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Studies & Degrees in Public Services

Public services, or public service, is the field that prepares people to work for the common good in government, public agencies and non-profit organisations. Universities teach it under several names: public administration, public policy, public affairs or public management. The focus is the same in each case: how public bodies are organised and financed, how policies are designed and evaluated, and how services reach the people who need them.

Students combine political science, economics, law, statistics and management. At the Harris School of Public Policy of the University of Chicago, for example, students in the core courses create economic models, simulate policy decisions and craft evidence-based recommendations.

Qualifications and levels

The subject is taught at every level, and the name of the degree depends on the country.

  • Bachelor's degrees. In the United States the usual undergraduate route is a major in public policy, public administration or political science. The School of Public and International Affairs of the University of Pittsburgh offers a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy, minors in public policy and global policy, and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management. In Spain the equivalent is the bachelor's degree (grado) in political science and public administration. The Universidad de Salamanca has taught its Grado en Ciencia Política y Administración Pública since the 2010-11 academic year. It lasts 4 years (240 ECTS credits), students choose between a political science and a public administration specialisation, and the plan includes optional external placements (9 ECTS) and a final project (6 ECTS).
  • Master's degrees. The professional degrees are the Master of Public Administration (MPA) and the Master of Public Policy (MPP). The MPP at the University of Chicago is a two-year programme of 18 graduate-level courses. The University of Pittsburgh lists a Master of Public Administration, a Master of Public and International Affairs, a Master of International Development and a Master of Public Policy and Management. The School of Social Ecology of the University of California, Irvine lists a Master of Public Policy and an online Master of Public Administration. Official Spanish master's degrees have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits.
  • Doctorate. Research careers lead through a PhD, such as the Doctor of Philosophy in Public and International Affairs at Pittsburgh.
  • Two-year colleges. In the United States a first stage can be completed at a two-year college. Richard Bland College describes itself as Virginia's only public, residential two-year college.

Where to study public services

SpainExchange lists 10 active schools for this subject: 6 in the United States, 2 in Spain, 1 in the United Kingdom and 1 in Russia. The schools in the United States are The University of Chicago, the University of Pittsburgh, the University of California, Irvine, the University of California, Davis, Illinois State University and Richard Bland College. In Spain the subject is listed at the Universidad de Salamanca and the Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, and in the United Kingdom at the University of Kent. Programmes in the United States and the United Kingdom are taught in English.

International students in the United States should check how a degree is classified. The University of Chicago states that its MPP is registered under a code on the STEM list of the Department of Homeland Security, so that students on F-1 visas may be eligible to apply for a 24-month extension of their post-completion optional practical training (OPT).

Careers

Graduates work in national, regional and local government, in public agencies, in non-profit organisations and in international bodies, as well as in consultancies and companies that work with the public sector. Typical roles are policy analyst, programme or project manager, budget analyst and manager of a public or social service. The UK Civil Service, for example, describes itself as politically impartial and employs staff in policy development and implementation, including analysts, project managers, lawyers and economists.

Official figures exist for some related occupations in the United States. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that employment of social and community service managers, who work for non-profit organisations, social service companies and government agencies, will grow 7 percent from 2025 to 2035. They typically need at least a bachelor's degree and work experience. For political scientists, who typically need a master's degree in political science, public administration or a related field, BLS projects a decline of 2 percent over the same period.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between an MPA and an MPP?

Both are professional master's degrees for the public sector. The Master of Public Administration centres on managing public and non-profit organisations, and the Master of Public Policy on analysing and evaluating policies. Several schools, such as the University of Pittsburgh and the University of California, Irvine, offer both kinds.

How long does a degree in public services take?

The Spanish bachelor's degree in political science and public administration at the Universidad de Salamanca takes 4 years (240 ECTS credits). The MPP at the University of Chicago takes two years.

Do I need a master's degree to work in the public sector?

Not always. According to BLS, social and community service managers in the United States typically need at least a bachelor's degree and work experience, while political scientists typically need a master's degree.