PUBLIC SERVICE AND ADMINISTRATION
Available Online and Hybrid.
Public Administration is the organization and management of people and materials to achieve public purposes.
The Public Service and Administration (PSA) major prepares you for career advancement in government and in nonprofit organizations. In the Public Service and Administration (PSA) major, students are introduced to ethical, philosophic, theological, historical, social, and political perspectives that influence the leadership and management of government and nonprofit organizations.
This major is offered in partnership with the Department of Public Administration and is available fully online and as a hybrid program. Students gain first-hand knowledge of effective practices in the government and nonprofit sectors as well as experience in networking and professional development.
Courses in the major cover topics such as public budgeting, strategic planning, leadership, public policy, ethics, and organizational development. They are taught by an accomplished faculty of scholars and practitioners - including, for example, managers at the federal, state, and local levels, and executives of non-profit organizations.
The Public Service and Administration major is available for students pursuing a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (BIS) or a Bachelor of Arts (BA).
Villanova also offers a combined Bachelor/Masters program option for CPS students pursuing majors in Public Service Administration, Leadership, Organizational Development & Management, or General Studies. This program allows students to earn their Master of Public Administration in an abbreviated timeframe.
PROGRAM DETAILS
Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (BIS) Core = 45 Credits, 15 Courses
Students must complete 15 courses (for a total of 45 credits) in the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (BIS) Core Curriculum.
or
Bachelor of Arts Core = 50 Credits, 18 Courses
Complete 18 courses (for a total of 50 credits) in the Bachelor of Arts (BA) Core Curriculum.
Public Service and Administration Major = 30 Credits, 10 Courses
PA 1050 Public Administration: Administrative politics, law, and ethics, organizational theory and technical fields, such as budgeting, planning, and personnel.
PA 2000 Public Policy: Theories of public policy making, national public policies, and contemporary issues.
PA 2100 City and Suburb: Politics and problems in metropolitan areas of the United States.
PA 3000 Overview of Non-Profit Sector: Exploration and analysis of organizational opportunities and challenges facing the sector in the U.S. and abroad, as well as in-depth discussion of a range of ways to work in the nonprofit sector.
PA 4100 Public Budgeting: How government and nonprofits raise revenue, engage in the budgeting process, and use budgets to manage in the public sector.
PA 4200 Organizational Development: Evaluation of human capital initiatives, marketing and communications strategies, and service delivery in government and nonprofit organizations.
PA 6000 The Vocation of Public Service: The exploration of the concept of public service as a “vocation,” envisioning public service as a means of self-expression through which citizen-servants discover meaning and purpose in their lives by promoting the common good as well as forging and developing the bonds of community among a body of diverse people. This concept is contextualized in the “real-life” choices made by and the experiences of public servants.
LDR 2010 Strategic Planning for Leaders: The strategic planning process in organizations. Mission, values, goals, alignment and accountability in the development and execution of a strategic plan.
LDR 2020 Leadership & Community: Leadership in the public sector. A study of leaders in politics, civil rights, academics/research and corporations. Evaluation of effective/ineffective leadership styles.
LDR 2040 Ethics & Leadership: The nature of ethical leadership. How the leader's values and beliefs affect decision making. The concepts of organizational and social responsibility.
Free Electives
BIS students must complete 15 elective courses (for a total of 45 credits).
or
BA students complete 14 elective courses (for a total of 42 credits).
View all admissions requirements or explore upcoming admissions events.
Villanova allows students to transfer up to 90 credits from other regionally accredited institutions. Find out more about transfer credits and community college agreements.
By the end of the program, students will be able to:
- Identify key themes in public service and administration, including what makes government and nonprofit organizations distinctive
- Explain managerial practices useful in public service
- Discuss the creation, implementation, and analysis of public programs
- Compare various approaches to the promotion of engaged citizenship
- Design a personal plan based on strategies of innovative leadership, the nature of public values and the vocation of public service
FEATURED FACULTY
Aaron Bibro, Adjunct Faculty and Township Manager
“The PSA major at Villanova will not only provide you with the academic foundation needed to succeed in the public sector, it will also give you the practical skills, networking opportunities, and a stellar reputation to help you advance at your current organization or secure a better job and a better future. The online classes don’t just consist of reading textbooks, watching video lectures and writing papers that you might experience in other programs... the live classes in the PSA major are engaging, fast paced and create an 'on-campus' feel from the comfort and convenience of your living room.”