Public administration has to do with how governmental policies and programs are carried out in practice. It is both a field of study, concerned with theories of governmental decision making and implementation, and an occupation. Public administrators put theory into practice in every public department and agency, from the local to the state and federal levels.
If you've always been fascinated by how government works—or ... could work better—a degree in Public Administration can help you to get your foot in the door for meaningful work in the public sector. Degrees in this field usually allow students to focus on a specific area of policy that is of interest to them, whether that's education, health, environment, criminal justice, or emergency management. Public Administration is also offered as a concentration in some Master's of Business Administration (MBA) programs, which is ideal for individuals who want to use their organizational leadership skills in the public sector
Public Administration curricula are multidisciplinary, focusing on many different aspects of the field, including human resources, organizational theory, ethics, policy analysis, and public budgeting. Degrees such as the Master of Public Administration (MPA) and Master of Public Policy (MPP) prepare students for a variety of important roles in the public sector.
