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Public Administration Online MBA Concentration Within the Master of Business Administration Program

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You're viewing a Program Concentration

Total courses 3 (of 10)

Term length 10 weeks

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Concentration Overview Why focus on public administration?

As part of your MBA program, a concentration adds focus to your degree in a particular area of study. Gain the advanced knowledge you need to navigate the public sector at a leadership level with a Master of Business (MBA) with a concentration in Public Administration from Southern New Hampshire University. This online MBA concentration focuses on people and idea management, impactful leadership and strategic planning — skills that you can bring to local, state or federal careers involving writing policy, governing jurisdictions and serving the public.

Skills you'll learn:

  • Leadership
  • Public service
  • Government & business relationship analysis
  • Data-driven decision-making techniques
  • Policy development
  • Outreach strategies
Caitlyn Carey, who earned her degree from SNHU, working on a laptop computer.

Courses & Curriculum Career-focused public administration courses

The MBA with a concentration in Public Administration focuses on key leadership and business skills that apply directly to careers in public administration. You'll learn the importance of balancing people management, strategic thinking and operational dexterity in order to make data-driven decisions and guide public policy for any organization you serve.

Concentration Course Descriptions

Your 3-course public administration concentration explained

Your entire MBA degree consists of 10 courses (30 credits). For 7 of your courses, you’ll take graduate-level MBA classes (21 credits). If you choose this concentration, the remaining 3 courses (9 credits) will focus specifically on public administration — where you'll learn specifically how business units function individually and cross-functionally and how to use that knowledge to effectively guide public policy. If your bachelor's degree isn't in business or a related field, you may be required to take 1 or 2 business foundation courses first.

Courses may include:

Course ID: PAD 630
This course is designed to introduce students to the foundations and constraints that form the environment of the public administration. It will encourage and enable the view of governance issues through the eyes of a public administrator. The course is structured to provide basic skills and set the context of contemporary political, social, economic, and administrative realities. It explores responsive, equitable, effective, efficient, and accountable governance processes, public policies, and institutional-based programs. It also examines, from a multidisciplinary perspective, those essential competencies, values, and issues important to public service organizations and the importance of public policy at the local, state, national and international levels.
Course ID: PAD 631
This course is designed to provide an academic foundation to applied strategic management in public service. Identifying the factors that differentiate public service from the private sector, strategic planning and the implications those differences have for managers. Emphasis is placed on applied strategic planning and management including how to create a mission statement, conduct a SWOT analysis, conduct a stakeholder analysis, writing goals and objectives, and how to design and implement a performance measurement and management system. Current approaches to strategic management used by federal, state, local, and non-profit organizations are emphasized.
Course ID: PAD 632
This course is an introduction to the public policy process. Students will develop an understanding of what "political" and "public policy" mean. Topics discussed include why some problems reach the public agenda, why some solutions are adopted, why others are rejected, why some policies appear to succeed while others appear to fail. The course also examines the complexity of policymaking at the national, state, and local levels.
Course ID: PAD 633
This course is designed to demonstrate the challenges and strategies for governance and administration in an institutional environment of fragmented authority and dispersed power. It defines the balance of shared powers between the layers and institutions of government poses and the considerable challenges to policymakers and administrators. Major dimensions of intergovernmental relations: the vertical dimension of federal, states, and local governments, that cooperate, coordinate, and compete for shares of power, and the horizontal dimension in which sub-governments interact with one another. The course examines the structure of American political institutions, the nature of complex policymaking, governance by networks, and the consequences of competition between governments.

Visit the course catalog to view the full MBA with a concentration in Public Administration curriculum.

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Faculty Profile

Learn from instructors with industry experience

Our faculty members bring with them decades of business experience and exhibit strong leadership both in the classroom and in their professional careers. This experience informs the development of courses and curriculum that can help position graduates for success, wherever they go next.

Featured Faculty

Dr. Karl Kammerer

With experience ranging from biotech entrepreneurship to higher education, Dr. Karl Kammerer's professional journey includes co-founding and leading a biotechnology company, directing a community-facing center for entrepreneurship, and numerous teaching and administrative positions in higher education. He is dedicated to creating an accessible, engaging and inclusive learning environment that empowers you to develop the skills and knowledge to thrive in a rapidly changing business world.

Position
Associate Dean, Business

Joined SNHU
2024

Education

  • PhD in Strategic Management, MBA and BBA from the University of Kansas

Read more about Dr. Karl Kammerer and other online faculty at SNHU.

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Accreditations

SNHU is accredited by the regional accreditor the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). The university also carries specialized accreditations for some programs.

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Tuition Cost & Savings College can be more affordable than you think

As a nonprofit university, SNHU offers some of the lowest online tuition rates in the country. And when you work with our Financial Services team, we'll explore ways to help you save even more on your education – and customize a payment plan that works for you.

Online graduate tuition

Student
Cost per credit
Cost per course
Cost for 30-credit degree*
Full- and part-time students
$659
$1,977
$19,770
Active-duty military and spouses | Full- and part-time students**
$470
$1,410
$14,100

*before previously earned credits are applied

Tuition rates are subject to change and are reviewed annually.

**Note: Students receiving this rate are not eligible for additional discounts.

Additional costs: Course materials vary by course.

Transfer credits and lower your cost by:

$1,318 $2,636 $3,954
Transfer credits and lower your cost by:

If 2 of your prior learning credits ($659/credit) are accepted toward your master’s degree.

Your remaining tuition cost: $18,452

If 4 of your prior learning credits ($659/credit) are accepted toward your master’s degree.

Your remaining tuition cost: $17,134

If 6 of your prior learning credits ($659/credit) are accepted toward your master’s degree.

Your remaining tuition cost: $15,816

How we estimate your tuition cost:

We look at the cost per credit multiplied by the number of credits you need to earn for an MBA degree. Most master's degrees require 30 credits. SNHU allows you to transfer in up to 6 credits, requiring a minimum of 24 credits to be taken at SNHU. This is only a tuition estimator and doesn't account for other fees that may be associated with your program of choice.

Career Outlook What can I do with my concentration in public administration?

If you’re interested in using your business degree for the good of the community — as a city manager, a city or state commissioner, a board member in your local community or a nonprofit CEO — an online MBA with a concentration in Public Administration is an excellent foundation. 

Industries

When you earn your MBA with a concentration in Public Administration online, you’ll have the background you need to pursue a career in a wide variety of public sectors and departments.

Organize and supervise programs/government initiatives that help children and families.

Plan, direct and coordinate activities that promote a community's economic growth and well-being.

Advance the common good and effect positive change by advocating for community-supportive policies.

Study, research and analyze the origin, development and operation of public systems.

Plan, direct or coordinate health services that support communities on a local or national scale.

Manage an organization's daily operations and overall direction to help achieve their mission.

9%
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increase in career opportunities nationally for social and community service managers through 2032, projected by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).1

$77,030
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the median annual salary nationally for social and community service managers as of May 2023, according to the BLS.1 Administrative services and facilities managers made a median annual salary of $104,900 in the same timeframe.1 Statistic not based on wage data for SNHU graduates.

Understanding the numbers
When reviewing job growth and salary information, it’s important to remember that actual numbers can vary due to many different factors—like years of experience in the role, industry of employment, geographic location, worker skill and economic conditions. Cited projections are based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data, not on SNHU graduate outcomes, and do not guarantee actual salary or job growth.

What SNHU students are saying

Aaron Dupuis '19MBA.
Aaron Dupuis '19MBA.

I had a great experience with my online program. I enjoyed being able to learn and engage with other professionals in my classes and hear about their experience in a variety of careers.

Aaron Dupuis '19G

Frequently Asked Questions

Government is an obvious choice for those with an online MBA with a concentration in Public Administration. However, many businesses can benefit from the help of someone with a concentration in public administration. Why? Because degree holders can expertly interpret the elements of policy, law and governmental agencies the business may be governed by.

That said, jobs across many fields may be available to those who earn an MBA with a concentration in public administration. Some of these careers include:

  • Social and community service manager
  • Administrative services and facilities manager
  • Public administrator
  • Public policy manager
  • Policy analyst
  • Political scientist
  • Health services manager
  • Nonprofit executive

Learn more about what you can do with an MBA.

Yes, it simply depends on what your career goals are.

“If you aspire to be a change agent in the public or private sector, this concentration is the right fit for you,” says Dr. Lorenzo Claxton, adjunct faculty at SNHU.

According to the BLS, demand for one of the most common jobs in this field, social and community service managers, will grow by 9% through 2032 — much faster than average.1

The BLS also reports a positive job outlook for other public administration positions through 2032, including administrative services and facilities manager, a role predicted to grow as fast as average at 5%.1

The time it takes to finish a master's degree will vary by school, program and how many classes you take at a time. At SNHU, an MBA typically takes about two years from start to finish. However, if you want to fast-track your degree, you can take two courses per 10-week term — without any breaks — and earn an MBA with a concentration in Public Administration in as few as twelve months.

Read more: How Long Does It Take to Get a Master's Degree?

At colleges and universities, a concentration is a focused area of study within a larger degree program. A concentration generally replaces elective coursework in the major or discipline, allowing students to focus their studies on an area of interest.

Related Articles

Sources & Citations

1Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, on the internet, at:

  • https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/social-and-community-service-managers.htm (viewed July 2, 2024)
  • https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/administrative-services-managers.htm (viewed July 2, 2024)

Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.