The major in Public Administration prepares students for management and leadership roles in public agencies. The major empowers students to analyze, understand, and solve problems using the tools of public administration. The major is grounded in our commitment to a broad definition of justice, including equity, diversity, inclusion, ethics, effectiveness, and accountability.
Major Requirements
A Note on General Education Requirements
Year-Round Major Advising
Most PAD major advising is being done remotely in the Summer 2023 session and Fall 2023 semester. You may email Yvonne Purdie using your John Jay email address at ypurdie@jjay.cuny.edu with questions or to set up a Zoom Appointment. Please include your Empl ID number. In-person advising can be done by special arrangement. Yvonne Purdie will not be available by phone. Major advising hours are Monday-Thursday, 9-5. Other days and times by special arrangement. Note: Incoming transfer students should first meet with a general academic advisor after their credits are evaluated. Then if they have major questions or issues, they can reach out to Professor Purdie.
Registration and Major Holds
Sophomores with 45-59 credits may have a hold on their registration. The hold will be removed when they have a major advising appointment with Yvonne Purdie (ypurdie@jjay.cuny.edu). This discussion will encourage wise planning and allow students to ask any questions they may have about the major.
How do you know if you have a major hold? Go to CUNYfirst and complete the following steps:
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Check the Holds box of your CUNYfirst Student Center. If "Advisement Required" appears, click on “details.”
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Click on “Advisement Required.”
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See which type of advisement you need. If you must see a major advisor, then make a major advising appointment following the steps preferred by this department.
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Avoid Course Planning Mistakes!
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Take PAD 101 as early as possible, since it’s the prerequisite for most major courses. CUNYfirst will sometimes show PAD 240 as a prerequisite to upper level PAD courses, but that course number was later changed to PAD 140 and then PAD 101.
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Look ahead in the major to be aware of any additional prerequisites for upper level courses.
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The PAD major requires either a Seminar and Internship in Public Administration (PAD 402) or a Practicum in Public Administration (PAD 404) during your Senior year. Be sure to consult with the PAD major advisor well before then so s/he can answer any questions you have about either of these options.
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Remember that you will need at least a 2.0 GPA in the major and at least a 2.0 overall GPA to graduate.
Monitor Your Progress in the Major (Major Checklist, Sample 4 yr Plan)
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DegreeWorks degree audit - Use this online planning tool to track your overall progress toward graduation. You will see which of your general education and major requirements are completed, in progress, or still needed. Refer to the DegreeWorks FAQs to better understand how to use this helpful tool.
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PAD Major Checklist - Fill out this printable worksheet to keep track of which major requirements you have completed and which ones you still need.
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Sample Four Year Plan - See an example of how you could complete all your degree requirements (major, general education, electives) and graduate in four years! Remember that this sample plan shows just one possible way to combine your requirements. Transfer students in particular should work with advisors to determine a plan that works best for them.
Meet with a General Academic Advisor
A General Academic Advisor will confirm what general academic requirements you still need, make suggestions about smart course planning that will help you graduate without delays, discuss your interest in adding a minor or second major, inform you about opportunities such as study abroad, discuss general questions and concerns, and make helpful referrals. Visit the Academic Advisement Center's webpage for more information.