Generally speaking, the difference between M.A. and M.S. degrees has to do with the topic of the degree. M.A. degrees are usually in liberal arts or humanities fields, while M.S. degrees tend to be in scientific fields. Sometimes, though, like with public administration, degrees of both types are offered in one topic. In these cases, the difference is usually that M.S. programs are more research based and have higher, more focused requirements.
Master's degrees in public administration are often classified as neither M.S. nor M.A. degrees, but simply as master of public science degrees. An M.A. in public administration and general master of public administration degrees tend to have similar requirements. However, public administration master's programs that are specifically listed as M.S. degrees are often different. These programs, like other M.S. programs, typically require more core course work.
Master of Arts in public administration degrees tend to require between six and eight core, or required, classes, while Master of Science in public administration degrees usually require 10. Some of the course work between the M.A. and M.S. programs overlap. Both degrees typically require an introductory class in public administration as well as classes in leadership, finance, ethical issues and quantitative research.
The majority of course work in a public administration M.A. degree is more generalized than the course work in an M.S. degree. Where an M.A. program might have one intro to leadership class, for example, the M.S. program might require a class in human resource management, a class in financial administration and a class in information management. Instead of having only a class in research methods, M.S. programs also tend to have at least one policy analysis class, in which the research methods are applied. M.S. programs often also require classes with no M.A. equivalents, such as constitutional law and intergovernmental relations.