Public Administration

What is Public Administration?

Public Administration is the work of implementing government policies and programs that serve our communities and the public good. Public Administration includes a wide range of public services, including public schools and colleges, the military, policing, public safety, and homeland security, public transportation and infrastructure, the criminal justice system, public health systems, environmental and wildlife management, public housing and welfare services, local city services…the list goes on!

Why should I major in Public Administration (PUB)?

Two words: Opportunity and Public Service

Mission

Is to provide high quality professional education for leadership in public affairs and administration.

About the B.S. in Public Administration

The Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration is designed to provide professional preparation for public sector managers. The degree program requires:

1. Completion of core courses of public administration & public policy students;
2. A concentration;
3. Two additional courses for breadth.

The Bachelor of Science in Public Administration degree is a single-field major, which means that students are not required to complete a minor for graduation.

To learn more about the Bachelor of Science in Public Administration degree's roadmap, please click here.

Degree Requirements

All new majors are classified as “pre-public administration majors” until lower-division requirements are met. Upper division advanced and concentration courses are available only to declared Public Administration majors.

Total Course Requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Public Administration consists of:

• General Education Requirement 
• Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement
• Major Requirement
• Elective Requirement 

View the Requirements for a Bachelor's Degree from CSUDH.

 Apply to the B.S. in Public Administration program today! 

Program Learning Outcomes

The PUB Program Learning Outcomes are aligned with CSUDH Undergraduate Institutional Learning Outcomes. Upon completion of the B.S. in PUB, students should be able to:

1. Demonstrate effective leadership, communication, and collaboration skills in public management (Communication & Disciplinary Proficiency).
2. Evaluate the environment and operation of public administration in the policy making process (Disciplinary Proficiency).
3. Demonstrate critical thinking and analytical skills in public policy making (Critical Thinking).
4. Demonstrate comprehension and application of public service ethics (Engaged Citizenry).
5. Integrate current information technologies to examine public administration or policy issues (Information Literacy).
6. Explain diversity in public administration and apply this knowledge in a multicultural and global environment (Engaged Citizenry).

Careers & Opportunities

There are nearly 23 million government employees in the U.S. Teachers, soldiers, police officers, parks and recreation employees, hospital workers, transportation workers! Most are directly serving the people. Nearly half work in education — from K-12 to community colleges to public research universities. And roughly 10 percent are active-duty military or involved in police protection.

Career opportunities for Public Administration graduates include public and nonprofit jobs ranging from law enforcement and human services to education and transportation. In the private sector, many companies actively promote community-oriented public service initiatives and hire public affair specialists.

The undergraduate degree in Public Administration also provides a solid foundation for employment with public and nonprofit organizations, utility companies, private firms, and hospitals. The degrees also offers strong pre-law preparation for students interested in law school and careers in law.

Service Learning

The Public Administration capstone class (PUB 490) requires that students undertake a service-learning project by preparing a professional-quality report for a real-world client in the public and non-profit sectors. Previous clients include: Goodwill South Los Angeles County, Economic Development Officer for the City of Torrance, Housing Authority of the County of Los Angeles, Lestonnac Free Clinic, United Way of Greater Los Angeles, reDiscover Center, Watts Community Studio, Adobe Communities, South Bay Workforce Investment Board, South Bay Economics Institute, Energized Solutions, OpenGaarden, CSUN Office of Sustainability, Los Angeles County Child Support Services, Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles. 

Students interested in gaining more service learning experience should also contact the SLICE office at CSUDH.

Minor in Public Administration

The minor in Public Administration is comprised 15 units (6 required units and 9 elective units). 

Interested in a Master's Program?

The CSUDH Master of Public Administration (MPA) is a globally accredited program by NASPAA that provides students with the educational background and professional competencies needed to secure administrative/managerial positions in a variety of public sector and nonprofit organizations, or in private firms with close ties to governments and public service, such as utilities or defense contractors.