Second Bachelor’s Degree – 30 Credit Hours
Bachelor of Science in Public Administration
The Postbaccalaureate in Public Administration is a professional degree designed to prepare students for administrative careers in government and nonprofit organizations. It meets the needs of those who originally prepared in a different discipline, but who now want a degree that will support a career in administration. It can be added to a bachelor’s degree in any field. It strongly enhances the career prospects of individuals who originally studied subjects like English or Social Science that do not support careers in administration, and it can be added to degrees in health care, criminal justice, human services and other fields to create strong combinations of skills that are much needed in modern organizations.
The public administration curriculum is comprehensive, covering public sector institutions, the central functional areas of modern administration, and a range of valuable and relevant analytical skills. It is designed to produce managers with an understanding of modern organizations, a sensitivity to political realities, a grasp of management methods, and a knowledge of the analytical tools needed to illuminate substantive issues. See the checksheet for a list of the course and degree requirements.
Examples of Positions for which Graduates Might Qualify
(Depending on the value added by the original degree):
Graduates with a background in any field
Town Manager
Assistant City Manager or City Manager
County Administrator
Municipal or State Budget/Finance Officer
Municipal or State Treasurer
Commissioner of Public Safety
Executive Administrative Assistant
Auditor
Program Review Officer
School Finance and Administration Officer
Officials in not-for-profit organizations
Court Administrator
University Administrative Services Director
Member of Legislative Staff
Community Organizer
Equal Opportunity Administrator
Human Resource Administrator
Public Affairs Officer
Officials in a District Attorney’s Office who do not require a law degree
Analyst for Legislative Committee
Manager in a Regulatory Agency
Maine Assistant Secretary of State
Local Airport Manager
With a background in Health Care
Manager in the graduate’s area of technical expertise (nursing, radiological technology, occupational therapy, respiratory therapy, physical therapy, etc.)
In a hospital or other health care organization
Budget Analyst
Budget Officer
Treasurer
Chief Financial Officer
Human Resource Administrator
Equal Opportunity Administrator
Public Affairs Officer
Medicare/Medicaid Program Administrator
Utilization Review Officer
Discharge Planner
Coordinator of medical specialties that do not require an MD or DO degree
Vice President for Administration
Vice President for Support Staff
In an insurance company or a health maintenance organization:
Individual Care Manager – a health care manager who coordinates cost-effective options for catastrophically ill or injured patients by working with the patients and their families, physicians, providers and employers to access the most appropriate medical care.
Utilization Management Administrator – a health care manager who determines the appropriate level of health care services required by a patient to eliminate unnecessary services and procedures.
Subrogation Division Administrator – a manager who coordinates payments resulting from legal actions when another party has caused or is responsible for injury or illness or coordinates payments when two or more carriers are involved.
Appeals Coordinator – a manager who investigates complaints against an insurer.
Special Inquiry Administrator – a manager who reviews appeals of a clinical nature and refers cases to appropriate clinical peers who have not been involved with a prior decision.
Long-Term Disability Administrator – a manager who is responsible for the determination of long-term disability benefits.
With a Background in Criminal Justice or Justice Studies
Police Officer through Police Chief
Deputy Sheriff through High Sheriff
State Trooper through State Police Chief
Special Agent of the FBI through several subsequent command positions
Secret Service Agent through several subsequent supervisory positions
Members of the Border Patrol
Officials of the U.S. Immigration Service
U.S. Customs officers
U.S. Drug Enforcement Officers
Officers of the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Agency
With a background in Social or Human Services
Human Services Case Work Supervisor
Field Examiner
Auditor
Convalescent/Geriatric Program Coordinator
Nursing Home Administrator
Rehabilitation/Substance Abuse Treatment Administrator
Halfway House Director
Mental Retardation Facility Administrator
Group Home Director
Human Services Health Supervisor
Equal Opportunity Administrator
Human Resource Administrator
Public Affairs Officer
Disabilities Determination Services Administrator
Medicaid/Medicare Program Administrator
Aspire Administrator
Human Services Program Manager
Municipal Welfare Director
With a Background in Computer Technology
Local Area Network Supervisor
Web Information Content Manager
Network Systems Manager
Information Systems Project Manager
Geographic Information Systems Manager
Program Review Officer
Executive Administrative Assistant
Budget Officer
Auditor
Municipal or State Treasurer
School Finance and Administration Officer
Officials in Not-for-Profit Organizations
Equal Opportunity Administrator
Human Resource Administrator
For additional information, contact:
David Leach, Program Coordinator
david.leach@maine.edu
Ms. Terry Lawson
207.621.3288