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online bspa degree

Bachelor of Science in Public Administration​ Degree

Start your online public administration degree

Gain an understanding of public policy and how it’s implemented in government, nonprofit or public institutions. Our Bachelor of Science in Public Administration degree prepares you for roles in both the public and private sectors and covers everything from civil leadership, business and governmental law to finance and budgeting.

Transfer credits

Save time and money on your bachelor's degree with eligible transfer credits.

Ways to save

Your work, life, and school experiences may give you a head start on your degree.

Apply free

No application fee
No SAT/ACT
No essay required

Ignite Your Passion

Start when you're ready

Courses

Browse courses for your online public administration degree

Education should hold practical value. That’s why our courses meet rigorous academic standards and provide you with skills and knowledge immediately applicable to your career.

Skills-aligned program icon

Look for this icon to see which skills you’ll learn in a course.

Requirements: 120 credits

You’ll need 120 credits to complete this Bachelor of Science in Public Administration. Your course schedule may vary based on transferable credits or credits earned through the University’s Prior Learning Assessment.

14 Core Courses

Here’s where you’ll pick up your program-specific knowledge. By the time you finish these courses, you should have the confidence and skills needed in a public administration environment.

14 Core Courses

12 Gen Ed Courses

These courses lay the foundation for all our degree programs. Because communication, math and writing skills aren’t just universally applicable in this field — they’re useful in daily life.

12 Gen Ed Courses

14 Elective Courses

Elective courses allow you to learn about topics you’re interested in. That means you’ll have a degree that’s unique to you and your education goals.

14 Elective Courses

Schedule

Your academic counselor will help schedule your courses for a Bachelor of Science in Public Administration.

Skills-aligned program icon

Earn career-relevant skills in weeks – not years.

Learning shouldn’t take years to put into practice. That’s why we’re empowering you to build career-relevant skills with every five- to six-week course.

We’ve worked with the labor market researcher Lightcast to identify in-demand skills for occupations and mapped those to our related associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs.

Tuition

Paying for school

Tuition is based on number of credit hours per course. Courses are typically 3 credits, but can range from 1-6 credits. Costs do not include savings opportunities like transfer credits and scholarships.

Undergrad cost per course

$1,364 / course

Cost per credit 

Credits per course

Resource fee

$398

x3

+ $170

Estimated cost per course

$1,364

An illustration showing a couple pushing a stroller with a dollar sign and clock in the background

What affects the overall cost of my program?

Your full program cost can vary by: 

  • Savings opportunities. Your cost could be reduced with eligible transfer credits, scholarships, employer discounts and more. Students with eligible credits and relevant experience on average saved $11K and 1 year off their undergraduate degree at University of Phoenix.

With our Tuition Guarantee, you pay one flat, affordable rate from the moment you enroll to the day you graduate from your program.

Discover ways to save time and money on your degree with our Savings Explorer® tool:

Transfer credits

Get credit for what you already know. Earn your degree without starting from scratch. Have previous relevant work and life experience evaluated for potential credit. If you have military or law enforcement training, such as Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy training, you can apply to have that experience evaluated for up to 30 credits.

Save time and money when you transfer in eligible credits toward your degree.

University of Phoenix public administration degree vs other universities

Phoenix ASU Online (BAB) Capella DeVry GCU Purdue Global SNHU Strayer
Tuition rate
Tuition rate
Tuition rate
$398
Tuition rate
$574
Tuition rate
$365 per 1000-2000 level credit
$415 per 3000-4000 level credit
Tuition rate
$514
Tuition rate
$485
Tuition rate
$371
Tuition rate
$330
Tuition rate
$338.89
Typical credits per course
Typical credits per course
Typical credits per course
3
Typical credits per course
4
Typical credits per course
6
Typical credits per course
4
Typical credits per course
4
Typical credits per course
6
Typical credits per course
3
Typical credits per course
4.5
Resource fee
Resource fee
Resource fee
$170
Resource fee
$645*
Resource fee
$600*
Resource fee
$550*
Resource fee
$702*
Resource fee
$1,056*
Resource fee
$0*
Resource fee
$75*
Estimated cost per course
Estimated cost per course
Estimated cost per course
$1,364
Estimated cost per course
$2,941
Estimated cost per course
$3,090
Estimated cost per course
$2,606
Estimated cost per course
$2,642
Estimated cost per course
$3,282
Estimated cost per course
$990
Estimated cost per course
$1,600
Total program length
Total program length
Total program length
120 cr.
Total program length
120
Total program length
180
Total program length
124
Total program length
120
Total program length
180
Total program length
120
Total program length
180
Length of course
Length of course
Length of course
5 wks
Length of course
7.5 weeks
Length of course
10 weeks
Length of course
8 weeks
Length of course
7-8 weeks
Length of course
10 weeks
Length of course
8 weeks
Length of course
11 weeks
Tuition guarantee promise
Tuition guarantee promise
Tuition guarantee promise
Yes
Tuition guarantee promise
No
Tuition guarantee promise
No
Tuition guarantee promise
No
Tuition guarantee promise
NO
Tuition guarantee promise
No
Tuition guarantee promise
No
Tuition guarantee promise
No

Data pulled on September 27, 2024

[1] $365 per 1000-2000 level credit; $415 per 3000-4000 level credit

Source of data: For each institution, the data are publicly available in multiple locations, including Academic Catalogs, Program pages, Tuition and fees pages, and syllabi. All data are publicly available on the websites. 

Certain licensure programs and coursework in other degree programs may have additional fees. Please check with your advisor or course catalog for additional info.

Tuition is based on number of credit hours per course. Courses are typically 3 credits, but can range from 1-6 credits.

The Savings Explorer tool can help you find ways to save on your education

Try our Savings Explorer® tool

Eligible students saved:

$11,000 & 1 year

Students with eligible credits and relevant experience on average saved $11k and 1 year off their undergraduate degree with University of Phoenix.

Try our Savings Explorer™ tool

Eligible students saved:

$11,000 & 1 year

Students with eligible credits and relevant experience on average saved $11k and 1 year off their undergraduate degree with University of Phoenix.

Financial aid

You may have options when it comes to paying for college tuition and expenses, such as federal grants and loans. Our finance advisors can answer your questions about financial aid and can help guide you through the process.

Federal Student Loan Basics

Careers & Outcomes

What can you do with a Bachelor of Science in Public Administration Degree?

Discover where your degree might take you and make informed choices about your future.

A BSPA can prepare you to be a:

  • Community Outreach Coordinator
  • Nonprofit Manager
  • General Manager
  • Operations Manager
  • Regulatory Affairs Manager
  • Program Manager

Top skills learned in this program:

  • Public Administration

  • Management

  • Data Driven Decision Making

  • Problem Solving

  • Budgeting

Ready to get started?

Start your application for free or request additional information.

What you’ll learn

When you earn your bachelor’s in public administration online, you’ll be equipped with a concrete set of skills you can apply on the job. You’ll learn how to:

  • Analyze public administration concepts
  • Apply public administration management practices
  • Analyze research methodologies for public administration
  • Apply the ethical standards of public administration
  • Examine fiduciary practices in public administration

8% Growth

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth for Social and Community Service Managers is projected to be faster than average between 2023 and 2033.

The BLS Projected Growth for 2023-2033 is published by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This data reflects the BLS’ projections of national (not local) conditions. These data points are not specific to University of Phoenix students or graduates.

Admissions

Apply for free – no application fee, no obligation.

Starting your degree is a big decision — and we want you to feel great about it. That’s why we remove obstacles from your application.

  • No SAT/ACT required 
  • No essay required 
  • No cost, risk-free trial for eligible students
  • We’ll request transcripts at no cost to you, when possible, and we accept eligible credits from over 5,000 accredited institutions.
G. Galindo - Enrollment Representative

Gabriel G., Enrollment Rep

Receive 1-on-1 support

You have a support team of real people you can lean on. And our academic counselors, who are with you every step of the way, have earned a 5-star rating from 85% of our surveyed students.[1]

[1] Transactional Survey, September 2022-August 2023 (23,739 respondents)

Start a conversation with an enrollment representative today.

Call us at 844-937-8679 or chat with us 7 days a week.

Receive 1-on-1 support

You have a support team of real people you can lean on. And our academic counselors, who are with you every step of the way, have earned a 5-star rating from 90% of our surveyed students.[1] Start a conversation with an enrollment representative today.

[1] Transactional Survey, August 2021-22 (18,645 respondents)

Gabriel G., Enrollment Representative

Call or chat with us 7 days a week.

Student Experience

An education that fits your busy life

Balancing family, work and school

Work toward your degree without giving up what matters most. Start your degree year-round and take one class at a time.

Online learning

Enroll in online classes and attend class whenever it fits your life, day or night.

Around-the-clock support and resources

You have a support team available up to 14 hours a day, 5 days a week. 

Computer requirements for courses

Many course assignments will require you to use a computer to complete and submit your assignment. 

Student completing homework at night while child plays on floor.

Faculty Spotlight

Professionals dedicated to you

Your success is a top priority for our deans and faculty members. They bring an average of 28+ years of experience and hands-on perspective to the classroom, and help bridge the gap between academics and industry knowledge.

Doris Savron

As a faculty member, I'm on your team. I'm your coach and your cheerleader.

Doris Savron
Vice Provost of Colleges, University of Phoenix

As a faculty member, I'm on your team. I'm your coach and your cheerleader.

Accreditation

Accredited for 45+ years

Since 1978, University of Phoenix has maintained institutional accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), hlcommission.org. Learn more about the value of University of Phoenix accreditation and how it benefits our students.

Frequently asked questions about the Bachelor of Science in Public Administration​ degree

Public administration consists of services we all rely on in every community to implement government policy and public service. Public administrators work in local and federal entities and departments in the public sector, as well as in non-profit organizations.

A public administration degree helps prepare you for roles in both the public and non-profit sectors. The degree covers topics such as civil leadership, city and county operations, finance and budgeting, grant writing, public policy and ethics, and many more public admin related topics.

Our online public administration degree is designed specifically so that working professionals like you can earn it without leaving your current role. The degree helps you build a strong foundation in public administration while teaching the leadership skills to help prepare you for a career in the field. You’ll learn from faculty who are currently working in the public sector, and you’ll be able to join our large alumni network. Additionally, our Career Services for Life® commitment helps students in their current position and prepares them for career enhancement with career planning, resumé help and more.

While widely available, not all programs are available to residents of all states. Please check with a University Enrollment Representative.