The School of Public Administration provides the highest quality undergraduate education for students interested in working in the nonprofit sector. The school strives to achieve local, state and national prominence through contemporary curriculum, innovative instruction, scholarly and applied research, and community service. Programs and services develop and enhance management skills essential to public and nonprofit organizations. The school offers an undergraduate program leading to a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Nonprofit Management. The program provides opportunities for students to prepare for employment as nonprofit professionals and produces graduates with the management skills and analytical techniques needed for successful careers in nonprofit and related business fields.
Admission Requirements
Degree Requirements
- Students who change degree programs and select this major must adopt the most current catalog.
- Students should complete the General Education Program and the Common Program Prerequisites before transferring within the Florida College System or State University System.
- Students should consult with a departmental advisor on a regular basis.
- Students must earn at least a “C-” in each course accepted as a common prerequisite and Core Requirement (see sections 2, 3, and 4).
- No transfer course will be accepted with a grade lower than a “C-“.
- The courses designated in sections 1 (General Education) and 2 (Common Program Prerequisites) should usually be completed in the first 60 hours.
- Students must earn a 2.5 GPA in the major (all PAD courses) in order to graduate.
General Education Program (GEP) (36 Credit Hours)
Communication Foundations (9 Credit Hours)
Cultural & Historical Foundations (9 Credit Hours)
Mathematical Foundations (6 Credit Hours)
- CGS 1060C - Introduction to Computers Credit Hours: 3 (Suggested)
Social Foundations (6 Credit Hours)
- SYG 2000 - Introduction to Sociology Credit Hours: 3 (Suggested)
- ECO 2013 - Principles of Macroeconomics Credit Hours: 3 (Required)
- or
- ECO 2023 - Principles of Microeconomics Credit Hours: 3 (Required)
Science Foundations (6 Credit Hours)
Common Program Prerequisites (CPP)
- ECO 2013 - Principles of Macroeconomics Credit Hours: 3 (Required)
- or
- ECO 2023 - Principles of Microeconomics Credit Hours: 3 (Required)
Core Requirements: Basic Level
Core Requirements: Advanced Level (33 Credit Hours)
- All core requirements must be completed with a minimum major GPA of (2.5) to satisfy the major.
Core Requirements (33 Credit Hours)
1 Capstone Requirement
- PAD 3733 - Professional Administrative Writing in the Public Sector Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 4104 - Administrative Theory Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 4144 - Nonprofit Organizations Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 4147 - Resource Development in the Nonprofit Sector Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 4148 - Volunteer Management Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 4153 - Planning and Improvement for Public Organizations Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 4204 - Fiscal Management Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 4325 - Program Evaluation for Public and Nonprofit Organizations Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 4720 - Research Methods in Public Administration Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 3930 - Nonprofit Leadership Seminar Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 4942 - School of Public Administration Internship Orientation Credit Hours: 0 1
- PAD 4941 - Public Administration Internship Credit Hours:3
Restricted Electives (24 Credit Hours)
Required Minor of 18 credit hours: (18 Credit Hours)
- Students must complete a minor. Students can choose from: Emergency Management and Homeland Security Minor; Public Administration Minor; Urban and Regional Planning Minor; or other minor approved by the Undergraduate Program Director excluding Nonprofit Management.
- Those who complete a recognized UCF minor in a discipline outside Public Administration must take a minimum of 18 hrs within that minor.
- Additional electives can be taken from other allied supporting fields such as accounting, legal studies, communications, computer science, criminal justice, economics, political science, social work, sociology, or statistics. Electives can also be taken from nonprofit sector “service area” concentrations such as: youth services, eldercare, environment, education, the arts, etc. Courses should be selected with the assistance of an advisor, and must be upper division (3000-4000 level).
- Students pursuing the B.A. degree must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language equivalent to one year at the college level.
- Students pursuing the B.S. degree must complete two additional upper level courses (six credit hours).
Capstone Requirements
- PAD 3930 - Nonprofit Leadership Seminar Credit Hours: 3
Electives
- Students are encouraged to select courses as electives or other course that will enhance their background in the nonprofit sector. These may be used to build minors and certificates offered by the University. Examples include: Accounting Minor; Criminal Justice Minor; Diversity and Social Inequality Minor; Emergency Management and Homeland Security Minor; Global Peace and Security Studies Minor; Health Services Administration Minor; Human Services Minor; Legal Studies Minor; Urban and Regional Planning Minor; and Writing and Rhetoric Minor
- Electives can also be taken from nonprofit sector “service area” concentrations such as: youth services, eldercare, environment, education, the arts, etc. Courses should be selected with the assistance of an advisor, and must be upper division (3000-4000 level).
Foreign Language Requirements
Admissions
Graduation
- Students pursuing a B.A. degree must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language equivalent to one year at college level. Proficiency equivalent to two semesters of college instruction in a foreign language or in American Sign Language (ASL). Standardized examinations for foreign languages may be used. ASL proficiency is met by successful completion of ASL 2140 and ASL 2150 or an appropriate score on the ASL proficiency exam. Contact the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (https://healthprofessions.ucf.edu/csd/) regarding the ASL proficiency examination.
Additional Requirements
Required Minors
- Students must complete a minor or certificate from the School of Public Administration offered at UCF or another minor approved by the Undergraduate Program Director. Minors in the School of Public Administration can include 1) Emergency Management and Homeland Security Minor, 2) Public Administration, and 3) Urban and Regional Planning Minor. Students majoring in Nonprofit Management cannot minor in Nonprofit Management. Other approved minors include: Criminal Justice Minor; Diversity and Social Inequality Minor; Global Peace and Security Studies Minor; Health Services Administration Minor; Human Services Minor; Legal Studies Minor; and Writing and Rhetoric Minor.
Departmental Exit Requirements
- The students must attain a minimum grade of “C-” in all Common Program Prerequisites courses and in all Core Requirements (see sections 2, 3, and 4 above).
- An overall 2.0 GPA must be attained for all coursework (see sections 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 above).
- Students must earn a 2.5 GPA in the major in order to graduate.
University Minimum Exit Requirements
- A 2.0 UCF GPA
- 48 semester hours of upper division credit completed
- 60 semester hours earned after CLEP awarded
- 30 of the last 39 hours of course work must be completed in residency at UCF.
- A maximum of 45 hours of extension, correspondence, CLEP, Credit by Exam, and Armed Forces credits permitted.
- Complete the General Education Program, the Gordon Rule, and nine hours of Summer credit.
Total Undergraduate Credit Hours Required: 120
Additional Information
Honors In Major
- Admission: Applications to the Honors in the Major program must be approved by the Associate Dean of the Honors College and a Faculty Advisor in the School of Public Administration.
Related Programs
- Business Administration
- Criminal Justice (B.A. or B.S.)
- Health Services Administration (B.S.)
- Legal Studies (B.A. or B.S.)
- Public Administration (B.A. or B.S.)
- Social Work (B.S.W.)
Certificates
Related Minors
- Criminal Justice Minor
- Diversity and Social Inequality Minor
- Emergency Management and Homeland Security Minor
- Global Peace and Security Studies Minor
- Health Services Administration Minor
- Human Services Minor
- Legal Studies Minor
- Urban and Regional Planning Minor
- Writing and Rhetoric Minor
Advising Notes
- Orientation and advising are two of the most valuable tools that a student can make use of when transferring to UCF. Be sure that you take advantage of both.
- Students are urged to have access to a personal computer, modem, and appropriate software to interact with the University and professors.
Transfer Notes
- Florida College System students are advised to complete the Associate of Arts degree, to include the general education requirements and the common program prerequisites.
- Lower division courses do not substitute for upper division courses.
- Courses transferred from private and out-of-state schools must be formally evaluated for equivalency credit. The student must provide a course syllabus and any additional supporting documentation with his/her petition for this evaluation.
- Common Program Prerequisites for the State University System for the School of Public Administration programs include ECO 2013 - Principles of Macroeconomics or ECO 2023 - Principles of Microeconomics.
- Subject to the general grade and residence requirements, credit will be granted for transferred course work equivalent to that required in the Nonprofit Management program. Only grades of “C” (2.0) or higher transfer into the program and students must have a “C” (2.0) or better in each common program prerequisites class.
Acceptable Substitutes for Transfer Courses
Program Academic Learning Compacts
- Program Academic Learning Compacts (student learning outcomes) for undergraduate programs are located at: http://www.oeas.ucf.edu/alc/academic_learning_compacts.htm
Plan of Study
- Although all classes are listed as being taken during the academic year, you may take classes during the summer semester.
- This is one of numerous possible plans of study.
Freshman Year - Fall (15 Credit Hours)
- ENC 1101 - Composition I Credit Hours: 3
- CGS 1060C - Introduction to Computers Credit Hours: 3
- SOW 2020 - Careers in Creating Social Change Credit Hours: 3
- Free Elective Credit Hours: 3
- GEP Cultural Credit Hours: 3
Freshman Year - Spring (15 Credit Hours)
- ENC 1102 - Composition II Credit Hours: 3
- MAC 1105C - College Algebra Credit Hours: 3
- SYG 2000 - Introduction to Sociology Credit Hours: 3
- Free Elective Credit Hours: 3
- Free Elective Credit Hours: 3
Sophomore Year - Fall (15 Credit Hours)
- STA 2014 - Principles of Statistics Credit Hours: 3
- ECO 2013 - Principles of Macroeconomics Credit Hours: 3
- or
- ECO 2023 - Principles of Microeconomics Credit Hours: 3
- GEP Historical Credit Hours: 3
- GEP Science Credit Hours: 3
- Free Elective Credit Hours: 3
Sophomore Year - Spring (15 Credit Hours)
- GEP Historical Credit Hours: 3
- GEP Communication Credit Hours: 3
- GEP Science Credit Hours: 3
- Free Elective Credit Hours: 3
- Free Elective Credit Hours: 3
Junior Year - Fall (15 Credit Hours)
- PAD 3733 - Professional Administrative Writing in the Public Sector Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 4144 - Nonprofit Organizations Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 4147 - Resource Development in the Nonprofit Sector Credit Hours: 3
- Approved Minor Course Credit Hours: 3
- Approved Minor Course Credit Hours: 3
Junior Year - Spring (15 Credit Hours)
- PAD 4148 - Volunteer Management Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 4720 - Research Methods in Public Administration Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 4104 - Administrative Theory Credit Hours: 3
- Approved Minor Course Credit Hours: 3
- Supporting Upper-Division Elective OR BA Course Credit Hours: 3
Senior Year - Fall (15 Credit Hours)
- PAD 4153 - Planning and Improvement for Public Organizations Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 3930 - Nonprofit Leadership Seminar Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 4204 - Fiscal Management Credit Hours: 3
- Approved Minor Course Credit Hours: 3
- Free Elective Credit Hours: 3
Senior Year - Spring (15 Credit Hours)
- PAD 4325 - Program Evaluation for Public and Nonprofit Organizations Credit Hours: 3
- Approved Minor Course Credit Hours: 3
- Approved Minor Course Credit Hours: 3
- Supporting Upper-Division Elective OR BA Course Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 4942 - School of Public Administration Internship Orientation Credit Hours: 0
- PAD 4941 - Public Administration Internship Credit Hours: 3
