Gender and Public Policy Concentration

The Gender and Public Policy Concentration provides students with the skills needed to identify gender inequalities in economic, social, and political structures, and to evaluate and implement the policy approaches that work best to mitigate these inequalities.

In this concentration, students can conduct a gender analysis of any public affairs topic, from transportation to foreign policy. The Center on Women, Gender, and Public Policy further supports the concentration by connecting students to related internship opportunities in both global and domestic organizations. 

The Humphrey School is unique among public affairs schools for the strength of its faculty who integrate a gender lens into their policy work and scholarship. The faculty of the Humphrey School are particularly strong on the issues of gender and social policy, feminist organizations and social movements, feminist economics, population policy, gender and human rights, gender and planning, gender and international development, and gender and electoral politics. In addition, students can draw on the University of Minnesota’s outstanding faculty who teach graduate courses in Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies, History, Public Health, American Studies, Law, Political Science, Communications, Social Work, and Sociology. 

Students interested in pursuing this concentration should schedule a meeting with their advisor and meet with the concentration’s faculty director, Professor Christina Ewig, to discuss course selection, plan internships, and explore professional papers or capstones to fit their career goals.

Concentration Requirements

Students in the Gender and Public Policy concentration must fulfill three requirements.

  • Meet the core requirements for their degree program 
  • Complete the core course, PA 5601: Global Survey of Gender and Public Policy
  • Design and complete a 6-credit plan for additional coursework 

Selected courses must allow for a sustained commitment to a coherent program of student development. Students should think carefully about how their elective courses will provide the education needed to pursue their public affairs goals in the future. They should describe this rationale in a brief narrative (approximately one paragraph) submitted to and approved by their advisor. 

Faculty and Courses

Find additional information on current faculty affiliated with the concentration and potential course and internship combinations by interest area.