Hands-on experiences are the engine of learning for Policy Studies. The core requirement will place you into six credit hours of coursework with extensive real world experiences but THAT IS THE MINIMUM IF YOU ARE GOING TO SUCCEED in you job and in changing the world for the better. Our most successful majors take as many as 15 credit hours of community-based courses. Plan to do much more by taking more courses and pursuing extracurricular activities on campus, off-campus semesters, internships and summer or part-time jobs that enhance the follow ten skill areas:

1. Work Ethic	6. Influencing People
2. Physical Performance	7. Gathering Information Research
3. Speaking	8. Using Quantitative Tools
4. Writing	9. Asking and Answering the Right Questions
5. Working with people	10. Problem Solving

(Based on 10 Things Employers Want You to Lean in College (Ten Speed Press, 2003) described in a book by that title you can pick up in the bookstore or read in the library.

Experiences through Academic Credit

Except for PAF 110, the courses described below can go to your topical specialization in the major or can be electives to complete your degree requirements.

1. Public Affairs Courses. Several courses are offered that you can take for the major or as an additional elective that will get you more real world experience. They are:

· PAF 110: Practicum in Public Service—a one-credit course that require 35 hours of service to a nonprofit or government agency along with classes, readings and reflections.

· PAF 416: Community Problem-Solving—a three-credit course that places you in the position of developing and managing a program at a community center in Syracuse.

· PAF 410: Practicum in Public Policy---three versions are available.

1. A 90-hour internship where you provide a range of support and write a grant proposal for a nonprofit or government agency. Five classes are held to introduce you to lobbying and grant writing.

2. A course where you work in teams to produce benchmarking studies under the Community Benchmarks Program, which is located at 102 Maxwell.

3. Courses offering special projects such as grant writing, doing research or applying computer skills like Access and web design for community and government agencies. See page General Skills section on page 12.

2. Other Courses That Have Fieldwork: An increasing number of courses require you to work in the field. Selected sections of WRT 105 and 205 have community service requirements. For a full list of courses that have a community-based component go to http://students.syr.edu/depts/cpcs.

3. SUIP Internship Courses: You can also earn credit through CIP 470, which is the credit cover for any approved internship within any academic program at SU. CIP credit cannot be used for major requirements and is graded on a pass-fail basis. For more information, call 443-4271 or stop by SUIP at 113 Euclid Ave.

4. Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Positions: This option is becoming increasingly popular at SU. Several courses, including PAF 101, ECN 203, PHI 191 (Ethics and Value Theory), Physics 105 and WRT 331, allow students who have completed the course to become teaching assistants the following semester. There is no better way to improve your understanding of the material as well as your information analysis, people and management skills than to be an undergraduate teaching assistant. Fortunately, at Syracuse University there are many options to do so.

5. Off-campus semester programs: Going to the UK, Hong Kong, Spain, Washington D.C., New York City, or even Albany for a semester is a great way to enhance skills through multiple experiences. All of these have programs have community-based courses. Working in the real world away from campus is doubling powerful. Check them out through flyers available in 102 Maxwell.

Extracurricular Activities on Campus

Hundreds of opportunities on campus can help you develop one or more of the ten skill areas listed above. Even the most social activities such as joining a fraternity or sorority can help you develop your skills IF YOU PLAN CAREFULLY. Especially valuable are those organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and Alpha Phi Omega that provide service to the community. In addition, serving in programs that support University activities such as University 100, peer advising programs and Undergraduates for a Better Education (UBE) can give you valuable experiences.

Jobs and Summer Activities

Part-time jobs and internships during the semester and internships/jobs during the summer are very important for your education. Spend time researching and pursuing them. Once you get them, do a fantastic job. Many majors get hired as a result of their summer job or internship. See page 17 on how to get these positions. Taking a position as a Resident Advisor can also be a great way to develop skills employers want.