School of Public Affairs and Administration

School of Public Affairs and Administration
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5440 USA
(269) 387-8932

Public Administration Minor

The School of Public Affairs and Administration offers a minor in public administration. The 18 credit hours of coursework are divided into nine credit hours of required core courses, three credit hours of capstone or professional experience, and six credit hours of electives in order to fulfill the academic and professional needs of students. This program is designed to prepare student from a variety of majors for entry-level professional positions in public sector organizations.

Core courses (9 credit hours)

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

Capstone or Professional Experience (3 credit hours)

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

Electives (6 credit hours)

  • PADM 5810 - Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation (3 credit hours)
  • PADM 5820 - International Public Finance Management (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 course from within the School of Public Affairs and Administration as well as other departments and colleges may qualify for elective credits with approval of the departmental advisor.