BSc in Urban Studies and Public Policy

Mission

The major in urban studies and public policy is designed to prepare students for careers in public service or private corporations involved in public issues. Career paths include government, law, city planning, non-profit management and public policy analysis. The curriculum explores urban issues in real estate development, transportation, land use and housing that focuses on finding solutions to inner-city problems such as unemployment, poverty, and crime.

Student Learning Outcomes

• Understand the relationship between the urban environment and human behavior.
• Identify the causes and effect of urban problems.
• Quantify the costs and benefits of public programs in order to conduct rational policy analysis.
• Propose practical solutions to social problems.
• Communicate complex policy issues in a clear and concise manner both orally and in writing.
• Influence the political process by explaining policy solutions to both public officials and the general public.

Programs/Opportunities

Students are offered the opportunity to gain practical experience in community affairs by working with:

• Dillard University Community Development Corporation (CDC). The Dillard CDC - a non-profit corporation involved in urban revitalization by offering city planning services to the community, as well as offering homebuyer training and financial assistance to residents interested in purchasing or renovating homes in the Dillard neighborhood.

Exceptional students are encouraged to participate in one of the joint master’s degree programs offered by the Department of Urban Studies and Public Policy.

Three/two (3/2) programs are available with:

• New School University - Master of Arts Urban Policy Analysis and Management
• University of New Orleans - Master of Urban and Regional Planning or Master of Science in Urban Studies

Requirements for Bachelor of Science Urban Studies and Public Policy

Complete a total of 122 credit hours of coursework for graduation.

Requirements for Bachelor of Science Urban Studies and Public Policy – 3/2 Program

Complete a total of 122 credit hours of coursework for graduation.

Dillard University, Louisiana's oldest historically Black university, is a private four-year liberal art faith-based university. Located in New Orleans, we offer 22 bachelor's degrees in the disciplines of Business, Health, and Wellness, Humanities, Nursing, STEM, and Social Sciences. Our diverse student body is comprised of students from 33 states and 12 countries.

Dillard University attracts the leaders, thinkers, and artists of tomorrow, and equips them with the tools they need to imagine and build a better world for everyone. Our students do not acquire knowledge alone; they develop compassion and high ethical standards alongside it. They think critically, but they do not stop at thinking; they act to turn their dreams into reality. In doing the work they are called to do, they do not choose the easy path over the right path. Instead, their commitment to excellence and integrity makes their work resilient by inspiring others to join their cause. Our motto, “Ex Fide, Fortis," means "From Faith, Strength." It is this faith that keeps our vision clear, our hearts full, and our actions confident and deliberate, as together we transform the world into the world that it should be.