PUBPO-BA - Public Policy (BA)

PUBLPOL 134 and CSRE 126C must be taken for 4 units in order to fulfill the Ethics Requirement on their own. ETHICSOC 135F must be take for at least 4 units.

Eligibility & Preparation

To be eligible to write an honors thesis, students must achieve a grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 or above in their Public Policy major coursework taken by the time of application for the honors program. If accepted, the student must maintain a GPA of 3.5 in the course requirements for a BAH in Public Policy (excluding PUBLPOL 199 Senior Honors Thesis Research).

Students who intend to write an honors thesis should aim to complete all the core courses by the end of spring quarter of the junior year. In particular, students must complete economic policy analysis PUBLPOL 104 and the advanced empirical methods course (preferred course is PUBLPOL 105, other options for this requirement include ECON 102C, STATS 202, PUBLPOL 303D) by the end of spring quarter of the junior year. 

It is strongly recommended that all students pursuing honors take PUBLPOL 200H Senior Honors Seminar during autumn quarter of the senior year. This scheduling gives students both the time and the necessary course background to complete their honors thesis during senior year. (If a student is unable to take PUBLPOL 200H and still plans to complete an honors thesis, they will also need to complete one quarter of practicum in order to fulfill the capstone requirement.)

Application Process

Prospective candidates should communicate with the Director of the Honors Program before the end of Spring quarter of their junior year.

At the start of fall quarter of senior year, prospective candidates for the honors program must complete the honors application form available online. Prior to submitting an application, the student must obtain the sponsorship of a faculty member who approves the thesis description and agrees to serve as a thesis adviser. Students intending to write a thesis involving more than one discipline may wish to have two advisers, at least one of whom is affiliated with the Public Policy Program. Faculty advisers must be members of Stanford’s Academic Council, unless otherwise approved by the director of the honors program.

After you submit your application, your thesis advisor and the Director of the Honors Program will review it and (if everything is satisfactory) approve it. After you are given the go-ahead, you can declare the Public Policy BAH in Axess and register in PublPol 199 units.

See https://publicpolicy.stanford.edu/undergraduate/honors for current application deadlines, requirements, and more information.

Enrollment & Milestones

During senior year, the student must enroll in at least 8 but no more than 15 units of PUBLPOL 199 Senior Honors Thesis Research. One of those units should be taken during Winter quarter with Marcelo Clerici-Arias to account for a series of biweekly meetings. The rest of the units should be taken with the thesis adviser. The student needs to contact the program office to have their thesis adviser listed as a PUBLPOL 199 instructor. An 'N' or ‘N-’ grade will be given by the adviser in quarters prior to spring, when the thesis is completed and presented. All PUBLPOL 199 Senior Honors Thesis Research units must receive a final grade of at least a 'B+' in order to graduate with honors. In addition, the student must maintain a GPA of 3.5 in the course requirements for a B.A.H. in Public Policy (Public Policy core courses, concentration courses, and PUBLPOL 200H Senior Honors Seminar, excluding PUBLPOL 199 Senior Honors Thesis Research). Please note that courses not taken at Stanford are not included in calculating the GPA in order to graduate with honors from the Public Policy Program.

A description of methodology/study design is due by fourth Monday of winter quarter, preliminary results by the seventh Monday of winter quarter, and a first full draft of the thesis by the first day of classes in spring quarter, always with copies to the thesis adviser and the director of the honors program. The final version of the thesis must be submitted electronically to the thesis adviser, the director of the honors program, and the Public Policy Program office. All theses must be submitted no later than the fifth Wednesday of spring quarter.  If in their final form, those theses will be considered for University and Program awards. If not yet in their final form, the final version must be submitted by the last Friday in May. Each student will give an oral presentation of their thesis approximately during the seventh week of spring quarter.

Graduation with honors requires that the thesis be approved by both the adviser and the honors program director. The role of the honors program director is to assure that the thesis addresses an issue of public policy and satisfies the program's standards of excellence. However, the grade for the honors thesis (PUBLPOL 199 Senior Honors Thesis Research units) is determined by the thesis adviser.

This post-core coursework must be coherent, either in the sense that the courses offer complementary perspectives on common policy issues or in the sense that the courses build on each other sequentially. Also, the coursework should apply skills acquired in one or more of the program’s core courses. As a rule, concentration coursework should consist of upper‐division (100‐level) courses and be taken for a letter grade. Students may design their concentration coursework with the help of their faculty advisors.

Students must submit a concentration form, to be approved by a faculty advisor and the program director, before the end of spring quarter of the junior year, listing their proposed concentration courses and a brief explanation of how these courses fulfill the concentration.

In addition to the concentrations listed, students can design their own concentration should none of the listed topics fit their interests. Below is a list of suggested courses. The list includes classes that students have taken in the past to complete this particular concentration, as well as additional classes that may be considered for this topic. Students may choose to take other courses, though all concentration courses must be discussed with and approved by the faculty advisor whether or not they are on the suggested list. Students may also propose directed reading, Overseas Studies (BOSP), and Bing Stanford in Washington (BSIW) courses.

This post-core coursework must be coherent, either in the sense that the courses offer complementary perspectives on common policy issues or in the sense that the courses build on each other sequentially. Also, the coursework should apply skills acquired in one or more of the program’s core courses. As a rule, concentration coursework should consist of upper‐division (100‐level) courses and be taken for a letter grade. Students may design their concentration coursework with the help of their faculty advisers.

Students must submit a concentration form, to be approved by a faculty advisor and the program director, before the end of spring quarter of the junior year, listing their proposed concentration courses and a brief explanation of how these courses fulfill the concentration.

In addition to the concentrations listed, students can design their own concentration should none of the listed topics fit their interests. Below is a list of suggested courses. The list includes classes that students have taken in the past to complete this particular concentration, as well as additional classes that may be considered for this topic. Students may choose to take other courses, though all concentration courses must be discussed with and approved by the faculty advisor whether or not they are on the suggested list. Students may also propose directed reading, Overseas Studies (BOSP), and Bing Stanford in Washington (BSIW) courses.

This post-core coursework must be coherent, either in the sense that the courses offer complementary perspectives on common policy issues or in the sense that the courses build on each other sequentially. Also, the coursework should apply skills acquired in one or more of the program’s core courses. As a rule, concentration coursework should consist of upper‐division (100‐level) courses and be taken for a letter grade. Students may design their concentration coursework with the help of their faculty advisers.

Students must submit a concentration form, to be approved by a faculty advisor and the program director, before the end of spring quarter of the junior year, listing their proposed concentration courses and a brief explanation of how these courses fulfill the concentration.

In addition to the concentrations listed, students can design their own concentration should none of the listed topics fit their interests. Below is a list of suggested courses. The list includes classes that students have taken in the past to complete this particular concentration, as well as additional classes that may be considered for this topic. Students may choose to take other courses, though all concentration courses must be discussed with and approved by the faculty advisor whether or not they are on the suggested list. Students may also propose directed reading, Overseas Studies (BOSP), and Bing Stanford in Washington (BSIW) courses.

This post-core coursework must be coherent, either in the sense that the courses offer complementary perspectives on common policy issues or in the sense that the courses build on each other sequentially. Also, the coursework should apply skills acquired in one or more of the program’s core courses. As a rule, concentration coursework should consist of upper‐division (100‐level) courses and be taken for a letter grade. Students may design their concentration coursework with the help of their faculty advisers.

Students must submit a concentration form, to be approved by a faculty advisor and the program director, before the end of spring quarter of the junior year, listing their proposed concentration courses and a brief explanation of how these courses fulfill the concentration.

In addition to the concentrations listed, students can design their own concentration should none of the listed topics fit their interests. Below is a list of suggested courses. The list includes classes that students have taken in the past to complete this particular concentration, as well as additional classes that may be considered for this topic. Students may choose to take other courses, though all concentration courses must be discussed with and approved by the faculty advisor whether or not they are on the suggested list. Students may also propose directed reading, Overseas Studies (BOSP), and Bing Stanford in Washington (BSIW) courses.

This post-core coursework must be coherent, either in the sense that the courses offer complementary perspectives on common policy issues or in the sense that the courses build on each other sequentially. Also, the coursework should apply skills acquired in one or more of the program’s core courses. As a rule, concentration coursework should consist of upper‐division (100‐level) courses and be taken for a letter grade. Students may design their concentration coursework with the help of their faculty advisers.

Students must submit a concentration form, to be approved by a faculty advisor and the program director, before the end of spring quarter of the junior year, listing their proposed concentration courses and a brief explanation of how these courses fulfill the concentration.

In addition to the concentrations listed, students can design their own concentration should none of the listed topics fit their interests. Below is a list of suggested courses. The list includes classes that students have taken in the past to complete this particular concentration, as well as additional classes that may be considered for this topic. Students may choose to take other courses, though all concentration courses must be discussed with and approved by the faculty advisor whether or not they are on the suggested list. Students may also propose directed reading, Overseas Studies (BOSP), and Bing Stanford in Washington (BSIW) courses.

This post-core coursework must be coherent, either in the sense that the courses offer complementary perspectives on common policy issues or in the sense that the courses build on each other sequentially. Also, the coursework should apply skills acquired in one or more of the program’s core courses. As a rule, concentration coursework should consist of upper‐division (100‐level) courses and be taken for a letter grade. Students may design their concentration coursework with the help of their faculty advisers.

Students must submit a concentration form, to be approved by a faculty advisor and the program director, before the end of spring quarter of the junior year, listing their proposed concentration courses and a brief explanation of how these courses fulfill the concentration.

In addition to the concentrations listed, students can design their own concentration should none of the listed topics fit their interests. Below is a list of suggested courses. The list includes classes that students have taken in the past to complete this particular concentration, as well as additional classes that may be considered for this topic. Students may choose to take other courses, though all concentration courses must be discussed with and approved by the faculty advisor whether or not they are on the suggested list. Students may also propose directed reading, Overseas Studies (BOSP), and Bing Stanford in Washington (BSIW) courses.

This post-core coursework must be coherent, either in the sense that the courses offer complementary perspectives on common policy issues or in the sense that the courses build on each other sequentially. Also, the coursework should apply skills acquired in one or more of the program’s core courses. As a rule, concentration coursework should consist of upper‐division (100‐level) courses and be taken for a letter grade. Students may design their concentration coursework with the help of their faculty advisers.

Students must submit a concentration form, to be approved by a faculty advisor and the program director, before the end of spring quarter of the junior year, listing their proposed concentration courses and a brief explanation of how these courses fulfill the concentration.

In addition to the concentrations listed, students can design their own concentration should none of the listed topics fit their interests. Below is a list of suggested courses. The list includes classes that students have taken in the past to complete this particular concentration, as well as additional classes that may be considered for this topic. Students may choose to take other courses, though all concentration courses must be discussed with and approved by the faculty advisor whether or not they are on the suggested list. Students may also propose directed reading, Overseas Studies (BOSP), and Bing Stanford in Washington (BSIW) courses.

This post-core coursework must be coherent, either in the sense that the courses offer complementary perspectives on common policy issues or in the sense that the courses build on each other sequentially. Also, the coursework should apply skills acquired in one or more of the program’s core courses. As a rule, concentration coursework should consist of upper‐division (100‐level) courses and be taken for a letter grade. Students may design their concentration coursework with the help of their faculty advisers.

Students must submit a concentration form, to be approved by a faculty advisor and the program director, before the end of spring quarter of the junior year, listing their proposed concentration courses and a brief explanation of how these courses fulfill the concentration.

In addition to the concentrations listed, students can design their own concentration should none of the listed topics fit their interests. Below is a list of suggested courses. The list includes classes that students have taken in the past to complete this particular concentration, as well as additional classes that may be considered for this topic. Students may choose to take other courses, though all concentration courses must be discussed with and approved by the faculty advisor whether or not they are on the suggested list. Students may also propose directed reading, Overseas Studies (BOSP), and Bing Stanford in Washington (BSIW) courses.

This post-core coursework must be coherent, either in the sense that the courses offer complementary perspectives on common policy issues or in the sense that the courses build on each other sequentially. Also, the coursework should apply skills acquired in one or more of the program’s core courses. As a rule, concentration coursework should consist of upper‐division (100‐level) courses and be taken for a letter grade. Students may design their concentration coursework with the help of their faculty advisers.

Students must submit a concentration form, to be approved by a faculty advisor and the program director, before the end of spring quarter of the junior year, listing their proposed concentration courses and a brief explanation of how these courses fulfill the concentration.

In addition to the concentrations listed, students can design their own concentration should none of the listed topics fit their interests. Below is a list of suggested courses. The list includes classes that students have taken in the past to complete this particular concentration, as well as additional classes that may be considered for this topic. Students may choose to take other courses, though all concentration courses must be discussed with and approved by the faculty advisor whether or not they are on the suggested list. Students may also propose directed reading, Overseas Studies (BOSP), and Bing Stanford in Washington (BSIW) courses.

This post-core coursework must be coherent, either in the sense that the courses offer complementary perspectives on common policy issues or in the sense that the courses build on each other sequentially. Also, the coursework should apply skills acquired in one or more of the program’s core courses. As a rule, concentration coursework should consist of upper‐division (100‐level) courses and be taken for a letter grade. Students may design their concentration coursework with the help of their faculty advisers.

Students must submit a concentration form, to be approved by a faculty advisor and the program director, before the end of spring quarter of the junior year, listing their proposed concentration courses and a brief explanation of how these courses fulfill the concentration.

In addition to the concentrations listed, students can design their concentration should none of the listed topics fit their interests. Below is a list of suggested courses. The list includes classes that students have taken in the past to complete this particular concentration, as well as additional classes that may be considered for this topic. Students may choose to take other courses, though all concentration courses must be discussed with and approved by the faculty advisor whether or not they are on the suggested list. Students may also propose directed reading, Overseas Studies (BOSP), and Bing Stanford in Washington (BSIW) courses.

This post-core coursework must be coherent, either in the sense that the courses offer complementary perspectives on common policy issues or in the sense that the courses build on each other sequentially. Also, the coursework should apply skills acquired in one or more of the program’s core courses. As a rule, concentration coursework should consist of upper‐division (100‐level) courses and be taken for a letter grade. Students may design their concentration coursework with the help of their faculty advisers.

Students must submit a concentration form, to be approved by a faculty advisor and the program director, before the end of spring quarter of the junior year, listing their proposed concentration courses and a brief explanation of how these courses fulfill the concentration.

In addition to the concentrations listed, students can design their own concentration should none of the listed topics fit their interests. Below is a list of suggested courses. The list includes classes that students have taken in the past to complete this particular concentration, as well as additional classes that may be considered for this topic. Students may choose to take other courses, though all concentration courses must be discussed with and approved by the faculty advisor whether or not they are on the suggested list. Students may also propose directed reading, Overseas Studies (BOSP), and Bing Stanford in Washington (BSIW) courses.

This post-core coursework must be coherent, either in the sense that the courses offer complementary perspectives on common policy issues or in the sense that the courses build on each other sequentially. Also, the coursework should apply skills acquired in one or more of the program’s core courses. As a rule, concentration coursework should consist of upper‐division (100‐level) courses and be taken for a letter grade. Students may design their concentration coursework with the help of their faculty advisers.

Students must submit a concentration form, to be approved by a faculty advisor and the program director, before the end of spring quarter of the junior year, listing their proposed concentration courses and a brief explanation of how these courses fulfill the concentration.

In addition to the concentrations listed, students can design their own concentration should none of the listed topics fit their interests. Below is a list of suggested courses. The list includes classes that students have taken in the past to complete this particular concentration, as well as additional classes that may be considered for this topic. Students may choose to take other courses, though all concentration courses must be discussed with and approved by the faculty advisor whether or not they are on the suggested list. Students may also propose directed reading, Overseas Studies (BOSP), and Bing Stanford in Washington (BSIW) courses.

This post-core coursework must be coherent, either in the sense that the courses offer complementary perspectives on common policy issues or in the sense that the courses build on each other sequentially. Also, the coursework should apply skills acquired in one or more of the program’s core courses. As a rule, concentration coursework should consist of upper‐division (100‐level) courses and be taken for a letter grade. Students may design their concentration coursework with the help of their faculty advisers.

Students must submit a concentration form, to be approved by a faculty advisor and the program director, before the end of spring quarter of the junior year, listing their proposed concentration courses and a brief explanation of how these courses fulfill the concentration.

In addition to the concentrations listed, students can design their own concentration should none of the listed topics fit their interests. Below is a list of suggested courses. The list includes classes that students have taken in the past to complete this particular concentration, as well as additional classes that may be considered for this topic. Students may choose to take other courses, though all concentration courses must be discussed with and approved by the faculty advisor whether or not they are on the suggested list. Students may also propose directed reading, Overseas Studies (BOSP), and Bing Stanford in Washington (BSIW) courses.

This post-core coursework must be coherent, either in the sense that the courses offer complementary perspectives on common policy issues or in the sense that the courses build on each other sequentially. Also, the coursework should apply skills acquired in one or more of the program’s core courses. As a rule, concentration coursework should consist of upper‐division (100‐level) courses and be taken for a letter grade. Students may design their concentration coursework with the help of their faculty advisers.

Students must submit a concentration form, to be approved by a faculty advisor and the program director, before the end of spring quarter of the junior year, listing their proposed concentration courses and a brief explanation of how these courses fulfill the concentration.