Public Administration

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Division of Politics Adminstration and Justice Division Chair

Stephen Stambough

Department Office/Website

University Hall 511
657-278-3521
hss.fullerton.edu/paj

Faculty

Michelle Arsneault, Jackie Filla, Sarah Hill, Myung Jung Kwon, Paul Peretz, Samuel Stone, Yuan Ting, Justin Tucker

Introduction

Public Administration trains people to become managers in government and nonprofit organizations. It draws on literature from political science, psychology, economics, business and sociology to provide students with skills that will make them more effective public sector leaders. It is concerned with the role played by public employees in policy-making, planning, personnel management, taxation and finance, and in responding to the needs and problems of communities and the nation.

A major in Public Administration features focused study and preparation for service in public agencies or in nonprofit organizations. Public administration majors study the larger political environment of public service and the concepts and goals that underline such functions as budgeting, personnel, policy analysis and management. Students without professional public service backgrounds gain experience through the government internship.

Learning Goals and Student Learning Outcomes

The following goals and learning outcomes have been established for students pursuing a degree in Public Administration:

Knowledge

• Understand and use factual knowledge about the role and function of the public and nonprofit sectors of society, including understanding the role of the administrative function in political systems
• Acquire factual knowledge of the role of personnel administration, public budgeting and finance in the creation and implementation of public policy
• Understand the role of public administration professionals as participants in the creation and implementation of public policy
• Understand models of politics and governance as they relate to the role of administrative agencies and processes, particularly their role in democratic systems

Experience

• Be provided with the opportunity, through internships, to experience public administration directly

Skills

• Develop skills in acquiring, analyzing and assessing information in public and nonprofit settings
• Be able to think and write clearly, critically and intelligently about public administration

Internships

The division offers a variety of internships. Each one involves students working in an agency or political organization, and meeting in an on-campus seminar to discuss and analyze their experiences. The internship in Public Administration is POSC 497 and is required of all majors without public service administrative experience.

Public Administration Courses

Courses are designated as POSC (Political Science) in the class schedule. Please refer to the Political Science Department catalog section for course numbers and descriptions.

Programs and Courses Offered

Programs

• Public Administration, B.A.

• Public Administration, Criminal Justice Concentration, M.P.A.
• Public Administration, Human Resources Concentration, M.P.A.
• Public Administration, Public Finance Management Concentration, M.P.A.
• Public Administration, Urban Management Concentration, M.P.A.

• Public Administration Minor

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