Student Directory
FAQ's-BA
Is the BA program open to incoming Freshman?
Do you accept applications from students enrolled at other universities?
Exactly what is involved in applying to the Ford School?
Do I have to complete the required classes by the time of my application?
When is the application deadline?
How many applications do you receive? How many applicants do you accept?
Is my AP credit acceptable for the prerequisites?
What counts as an introductory social science course for the prerequisites?
How many credits do I need to apply (ie. what is sophomore standing)?
Do you have rolling admissions?
Is it possible to go part-time?
Do you offer night or online classes?
What is the average class size?
Can I pursue a minor?
Can I do a dual degree?
What are my study abroad options?
Are internships required?
What if I would like to do an internship?
Do you offer an honors thesis?
What are the language requirements?
What can I do with my BA in public policy?
How often is PubPol 201: Systematic Thinking About Problems of the Day offered?
Is the BA program open to incoming Freshman? No, the BA program is designed for Junior and Senior level students, who apply during their Sophomore year.
Do you accept applications from students enrolled at other universities? At this time, we do not accept applications from students who are not already enrolled at UM-Ann Arbor.
Exactly what is involved in applying to the Ford School? Enrolling in the Ford School means transferring from the school or college in which you are currently enrolled into the Ford School. You fill out a transfer application (available on the Undergraduate Admissions website) to apply to the Ford School.
Do I have to complete the required classes by the time of my application? The required classes must be taken by the time you enter the program. It is fine to be taking the pre-requisites during the winter term of your sophomore year.
When is the application deadline? Applications for the BA program are due by February 1 st each year. We must receive all application materials by this deadline.
How many applications do you receive? How many applicants do you accept? We received approximately 100 applications last year and expect this number to grow in the coming years. We want to end up with 50 students entering the program each year.
Is my AP credit acceptable for the prerequisites? Yes, but for each prerequisite fulfilled by AP credit, we would expect applicants to take an additional social science course at Michigan during their first two years.
What counts as an introductory social science course for the prerequisites? Any course with a social science designation in LS&A that is an entry point into that unit's curriculum will be considered. We expect many applicants to have more than one such course (in addition to Econ 101 and 102).
How many credits do I need to apply (ie. what is sophomore standing)? You will need to have junior standing to enter the program, which means 55 credit hours by the beginning of the Fall Term when you enter the program.
Do you have rolling admissions? No
Is it possible to go part-time? No, although special circumstances will be taken into account.
Do you offer night or online classes? No
What is the average class size? The policy seminars will be restricted to Ford School BA students and will have 20-30 students. The other classes will have 70 or so. They will also have a GSI.
Can I pursue a minor? Yes. Fulfilling an LSA minor will be one way to meet the elective component of the BA.
Can I do a dual degree? We actively discourage dual degrees. Since public policy is a separate degree program, gaining both degrees would require at least 150 credit hours, necessitating an extra year of undergraduate study.
What are my study abroad options? We encourage students to think about study abroad (or a term in the Michigan in Washington program). We will work with students to fit this into their academic programs.
What if I would like to do an internship? The Public Service Internship Program administered by the Career Center is one prominent option. The Ford School will not be actively involved in arranging undergraduate internships.
Do you offer an honors thesis? No. The projects students will pursue in the policy seminars (one each year) will provide an alternative to the traditional honors thesis.
What are the language requirements? Same as LS&A—fourth term proficiency.
What can I do with my BA in public policy? You can do almost anything you could do with a liberal arts degree in the social sciences. Students contemplating pursuit of a graduate professional degree (in public policy, law, business, public health, etc.) should find the BA in public policy a particularly useful foundation for their future academic work.
How often is PubPol 201: Systematic Thinking About Problems of the Day offered? Once a year, in Fall term.
