Specializations for Your Masters or Doctoral Degree in Government & Public Administration

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Want to make a difference in our nation's government? It's time to get your master's or PhD in public administration and social sciences. Master the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in public and nonprofit organizations, or advance your government career by getting a masters or doctoral degree. As you plan your graduate degree program, you may want to concentrate in health care administration, nonprofit management and leadership, federal government, state and local government, urban planning, or international relations. To get a broader, more generalized education, choose political science degree programs or public administration programs.

Choosing the Right Graduate School for Government & Public Administration

Request information from several colleges and universities before deciding which grad school to attend. If you have a clear idea of your future career path, discuss your options with faculty advisors and admissions people so you enroll in the right courses and programs. If you're still undecided about what path your government career will take, look for graduate programs that offer a wide range of master's or PhD level courses to give you a broader education. Online colleges offer advanced degrees in government and public administration—you may be able to complete your graduate education entirely online without uprooting your job and family to move close to a college campus. No matter which route you decide to take, explore government job openings to find out how your graduate degree will affect your starting salary and advancement opportunities.

Graduate Degrees in Government & Public Administration

Government jobs are classified by payscale, and advanced degrees mean higher starting salaries. An MS (Master of Science) degree, LLB (first professional law) degree, or JD (Juris Doctorate) degree qualifies you to work at the GS-9 level. Research positions at the GS-11 level are available for masters degree graduates as well. In general, GS-11 and GS-12 level government jobs are only available to PhD and doctoral degree graduates. You may want to consider a dual degree track and get an MS complimented by an MBA in Nonprofit Administration or similar fields. Of course you can always use your graduate degree for a non-government job as well—business and industry that deal with the government or international relations are clamoring for upper management employees trained in public administration programs.

Job Outlook for Government & Public Administration Graduates

Local and federal governments are always hiring, though competition for the highest paying jobs is tough. That's where your masters degree or PhD gives you a boost in the hiring process. Political scientists will find strong job growth in the next decade as corporations and governments continue to refine their interactions with the population and environment. Public administrators find jobs in a wide variety of sectors including corporate, non-profit, and small businesses. Salaries vary with location and job title; government employees can expect regular pay raises and promotion opportunities, but you may find the private sector pays you better. The top jobs go to doctoral program graduates, who are typically involved in major policy change and long-term research.

Courses You Might Take in Grad School

A strong background in sociology and social issues is a must for government and public administration workers. Those with an interest in medicine, biology, and public health will take administrative courses in their graduate programs, focusing on how policy affects the people served by government programs. Masters program students study constitutional, institutional, political and social environments from a theoretical perspective, and graduate coursework touches on all levels of government. PhD program students focus on seminar-style courses and spend a significant amount of time working on their doctoral dissertations. PhD programs are more comprehensive and examine government and public administration issues in depth.

Benefits of getting a graduate degree in Government & Public Administration