PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
Interdisciplinary Major or Minor - www.uwgb.edu/pea/pubadm
OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM:
The Public Administration major is a broad-based, interdisciplinary, social science major. It is designed to prepare students for a variety of challenging careers in public and nonprofit organizations, as well as for further study in a variety of graduate programs.
The major in public administration consists of three sets of requirements: required supporting courses, upper-level core courses, and elective courses in several areas of specialization such as institutions and organizational behavior, analytical methods, and public policy.
There are two emphases which majors can choose-- Public Management and Policy and Nonprofit Management. The Public Management and Policy emphasis focuses on issue of public sector management and the development and implementation, methods of policy analysis, and political, administrative, legal, and economic issues in environmental policy. The Nonprofit Management emphasis was recently created for those students that want to focus on nonprofit organizations and hope to make a career within this sector of the economy. In addition to the courses listed, student may want to take advantage of the emergency management courses that are currently being offered in the Emergency Management Certificate program offered out of Outreach and Extension. These courses can be substituted into the Public Administration major.
Some minors that compliment this major well are Political Science, Economics, and Business Administration. Students interested in the arts may want to consider the Nonprofit Emphasis along with the Arts Management minor.
TIPS FROM THE PROFS:
Dr. Kraft advises that students pay attention to the sequence of courses that is displayed on the department homepage ( click here for more informationhttp://www.uwgb.edu/pea/). It is very important! Time is of the essence with this program. He has found that if students "eat-up" their early college years with general education courses, they will find that they cannot complete the degree within 4 years. He recommends seeing a faculty member as soon as possible! A double major (or a minor) in political science or economics may be easy to accomplish with this program. It also highly compliments the public administration curriculum and makes students stronger candidates when seeking careers or entry into graduate programs.
WHO SHOULD HAVE THIS MINOR :
An interdisciplinary minor in Public Administration compliments a major in Political Science, Economics, Communication Processes, Environmental Policy and Planning, Urban and Regional Studies, Social Change and Development, and others. It prepares students to work in an administrative capacity and as a policy analyst for a variety of organizations, as well as providing a strong background for graduate studies in public administration, law, public policy, public affairs, and related fields.
WHAT’S UNIQUE ABOUT THIS MAJOR AT UWGB:
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EXPERTISE. The faculty is strong and actively engaged in the professional field of Public Administration, keeping them up-to-date on all the current topics and trends within the field. Students benefit greatly from a faculty that is highly committed to their field.
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DISTINCTIVE. As a student in this program, you have the opportunity to study Public Administration as an undergraduate major. Other programs across the country typically only offer this type of program as a master’s degree.
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PREPARATION. Public Administration is a semi-professional program, meaning that it gives students preparation and specific training for careers after graduation. The program is career-oriented, rather than just giving the students theoretical or general knowledge about subject matter.
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SUCCESS. Public Administration also gives the students the skills and abilities needed for career success immediately after graduation.
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GROWTH. The number of students in this major is steadily rising, owing to the growing popularity of the program.
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EDUCATION. The mix of interdisciplinary and disciplinary focus gives students a diverse set of courses to complete, which provides a broader education and ultimately better prepares students for employment.
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OPPORTUNITY. Internships, special topics courses, and/or applied research projects are available for every student. Internships are especially encouraged. These are generally short-term positions with local governments or agencies (usually non-paid) where students carry out projects related to their academic interests and skills. In addition to obtaining valuable experience, students enhance their opportunities for future employment and graduate school.
SKILLS & ABILITIES GAINED WITH THIS MAJOR:
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GET ACQUAINTED. Students develop proficiency in public policy analysis, policy development and implementation, organizational management and leadership, budgeting, and governmental processes.
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BEYOND THE BOOKS. All Public Administration majors engage in both theoretical and applied studies. Students are encouraged to gain these experiences through independent study, applied research projects, and the internship program administered by the department.
WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH THIS MAJOR:
Use the following as an idea list, and remember that they represent some, but certainly not all, of the careers you might consider in Public Administration. Also keep in mind that many Public Administration majors pursue graduate studies in public administration, law, political science, social services, public policy, and public affairs.
The following list represents a few of the kinds of career titles for Public Administration majors:
Professional Administrator, Policy Analyst, City Manager, Educational Technology Policy Analyst, County Manager, Entry-level Analyst, Mid-level Analyst, Senior Analyst, Director of Finance, Contract Administration Manager, Chief Information Officer, Budget/Fiscal Analysis, Budget Assistant, College Professor/Instructor, Budget Specialist, Program Manager, Personnel Counselor, Health and Human Resource Specialist
Below is a list of positions that recent UW-Green Bay graduates have achieved:
Secretary to the Brown County Executive, Benefits Administrator, Human Resources Assistant, Human Resource Generalist, Commissioner, Environmental Planner, Executive Assistant, Clinic Business Trainer, Benefits Analyst, Project Coordinator, Claims Analyst, Field Representative, Human Resources Assistant, Customer Service Representative
Want to know more about the nature of the work, working conditions, earnings, training, and job outlook? Then check out the Occupational Outlook Handbook @ http://stats.bls.gov/ocohome.htm
LINKS TO GRAD PROGRAMS:
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Graduate School Guide. The comprehensive on-line guide to doctoral, masters, and professional programs. http://www.schoolguides.com
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Gradschools.com. The most comprehensive online source of Graduate School Information. http://www.gradschools.com/
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Peterson’s.com. The most comprehensive and heavily traveled education resource on the web. http://www.petersons.com/
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Or you can try any of the following search engine sites for information on the graduate school program of your choice! http://www.yahoo.com, http://www.infoseek.com, or http://www.snap.com
LINKS TO WEB SITES FOR MORE INFORMATION:
- American Society for Public Administration. The largest and most prominent professional association in the field of Public Administration. Homepage @ http://www.aspanet.org/
- National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration. An institutional membership organization which exists to promote excellence in public service education. Homepage @ http://www.naspaa.org/
- National Academy of Public Administration. An independent, nonpartisan organization chartered by Congress to assist federal, state, and local governments improve their effectiveness, efficiency, and accountability. Homepage @ http://www.napawash.org/.
- Council for Excellence in Government. Its mission is to improve the performance of government, strengthen results-oriented management and creative leadership in the public sector, and to increase public understanding, confidence, and participation in government. Homepage @ http://www.excelgov.org/
- Government Jobs. The nation's leading web site devoted to helping individuals find the jobs they are seeking in the public sector. Homepage @ http://www.govtjobs.com/
- CNN's All Politics. Breaking news, features, documents, quizzes, and links to other net resources. Homepage @ http://cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/
LINKS FOR MORE HELP:
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Be sure to visit the Public Administration Department homepage @ http://www.uwgb.edu/pea/ for more information on this major!
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For course listings and descriptions for PSYCHOLOGY and other disciplines, check out UW- Green Bay’s Programs of Study page @ http://www.uwgb.edu/catalog/undrgrad/programs.htm
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More help is available on-campus at the Career Services Office at SS 1600, 465-2163. Homepage @ http://www.uwgb.edu/careers
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Contact Academic Advising at SS 1600, 465-2362. Homepage @ http://www.uwgb.edu/advising
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Another service for UW System students on the Web is UW HELP On-Line. This service provides in-depth information on the programs of the UW System. You can find them at @ http://www.uwhelp.wisconsin.edu
