Public Administration (BA)

What is A Public Administration (BA) Degree?

The field of Public Administration is hard to define because the concept is complex and changes as rapidly as local and global issues change.  The simplest way to describe public administration is the management of goods and services needed by the public in a community.  This includes goods like park benches for people to sit on in parks and traffic lights that control traffic at intersections.  It also includes services like the patrolling of the streets by police officers to keep people safe and the collecting of tax money to pay for the park benches and the officers’ work.

A BS degree in Public Administration (sometimes called a BPA degree) will prepare you to take a leadership role in the effective management of these goods and services in both public and nonprofit agencies, hospitals and public health institutions, and some private companies.  Coursework in the program, in addition to general education, will include subject such as administrative law, public fiscal management, public policy, intergovernmental relations, and the ethics of leadership.  With the BS degree you’ll be prepared to be a data analyst or policy analyst, transportation manager, public works assistant—those kinds of entry-level positions; and, with several years of experience in public administration, you’ll qualify for higher level positions like county administrator, city manager, or even Mayor!  You may want to consider, after getting some experience in the field, to study for an MBA with a specialization in public administration to be fully qualified for a broad range of careers.