PPOL 494 - St. Mary’s Project in Public Policy

Credit Hours: 1-8
Frequency of Offering: Offered in each semester

The St. Mary’s Project in public policy is a two-semester experience. The project, which may take many forms, draws on and extends knowledge, skills of analysis, and creative achievement developed through previous academic work. During the first semester a student initiates his or her project, identifies an area to be explored, and proposes a method of inquiry appropriate to the topic. A faculty mentor supervises the project research. Students will complete the project in the second semester under the direction of the faculty mentor. The project should demonstrate the student’s ability to undertake research in an area of public policy, to analyze the patterns of interaction among the political actors as appropriate, and to present the results of the research to the College community in a cogent and meaningful manner. Eight credit hours of this course satisfy the requirement for a St. Mary’s Project. With the approval of the public policy coordinator, this requirement may be satisfied by completing eight credit hours of the St. Mary’s Project in any discipline or cross-disciplinary study area.