Public Administration
BA, BS

On-campus Online Undergraduate

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 they relate to interacting in human and social services. A BS in public administration requires more intensive quantitative analytical skills, and prepares you for budgetary and financial management.

As a 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 ideas into focused papers or presentations

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For the BA, students will be required to take 36 credits for the major. For the BS, students will be required to take 42 credits for the major. The additional credits for the BS 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
a 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: 2 in political science, 2 in economics, and 1 in English.

Course descriptions, schedules and requirements

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?