Public Administration
BA, BS

A UMassD bachelor's degree in Public Administration will train students to work in the public sector at the local, state or federal level. We aim to prepare graduates who possess the analytical, critical-thinking, and writing skills necessary for employment in the public sector.

Choose to earn a BA or BS in Public Administration

A BA in Public Administration focuses on communication and language skills as it relates to interacting in human and social services. A BS in Public Administration will require more intensive quantitative analytical skills and prepare you for budgetary and financial management.

As student in the Public Administration program, you will learn to:

understand concepts, theories and empirical findings in public administration
design research and perform data analysis and interpretation
understand and synthesize professional and popular writing on public affairs
formulate and analyze arguments including their structure and force
assess the relevance and weight of evidence
write clearly and persuasively
organize their ideas in a focused paper or presentation

For the BA, students will be required to take 36 credits for the major, and for the BS, students will be required to take 42 credits for the major. The additional credits for the BS in the major reflect the additional quantitative courses these students must take.

The required courses for both degrees are:

an introductory level course in American Government
an upper level introductory Public Administration course
both Micro and Macroeconomics
Business Communication course
an internship course
a senior capstone in Public Administration.

For the BA, students will also be required to take 1 quantitative analysis course and demonstrate intermediate proficiency in a foreign language. For the BS, students will be required to take 3 quantitative analysis courses. In addition to these required courses, students will select five elective courses: two in political science, two in economics and one in English.

Course descriptions, schedules and requirements

Expand your opportunities

3+3 Law degree: If you are thinking about law school, consider UMass Law's accelerated program. Your first year at UMass Law counts as your senior year at UMass Dartmouth.
Master's in Public Policy: Interested in seeking employment in state, federal, and municipal governments, non-profit organizations, and business, trade, and labor associations?