Law, Economics & Public Policy

On this page: Major Description | Requirements | Learning Objectives | Faculty & Staff | Courses

The Law, Economics & Public Policy Major

The Law, Economics & Public Policy (LEPP) major is designed for students who want to explore how legal institutions shape policy decisions and the political and economic contexts that influence the creation of the law. The degree provides a grounding in economics and political science as students learn to analyze legal and policy problems, alternatives, and consequences.

The LEPP curriculum combines theoretical analysis and practical experience through applied coursework and undergraduate research, community-based learning and academic internship opportunities, and the possibility of contributing to and working on the UW Bothell Policy Journal. Like all IAS degrees, LEPP emphasizes core capacities in critical and creative thinking, interdisciplinary research, collaboration and shared leadership, and writing and communication.

Career focus

Students in LEPP build a powerful foundation for careers with non-governmental organizations, policy analysis think-tanks, and local, state, and federal government. LEPP graduates are prepared to undertake graduate study in law, policy studies, public policy, and management, among other fields.

Major requirements

Prerequisites

In addition to the general admission requirements, students must have completed the following prerequisites to be considered for admission to Law, Economics and Public Policy:

Microeconomics (BIS 200 (Formerly BCUSP 200), BBUS 220, B CUSP 200, ECON 200 or equivalent)
Introduction to American Government or American Politics (BIS 175 (formerly B CUSP 175), BIS 280, POL S 202 or equivalent)

Degree requirements

BIS 300 Interdisciplinary Inquiry* - min. 2.0 grade (5 credits)
BISLEP 301 Law, Economics & Public Policy (5 credits)
BISLEP 302 Policy Analysis (5 credits)
BIS 215 Understanding Statistics (5 credits)
Additional Skills & Methods coursework (5 credits)
Policy Foundation courses (10 credits)
Policy Foundation or Policy Problem courses (10 credits)
Additional IAS Coursework (20 credits)
BIS 499 Portfolio Capstone - min. 2.5 grade (5 credits)

TOTAL = 70 Credits

*Should be taken in the first quarter of IAS enrollment.

Note: Classes in this major are offered primarily during day-time hours.

Learning objectives

The Law, Economics & Public Policy curriculum advances the five core IAS learning objectives. Students taking courses and/or majoring in Law, Economics & Public Policy:

Understand, critically examine, and apply theories and models of economic, political, social, and legal decision-making and policy-making.
Acquire appropriate skill sets for analyzing, displaying and employing data (qualitative and quantitative) as evidence for understanding social, legal and political concerns.
Become an effective and persuasive speaker, writer and presenter.
Recognize and understand the role of ethical dimensions inherent in policy-making.
Are able to apply the above skills to address complex social and policy problems in practice in order to foster greater equity and ethically negotiate intersectional spaces where diverse interests are represented.

Faculty

Please contact the LEPP Faculty Coordinator if you have any questions, concerns or ideas about the Law, Economics and Public Policy major. To declare the LEPP major, please contact the First Year & Pre-Major Program.

Academic Advisor

Stephanie Lê

Research Librarian

Chelsea Nesvig

Courses

Recommended preparation

Interested in exploring this major, but not ready to commit? Consider taking one of the below courses! Any of these selections will help familiarize you with the academic program and prepare you for advanced coursework in the major.

BIS 282 Globalization
BIS 279 Introduction to Law & Society
BIS 284 International Relations

Required Prerequisites

In addition to the general admission requirements, students must have completed the following prerequisites to be considered for admission to Law, Economics and Public Policy major.

BIS 200/ B BUS 220 Introduction to Microeconomics (or equivalent ECON 200)
BIS 175 Introduction to American Government (or equivalent POL S 202)

A. LEPP Core Courses (LEPP:CORE)

BISLEP 301 Law, Economics & Public Policy (5 credits)
BISLEP 302 Policy Analysis (5 credits)

B. Skills & Method Courses (LEPP:SKILLS)

BIS 217 Introduction to Debate
BIS 215 Understanding Statistics or equivalent *
BIS 312 Approaches to Social Research
BIS 340 Approaches to Cultural Research
BIS 342 Geographic Information Systems
BIS 343 Geographic Visualization
BIS 352 Mapping Communities
BIS 410 Topics in Qualitative Inquiry
BIS 442 Advanced GIS Analysis and Applications
BIS 447 Topics in Quantitative Inquiry
BIS 483 Community Organizing
BIS 495 Internship
BIS 496 Community Service Project
BIS 497 Political Internship in State Government
BBUS 402 Managing Work Teams

* All LEPP students must take BIS 215 Understanding Statistics or equivalent

C. Policy Foundation Courses (LEPP:FOUND)

BIS 201/B BUS 221 Introduction to Macroeconomics
BIS 226 Foundations of U.S. Social Service
BIS 279 Introduction to Law & Society
BIS 353 Human Rights in Theory and Practice
BIS 338 Political Institutions & Processes
BIS 394 Comparative Economic Development
BIS 415 Public Policy & Law
BIS 416 U.S. Constitutional Law
BISGST 324 International Political Economy
BISSTA 304 Institutions & Social Change
BISSTA 359 Ethics & Society

D. Policy Problem Courses (LEPP:PROBLEM)

BEARTH 155 Introduction to Climate Science
BES 331 Estuarine Science and Management
BIS 219 The Politics of Sex Education
BIS 252 Politics of Science
BIS 255 Critical Diversity Studies
BIS 275 Social Problems
BIS 282 Globalization
BIS 284 International Relations
BIS 307 Environmental Justice
BIS 310 Women, Culture and Development
BIS 321 Human Rights and the Arts
BIS 326 Race, Space, and Segregation
BIS 327 History of US Labor Institutions
BIS/BEDUC 328 Diversity, Leadership, and Engagement
BIS 335 Human Rights in America
BIS 336 History of Mass Incarceration in the United States
BIS 359 Principles & Controversies of Sustainability
BIS 374 Middle East Politics
BIS 380 Bioethics
BIS 384 Health, Medicine and Society
BIS 386 Global Environmental Issues
BIS 392 Water & Sustainability
BIS 403 WA DC Seminar on Human Rights
BIS 406 Urban Planning and Geography
BIS 408 Critical Physical Geography
BIS 419 Urban Politics and Policy
BIS 421 Technology Policy
BIS 441 Global Labor Markets
BIS 443 Education Policy & the Economy
BIS 446 Science, Expertise and Public Policy
BIS 448 Social Policy
BIS 456 Climate Anxiety, Grief and Resilience
BIS 458 Energy, Environment, and Society
BIS 459 Conservation & Sustainable Development
BIS 466 Human Rights & Resistance
BIS 468 Human Rights & Sustainability
BISAES 363 Conflict & Connections in the Americas
BISGWS 302 Histories and Movements of Gender and Sexuality
BST 445 Political Economy of Energy

E. May count in Law, Economics & Public Policy (LEPP)

Topics courses under the below course numbers may apply to the LEPP major depending on the subject and title. Please see the Time Schedule notes to determine how they count toward the major.

BIS 293 Special Topics
BIS 294 The Arts of Collaboration: Working in Teams
BIS 305 Issues in Social & Political Philosophy
BIS 314 Topics in Geography
BIS 316 Topics in Psychology
BIS 339 Global Cultural Studies
BIS 341 Topics in the Study of Culture
BIS 393 Special Topics
BIS 396 Topics in Sustainability
BIS 414 Topics in Human Rights
BIS 442 Advanced Geographic Information Systems
BIS 490 Advanced Seminar
BIS 491 Topics in Policy Studies
BIS 493 Special Topics
BISGST 397 Topics in Global Studies
BISLEP 397 Topics in Law, Economics, and Public Policy
BISLEP 497 Advanced Topics in Law, Economics, and Public Policy