If your academic interests encompass PUBPOL and another academic discipline in Trinity College, you may wish to consider declaring an interdepartmental major.
To complete an IDM with public policy, you must complete four of the five core courses, complete an internship, and do two public policy electives.
Requirements
4 of the 5 PUBPOL core courses
PUBPOL 101 Introduction to Policy Analysis. This course is a prerequisite for all the core courses except PUBPOL 150 and PUBPOL 303 and is the gateway course for the major. Effective Fall 2023, PUBPOL 155D will be a satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U) course.
PUBPOL 301 Political Analysis for Public Policy
PUBPOL 302 Policy Choice as Value Conflict OR PUBPOL 330/GLHLTH 210 Global Health Ethics
PUBPOL 303 Microeconomic Policy Tools OR ECON 201D Intermediate Microeconomics I
PUBPOL 150D Applied Statistics for Public Policy. For 2027, 2028, and 2029 graduates, STA 199L Introduction to Data Science and Statistical Thinking OR PUBPOL 150D. ECON 104, STA 101L, STA 102L, STA 113FS, or STA 198L may substitute for STA 199L or PUBPOL 150D. For students entering Duke in Fall 2026 or after, PUBPOL 150D. ECON 104 may substitute for PUBPOL 150D. The DUS will also consider requests for course substitutes.
Internship
3 PUBPOL electives
4 Steps to Registering
- Set up a meeting to discuss the PUBPOL IDM requirements with Professor Suzanne Katzenstein, Director of Undergraduate Studies.
- Find a faculty advisor in both academic departments to supervise your IDM major. Meet with both advisors to review your course selection.
- Email the proposal to Suzanne Pierce, suzanne.pierce@duke.edu, for final review of public policy courses.
- Have faculty advisors and Directors of Undergraduate Studies sign for both academic departments.
- Once the form has been approved by both academic programs, submit the signed form and worksheet to Dean Heather Settle for final approval.