Bachelor of Science in Public and Nonprofit Administration

The Bachelor of Science with a major in public and nonprofit administration prepares students for careers in a wide range of public and nonprofit organizations. The major is designed to allow students to focus on the public and nonprofit administration track or a more flexible approach depending on their interests and career aspirations.

The major requires a minimum of 33 hours of coursework by drawing from courses within the School and from other WMU programs. Students complete nine credit hours of cognate courses, 15 credit hours of core courses, three credit hours of capstone or professional experience, and six credit hours of elective courses to fulfill their academic and professional needs.

Program requirements (33 hours)

Cognate courses (9 credit hours)

• ECON 2010 - Principles of Microeconomics (3 credit hours)
• Methods of Data Analysis (choose one):
  • ECON 2090 - Introductory Economic Statistics (3 credit hours)
  • PSCI 3950 - Data in Politics and Policy (3 credit hours)
  • SOC 2830 - Methods of Data Analysis (3 credit hours)
  • STAT 2160 - Business Statistics (3 credit hours)
  • STAT 3640 - Foundation of Data Analysis (3 credit hours)
  • STAT 3660 - Data Analysis for Biosciences (3 credit hours)
• ENGL 3050 - Professional Writing: Audience, Genre, and Workplace Cultures (4 credit hours)

Core courses (15 credit hours)

• PADM 2000 - Introduction to Public and Nonprofit Service (3 credit hours)
• Foundations (choose one):
  • PADM 3000 - Foundations of Nonprofit Management (3 credit hours)
  • PADM 3500 - Public Management for Democracy (3 credit hours)
• PADM 5270 - Human Resource Administration (3 credit hours)
• Accounting and Finance (choose one):
  • PADM 5120 - Public Budgeting and Accounting (3 credit hours)
  • PADM 5420 - Nonprofit Accounting and Finance (3 credit hours)
• PADM 4700 - Program Design, Implementation, and Evaluation (3 credit hours)

Capstone or professional experience (3 credit hours)

• Choose one:
  • PADM 4100 - Internship in Public and Nonprofit Administration (3 credit hours)
  • PADM 4950 - Public and Nonprofit Administration Capstone (3 credit hours)

Electives (6 credit hours)

• PADM 5810 - Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation (3 credit hours)
• PADM 5820 - International Public Financial Management (3 credit hours)
• PADM 5825 - Managing Community Growth and Development (3 credit hours)
• PADM 5830 - Grant Writing (3 credit hours)
• PADM 5860 - Social Policy Administration (3 credit hours)
• PADM 5870 - Fund Raising for Nonprofit Organizations (3 credit hours)
• PADM 5880 - Culture, Diversity, and Social Equity (3 credit hours)
• PADM 5890 - Strategic Planning and Performance Measurement (3 credit hours)
• ECON 3100 - Labor Economics (3 credit hours)
• ECON 3190 - Environmental Economics (3 credit hours)
• ECON 3840 - Economic Development (3 credit hours)
• GEOG 5720 - Cities and Urban Systems (3 credit hours)
• GRN 4000 - Public Policy and Aging (3 credit hours)
• GWS 3200 - Women, Globalization and Social Change (3 credit hours)
• GWS 3400 - Race, Gender and Science (3 credit hours)
• PSCI 3000 - Urban Politics in the United States (3 credit hours)
• PSCI 3040 - Introduction to Public Policy (3 credit hours)
• PSCI 3060 - Environmental Politics (4 credit hours)
• PSCI 3500 - American Foreign Policy (4 credit hours)
• PSCI 4050 - Public Policy and the Economy (3 credit hours)
• PHIL 3140 - Philosophy and Public Affairs (3 credit hours)
• PHIL 3150 - Race and Gender Issues (3 credit hours)
• SOC 3140 - Race in America (3 credit hours)
• SOC 3680 - Race, Ethnicity, and Justice (3 credit hours)
• SWRK 3000 - Social Welfare as a Social Institution (3 credit hours)

Additional courses from within the School of Public Affairs and Administration as well as other departments and colleges may qualify for elective credit with approval of the departmental advisor.