<p>When I go to college, I know I'm going to probably major in either Political Science or Sociology, and more than likely, I want to get my Ph.D. But when I look around at different majors and whatnot, I see some schools offer political science, some offer government, and some offer public policy. What's the difference?</p>
<p>public policy has to do with the creation and regulation of specific laws and such, and why certain laws work and others don't, etc. they look for solution to public problems and issues.</p>
<p>polisci deals with the theories of different types of governing, how people governed themselves, influences on politics, different political ideologies, etc.</p>
<p>from my knowledge, government is similar to polisci. if a school offers gov as a major, it most likely will not offer polisci, and vice versa. i could be wrong on this though.</p>
<p>I agree with h0la. If you look around, you will probably also find that many colleges simply call their political science major "politics". Oftentimes, International Relations students follow a IR track within a general politics/government/polisci major.</p>
<p>I agree with h0la's description of public policy. At larger schools, especially at the graduate level, public policy is often separated from political science/government, with the public policy/admin people going for an MPA (and then maybe a PhD), while the poli sci students lean towards the PhD. Those interested in public policy usually intend, at least at the beginning of their careers, to be practitioners at some level of government Sometimes the MPA is an add on after spending some time working in government, similarly to the MBA being received after some experience working in the business sector.</p>
<p>Clearly, however, there are a lot of cross over points.</p>
<p>Well, here is the difference as per Princeton Review:</p>
<p>"In a nutshell, Political Science is the academic study of politics and government. In one sense, it is an ancient discipline. It remains central to any classical study of the liberal arts, firmly grounded as it is in the work of Plato and Aristotle. In another sense, because it often deals with current events and sophisticated statistical analysis, Political Science is a cutting-edge area of study. Whether you are analyzing voting patterns in a presidential campaign, the Israeli parliament, or the pros and cons of different systems of government, Political Science is timely, fascinating, and perpetually changing.</p>
<p>Like any liberal arts major, Political Science makes no claims to be a pre-professional program. It certainly doesn't exist to teach disconnected facts about politics. Instead, Political Science majors develop excellent critical thinking and communication skills and, more broadly, an understanding of history and culture. Even more broadly, Political Science tackles those Big, Serious, Heavy, Eternal Questions. What is the best way to reconcile individual desires and community needs? Is it possible to have both freedom and equality? Authority and justice? Etc.</p>
<p>If you major in Political Science, you'll study everything from revolutions to political parties to voting behavior to public policy. You are also likely to explore the political issues inherent to different regions of the world, like the Middle East, East Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe."</p>
<p>"If you fancy picturing yourself striding down the halls of the White House someday—or you’re simply fascinated by what goes on there—then welcome to a major in Government. As a government major, you’ll kick off with government basics such as the legislative process, political parties, and our judicial system. You’ll move on to comparing different political systems and learning how the government operates on the state and municipal levels. You’ll gain an understanding of political theory and begin to develop ideas of your own about what government is and should be—though you probably have plenty of those already.</p>
<p>An understanding of our government is crucial to understanding our country, but the reverse is also true. With a government major, you’ll study American history, and you’ll see how our civilization has changed over the years. When you study the history of law in our country, it becomes evident just how our society has been shaped by it. Civil rights, and the challenges still posed in that area, will be part of the curriculum, too.</p>
<p>Different programs might ask you to choose a concentration in a specific realm of government, such as international relations or comparative politics. You might study the governments of different countries in order to compare and contrast the politics at work, or analyze U.S. involvement with foreign countries. You might be asked to examine the role government plays in business, the environment, and the press. No matter where your college studies lead you, you’ll gain a deep understanding of our government, and you’ll acquire the skills necessary to critique, evaluate, and, eventually, contribute to it."</p>
<p>"Ever wonder why governments do things that no one seems to understand? Ever want to know why your hometown has six stoplights on four blocks, or what exactly goes on inside of a “think tank”? Perhaps you’ve always wanted to be behind the political scene, helping to shape and inform the decisions that effect policy decisions.</p>
<p>A major in Public Policy Analysis will place you right at the heart of some of the most important economic and social decisions made by businesses and governments. Using statistical information, economic tools and theories such as cost benefit analyses and case studies, a Public Policy Analysis major will provide you with the skills you need to evaluate policy decisions. Whether you are working in the corporate world or with the federal and local government, you will be ready to formulate and critique policies that have a direct bearing on our society and environment.</p>
<p>Public Policy Analysis majors can play a number of roles given their strong background in mathematics and economics. You will improve your critical thinking skills as well as strengthen your organizational and decision-making abilities. When it’s all over, you will be ready to enter one of the fastest-growing fields in the job market."</p>
<p>Whatever .</p>
<p>political science and government are the same thing. h0la is right, the school will typically either call it one or the other, they never both exist as different majors at one school.</p>