BBA: BL 488
BL 488: Business and the Public Policy Process
Discover how business and public policy work as a Carson Scholar where you learn on campus in the winter term and then travel to Washington, D.C. in early May to meet with a range of elected officials, government experts, industry leaders, issue advocates, and lobbyists!
Ross BBA and Business Minor Juniors and Sophomores are invited to apply to become a Carson Scholar. During the course and Carson Scholars Program – now in its 18th year and with over 1,000 alumni – all students will have the opportunity to meet with government and business leaders, and learn from a range of experts on the public policy process.
The Ross School of Business offers a three-credit BBA course in Washington, D.C. in early May following Michigan Commencement. Students admitted to the course are designated as “Carson Scholars.”
2024 Applications are now open!
Follow this link to complete the application.
The Washington Campus is a consortium of business schools at seventeen prominent U.S. universities, including the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. Organized in 1978 by L. William Seidman (Michigan MBA, ’49) and other visionary academic and business leaders, the Campus was founded on the principle that understanding how government works is indispensable knowledge for all business leaders.
The Washington Campus course “Business and the Public Policy” is designed to provide students with the frameworks, concepts, and tools needed to incorporate the public policy dimension into managerial decision making and strategic planning. The course focuses on Congress and the legislative process, the structure of the federal courts, the impact of judicial decision making on business, the federal regulatory process, the organization of the White House, the role of lobbyists and interest groups, and the role of the media in the public policy process.
The course will have 6 class sessions during the Winter B semester before heading to Washington D.C. in early May the week after University of Michigan Commencement. While in Washington, students will participate in an intensive, one-week course held at a series of unique locations around D.C.
In 2005, David Carson (Michigan BBA, ’55) established a gift at the Ross School of Business that covers the Washington Campus fee. Forbes magazine named Mr. Carson, the now-retired CEO of People’s Savings Bank in Bridgeport, Connecticut, as one of the 500 “most powerful people” in corporate America. Students admitted to the course are designated as “Carson Scholars.”
- Carson Scholar students are still responsible for a Ross course fee of $600, which covers five nights at a centrally located Washington, DC hotel and other administrative costs. The Ross fee of $600 will be directly charged to a Carson Scholar’s Winter tuition bill. Carson Scholars are also responsible for arranging their own transportation to Washington and for their meals during the program.
- To ensure access to the course and experience additional financial support from Ross is available so all qualified students should apply.
The faculty director is Professor Norm Bishara.
- Guest lecturers in the course include current and former government officials – for example, members of Congress, senior White House and Congressional staff, regulatory and cabinet agency executives, journalists, business executives, political professionals, and representatives of advocacy organizations. The course includes site visits to Capitol Hill and various government and diplomatic buildings, as well as opportunities to act with a range of business leaders and University of Michigan alumni.
Admission decisions are announced before the Thanksgiving break. Admitted students add the class when registering for Winter Term courses. This course is included in the 18-credit-hour limit for the Winter term. Students not admitted to the course may be placed on a waitlist.
- First-round applications for the May 2024 session are due Sunday, October 15, 2023, at 8:00 p.m. and will receive priority review.
- Applications submitted by the second round deadline (Monday, October 30, 2023, at 8:00 p.m.) will receive a full review, subject to availability. Later applications may be reviewed depending on the continued availability.
For more information: Be sure to read our page of Frequently Asked Questions about the Washington Campus program, and view the agendas from the past session. If you have additional questions, please contact carsonscholars@umich.edu or Professor Norm Bishara (nbishara@umich.edu).