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Public Administration

Does a career leading governmental, public, non-profit organizations, and public sector management and pursuing your passion sound good to you? Get started with public administration. 

Prepare for leadership careers in the public sector, including government and non-profit organizations. Students in the public administration and management program learn how to serve communities to advance the common good and effect positive change.

  • Attain specific public management and service skills.
  • Designed to ease transfer to a university for further study. 
  • May also be used to accomplish personal endeavors like societal change, starting a non-profit, and or an advocacy group.
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Associate in Arts

Public administration and management degrees provide the highest quality for undergraduate education for students interested in working in the public and private sectors and non-profit organizations. Public administration and management programs strive to achieve local, state, and national prominence through the contemporary curriculum, innovative instruction, scholarly and applied research, and community service. This program and services develop and enhance management skills essential to public and nonprofit organizations’ orientation towards evolving communities. The public administration and management program offer an opportunity to earn an Associate of Arts degree and transfer to a four-year university program of public administration. The public administration and management program provide many opportunities for students to prepare for entry-level employment as public administrators and produces graduates with the public management skills and analytical techniques needed for successful careers in government, nonprofit, and other business-related fields.

Sample Courses

This introductory course provides an overview of the field of public administration by focusing on theoretical foundation and practical knowledge. This course aims to introduce students to basic principles, context, environment, organizational structure, and contemporary issues in public administration.

This course focuses on leadership, budgeting, and challenges nonprofit face. Students will gain grounding in the historical and philosophical foundations, characteristics, role, and challenges of the nonprofit sector in American society, and understand the evolution of the nonprofit sector into the fastest growing sector of our economy. Students will also gain perspectives on the management, financial, leadership, and governance issues facing nonprofit entities.

This course will provide the opportunity to increase your understanding and awareness of how public and non-profit organizations recruit, motivate, develop, and retain their employees and manage their human resource functions and systems. Students will gain an understanding of the fundamental critical issues, concepts and functions of human resources for the public sector, though directly and wholly relevant to non-profit and private sectors as well. Furthermore, throughout this course, students will gain the tools necessary to address administrative issues with regards to the ethical implications.

Associate Degree Details

cost

Jackson County

If you reside in Jackson county, Michigan.

$16,562

In Michigan

If you reside in the state of Michigan.

$17,988

Out of Michigan

If you reside outside the state of Michigan.

$22,018

Estimated program costs include tuition, fees and digital textbooks based on 2022-2023 tuition rates. Please note that these costs are only estimates and an individualized financial plan will be created when a student meets with their Student Success Navigator.

Certificate

Completion of certificate program in public administration certificate program is designed to meet the needs of employees of government or non-profit agencies and those desiring employment or advancement. The program covers the history, present, and future of public administration. Courses include topics on public policy, finance, human resources, organizational behavior, and government.

Sample Courses

This introductory course provides an overview of the field of public administration by focusing on theoretical foundation and practical knowledge. This course aims to introduce students to basic principles, context, environment, organizational structure, and contemporary issues in public administration.

This course focuses on leadership, budgeting, and challenges nonprofit face. Students will gain grounding in the historical and philosophical foundations, characteristics, role, and challenges of the nonprofit sector in American society, and understand the evolution of the nonprofit sector into the fastest growing sector of our economy. Students will also gain perspectives on the management, financial, leadership, and governance issues facing nonprofit entities.

This course will provide the opportunity to increase your understanding and awareness of how public and non-profit organizations recruit, motivate, develop, and retain their employees and manage their human resource functions and systems. Students will gain an understanding of the fundamental critical issues, concepts and functions of human resources for the public sector, though directly and wholly relevant to non-profit and private sectors as well. Furthermore, throughout this course, students will gain the tools necessary to address administrative issues with regards to the ethical implications.

Certificate Details

cost

Jackson County

If you reside in Jackson county, Michigan.

$6,464

In Michigan

If you reside in the state of Michigan.

$7,016

Out of Michigan

If you reside outside the state of Michigan.

$8,576

Estimated program costs include tuition, fees and digital textbooks based on 2022-2023 tuition rates. Please note that these costs are only estimates and an individualized financial plan will be created when a student meets with their Student Success Navigator.

Earnings

Social and community service manager, $74,000 annually (may require further education).

Outlook

Employment of social and community service managers is projected to grow 15 percent from 2020 to 2030, faster than the average for all occupations.

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