Curriculum
Completion of all Gerald Ford Institute for Public Service requirements leads to a concentration in Public Policy and Service. A concentration is a focus in a specific area of study that is selected in addition to a major (and minor, if applicable).
Each student is required to choose a major sometime before junior year. Often, course requirements for the Gerald Ford Institute for Public Service overlap with major courses or other requirements of the college. We have student members from over thirty different majors. Involvement in the Gerald Ford Institute for Public Service is an exceptional complement to a range of interests. Opportunities through the Gerald Ford Institute for Public Service help students find specific interests and strengths, as well as network with alumni and experts within their fields.
The Gerald Ford Institute for Public Service concentration requires 5.5 units of coursework to complete, plus one unit of internship, as well as attendance at lectures and a commitment to community service.
Ford Requirements
- PBSV 101 – Intro to Public Service
- PLSC 101 – Politics of American Democracy
- PLSC 216 – Public Policy Analysis
- General (at least one)
- Communications – Public Speaking
- Communications – Argumentation and Advocacy
- English – Advanced Expository Writing
- English – Introductory Creative Writing
- English – Multimedia Journalism
- Economics & Management – Intro to Micro-Economics
- One semester of modern language at the 200 level or above
- Philosophy (at least one)
- Philosophy 201 – Ethics
- Philosophy 202 – Social Philosophy
- Philosophy 206 – Contemporary Moral Problems
- Philosophy 301 – Environmental Ethics
- Philosophy 302 – Leadership Ethics
- Philosophy 303 – Business Ethics
- Philosophy 304 – Ethics and Public Policy
- Philosophy 308 – Biomedical Ethics
- Philosophy 309 – International Ethics and Global Development
- Philosophy 335 – Philosophical Issues in the Law
- Religion 242 – Christian Ethics
- PBSV 397 – Senior Colloquium (spring of senior year)
- Internship (one unit minimum)
- Community Service (ten hours x number of semesters in Ford)
- Lectures and Events (at least two per semester + occasional mandatory)
Internship Requirement
Ford students are required to complete an internship in the field of public service during their time at Albion College. Many students choose internships in an area of politics, but numerous other types of public service internships are available and have been completed by our students. Some Ford students work with the Director of the Institute to create their own internships in an area that is of special interest to them.
Internship credit may be obtained one of two ways:
Internships
A full-time internship for at least one unit of academic credit (300 hours), or two 150-hour part-time internships (0.5 units each), in an area of public policy and public service are typically completed in the junior year or over the summer break. This can be done locally while taking courses at Albion, or a student may concentrate only on the internship off-campus.
Off-Campus Programs
There are many work/study programs that help arrange an internship in the field of public policy and public service for one to two units of academic credit in conjunction with two to three units of academic course work that are transferable to Albion College. Programs such as the Washington Center, Washington Semester, Chicago Center of Urban Studies, Philadelphia Center, Educational Programs Abroad (EPA), and international experiences through Boston University allow students to explore their academic and career interests in a different city or nation.
For more information regarding internship opportunities, visit the Career and Internship Center website and contact them to set up an appointment.