The School of Public Administration provides the highest quality undergraduate education for students interested in working in the public and private sectors, as well as, nonprofit organizations. 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 oriented towards an evolving metropolitan environment. The school offers an undergraduate program leading to a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Public Administration. The program provides opportunities for students to prepare for employment as public administrators and produces graduates with the public management skills and analytical techniques needed for successful careers in government, 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 program prerequisite and Core Requirement (see sections 2, 3, and 4 below).
- 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 and Historical Foundations (9 Credit Hours)
Mathematical Foundations (6 Credit Hours)
- CGS 1060C - Introduction to Computers Credit Hours: 3 (Required)
Social Foundations (6 Credit Hours)
- POS 2041 - American National Government Credit Hours: 3 (Required)
Common Program Prerequisites (CPP) (3 Credit Hours)
See “Common Prerequisites” in the Transfer and Transition Services section
- CGS 1060C - Introduction to Computers Credit Hours: 3 (GEP)
- POS 2041 - American National Government Credit Hours: 3 (GEP)
- Select one:
- ECO 2013 - Principles of Macroeconomics Credit Hours: 3
- ECO 2023 - Principles of Microeconomics Credit Hours: 3
Core Requirements: Basic Level
- Select One:
- STA 2014C - Principles of Statistics Credit Hours: 3
- STA 2023 - Statistical Methods I Credit Hours: 3
Core Requirements: Advanced Level (33 Credit Hours)
Core requirements must be completed with a minimum GPA of (2.5) to satisfy the major.
- PAD 3003 - Public Administration in American Society Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 3733 - Professional Administrative Writing in the Public Sector Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 4034 - The Administration of Public Policy Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 4104 - Administrative Theory Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 4204 - Fiscal Management Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 4414 - Human Resource Administration Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 4720 - Research Methods in Public Administration Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 4941 - Public Administration Internship Credit Hours:3
- PAD 4131 - Public Sector Project Management Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 4822 - Intergovernmental Administration Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 4886 - Public Service Leadership Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 4942 - School of Public Administration Internship Orientation Credit Hours: 0
Restricted Electives (24 Credit Hours)
Required Minor or Certificate in the School of Public Administration (18 Credit Hours)
- Students must complete a minor or certificate from the School of Public Administration offered at UCF. Choose from: Emergency Management and Homeland Security; Nonprofit Management/National Certification in Nonprofit Management or the Certificate in Nonprofit Management; and Urban and Regional Planning , or other minor approved by the Undergraduate Program Director, excluding the minor in Public Administration. The minor cannot overlap with any other major requirement, PAD Core or BS required course. Students pursuing a minor outside the School of Public Administration must complete a minimum of 18 credit hours within that minor. Should that minor not require 18 credit hours the student must fulfill the 18 hour minor requirement by completing courses within the field of public administration.
B.A./B.S. Option (6 Credit Hours)
- Students pursuing the BA degree must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language equivalent to one year in college. ASL I, II can also be used to fulfill this requirement.
- Students pursuing the B.S. degree must complete two additional upper-level Public Administration courses.
Capstone Requirements
- PAD 4886-Public Service Leadership
Electives
- Students are encouraged to select courses as electives or other courses that will enhance their background in the public administration field. These may be used to build minors and certificates offered by the University. Examples include: Business, Criminal Justice, Diplomacy, Economics, Environmental Studies, Florida Studies, Global Peace and Security Studies, Health Services Administration, Leadership Studies, Legal Studies, Political Science, and Terrorism Studies.
- The University requires 48 upper-level credits in order to graduate, students choosing the Nonprofit Management minor with the Generalist Emphasis may need to take additional upper-level electives to satisfy the University requirement.
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 Public Administration can include Emergency Management and Homeland Security; Nonprofit Management/National Certification in Nonprofit Management; and Urban and Regional Planning. Excluding the minor in Public Administration. The minor cannot overlap with any other major requirement, PAD Core or BS required course.
Departmental Exit Requirements
- 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, and 4).
- 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.)
- Economics (B.S.)
- Health Services Administration (B.S.)
- Legal Studies (B.A. or B.S.)
- Management (B.S.B.A.)
- Political Science (B.A.)
- Social Work (B.S.W.)
Certificates
Related Minors
- Business Minor
- Criminal Justice Minor
- Diplomacy Minor
- Economics Minor
- Entrepreneurship Minor
- Environmental Studies Minor
- Florida Studies Minor
- Health Services Administration Minor
- International and Global Studies Minor
- Leadership Studies Minor
- Legal Studies Minor
- Political Science Minor
- Terrorism Studies 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 POS 2041 - American National Government, ECO 2013 - Principles of Macroeconomics, ECO 2023 - Principles of Microeconomics, Statistics (STA 2014C or STA 2023), and Introduction to Computer (CGS1000, CGS 1060C, or CGS 2100C).
- Subject to the general grade and residence requirements, credit will be granted for transferred course work equivalent to that required in the Public Administration program. Only grades of “C-” (1.75) or higher transfer into the program and students must have a “C-” (1.75) or better in each common program prerequisites class.
Acceptable Substitutes for Transfer Courses
- Program approval required.
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
- This is one of numerous possible plans of study.
- Although all classes are listed as being taken during the academic year, you may take classes during the summer semester.
Freshman Year - Fall (15 Credit Hours)
- ENC 1101 - Composition I Credit Hours: 3
- CGS 1060C - Introduction to Computers Credit Hours: 3
- POS 2041 - American National Government 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
- GEP Communication Credit Hours: 3
- Free Elective Credit Hours: 3
- GEP Social Credit Hours: 3
Sophomore Year - Fall (15 Credit Hours)
- STA 2014C - Principles of Statistics Credit Hours: 3 or STA 2023
- ECO 2013 - Principles of Macroeconomics Credit Hours: 3 or ECO 2023
- Free Elective Credit Hours: 3
- GEP Historical Credit Hours: 3
- GEP Science Credit Hours: 3
Sophomore Year - Spring (15 Credit Hours)
- PAD 3003 - Public Administration in American Society Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 3733 - Professional Administrative Writing in the Public Sector Credit Hours: 3
- Free Elective Credit Hours: 3
- GEP Historical Credit Hours: 3
- GEP Science Credit Hours: 3
Junior Year - Fall (15 Credit Hours)
- PAD 4034 - The Administration of Public Policy Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 4104 - Administrative Theory Credit Hours: 3
- PAD Approved Minor Course Credit Hours: 3
- PAD Approved Minor Course Credit Hours: 3
- Free Elective Credit Hours: 3
Junior Year - Spring (15 Credit Hours)
- PAD 4131 - Public Sector Project Management Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 4414 - Human Resource Administration Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 4204 - Fiscal Management Credit Hours: 3
- PAD Approved Minor Course Credit Hours: 3
- PAD Approved Minor Course Credit Hours: 3
Senior Year - Fall (15 Credit Hours)
- PAD 4720 - Research Methods in Public Administration Credit Hours: 3
- PAD Approved Minor Course Credit Hours: 3
- PAD Approved Minor Course or Free Elective Credit Hours: 3
- Supporting Upper-Division Elective Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 4942 - School of Public Administration Internship Orientation Credit Hours: 0
- PAD 4941 - Public Administration Internship Credit Hours:3
Senior Year - Spring (15 Credit Hours)
- PAD 4822 - Intergovernmental Administration Credit Hours: 3
- PAD 4886 - Public Service Leadership Credit Hours: 3
- Supporting Upper-Division Elective Credit Hours: 3
- Free Elective Credit Hours: 3
- Free Elective Credit Hours: 3
