Universities that Offer Public Administration Courses and Degrees

A degree in public administration prepares graduates for a wide variety of careers in the public sector. Some common careers pursued by public administration graduates include policy analyst, non-profit manager and city planner. The field of public administration is broad and incorporates areas such as management, sociology, economics and political science.

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How to Choose a Public Administration School

Public administration degrees are offered at the associate's, bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree levels. A prospective student must first decide which degree program is appropriate and meets their personal and professional objectives. An associate's degree program in public administration provides a brief introduction to the field, while other degree options go into much more depth and may allow a student to choose a concentration area. Entry-level positions may require only an associate's degree, while roles with more responsibility require at least a bachelor's.

Concentration areas are commonly offered in graduate degree programs in public administration and some bachelor's degree programs. Some common specializations at the master's degree level include nonprofit management, financial management, health policy and public policy analysis. Curriculum in these areas can include courses in public policy, public management microeconomics, statistical methods in public administration and public service organization management. Students should compare universities to find which schools offer focus on their chosen areas of interest.

Internships also play a key role in which school or university a prospective public administration student chooses. If a school offers a wide variety of internship opportunities in the public sector, students gain both valuable real-world experience and contacts which may serve them when they seek employment after graduation. Additionally, some universities have student organizations that encourage networking in a specific aspect of public administration.

Largest Public Administration Schools and Colleges by Student Population

College/University	Student Population	Institution Type
Arizona State University	67,082	4-year, Public
Ohio State University-Main Campus	53,715	4-year, Public
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities	51,140	4-year, Public
University of Central Florida	50,121	4-year, Public
Texas A & M University	48,039	4-year, Public
Michigan State University	46,510	4-year, Public
University of South Florida	46,189	4-year, Public
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign	43,246	4-year, Public
New York University	42,189	4-year, Private not-for-profit
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor	41,028	4-year, Public
Indiana University-Bloomington	40,354	4-year, Public
University of Washington-Seattle Campus	39,675	4-year, Public
Tarrant County College District	39,596	2-year, Public
Florida International University	38,759	4-year, Public
Florida State University	38,682	4-year, Public
University of Arizona	38,057	4-year, Public
California State University-Long Beach	37,891	4-year, Public
California State University-Fullerton	36,996	4-year, Public
California State University-Northridge	36,208	4-year, Public
University of Houston	36,104	4-year, Public