Public Administration and Policy Major: What It Includes, Classes and Careers

A Public Administration and Policy major teaches you to manage government agencies and nonprofit organizations. Public administration majors learn public budgeting, policy analysis, public management, administrative law and nonprofit management.

A Public Administration and Policy major includes coursework in public administration, public budgeting and finance, policy analysis, administrative law, and nonprofit management and more. You build skills such as budgeting, policy analysis, program management, and communication. Typical degrees: bachelor's and master's (MPA) degrees.

Typical courses include public administration, public budgeting and finance, policy analysis, administrative law, nonprofit management, and public leadership and ethics. Exact course names and requirements vary by college, and most degrees also include general education courses.

It depends on the level. Public Administration and Policy is offered as certificate, associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral awards at U.S. colleges; certificates take from a few months to about two years, an associate degree usually takes about two years of full-time study, a bachelor’s degree usually takes about four years of full-time study, a master’s degree usually takes one to two years after a bachelor’s, and a doctoral or professional degree takes several more years beyond that. Part-time study takes longer.

Bachelor's and master's (MPA) degrees. In the latest federal data, 138 colleges reported certificate awards, 19 colleges reported associate awards, 194 colleges reported bachelor’s awards, 410 colleges reported master’s awards, and 75 colleges reported doctoral awards.

Career paths connected to public administration and policy include social and community service manager, budget analyst, emergency management director, urban planner, administrative services manager, tax examiner, eligibility interviewer, and court clerk. Some roles need additional training, experience, certification or a license.

Examples include social and community service manager (typical training: 4 years + under 5 years of experience), budget analyst (typical training: Entry-level with a degree), emergency management director (typical training: Bachelor’s plus 5+ years of experience), urban planner (typical training: 6 years (bachelor’s + master’s)), administrative services manager (typical training: Several years of experience), and tax examiner (typical training: 4 years + agency training).

Public Administration and Policy majors build skills such as budgeting, policy analysis, program management, communication, and ethics.

Good pairings include Economics (strengthens budgeting and policy analysis), Emergency Management (fits public safety agency work), and Data Analytics (supports evidence-based policy).

It can be a good fit if you are interested in the work it leads to, such as social and community service manager, budget analyst, and emergency management director, and enjoy subjects like public administration and public budgeting and finance. No major guarantees a job, so compare the coursework, the careers and the education each career requires before deciding.

How hard it feels depends on your strengths. Core coursework includes public administration, public budgeting and finance, and policy analysis; if those subjects interest you, the major is likely to feel more manageable. Reviewing a college’s course list and talking to current students helps you judge.

519 U.S. colleges reported awarding degrees or certificates in this field in the latest federal (IPEDS) data. Programs can have different names at different schools.

California (51), Texas (39), New York (33), Pennsylvania (30), and Georgia (19), based on the colleges that reported awards in this field.

492 of the colleges that offer public administration and policy also report offering at least one program entirely online, though not necessarily this one. Use the college search with this major and “Offers fully online programs”, then confirm with the school.

Public Administration and Policy teaches you to manage government agencies and nonprofit organizations. Psychology studies how people think, feel, learn and behave. Public Administration and Policy leads to careers such as social and community service manager and budget analyst, while Psychology leads to careers such as psychiatric technician and human services assistant.

Public Administration and Policy teaches you to manage government agencies and nonprofit organizations. Social Work prepares you to help individuals, families and communities facing challenges. Public Administration and Policy leads to careers such as social and community service manager and budget analyst, while Social Work leads to careers such as social worker and healthcare social worker.

Yes. Short online career training can help you understand a specific job and build practical knowledge alongside your classes. It does not replace your degree or any required license.

No. Career Education Institute is not a college and does not award degrees. It offers short, non-credit online trainings about jobs connected to public administration and policy, such as Social and Community Service Manager Training.