Academic Catalog 2024-2025

Public Administration

College of Business Administration and Public Policy     
Department of Public Administration

Features

Undergraduate

The Bachelor of Science in Public Administration is designed to provide professional preparation for administrative or managerial positions in public service organizations. The degree program requires completion of a set of core courses common to all public administration students and a concentration.

The Bachelor of Science in Public Administration Degree is a single-field major, which means that students are not required to complete a minor for graduation.

The Minor in Public Administration is designed to provide a basic foundation in public management. The minor is especially appropriate for students who major in the Social and Behavioral Sciences. It is an attractive option to students with majors in fields that lead to public sector employment, like recreation or health science.

In addition to full-time faculty, the department has part-time faculty who are practicing public managers in their areas of specialization. Several of the full-time faculty also have lengthy careers as public managers.

To complement the traditional classroom instruction, the Department of Public Administration offers a number of activities that enhance the total educational experience of students. The department sponsors speakers and professional symposia. The faculty also sponsors the Pi Alpha Alpha, a renowned national honor society for outstanding Public Administration students.​

Graduate

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) program is designed to provide quality professional education for persons entering or working in public service professions. The MPA program prepares students for careers as professional managers of public sector or nonprofit organizations, as well as for research, consulting, and teaching careers. The MPA curriculum provides a theoretical foundation for the practice of public management.

After meeting prerequisite requirements, students can finish all other program requirements in two and a half academic years if they complete two courses per semester and two summer courses (depending upon summer scheduled courses). The MPA program is accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration (NASPAA), the professional association responsible for evaluating the quality of MPA degree programs. NASPAA is located at 1029 Vermont Ave., N.W., Ste. 1100, Washington, DC 20005-3517.

MPA Criminal Justice Policy and Administration Concentration

This program is designed to provide criminal justice agency professionals with coursework in policy-making, administration, and the managerial operations of the criminal justice system. The curriculum offers students who may be new to the field the insight and background needed to begin successful public sector careers, while preparing experienced professionals to assume positions that demand additional responsibility.

MPA Health Care Policy and Administration Concentration

This program is designed to provide a quality graduate professional education for individuals entering or currently employed in health services agencies. It prepares graduates for careers in health services administration, planning, policy, evaluation, consulting, and related careers.

MPA Nonprofit Management Concentration

Nonprofit Management concentration was developed to meet the needs of the growing nonprofit arena. This concentration offers students a program that addresses the social, political, and economic landscape of the sector, its origin, size, composition, and its role in American Society and elsewhere. The coursework will review the size, scope, and dimensions of the U.S. nonprofit sector and examine theories of the sector and its conceptual underpinnings in some depth along with historical and religious foundations. This concentration also looks at such issues as why people organize, give financial support, and donate time. The concentration examines key aspects of the fundraising process for nonprofit organizations, major theoretical foundations, and general fundraising principles as well as a variety of marketing and fundraising techniques, sources of donations, and aspects of managing the fundraising process. The concentration combines applied and conceptual readings and provides students with opportunities to apply concepts and techniques through a series of service-learning portfolio assignments in collaboration with area nonprofit organizations.

MPA Public Management Concentration

The Public Management concentration is designed to provide the Master of Public Administration program with an emphasis in the structure, functioning, and skill competencies required for contemporary managers in the public and nonprofit sectors. This concentration offers our students a program that addresses the social, political, and economic landscape of the public sector, and its history and role in American Society. This concentration provides a broad examination of theoretical perspectives, the environmental context, and management functions that can be used to analyze organizations and to improve organizational effectiveness. The concentration combines applied and conceptual readings and provides students with opportunities to apply concepts and techniques to issues experienced in various workplace settings.

Academic and Professional Advisement

Undergraduate

Candidates for the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree receive academic advisement for designing and completing their program of study. Specialized professional advisement can be obtained from the CBAPP Student  Success Center. Undergraduate students seeking professional advisement should contact department faculty, who are available to discuss career options and current policy issues in professions within the areas of Public Administration and Public Policy.

Graduate

Candidates for the Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree receive academic advisement through the College's Graduate Business and Public Administration Advising Office. Students seeking academic advisement should contact the MPA Advising Office at (310) 243-3646, or mpafacultyadvisor@csudh.edu. 

Preparation

Undergraduate

High school students should take college preparatory courses in the social and natural sciences, English and mathematics.
Students taking their first two years of study at a community college are advised to complete lower division general education requirements.

Graduation with Honors for Undergraduate Students

An undergraduate student may be a candidate for graduation with Honors in Public Administration by meeting the following criteria:

  1. A minimum of 36 units in residence at CSU Dominguez Hills;
  2. A minimum grade point average of 3.5 in all courses used to satisfy the upper division requirements in the major.