Public Policy Analysis melds traditional academic fields like economics or biology with hands-on policy study for future leaders.
Public Policy Analysis is a unique major for undergraduate study. We seek to provide a distinctive liberal education for leaders in our global society, who will face complex and challenging issues and decisions.
Our program is hands-on and problem-focused. We offer an array of analytical techniques, a wide perspective on social issues, and practical experience.
You’ll choose from 11 formal concentrations: anthropology, biology, chemistry, economics, environmental analysis, geology, physics, politics, psychology, science-technology-and-society, sociology or design your own.
Our seniors complete a 180-hour policy-related internship and a thesis.
What You’ll Study
- Four courses of public policy
- Statistical or quantitative methods
- A public policy elective like Education Politics and Policy
- Courses in your concentration
- Senior thesis and internship
Learning at Pomona
The Virus That Never Sleeps: How New York University Implemented Comprehensive COVID-19 Testing
Lauren Rodriguez ’22 wrote a case study of one university's work to contain the spread of COVID-19 on campus, researching the extent to which NYU had successfully implemented New York State's guidelines for reopening campuses safely, focusing in particular on the infrastructure they had developed for testing.
Implementation and Evaluation of Vote by Mail in Oregon
Ahead of the 2020 election, Samuel Hernandez Jr. ’22 examined election policy in Oregon, looking at its historical context of vote by mail policies, the key institutions that work together to actually make elections happen, and their capacity to conduct a safe and secure election during a pandemic.
Preparing for the Fall 2020 Semester: An Investigation of Social Distancing Measures and Significant Obstacles for College Campuses Across the Country
Cade Novara ’23 examined the best methods for schools to re-open in the fall with stringent COVID-19 restrictions.
The PPA program is unique at Pomona in that it requires students to do a substantive internship either the fall semester of senior year in the Claremont/Los Angeles area or the spring semester of junior year through the CMC Washington Program. I know that my internships and classes have fully prepared me for whatever steps I take after graduation.