Bachelor of Public Administration (B.P.A.)

The Bachelor of Public Administration is designed for employment in fields such as law enforcement administration, fire, rescue administration, emergency management, and those who work in municipal, county, state and federal government, and the nonprofit sector. The program provides students with the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics necessary for leadership roles within the public, private, nonprofit, and volunteer sectors. Additionally, for those choosing to continue on to graduate school, the BPA is a gateway program for entry into the Master of Public Administration degree program.

Program Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, students will be able to:

Apply an ethical framework to public policy;
Identify the theories and principles controlling public finance, and create budgets at the state, county, and municipal levels of government;
Apply the techniques of planning in public administration;
Implement the principles of personnel management, including affirmative action, collective bargaining, and civil service;
Apply valid statistical analysis to public sector decision-making and evaluate the principal approaches to research design; and
Synthesize policy issues as they are framed by political and administrative perspectives.

Grades of C or higher must be earned in all course work.

Learning Options

The Bachelor of Public Administration is offered in various class formats that include face-to-face, fully online, hybrid and remote. Students may also earn a post-baccalaureate certificate or a minor in public administration.

Course Sequencing

PUB-301 Principles of Public Administration must be taken in the first term. To comply with course sequencing, all 300 level courses must be taken first prior to enrolling in 400 level coursework in the major core. 400 Level courses (except PUB-499) can be taken in any order.

Bachelor of Public Administration (minimum 120 credits)

University General Education Requirements (42 credits)

Public Administration Requirements (45 credits)

Core courses (30 credits)

PUB-301	PRINCIPLES OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION	3
PUB-302	VALUES AND ETHICS IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION	3
POS-303	PUBLIC POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION	3
PUB-310	METHODS AND TECHNIQUES IN PUBLIC ADMIN	3
PUB-403	PUBLIC BUDGETING AND FINANCE	3
PUB-404	CONCEPTS AND ISSUES IN PUBLIC PLANNING	3
PUB-405	ADMINISTRATIVE LAW AND PROCESS	3
PUB-406	HUMAN RESOURCES IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR	3
PUB-407	PRODUCTIVITY IMPR/PUB SE	3
PUB-499	PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION CAPSTONE PROJECT	3

Electives (15 credits)

Up to five (5) courses (3 credits each) from EMA, OGL, PUB 408, PUB 409, and/or six upper-level transfer credits and/or 15 upper level, discipline-specific portfolio credits in Special Topics EMA or Special Topics PUB.