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Deciding which college to attend can be a daunting task. For many, it will be the most important decision that they make in their lives. To make an informed decision, you have to consider a lot of variables, such as cost of attendance, financial aid, student-teacher ratio, academics, student life, and more. These factors will either positively or negatively impact the quality of education that you receive.
Do you want to acquire a bachelor’s in public policy and administration but don’t know what institution you should attend? Well, if you are as ambitious as I was in my late teens, then you want to attend a top school, instead of an average or mediocre one. Fortunately, we have already done the legwork for you. To help you find the right school for your interests and goals, we’ve compiled a list of 2022’s best bachelor’s in public policy and administration programs.
What institution did we omit from this list? Leave your suggestions in the comment section below.
- Texas A & M University-College Station, College Station, TX
Texas A&M University has a master’s of public service and administration degree program that is sanctioned by the NASPAA through 2022. The school has merged three TAMU departments to give learners the chance to earn their BA or BS degrees in these fields and their MPSA degree in five years. All Bush School learners pay in-state tuition, and the school offers some level of financial support to all admitted learners. Learners can apply for the Robertson Fellows Program, which covers tuition, fees, living expenses, health insurance, and funding for educational enrichment opportunities.
- Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
The school has programs from bachelor’s to the doctorate level. Several graduate certificates are available, including the Leadership of Public Organizations certificate. Learners get experience outside the classroom through internships, service learning, study abroad, and applied research. Undergrads perform two-semester internships, and graduate learners work with community agencies for capstone research. Rutgers-Camden also has a public administration degree program with regular and executive master’s degrees.
- CUNY Bernard M Baruch College, New York, NY
Baruch College’s School of Public Affairs has a master of public administration (MPA) in several degree program formats, all of which are sanctioned by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration. The traditional MPA degree program can be finished on a full- or part-time basis, and learners can select a concentration in health care policy, nonprofit management, policy analysis and evaluation, public management, or urban development and sustainability. Nontraditional MPA formats consist of the executive MPA, national urban fellows MPA, and the MS in nursing administration/MPA degree program. Its executive MPA is offered in a cohort model that can be finished in two years by taking Saturday classes. MPA learners are eligible for various scholarships ranging from $500 to $3,000, including the Hagedorn Graduate Scholarship.
- Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
Learners attending school at Rutgers University’s main campus can obtain bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degrees in public policy. The bachelor of science in public policy program requires 43 credits of coursework. The MPP is a 48-credit degree program that has 13 concentrations. Learners at RU’s Newark campus can earn a BA in public and nonprofit administration and a master of public administration. An international executive online master of public administration is also available.
- Appalachian State University, Boone, NC
Appalachian State University has a master of public administration (MPA) degree program that is one of only 125 programs nationally to obtain accreditation. The MPA curriculum requires 21 hours of core classes and 21 credit hours in a chosen concentration. Available concentrations include public management; town, city and county management; administration of justice; and not-for-profit management. MPA learners are eligible for graduate scholarships, including the $5,000 E.R. Lovill Fellowship and the $2,000 Graduate Alumni Scholarship.
- California State University-Long Beach, Long Beach, CA
This school offers a master of public administration (MPA) degree, and an MPA degree program with a choice in public works administration and urban affairs. Learners have the flexibility to select on-campus, online, hybrid, or weekend classes. MPA learners with excellent academic standing can apply for several scholarships each year, with amounts ranging from $500 to $3,500.
- Winona State University, Winona, MN
Winona State has a bachelor of science (BS) in public administration as well as an undergraduate minor in public administration. The BS in public administration prepares learners for professional administrative roles through 33 major credits of coursework. Learners are also required to finish a three-credit public administration internship.
- SUNY at Albany, Albany, NY
The University at Albany has a master of public administration and a PhD in public administration and policy. The MPA is a 49-credit degree program that requires two years to finish for full-time learners. Part-time learners are welcome to enter the degree program, which has classes in the evening. MPA candidates finish 29 credits in core classes, including public management, analytic methods, and financial management, and select an area of concentration. PhD candidates can concentrate on public management, public finance, organizational behavior and theory, public policy, or politics and administration. The institution also grants a BA degree in public policy and management.
- Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Iowa State University’s Department of Political Science has a master of arts in political science with a concentration in public policy, and a graduate certificate of public management (GCPM). The 30-credit MA in political science with a concentration in public policy requires 21 credits in political science, including six credits in a concentration area. The Graduate Certificate of Public Management is a 15-credit degree program that couples coursework in public management and public policy. Learners are required to finish nine credits of core coursework and six credits of electives. Graduate learners in ISU’s Department of Political Science are eligible for numerous scholarships, including the $1,000 Philip R. Baumann Graduate Scholarship and the $1,000 Dwight Ink Graduate Scholarship.
- North Carolina State University at Raleigh, Raleigh, NC
North Carolina State University has a highly customizable master of public administration degree. The 40-credit degree program requires 21 credits in core classes, and learners can utilize their electives to design a specialty or tailor the degree program to their interests. Candidates can take classes from outside the department or at other North Carolina schools. Learners with no professional work experience are required to finish an internship, which can increase their employability.
- Alfred University, Alfred, NY
Alfred University has a master of public administration through its Graduate School’s downstate extension degree program. The MPA is a part-time degree program, with classes meeting for a full day on the weekend. Each class meets for five full-day sessions during the semester. The degree program can be finished in 15 months, including two summer semesters. Since the degree program is part of the downstate extension degree program, classes are held at several locations in Brooklyn and Oceanside, Long Island. Learners are required to finish one class at Alfred University’s primary campus, which lasts for one week during the summer. MPA learners who don’t have prior experience in public administration are required to finish a two-credit field experience, which lasts for 100-contact hours.
