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General Questions
Practical Questions
Advising
Please click here to download FAQs
1. Why
should I major in Public Administration?
Public
Administration is an applied degree aimed at people
who wish to work in the government and non-profits.
You will learn a mix of management, policy and politics
skills that will be useful in a wide variety of jobs.
As compared to business there is more emphasis on
writing skills and somewhat less on quantitative
skills. It is of most value to the 16% of people
who intend to work in the public sector and to the
4% who intend to work in non-profits. [top]
2. What
are the differences between those working in the
public and private sectors?
Generally speaking
you will have higher wages in the private sector
but more job security and better pensions and other
benefits in government and the larger non-profit
organizations. The private sector appeals to entrepreneurial and risk taking
personalities and people for whom earning a lot is important. The
pubic sector appeals to people who want to help others
and improve their communities and are comfortable
with a more stable and bureaucratic environment. [top]
3. What
advantages does a Public Administration major have
over other majors?
It is more job-oriented
than most liberal arts majors, with more content
that will be useful to you in future jobs. It is less likely to tie down your
future choice of careers than more specialized job oriented programs
like education or social work. However if your lifelong
dream is to be the world’s best violinist,
it has no advantages whatsoever. [top]
4. What
is the range of salaries in the public sector?
According to the American Federation of Teachers
2005 survey, national average salaries for professional
and technical jobs in the public sector ranged from
$33,000 to 66,000. California generally pays more
than the average. Starting salaries are lower than
the average. [top]
Practical Questions
1. How
many courses do I need to complete the major?
You have to complete 39 units (13 courses) in the
degree and 9 units (3 courses) in related disciplines.
Click here to download a map of the degree requirements.
(Document is labeled “Course Requirements for
Majors in Public Administration) [top]
2. What
should I take for the three related disciplines
courses?
We will accept a wide range of business and social
science courses. You should use these courses to
give yourself added knowledge in areas that you think
might be useful to you in the future. Most people
double count these with their GE requirements. [top]
3. Can
I double count a course both for the major and
for general education?
You cannot count GE courses towards the 39 units
in the major. You can count GE courses towards the
9 units in the related courses. [top]
4. How
many units do I need to graduate?
You need 120 units. This means that you will take
some courses beyond your GE courses and the courses
for your major. [top]
5. How
much does it cost to attend Cal State Fullerton?
Most students enroll for two semesters a year. It
currently costs $967 a semester if you are taking
one or two courses and $1,495 a semester if you are
taking three or more courses. These fees are amongst
the lowest in the United States. The fees do change
periodically. Check the university
website for the latest figures [top]
6. What
courses should I begin with?
You should start with POSC 100 (American Government) and then POSC 320 “Introduction to Public Management and Policy). Following that most take POSC 421 and POSC/CRJU 422 and some of the courses (12 units) from the “Policy and Management” courses (see the map to the major). When you have completed POSC 421 and 422 you will also have completed the university’s upper-division writing requirement. [top]
7. Are
there prerequisites for 400 level courses?
No. [top]
8. Is
it possible to substitute a course in a different
department for one of the research methods classes?
We do not recommend that but if you can show that
you cannot enroll in on of the courses we will allow
it, subject to approval from a public administration
advisor. This is most likely to be a problem for
students who work full time. [top]
9. Can
I double major in Public Administration and Political
Science or Public Administration and Criminal Justice?
Yes, you can. However
it does mean you will need to plan your course load carefully. We recommend
all double majors should meet with a public administration advisor as early
as possible. [top]
10. Do I need a “C” average
to graduate?
You do need at least a “C” average to
graduate. You do not have to get a “C” in
every course you take. [top]
11. Can I repeat
a course in which I got a grade less than C?
Up to 16 units can be repeated with the new grade
replacing the old grade, unless you plagiarized.
See the university catalog for the full policy [top]
12. Should I take
an internship, and how do I find one?
We expect all students
not working full time to take an internship unless there are unusual circumstances.
Students working full time are sometimes unable to
take an internship. They will be required to substitute
an extra course. Our internship advisor is currently
Vince Buck (vbuck@fullerton.edu.)
He has lists of available internships and teaches
the internship class that goes alongside each internship. [top]
13. When is the
latest I can add a course?
You can add to any open course on Titan online during
the first week of classes. To add to closed classes
in the first week or any classes in the second week
you must be permitted online by the instructor and
then you enroll. If you have a compelling reason
you may be able to add, with the instructor’s
permission in the third and fourth week of classes.
After that there are no adds. [top]
14. When can I withdraw
from a class?
You may withdraw for any reason in the first two
weeks with no record of your enrollment. You can
withdraw for compelling reasons such as illness up
to three weeks before the last class session if the
instructor, department chair and the Dean all approve.
See the catalog or current class schedule for the
full policy. [top]
Advising
1. Who are the
program advisors and should I see them?
The current advisors are Paul Peretz (pperetz@fullerton.edu),
Vince Buck (vbuck@fullerton.edu)
and Raphael Sonenshein (rsonenshein@fullerton.edu)
but these occasionally change. You can make appointments
to see them in the Political Science office in University
Hall 510 (657-278-3521.) Seeing them early is a good
idea as they can be very helpful in suggesting which
courses are likely to be of most benefit to you. [top]
2. Where
can I get general advice on careers?
Our Career Center located in Langsdorf Hall 208 is
open to all students. They provide assessment tests,
career counseling services and research material
to all students. You may call (657) 278-3121 for
more information. You will also find a list of jobs
on the Public Administration board in the hallway. [top]
3. How
do I find out about jobs in the public sector?
Most
local governments, as well as states and the federal
government, now post job openings on their web sites. [top] |
