careers in psych
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FinalOnlineSlides_PublicAdministration_2015.pptCareers in Public
Administration
Public Administration
Ralph S. Brower, Ph.D.
Askew School of Public Administration
and Policy
Florida State University
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Definition for Public
Administration
Public administration is concerned with the management of public programs. Public administrators work at all levels of government, both at home and abroad; other public administrators manage nonprofit organizations, associations, and interest groups of all kinds.
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Activities in which public
administrators engage:
- Local Government Administration
- Leadership and Strategic Management
- Human Resource Management
- Public Financial Management
- Civic and Nonprofit Leadership
- Policy Analysis and Evaluation
- Emergency Management and Homeland Security
- International Development
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Organizations that employ
public administrators
- Federal, state, and local government agencies
- International governmental organizations, such as the United Nations, World Bank, and NATO
- Local and national nonprofit organizations, such as the Red Cross, Boys and Girls Clubs, and Second Harvest Food Bank
- International nongovernmental organizations, such as World Vision, Save the Children, and Amnesty International
- Professional associations, such as labor unions, Florida Optometric Association, and Florida Health Care Association
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Graduate training needed to become
a public administrator
- Master of Public Administration: approximately 42-45 credit hours; or
- Master of Public Policy: approximately
33-39 credit hours; or
- Ph.D. in Public Administration – but only for academic, technical, or consulting positions: approximately 45-48 credit hours beyond the masters
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Certifications or additional
training
- Additional certificates or training are not required, however, additional certificates may help job placement in some fields;
- For example, the Askew School offers certificates in:
Financial Management (18 credit hours)
Human Resource Management (18 credit hours)
Health Services Administration (15 credit hours)
General Public Administration (18 credit hours)
Emergency Management (15 credit hours)
Civic and Nonprofit Leadership (18 credit hours)
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Employment opportunities
for public administrators
- Students with backgrounds in psychology
have especially important roles to play as:
Human resource managers;
Human service counselors, such as for youth
services, community mental health, criminal
justice, disabilities, and substance abuse;
Specialists in disaster-related stress and
trauma for emergency management.
Demand in recent years for entry-level
professionals:
Human service nonprofits: continuous demand
Local governments: continuous demand
State agencies (Florida): decreasing demand
Federal agencies: high demand in many fields
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Salaries public
administrators earn
- Government agencies:
Starting: $30-35K
Top Executives: $100-250K
- Nonprofit managers:
Starting: $25-35K
Top Executives: $100-$700K
- Association managers
Starting: $35K
Top Executives: $100-$700K
- University professors (Ph.D. required): $50-$180K
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Flexibility in work conditions
for public administrators
- Some jobs offer shift options
- Maternity/paternity leave in most government jobs
- Discretion in clothing, so long as it’s professional
- Some flexible hours permitted in some workplaces
- Work from home (telecommuting) arrangements possible in some jobs
- Some choices for job relocation to other communities
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Skills and experiences undergrads should have if interested in public administration
- Most programs of study have no prerequisite course requirements, although courses in government and research methods are helpful;
- To be competitive for better graduate programs in public administration you will need:
Minimum 3.0 upper division GPA (some programs higher, a few lower);
GRE scores (scores vary by program; Askew School requires a test score, but no minimum);
Community service, campus organizations and leadership are desirable but not required;
Three (3) letters of recommendation from professionals and professors who know you.
- Admission requirements vary across programs.
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Most rewarding aspects of
being a public administrator
Making a difference in citizens’ lives
Making a difference for your community
Psychologically fulfilling
Creating public trust in government and civil society
Interacting with people whose ideas and values are different than your own
Confronting challenging problems and learning new things
Helping create and implement new public policies
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Biggest drawbacks of being
a public administrator
Your work is always in the public eye (transparency)
Some public problems don’t have practical solutions
Having to deal sometimes with unpleasant people
Can’t always control the “face” or the timing of problems you have to deal with
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Additional information about
being a public administrator
Many graduate programs offer joint degrees or other special programs; examples from the Askew School:
MPA/JD - with College of Law
MPA/MSC - with College of Criminology and Criminal Justice
MPA/MSP - with Department of Urban and Regional Planning
MPA/MSW – with College of Social Work
Five year combined BA/BS and MPA
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Website recommendations for those
interested in public administration
The Askew School of Public Administration and Policy: http://askew.fsu.edu
Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration:
http://www.naspaa.org
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