Bachelor of Science
Public Administration and Public Policy
Build a career serving others, starting with the public policy and administration degree program at Oakland University.
Liberal arts degrees, including degrees in public policy, are especially valuable in the job market because they help you acquire a broad range of skills that employers covet. Our public administration and public policy major in the College of Arts and Sciences is no different. It combines diverse coursework with transferable job skills to provide you with a solid foundation for a successful career in public administration and policy. Prepare for your future in public service, nonprofit work, or government. With a bachelor’s degree in public policy, you can get an entry-level job right out of college or pursue a graduate degree first.
Liberal arts degrees, including degrees in public policy, are especially valuable in the job market because they help you acquire a broad range of skills that employers covet. Our public administration and public policy major in the College of Arts and Sciences is no different. It combines diverse coursework with transferable job skills to provide you with a solid foundation for a successful career in public administration and policy. Prepare for your future in public service, nonprofit work, or government. With a bachelor’s degree in public policy, you can get an entry-level job right out of college or pursue a graduate degree first.
Bachelor of Science in Public Administration and Policy Degree: The Oakland University Advantage
Oakland University’s public administration major will give you everything you need to begin your path to serving others.
This BS in public administration and policy degree program provides you with:
- Work experience in the field. The program internship director can help connect you with opportunities to explore public policy careers and jobs in public administration. Past public policy and public administration majors have worked with the City of Berkley, Oakland-Livingston Human Service Agency, the executive office in Macomb County, the American Red Cross, St. John Health System, and others.
- Knowledgeable faculty. At Oakland, our instructors are more than just teachers. They’re also mentors and role models, challenging you to become the best student and professional you can be. Throughout our bachelor’s degree in public administration and public policy program, you will learn and interact in small classes taught by experienced faculty — many of whom are nationally or internationally recognized experts in state and local politics, public policy analysis, court administration, and nonprofit management.
- Accelerate your master’s degree. If you’re planning to get your master’s in public administration, you may be interested in our accelerated BS to MPA (or 4+1) Program. This combined bachelor-master’s degree program allows you to graduate with a Master of Public Administration one calendar year after completing your bachelor’s degree in public administration and public policy.
- Engaging extracurricular activities. Join fellow public administration and public policy majors in Oakland’s chapter of Pi Alpha Alpha, the national honors society for public affairs and public administration. PAA offers you opportunities to network, socialize, and gain experience with jobs in public administration and public policy careers.
- Career advising and guidance when you need it. If you are unsure of your future public administration and public policy career options while attending Oakland, our faculty members and Career Services center will be an excellent resource for you. We also offer a Public Affairs Careers Orientation course that will help you explore a variety of public policy careers in public service, government, and more, as well as advanced degrees.
What Can You Do With a Degree in Public Administration and Policy?
This degree prepares you for a variety of professional paths. In addition to pursuing public policy careers and jobs in public administration, you can use our public policy and administration degree as a foundation for active citizenship, careers in public affairs, law school, advanced degrees in the social sciences, and more.
Through our public policy and administration degree program, you’ll develop excellent writing and critical thinking skills, which are valued by employers in nearly every industry. You’ll also gain technical skills in areas such as public budgeting, human resources, and policy analysis.
As a public administration and public policy major at Oakland, you will be equipped for graduate school or for jobs in public policy and administration such as:
- Legislature
- Executive Branch agencies
- Community and nonprofit organizations
- Urban planning
- Health care administration
- Court administration
Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration and Public Policy: What You’ll Learn
Oakland University’s public administration and policy bachelor’s degree program combines a liberal arts curriculum with technical instruction. You’ll take a variety of courses under the political science and liberal arts umbrellas. This allows you to pursue personal interests within the public administration and policy major.
Courses such as these can also help you develop a deeper understanding about topics and pressing issues such as world politics, budgeting, and economics that are especially relevant for your generation and generations to come. These are just a few of the classes you may take:
- The Research Process in Political Science
- Public Budgeting
- Public Sector Human Resource Management
- Public Policy and Health Care
Bachelor of Science in Public Administration and Public Policy Program Resources
Programs Related to the Degree in Public Administration and Public Policy
Not sure if a bachelor’s degree in public administration and public policy is the right path for you? Check out these other bachelor’s degree programs at Oakland and contact our admissions team to discuss your options.