The Public Administration major is designed for undergraduates interested in studying and understanding the issues of governance and management of the public sector, and more specifically about the link between politics and public policy implementation. It is appropriate for those interested in public service careers in the federal government, state government, and/or local government including: city and county management, public finance administration, public personnel administration, and public policy analysis and program evaluation. This major prepares students for continuation of their education in professional and graduate schools of public administration, public policy analysis, and related fields. It also serves as a course of pre-legal study.

At least half of the required semester hours in the Public Administration Core and half of the required semester hours in the Related Hours must be from Miami. Required hours in the Core and Related Hours must be taken for a grade. A GPA of at least 2.00 is required in the Core as well as in the Related Hours courses. 

For students admitted prior to Fall 2021: at least 38 semester hours including:
For students admitted Fall 2021 and after: at least 36 semester hours including:

I. Public Administration core requirement (all 15 hours required): 

• POL 241 American Political System (3) [Take this course first]
• POL 261 Public Administration (3) * [After 241, take this course]
• POL 306 Applied Research Methods for Public Administration (3)
• ECO 201 Principles of Microeconomics (3)
• ECO 202 Principles of Macroeconomics (3)

*POL 261 is the prerequisite for all 300-400 level Public Administration courses.

II. The core electives at least 18 hours including:

For both requirement A & B below, courses appropriate to the major, but not listed as core electives, may in some cases be counted toward the major with the written approval of the student’s Public Administration adviser.

A. At least 12 hours from this list  

• POL 268 State and Local Government and Politics (3)
• POL 307 Public Opinion Laboratory (3)
• POL 345M Not for Profit Management (3)
• POL 351 Criminal Justice (3)
• POL 361 Nonprofits: Politics & Policy (3)
• POL 362 Public Management, Leadership, and Administrative Politics (3)
• POL 363 Administrative Law (3)
• POL 364 Federalism and Intergovernmental Relations (3)
• POL 365 Decision Making in Public Affairs (3)
• POL 460/560 Seminar on Public Administration and Policy Analysis (3)...topics vary
• POL 467/567 Public Budgeting (3)
• POL 468/568 Public Personnel Administration (3)

B. Not more than 6 hours from the following Professional Related courses can be taken

• ACC 468 Accounting for Governmental & Not-For-Profit Organizations (3)
• AMS 302 Transnational America (3)
• ECO 331 Public Sector Economics (3)
• ECO 406 Environmental Economics (3)
• ENG 313 Technical Writing (3)
• GEO 441 Geographic Information Systems (3)
• GEO 442 Advanced Geographic Information Systems (3)
• GEO 451 Urban and Regional Planning (3)
• GTY 365 Social Policy and Programs in Gerontology (3)
• HST 379 U.S. Consumerism, 1890-Present (3)
• IES 431 Principles and Applications of Environmental Science (3)
• IES 450 Environmental Law (3)
• JRN 412 Public Affairs Reporting (3)
• SOC 454 Formal Organization (3)
• STC 339 Introduction to Organizational Communication (3)

III. Seniors must take one capstone courses: 

• POL 466 Public Policy Analysis (3)

NOTE: POL 406 has been removed from the PA major and will no longer be required as a concurrent course with POL 466 beginning with students admitted Fall 2021. Students admitted prior to Fall 2021 can use a substitute course for these two credits. See your PA advisor for more information.

IV. Internships (POL 340)

Internships provide an added dimension to your educational experience. Internship credits do not fulfill any requirements for the Public Administration major. Internship credits, including the 0-credit option will fulfill the Miami Plan Experiential Learning requirement. Visit the internship webpage and see your academic advisor for more information.

CAS/Miami Plan Advanced Writing Requirement: Students seeking the Bachelor of Arts in Political Science meet the College of Arts and Science writing in the major requirement by completing the following courses: 

1. Take at least one of the required 200-level courses in a "Writing" or "W" section;
2. Take at least one of the POL 300-level courses in a "W" section;
3. and complete one of the required POL Capstone courses. All three must be completed to satisfy this requirement. 

NOTE: The Department of Political Science does NOT allow Political Science majors to pursue another major in the Department. A double major between Public Administration and Diplomacy and Global Politics is allowed, but will not meet the Miami Plan’s thematic sequence requirement as a double major that is in the same department. We strongly discourage a Diplomacy and Global Politics - International Studies double major, due to all the “double counting” that is involved.

Requirements can vary based upon the bulletin year of entry to Miami. Students should consult their DAR and with their faculty adviser to confirm their requirements.

Contact: Dr. Matt Arbuckle, 513-529-9017, 119 Harrison Hall

updated: 06/24/22