There is some overlap between degrees in public administration, business and management. All are concerned in varying degrees with leadership, management and oversight of large enterprises or workforces. The primary difference is that business and management programs are generally centered around entrepreneurship and the corporate world, while degrees in public administration focus on public service. This is often in government, although NGOs and health care organizations are also significant employers. Typical public administrators include city managers, senior bureaucrats and international development consultants.
An undergraduate degree in public administration is not a prerequisite for most programs. Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, for example, specifies only that the applicant's undergraduate degree include one course each in macroeconomics, microeconomics and multivariable calculus. Those who opt to major in public administration can expect their course load to include subjects such as public policy analysis, quantitative analysis, business or constitutional law, the legislative process and numerous courses focused on social issues.
Master's degrees in public administration may be general, or may focus on a specialized area of study. At Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs, students complete an internship as part of a core curriculum that also includes courses in policy making, economic analysis, management and budgeting. Each student also chooses a concentration, such as economic and political development, and a specialization, such as international conflict resolution. Combined programs offer joint degrees combining an MPA with a doctorate in law, an MBA or other graduate degree.
Doctorates are found at the highest echelons of public service and also lead to academic careers in pure research or as educators in the field. Doctoral programs require a master's degree in public administration or equivalent course work earned in a related field. Doctoral candidates spend three years engaged in individual research, culminating in the writing and defense of a dissertation. Areas of study will vary by school. The program at Syracuse University's Maxwell School, for example, offers specializations in areas including conflict resolution, financial management, collaborative government and climate change.