduate studies in such fields, they may be valuable options.
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Non-Social Science Majors: Majors in arts and sciences outside the social sciences are also options. Any physical science major would be a good choice because students who can bridge the worlds of physical and social sciences are rare and valuable. Language majors, especially may be valuable to some employers because they may serve as links in the global community. The Humanities are good if you want to go into publishing or something else where high culture is valued.
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Management Major and Minors: The School of Management offers general minors, in which students are provided with a broad base of studies, as well as specialized. Majors with management would have to be taken as double programs, since a dual major would require 135 credits (as opposed to the standard 120) to graduate. For that reason, minor programs are best for students outside of the School of Management. For more information, call 443-2361 or stop by 210 SOM.
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Newhouse Major and Minor: The Newhouse School has as strong a national and international reputation as the Maxwell School. Policy Studies is complimentary to most Newhouse majors, especially Public Relations, and should seriously be considered for that reason.
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School of Education Major and Minor: Several Policy Studies majors each year graduate with a minor in Education. It is tough to fit in, but it can be done. However, except for one about 10 years ago, no Policy Studies major has also majored in Education because of the strict and sequenced requirements of the School of Education. You need to talk to advisers at the School of Education and start as early as possible if you are interested in either a major or minor. It may make more sense to get your BA in Policy Studies and then enroll in a masters program that will certify you to teach. Many majors have successfully pursued this path. The option of Teach for America or one of the new urban teacher corps programs offered by cities like New York and Philadelphia may make more sense than either an undergraduate education major or going straight to a graduate school in education. Many of these nontraditional programs subsidize graduate education. Teacher shortages are likely to increase over the next decade, and programs where you learn on the job and get a credential seem to me to be less risky and less costly but not less effective than traditional approaches.