Public Policy and Administration
Imagine spending your entire career effecting change for the betterment of society.
Whether you’re considering work for a nonprofit organization like a museum or a social service agency, or thinking about a civil service career advocating for key legislation — studying public policy and administration will help problem solvers, like you, to develop technical communication and negotiation skills that are key to getting through to people.
Prepare for any number of graduate degrees, or jump right in to a career in public affairs, lobbying, human advocacy or conservation action and much more, with a degree from Albright College.
“Public policy and administration courses exposed me to career opportunities and showed me where I truly wanted to pursue a career.” – Albright graduate Jacob Pollicove ’20 is now a Master of Public Administration student at the University of Pennsylvania.
By the end of the program, students should:
- Appreciate how power and resources drive creating and implementing public policy
- Grasp institutional aspects of American government
- Understand the function and contours of the nonprofit sector in the United States
- Gain an understanding of basic and intermediate economics
- Learn research and writing skills appropriate to government, nonprofits, and academia
- Obtain quantitative analysis skills
- Understand professional behavior and effective communication
Suzanne Palmer
Associate Professor of Legal Studies in Business; Coordinator-Sustainable Business minor; Department of Business, Accounting & Economics
610-921-7781
spalmer@albright.edu
Irene Langran, Ph.D.
Associate Dean of General Education and Faculty Development; Professor of Political Science
610-921-7570
ilangran@albright.edu
Nathan Henceroth, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Political Science
610-929-6557
nhenceroth@albright.edu
Stefanie I. Kasparek, Ph.D.
Visiting Assistant Professor of Political Science
Michael A. Armato, Ph.D.
Chair of the Department of Government, Public Service & Health, Associate Professor of Political Science, Pre-Law Advisor, Director of the Public Policy and Administration Program, Director of the Legal Studies Program
610-929-6622
marmato@albright.edu
Co-Major Requirements:
A total of eight courses as follows:
ECO 105 Principles of Economics
POL 206 Political Inquiry
POL 207 Research Methods
POL 214 Public Policy
POL 218 Public Administration
POL 399 Internship
One Approved Political Science Senior Seminar
One of the following economics courses after completing ECO105: ECO 322 Labor Economics, ECO 324 Environmental Economics, ECO 337 Public Finance and Policy, ECO 383 Urban Economics and Policy
Students who take another research course sequence to fulfill requirements for a different “full major” or “co-major” should consult with political science faculty about approved course substitutions for POL206 and POL207.
Minor Requirements:
A total of five courses as follows:
ECO 105 Principles of Economics
POL 214 Public Policy
POL 218 Public Administration
POL 399 Internship
One of the following economics courses after completing ECO105: ECO 322 Labor Economics, ECO 324 Environmental Economics, ECO 337 Public Finance and Policy, ECO 383 Urban Economics and Policy
Professional Associations:
American Political Science Association https://www.apsanet.org/
Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration https://www.naspaa.org/
Civil Service Jobs:
USA Jobs www.usajobs.com
Pennsylvania State Employment https://www.employment.pa.gov/
New Jersey Civil Service Commission https://www.state.nj.us/csc/
Maryland Jobs Resources https://www.maryland.gov/pages/jobs.aspx
New York Department of Civil Service https://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/
Delaware State Jobs https://statejobs.delaware.gov/
Public Sector Unions:
American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees https://www.afscme.org/
Non-Profit Job Sources:
Non-profitjobs.org http://nonprofit-jobs.org/
Idealist.org https://www.idealist.org/en/
A growing career field
The Center for Civil Society Studies at Johns Hopkins University reported that non-profit job growth outpaced for-profit job growth by three to one from 2007 to 2016. And, the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that governments in the United States added 132,000 public policy jobs from January 2018 to January 2019.
Develop deep skills
Develop interpersonal, writing, and data analysis skills that are necessary to succeed in the workplace and in graduate school. You will learn practical skills, like how to draft a policy memoranda and grant proposals, while also being required to take an internship. And, you will also learn about the theoretical study of power and economics that will help you appreciate and understand the contours of the more practically oriented aspects of the curriculum.
Personalize your degree at Albright College
Students who choose to co-major in this field will combine public policy and administration with another combined major like economics, history, public health, political science, accounting, arts administration, computer science or environmental studies. Or, students can minor in public policy and administration. Either way, you can personalize your degree!
Why Albright?
Albright students are able to work one-on-one to plan personal curriculum, explore research topics or plan for life after college. Learn more about Albright College’s drive to help students exceed their own expectations.
Have questions?
We’d love to hear from you! Please contact Director, Michael Armato, Ph.D., at marmato@albright.edu to learn more about the Public Policy and Administration program at Albright College.