Public Administration Major - Bachelor of Science (BS)
Public administration helps prepare students for careers in nonprofit and governmental agencies by studying how these entities operate on a day-to-day basis. A course of study in public administration encompasses what government does, and how it does it. Careers in public administration focus on the development and implementation of policies at the governmental and non-profit areas. The study of public administration includes a variety of specialized subfields, including: public policy; public budgeting & finance; personnel management & ethics; nonprofit administration; urban planning; and program assessment & evaluation.
(All colleges)
33 credits
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Public administration core: | ||
| POL 101 | American National Government | 3 |
| or POL 102 | State and Local Government | |
| PUB 210 | Contemporary Issues in Government | 3 |
| PUB 320 | Public Budgeting and Finance | 3 |
| PUB 330 | Public Policy | 3 |
| PUB 340 | Public Personnel Law and Administration | 3 |
| POL 261 | Political Inquiry and Analysis | 3 |
| or POL 361 | Research Methods in Politics and Government | |
| POL 494 | Capstone Seminar in Politics and Government | 3 |
| Public administration electives: | ||
| Select nine credits from the following: | 9 | |
| Urban Policy | ||
| Health Policy | ||
| Environmental Policy | ||
| Urban Administration | ||
| Ethical Decision Making in Government | ||
| Special Topics in Public Administration | ||
| Recent Court Decisions Impacting Public Law and Administration | ||
| Internship in Public Administration | ||
| Civic Engagement and the Wisconsin Idea | ||
| Nonprofit Organizations | ||
| Leadership and Engagement | ||
| American Foreign Policy | ||
| Constitutional Law VII: Administrative Law | ||
| Other electives: | ||
| Select an additional three credits of electives from any course listed above not used to satisfy the above requirements, or from the list of other courses (see list below). | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 33 | |
Double majors in political science and public administration may only count POL 261, POL 361, and POL 494 toward the completion of both majors.
Other elective courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ECO 110 | Microeconomics and Public Policy | 3 |
| ECO 310 | Managerial Economics | 3 |
| ECO 319 | Public Sector Economics | 3 |
| ECO 321 | Modern Political Economy | 3 |
| ECO 350 | Health Economics | 3 |
| ECO 400 | Monetary Theory and Policy | 3 |
| ENG 307 | Writing for Management, Public Relations and the Professions | 3 |
| ENG 314 | Grant Writing | 3 |
| GEO 307 | Power, Space, and Global Change | 3 |
| GEO 309 | Cities: Past, Present, and Future | 3 |
| HIS 320 | Introduction to Public and Policy History | 3 |
| HIS 322 | Public Education in Wisconsin and America | 3 |
| MGT 308 | Organizational Behavior | 3 |
| POL 301 | American Presidency | 3 |
| POL 302 | Legislative Process | 3 |
| POL 450 | Internship in Political Science | 1-12 |
| POL 451 | Internship in Criminal Justice | 3 |
| POL 498 | Honors Research in Politics and Government | 3 |
| PSY 241 | Social Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 343 | Group Dynamics | 3 |
| PSY 376 | Industrial/Organizational Psychology | 3 |
| RGS 374 | Poverty as Public Policy | 3 |
| SOC 311 | Rural and Urban Communities | 3 |
All students must complete the general education, college core, major/minor, and university degree requirements in order to qualify for a degree. The easiest way to track all of these requirements is to refer to the Advisement Report (AR) found in the Student Information System (WINGS) Student Center. All enrolled students have access to the AR.
College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities (CASSH/VPA) Bachelor of Science core requirements
The following conditions apply to one or both Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees:
- Students majoring in English (writing and rhetoric or literary and cultural studies emphases) or in the department of global cultures and languages must earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. Education majors earn a Bachelor of Science degree; English major: medical professions emphasis majors may earn a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree.
- Students majoring in other CASSH programs may choose either a B.A. or a B.S. degree.
- Language courses (ARA, CHI, FRE, GCL, GER, HMG, JPN, RUS, SPA) used to fulfill general education requirement: "Mathematical/logical systems and modern languages" (GE 02, category 2) may also be used to meet the B.A. and B.S. language requirements.
- All other courses used to meet the requirements below must be in addition to the minimum 42 credits required in the General Education Program.
- At least one course in the B.A. or B.S. college degree program (core requirements) must be a CASSH designated diversity course.
- Applicable courses may be found on the CASSH B.A./B.S. Degree Option Course List or in the Advisement Report (AR) when the degree has been declared.
Courses used to fulfill general education requirements will not apply to core requirements except for language courses (ARA, CHI, FRE, GCL, GER, HMG, JPN, RUS, SPA) that count in the general education requirement: "Mathematical/logical systems and modern languages" (GE 02, category 2).
Bachelor of Science students complete four courses outside the department of the student's major as follows:
- A lab science course (from the general education list); and
- A social science course; and
- Another social science or general education natural science, or math course, or an approved CASSH alternative (ENV 101, PHL 334, PHL 339); and
- One additional course in humanities or fine arts or complete a global cultures and languages course 102 level or higher.
In addition to all other College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities core requirements, all students in CASSH must complete a second major, minor, or program option by satisfying one of the following:
- Complete a minor (or second major) outside of the student's major program, consisting of at least 18 credits; or
- Complete an emphasis, program or concentration of at least 18 credits outside the student's major program. General education courses may apply provided they are not being used to fulfill minimum general education requirements; or
- Complete 18 credits in two or more departments or programs (at least 12 credits earned at the 300/400 level). These courses must be outside the student's major department and can be from any college. General education courses may apply provided they are not being used to fulfill minimum general education requirements.
Baccalaureate degree requirements
Candidates for the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science degrees must accomplish the following:
- Fulfill the general education requirements.
- Complete at least one ethnic studies (diversity) course.
- Complete the courses prescribed by the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee for the degree desired in the respective school or college.
- Earn a minimum of 120 semester credits with at least a 2.00 cumulative GPA.1, 2
- At least 40 credits must be earned in 300/400 level courses. Transfer courses earned or transferred at the 300/400 level apply to this requirement.
- Complete major and minor requirements with at least a 2.00 GPA1, 2 in each major and minor (and concentration or emphasis, if selected).
- A minimum of 30 semester credits in residence at UWL is required for graduation. (See undergraduate resident requirement.)
- Submit an application for graduation via the "Apply for Graduation" link in the WINGS Student Center as soon as the student has registered for his or her final semester or summer term in residence. December and winter intersession graduates should apply by May 1. May and summer graduates should apply by December 1.
- 1
Grade point average requirements for some programs will be considerably higher than 2.00. Re-entering students may be required to earn credits in excess of the 120 needed for graduation in any curriculum in order to replace credits earned in courses in which the content has changed substantially in recent years. Each case will be judged on its own merit.
- 2
The grade point average recorded at the time the degree is awarded will not be affected by future enrollment.
No degree will be awarded unless all requirements are fulfilled and recorded within 30 days after the official ending date of each term.
Below is a sample degree plan that can be used as a guide to identify courses required to fulfill the major and other requirements needed for degree completion. A student's actual degree plan may differ depending on the course of study selected (second major, minor, etc.). Also, this sample plan assumes readiness for each course and/or major plan, and some courses may not be offered every term. Review the course descriptions or the class timetable for course offering information.
The sample degree plans represented in this catalog are intended for first-year students entering UWL in the fall term. Students should use the Advisement Report (AR) in WINGS and work closely with their faculty advisor(s) and college dean’s office to ensure declaration and completion of all requirements in a timely manner.
General Education Program
The general education curriculum (Gen Ed) is the common educational experience for all undergraduates at UWL. Sample degree plans include Gen Ed placeholders to ensure completion of the general education requirements. Courses may be rearranged to fit the needs or recommendations of the student’s program of study. Gen Ed courses may be taken during winter term (January between the semesters) and summer to reduce the course load during regular terms (fall and spring). Students should consult with their advisor and/or the college academic services director in their college/school for assistance with course and schedule planning. Refer to the general education requirements for more specific details.
At least 40 credits of the 120 credits required must be earned at the 300/400-level.
Note: New students and transfer students with 15 or fewer credits earned are required to take FYS 100 First-Year Seminar (3 cr.) during one of their first two semesters at UWL.
This sample degree plan does not establish a contractual agreement. It identifies the minimum requirements a student must successfully complete, to qualify for a degree, in a format intended to assist the student in planning their academic career. Actual degree plans may differ.
| Year 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| POL 101 or 102 (Gen Ed Self & Society) | 3 | PUB 210 | 3 |
| Gen Ed World History | 3 | FYS 100 (Gen Ed First-Year Seminar) | 3 |
| CST 110 (Gen Ed Literacy - Oral) | 3 | ENG 110 or 112 (Gen Ed Literacy - Written) | 3 |
| Gen Ed Math (STAT 145 recommended) | 4 | Gen Ed Natural Lab Science | 4 |
| Gen Ed Arts | 2-3 | ||
| 16 | 13 | ||
| Year 2 | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| POL 261 or 3611 | 3 | PUB 330 | 3 |
| CASSH Core Course - Natural Lab Science | 4 | Gen Ed Humanistic Studies | 3 |
| Gen Ed Arts | 2-3 | Gen Ed Minority Cultures | 3 |
| Gen Ed Global Studies (ECO 120 recommended) | 3 | Minor Course | 3 |
| Gen Ed Health & Well Being | 3 | CASSH Core Course | 3 |
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Year 3 | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| PUB 320 | 3 | PUB Elective (300/400 level) | 3 |
| PUB 340 | 3 | PUB Elective (300/400 level) | 3 |
| Minor Course | 3 | Minor Course | 3 |
| CASSH Core Course | 3 | University Elective | 3 |
| Gen Ed Math/Language/Logical Systems | 3-4 | Minor Course | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Year 4 | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| PUB Elective (PUB 450 recommended) | 3 | POL 494 | 3 |
| PUB Elective | 3 | PUB Elective | 3 |
| CASSH Core Diversity Course | 3 | Minor Course | 3 |
| Minor Course | 3 | CASSH Core Course | 3 |
| University Elective | 3 | University Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Credits: 120 | |||