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MAJOR IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

Engage In Your Education

Public service is the key to a prosperous community.

Public administration focuses on our community, so if we only learn in the classroom, the most important part of the field is missing. To broaden your knowledge and give you confidence in your career, UW-Green Bay gives public administration students hands-on experience through internships, student organizations, special topics courses, research opportunities and experiential and applied projects throughout your classes.

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Male student gives speech at strategic philanthropy event

Finance Your Dreams

Over the past 20 years, college tuition at public universities has increased by 211%, according to U.S. News. Now more than ever, scholarships are crucial to your success.

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You’ll learn skills in topics like fundraising, marketing, human resources, policy analysis, GIS, leadership, and more to prepare you for your career.

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Broaden Your Experience

Gain confidence in your abilities, foster the knowledge you learn in class and engage with your community by obtaining an internship.

Find an Internship  

Strategic Philanthropy class $10,000 check presentation to Casa ALBA MelanieStrategic philanthropy presentationUWGB Make a Difference Day volunteer gets interviewed by the mediaCourtroom simulation in the Brown County Courthouse

Learn By Doing

In your courses, you won’t just sit in a classroom and memorize information – you’ll be engaged in your education and participate in hands-on experiences so you can become an effective public or nonprofit leader. In your classes, you’ll get opportunities to:

  • Give a local organization $10,000 to help them facilitate their work to help confront a current community problem.
  • Attend a city council/village board meeting, then simulate the experience with your classmates, often at the city hall.
  • Identify problems like automobile dependency, prison overcrowding and homelessness, then use tools developed in class to choose alternatives to combat these issues.
  • Work with your peers to develop and implement a research project on a contemporary political issue.
  • Use GIS to learn how geographic data can be used to visually depict a public or nonprofit concept, then complete a map using publicly available data to solve a problem.

Red Cross flag blows in the wind

Specify Your
Experience

As a public administration major, you have the choice between two emphases: Public and Nonprofit Management or Emergency Management. We also offer certificates in each emphasis to bolster your résumé. If you don't want to major in public administration, but are still interested in public service, a minor fits well with majors in political science, economics, communication, environmental policy and planning and more.

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Gage Beck

Meet a
Phoenix

“Even though [public administration] directly relates to the government or nonprofit sectors, you're still able to work in the private sector. It doesn't inhibit you. You learn a lot about the government, nonprofit sectors and skills that directly apply to it, but you're able to work anywhere. I've learned a lot about statistics and public budgeting, so being able to look at a budget and know what governments and nonprofits are spending and how that directly relates to the activities they do.”

Gage Beck '21
Major in Public Administration, emphasis in Emergency Management

David Helpap Public Administration Associate Professor

Want to Know More?

If you're curious about our program, we're happy to answer any questions you have.

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