Associated Job Titles: Nonprofit director, program coordinator, public administrator, association manager, community relations director, international organization director, and administrative staff.
Curriculum (120 credits)
Many courses are offered in the evenings, on Saturdays, and at off-campus locations. Click here to check the University schedule of classes for courses offered each term. (Not all courses are offered every term.
For course schedule and descriptions
For most undergraduate classes offered by the School of Arts and Sciences, College of General Studies, and College of Business Administration, visit:
http://www.courses.as.pitt.edu/
A minimum total of 120 credits is required for the Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Public Service. Of this total, students must take 33 credits (11 courses) in Public Service, one course in statistics, and six credits (two courses) from a related field: political science, economics, psychology, sociology, or another department approved by an academic advisor. The remaining credits required for the degree are outlined on the "Requirements for the Bachelor's Degree" sheet.
A. Core Courses: 15 credits (five courses)
Numbers in parentheses indicate equivalent Public Administration courses.
PUBSRV 0020 (1116) Introduction to Public Service 3 cr.
PUBSRV 0030 (0030) Public Policy Process 3 cr.
PUBSRV 0040 (1430) Public Service Technologies 3 cr.
PUBSRV 0050 (1125) Ethics and Accountability 3 cr.
PUBSRV 1900 Internship Seminar 3 cr.
B. Concentration Areas: 18 credits (six courses)
Choose one of the three concentration areas below:
1. Public Administration Concentration
PUBSRV 1100 (0070) Practices in Public Administration 3 cr.
PUBSRV 1110 (1160) Financial Management in the Public Sector 3 cr.
PUBSRV 1120 (1140) Human Resources Management in the Public Sector 3 cr.
PUBSRV 1130 (1210) Planning in the Public Sector 3 cr.
PUBSRV Electives (choose two additional Public Service courses) 6 cr.
2. Non-profit Management Concentration
PUBSRV 1200 (1165) Practices of Non-profit Management 3 cr.
PUBSRV 1210 Financial Management in Non-profit Organizations 3 cr.
PUBSRV 1220 Human Resources Management in Non-profit Organizations 3 cr.
PUBSRV 1230 (1440) Fundraising for Non-profit Organizations 3 cr.
PUBSRV Electives (choose two additional Public Service courses) 6 cr.
3. Self-Designed Concentration
PUBSRV 1000 Democratic Citizenship 3 cr.
Five electives 15 cr.
Courses that meet the special program needs of the student may be selected from any course offered in Public Service or any other department. The self-designed concentration must be approved by a CGS academic advisor.
Public Service Electives
Public Administration concentration students may use the 1200-numbered courses as electives.; Nonprofit Management concentration students may use 1100-numbered courses.
PUBSRV 0150 Introduction to Global Studies 3 cr.
PUBSRV 1000 Democratic Citizenship 3 cr.
PUBSRV 1300 (1135) Legal Issues in Public Service 3 cr.
PUBSRV 1305 Health, Law, and Ethics 3 cr.
PUBSRV 1310 (1155) Diversity Issues in Public Service 3 cr.
PUBSRV 1315 (0050) Managing Projects and Contracts 3 cr.
PUBSRV 1320 Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in the Public Service 3 cr. PUBSRV 1325 (1120) Federalism and Intergovernmental Relations 3 cr.
PUBSRV 1335 (1145) Administrative Behavior 3 cr.
PUBSRV 1350 (1170) Public and Non-profit Performance Accounting 3 cr.
PUBSRV 1360 (1445) Administration of International Organizations 3 cr.
PUBSRV 1365 (1150) Comparative and Development Administration 3 cr.
PUBSRV 1370 Comparative Foreign Policy Making 3 cr.
PUBSRV 1380 Global Citizenship 3 cr.
PUBSRV 1410 (1452) Housing and Community Development 3 cr.
PUBSRV 1415 (1455) Environmental Policy and Management 3 cr.
PUBSRV 1420 (1146) Urban and Regional Governance 3 cr.
PUBSRV 1425 Principles of Homeland Security 3 cr.
PUBSRV 1450 Program Evaluation 3 cr.
PUBSRV 1901 Independent Study 1 - 6 crs.
PUBSRV 1910 Institute of Politics Internship/Seminar 4 cr.
Required Supporting Coursework
Students are required to take a course in statistics (STAT 0200, Basic Applied Statistics, or an equivalent course) and two courses from a related department such as economics, political science, psychology, sociology, or another department approved by an academic advisor.
Transfer Credit Agreement:
A transfer credit agreement has been established between the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) and the Public Service program at the University of Pittsburgh. The agreement gives a course-by-course outline of the associate's degree program and the equivalent course or requirement fulfilled for CGS. Courses transfer if graded "C" or better. For a copy of the transfer agreement, contact an academic advisor.
Graduate School Option:
Students with a QPA of 3.5 or better planning to pursue graduate work may want to consider the graduate school option for early admission to their graduate program. GSPIA offers an early admission option for Public Service majors in CGS. Contact an academic advisor for details.
Minor Requirements:
Students interested in a minor, rather than a major, in Public Service should check with their academic advisor. For CGS students, the minor would be professional elective coursework. For School of Arts and Sciences students, the minor would be non-A&S elective course work. For the minor, students must complete five courses (15 credits) with at least three courses from the University of Pittsburgh. A 2.0 average is required in the minor.
Minor Courses:
PUBSRV 0020 (1116) Introduction to Public Service 3 cr.
PUBSRV 0030 (0030) Public Policy Process 3 cr.
PUBSRV 0050 (1125) Ethics and Accountability 3 cr.
PUBSRV Electives 6 cr.
Requirements subject to change. Check with an academic advisor before registering.
Payment plans
MasterCard and American Express are accepted for tuition payment.
If employed, check with your company's human resources office to see if you qualify for company tuition benefits.
Deferred tuition payment plans are available for participants who wish to extend tuition payments over a longer period of time.
The University of Pittsburgh is an affirmative action, equal opportunity institution.
