Public Service Starts with You

Public service begins with people, and so does your education at the UCF School of Public Administration. Our degree programs are designed for students who care deeply about their communities and want to create a lasting impact in government, nonprofits, planning, emergency management and more.

Whether you’re earning an undergraduate degree — or adding a certificate or minor to strengthen your expertise — you’ll find flexible options to learn in-person, online or hybrid. Based at UCF Downtown, our programs place you in the heart of Orlando with access to real-world opportunities right outside the classroom.

Wherever your goals take you, we’re here to help you serve with purpose.

Programs

Bachelor’s Degrees

Choosing between a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree depends on your academic interests. Both degrees include the standard program requirements; however, they offer different elective options. For our BA program, you’ll complete one year in any foreign language. The BS program includes two technical elective courses: professional writing and research.

Emergency Management, BA
Emergency Management, BS
Nonprofit Management, BA
Nonprofit Management, BS
Public Administration, BA
Public Administration, BS

Minors

Emergency Management
Nonprofit Management
Public Administration
Public Service
Urban and Regional Planning

Undergraduate Certificates

Community Innovation, Communication and Engagement
Community Planning
Cross-Sectoral Leadership
Emergency and Crisis Management
Nonprofit Fiscal and Resource Development
Public Administration
Public Service

Man and woman sitting attentively in court setting

“At the School of Public Administration, we bring the real world into the classroom. Local leaders and elected officials regularly join us as guest speakers, and our students have the opportunity to travel to Tallahassee to meet with state legislators — an experience that often proves transformative. Our graduates go on to serve in a wide range of roles — from nonprofit directors and emergency managers to city planners and policy analysts. The career possibilities are vast and meaningful.”

Stephanie Krick, Ph.D.
Undergraduate Programs Director

Advising

Start your public service education with confidence. Our academic success coaches guide you through tailored course plans in programs like Emergency Management, Nonprofit Management, Public Administration, Urban and Regional Planning and more. Whether online or in-person, they’ll work with you to map your path to graduation, aligning coursework with your career goals — be it leading nonprofits, helping communities recover from emergencies and disasters, managing in a local government, or designing communities.

Undergraduate students have an assigned Academic Success Coach who can provide guidance on academic planning, connect you with resources and answer questions about your UCF journey. Appointments can be scheduled on campus, virtually or over the phone.

Prospective, minor and certificate students may request an appointment by emailing ccieuginfo@ucf.edu.

Scholarships

Each year, the College of Community Innovation and Education awards scholarships to undergraduate students who are driven to serve, lead and make a difference. Thanks to the support of generous donors, these scholarships recognize your academic success, leadership potential and commitment to your community, while helping to ease the financial burden of tuition, books and more.

Explore opportunities designed just for School of Public Administration majors and be ready to apply when the scholarship window opens each spring.

Applications are open January through March.

Explore More Scholarship Information