Public administration is a popular career choice for those who enjoy working with governmental policies and laws, including how they work and influence the world around us. PhD programs are designed to give students skills in research methods, theory, application of practices, and more. Areas of study include public policy, political science, sociology, and economics. Students with a PhD in Public Administration can find plenty of careers in the government or academia with their advanced education.
Online Doctoral Degree Programs in Public Administration
Doctorate programs in the public administration field teach students how to incorporate various social sciences and the knowledge from them in order to understand things like policy creation, laws and regulations, and how to make changes that benefit society. Students in these programs will learn about things like sociology, statistics, behavioral psychology, political science, macroeconomics, and related fields. Most programs will require that students complete a dissertation and some type of exam in order to finish the program.
Program Information and Requirements
Students entering this type of program will need to have a master’s degree in a related field, such as political science, public administration, or public policy. They will also need to have proper career experience and professional skills in order to demonstrate their competency at the PhD level. Students who show aptitude in research methodology, social sciences, and sociologic and psychological theories will typically be the best candidates for a program like this.
Many programs require a multi-disciplinary approach simply because of the nature of the combination of social and political elements that are combined with business practices. Therefore, students will often take a wide range of courses. They may choose a specialization like social policy or public finance, or get a general degree.
List of Common Online Public Administration Classes
Public Administration programs typically require students to take courses that will cover working in the public domain, understanding politics and economies, social and psychological factors, and public policy. Some examples include:
- Public Organization Research Methodologies
- Public Organization Theory
- History of Public Administration
- Public Policy Implementation
- Advanced Social and Psychological Factors
Career Information for Graduates
Students who have a PhD in Public Administration can pursue a variety of careers with their training. They can choose from public careers, private careers, or jobs in academia where they can teach others about public administration and related areas of study. A PhD qualifies you for job titles like: policy administrator, public policy consultant, professor, and governmental policy researcher.
The average salary for someone working in public administration is around $52,000 annually. However, people who have a PhD will typically earn closer to $75,000 on average for their skills. Because there are so many different career options with this degree, you will have to choose a specific position before you can get accurate career information. It has been shown, however, that PhD candidates can earn an average of $19,000 more per year than those who only hold an undergraduate degree.
Continuing Education
There is no continuing education at this point for public policy professionals, aside from professional refresher courses and certification that may be available, depending on the position that is chosen. Again, because there are so many available careers, you will need to focus on your actual career to determine if you need to become certified or take refresher classes throughout your career.
