"Mini-Guide" to Public Administration Degrees Online

Public administration is a large discipline in which employees manage local, city, state, and federal govenment functions. These workers set goals and employ strategies to ensure the government or community runs smoothly and safely.

Those in public administration are responsible for community programs, nonprofit management, economic development, urban/regional planning, and budget planning at the city, state, or federal level. Graduates of this field will rely heavily on organizational skills and creativity to effect change.

Here's what some had to say about the field:

• "Through public administration, one learns about the current ways in which services and programs are being developed and managed to meet the needs of society and its individual communities."

- College Board Book of Majors, 2nd edition

• "Public policy studies how to do things, how to use what we have to make a world. In many cases, we even try to be fair. It has amazed me to learn that there is a science, a precision, a balancing to be addressed with the precision and discipline of an artist."

- Kobi, a senior at Columbia University

• "Public administration is a great field for those who want to make a difference in society."

- Professor Danny Lee Balfour, Grand Valley State University

Think about an online public administration degree if you:

• Enjoy serving your community.
• Can identify public problems/issues and offer creative solutions.
• Like joining clubs or teams because you’re into teamwork.
• Desire a job that comes with power, control, and status.
• Are good at organizing group activities like charity events.
• Consider yourself to be persuasive. Do you influence others?
• Seek outcomes with immediate, visible results.
• Possess sharp written and verbal skills.
• Enjoy or are skilled at budgeting.
• Are a natural public speaker. Are you at ease in front of a crowd?
• Are passionate about making a positive impact locally or even nationally.
• Are interested in how government policy effects change.
• Consider yourself to be a concerned citizen interested in government and politics.
• Become energized by working with others, meeting new people, and socializing with a variety of individuals.
• Take an active interest in issues surrounding social justice.

If an online public administration degree isn't quite right for you, consider these fields instead:

• Political Science:
  Delve into the current and historical events of domestic and international affairs, and learn how government, economics and culture collide.
  Online Political Science Degrees
• Criminal Justice:
  With a focus on the American legal system, understand the complexities of justice and politics, and their impact on everyday human conflict.
  Online Criminal Justice Degrees
  Online Certificates in Criminal Justice
• Legal Studies:
  Study law and legal issues from a social sciences perspective to understand the effects of law as a social phenomenon.
  Online Degrees in Legal Studies
  Related: Online Certificate in Business Law
• Public Safety:
  This field exists to prevent the public from incurring harm, whether crime-related or environmental.
  Online Public Safety Degrees
  Online Certificates in Public Safety
• Sociology:
  Study the intricacies of human relationships and how social interaction pertains to society as a whole.
  Online Sociology Degrees

Many schools allow you to choose a specialization — a focused area of study within the public administration degree. The concentration subject will be a link if it's also a standalone degree.

• Public Finance
  Expose yourself to a variety of business disciplines; focus on the collection, documentation, interpretation and communication of an organization’s financial performance.
• Health Administration
  With a focus on health care services, study the financial, legal, and personnel issues that impact a health organization's operational success.
• Human Resources
  Familiarize yourself with the skills necessary to manage issues relating to organizational staffing, compensation, and employee well-being.
• Environmental Policy
  Encourage the protection and conservation of our environment and natural resources, while aiming to ensure that man-made changes to the earth do not adversely affect humans.
• Nonprofit Administration
  Learn how to ensure the sustainability of your organization; explore methods and systems used to maximize fundraising efforts and resources while improving services and public image.
• Urban/Regional Affairs
  This focuses on encouraging environmentally healthy communities through study and analysis.

While the exact curriculum will vary from school to school, here are some of the courses you might take in your online public administration program:

• Introduction to Public Administration
• Public Budgeting and Financial Administration
• Economic Development
• Structure of State Government
• Public Service Ethics
• Community Analysis
• Public Policy and Policy Processes
• Local Politics and Administration
• Public Relations for Public Managers
• Developing Nonprofit Resources
• Policy Development and Implementation
• Introduction to Fiscal Analysis
• Grant Writing
• Organization Theory
• Public Human Resources Administration
• Introduction to Nonprofit Management
• Public Sector Information Technology
• Public Sector Budgeting
• Policy Analysis in Government

When you have completed your degree in public administration, you will likely have gained many of the following skills and competencies:

• Managerial efficiency
• Program effectiveness
• Sharp analysis of agency budgets
• Legal accountability
• Ability to craft grant proposals
• Political representation
• Client-driven responsiveness
• Organizational reform
• Proper design of evaluation surveys
• Experience through an internship at a government agency
• Knowledge of federal job application procedures
• Ability to write a federal resume
• Top notch written and verbal communication skills

An online degree in public administration is extremely versatile; graduates can be found in almost any field! The fields listed below are the most common, traditional fields that require public administration graduates:

• Nonprofit organizations
• Charitable foundations
• Political/lobbying organizations
• Educational institutions and school districts
• Research organizations
• Courts at the municipal, state, and federal levels
• Hospitals and clinics
• Health insurance companies and HMOs
• Chambers of commerce
• Neighborhood associations
• Government agencies like these below, just to name a few:
  • The Environmental Protection Agency
  • Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
  • Nuclear Regulatory Commission
  • Securities & Exchange Commission
  • US Postal Service

Possible Job Titles for Associate’s or Bachelor's Public Administration Degree Holders/Entry Level Job Titles

Here is a sampling of jobs for which you may be qualified with a degree in public administration. Use this list for inspiration, remembering that it represents some, but certainly not all, of the careers you can consider.

• Assistant City Manager
• Campaign Worker
• Congressional Aide
• Corrections Officer
• Customs Inspector
• Human Resources Assistant
• Grant Coordinator
• Parole/Probation Officer
• Survey Researcher
• Lobbyist
• Employee of the IRS
• Research Assistant/Analyst
• Cost Analyst
• Public Health Official
• Policy Analyst
• Educator

Possible Job Titles for Advanced Degree Holders/Additional Experience Often Required

• City Manager
• Budget/Financial Officer
• Political Consultant or Correspondent
• Public Affairs Director
• Lawyer
• Human Resources Manager or Director
• Politician
• Diplomat
• Neighborhood Planner
• Economic Development Coordinator