This flexible bachelor's degree offers you an opportunity to design a plan of study, in consultation with an advisor, to meet your individual educational needs. You may choose this degree if you plan to enter an occupation that requires a broad general education, if you are seeking career advancement or personal intellectual enrichment, or if you are considering a preprofessional plan.
A Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies - Public Administration allows you to gain an understanding of leadership, management, ethics, budgets, critical thinking and problem solving. This degree plan emphasizes experiential learning by linking theory to specific problems and case studies. This program will provide you with the knowledge and skills applicable to careers in the public, non-profit and private sectors, and can also prepare you for graduate and/or law school.
To receive a bachelor's degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete at least 120 units of credit that minimally includes a major, the liberal studies requirements, and university requirements as listed below.
The full policy can be viewed here.
In addition to University Requirements:
Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Students may transfer up to 90 units of community college and/or university credit from regionally accredited institutions of higher education. Contact your advisor for details.
| Minimum Units for Completion | 120 |
| Major GPA | C |
| Highest Mathematics Required | MAT 114 |
| Foreign Language | Optional |
| Fieldwork Experience/Internship | Optional |
| Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate Plan | Optional |
| Some online/blended coursework | Required |
| AZ Transfer Students complete AGEC-A | Recommended |
| Progression Plan Link | View Progression Plan |
Purpose Statement
The mission of the Public Administration program is to prepare students to become effective and ethical managers in a variety of public service fields. As with other degrees in the Public Administration program, the Interdisciplinary Studies, 90-30 degree focuses on experiential learning that links theory to issues that students are likely to encounter in the workplace. The Interdisciplinary Studies, 90-30 degree is ideal for students who have completed a number of credits at the community college or university level and are looking to finish their degree in a relatively short amount of time. The program's accelerated course format, as well as course offerings throughout the calendar year, allows students to achieve this goal.
Faculty in the Public Administration program are experienced practitioners who promote rigorous academic standards and high expectations for student achievement. Rather than teaching students what to think, faculty focus on developing analytical skills in course structures that allow students to be active participants in the education process. The core courses in the Interdisciplinary Studies, 90-30 degree focus on ethics, leadership, public sector budgeting, public policy, research methods, and written communication skills. Courses offer theoretical perspectives as a foundation from which students can analyze and apply ideas to real-world situations.
Graduates of the program will be prepared to work in public, non-profit, and private sector organizations; the degree also serves as a platform for students who wish to pursue graduate degrees. For those students already working in the field, the Interdisciplinary Studies, 90-30 degree expands knowledge and skills, and allows for advancement in their careers. Graduates of the Public Administration program will have developed abilities to be dynamic and ethical leaders who are prepared to face the challenges of rapidly changing organizational environments. Above all, they will be committed to effectively and competently serving the public good.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students may transfer up to 90 units of community college and/or university credit from regionally accredited institutions of higher education.
This major requires 54 - 55 units distributed as follows:
All coursework in the Specialization Areas must be upper-division and from Northern Arizona University. Substitutions and use of credit from other institutions are not allowed in the Specialization.
Public Administration Specialization (30 units)
If you have not yet met NAU's Global and/or U.S. Ethnic Diversity requirements, you must select:
Communication Requirements (6 units)
Select 3 units from each the following two categories (6 units)
Please note that you cannot use CLEP or locally prepared exams to satisfy this requirement. Transfer credit used to satisfy this requirement must be approved by the program director.
Foreign Language Requirement Option (19 units)
Science Requirement Option (18 units)
This program is available as an Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate Plan wherein a student may start a master's degree while simultaneously completing their bachelor's degree.
While completing an Interdisciplinary Studies - Public Administration 90-30 Bachelor degree, students can start a Master of Public Administration at NAU.
Students accepted into the Accelerated Program should complete the following requirements:
Major Requirements
This major requires 54 - 55 units distributed as follows:
Communication Requirements (6 units)
Select 3 units from each the following two categories (6 units)
Please note that you cannot use CLEP or locally prepared exams to satisfy this requirement. Transfer credit used to satisfy this requirement must be approved by the program director.
Foreign Language Requirement Option (19 units)
Science Requirement Option (18 units)
Additional coursework is required if, after you have met the previously described requirements, you have not yet completed a total of 120 units of credit.
You may take these remaining courses from any of the academic areas, using these courses to pursue your specific interests and goals. You may also use prerequisites or transfer credits as electives if they weren't used to meet major, minor, or liberal studies requirements.
We encourage you to consult with your advisor to select the courses that will be most advantageous to you.
Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.