Degree

Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science

School

Public Administration

Overview

An education is better with options. At the UCF School of Public Administration, you can choose to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration or a Bachelor of Science in Public Administration. Both degrees prepare students for careers in government, the nonprofit sector, or closely related fields.

Program Highlights

  • BA and BS options
  • Gain hands-on experience through a required internship
  • Classes offered in both online and face-to-face formats

Curriculum

The undergraduate degrees in public administration are designed to prepare future public service professionals who are competent in public management, public policy, fiscal management and the theory of administration. The curriculum is oriented toward the challenges of local government, growth management and the environment.

Students must complete 36 credit hours of UCF’s General Education Program, 18 credit hours of upper-division electives and three prerequisite courses in computer skills, American government and economics.

Students are also required to complete 30 credit hours of core required courses. In addition, the BS requires 6 credit hours of upper-level PAD courses, while the BA requires students to demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language equivalent to one year in college.

For more information on the curriculum, please visit the UCF Undergraduate Catalog.

The following are part of the core requirements of this program:

An examination of the basic environment, culture and organization of public administration in the U.S.
Prerequisites: POS 2041
Offered in fall and spring
Problems of values, interests, and objectives and their impact on the administration of public programs, stressing the interplay between social values, policies and administration.
Prerequisites: PAD 3003 and PAD3733
Offered in fall and spring
A review of the behavioral aspects of the administrative process, its impact on
organizational goal achievement and on supervisory strategies. Some social and structural pathologies affecting administrative practice.
Prerequisites: PAD 3003 and PAD 3733
Offered in fall and spring
Analysis of methods of securing public funds, the process of budget making, and techniques of management used in managing public funds.
Prerequisites: PAD 3003 and PAD 3733
Offered in fall and spring
The history, operating components, structural characteristics, and increasing impact of laws and related sanctions on personnel practices of public agencies.
Prerequisites: PAD 3003 and PAD 3733
Offered in fall and spring
Internship in municipal, county, state, or federal government, including
assignments in such fields as personnel, planning, budget, and fiscal, procurement, and public safety.
Prerequisites: Junior standing and permission by internship coordinator
Offered in fall and spring

Admissions and Advising

There are no additional requirements for admission into the undergraduate public administration programs beyond admission to UCF. For more information on admission to UCF, visit UCF Undergraduate Admissions.

For more information, please contact our advising team.