What is public administration?

Public administration refers to the work people do to promote positive change in our communities at the local, state, and national government levels. Some of the roles in public administration are in government but may also be in nonprofit or community awareness work. People working in public administration jobs try to use existing laws and regulations to improve people's lives while hoping to keep down public taxes, improve community response efforts, and open up communications between elected officials and citizens.

Why learn public administration?

When you learn public administration, you gain an understanding of public services, human resource management, financial management and budget allocation, communication skills, data analysis, and public sector theory for government and nonprofits. People in public administration jobs oversee public policy initiatives, budgets, and inspections, while helping to manage people and resources in the chosen environment. With these competencies, people in this field can help others to develop, implement, and execute a wide range of public administration projects and initiatives in their current work.

What career opportunities can arise from learning public administration?

Learning public administration can lead you to careers in project management, public health, public services, public grassroots building, loan administration, fundraising, government economy, public works administration, and more. The skills you learn for public administration can also lead to later careers in the private business sector or government consulting. Some of the more well-known agencies on a national level that are involved in public administration include the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Small Business Administration (SBA), and others. There are many other career opportunities in public administration in local, county, and state offices as well.

How can taking online courses help me learn public administration?

Taking online courses in public administration can give you a fundamental understanding of negotiation skills, management tactics, and communications principles to help you understand how government operations work. When you learn public administration, you can create new ways to boost the efficiency of the local economy to promote equity among communities in your city or state.

What are the benefits of taking an online Public Administration course?

Online Public Administration courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your knowledge or learn new Public Administration skills. Choose from a wide range of Public Administration courses offered by top universities and industry leaders tailored to various skill levels.

What Public Administration courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Public Administration, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here .

Best Public Administration Courses & Certificates [2025]

Explore the Public Administration Course Catalog

University of Michigan
Using Public Policy for Social Change
Skills you'll gain: Policy Analysis, Policy Development, Social Justice, Advocacy, Public Policies, Political Sciences, Health Policy, Economics, Policy, and Social Studies, Community and Social Work, Program Evaluation, Diversity Equity and Inclusion Initiatives, Research
4.9
Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
131 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free
Starweaver
Procurement for Governments
Skills you'll gain: Procurement, Strategic Sourcing, Purchasing, Supplier Management, Corporate Sustainability, Public Administration, Governance, Digital Transformation, Request For Quotation (RFQ), Risk Management, Supply Chain, Business Ethics, Request for Proposal, Supplier Relationship Management, Compliance Management, Ethical Standards And Conduct, Law, Regulation, and Compliance, Stakeholder Engagement
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
12 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: New AI skills
Google
Google Data Analytics
Skills you'll gain: Data Storytelling, Rmarkdown, Data Literacy, Data Visualization, Data Presentation, Data Ethics, Interactive Data Visualization, Data Cleansing, Interviewing Skills, Data Validation, Ggplot2, Tableau Software, Presentations, Spreadsheet Software, Data Analysis, Data Visualization Software, Stakeholder Communications, Dashboard, Sampling (Statistics), R Programming
Build toward a degree
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
167K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
University of Michigan
Data Analytics in the Public Sector with R
Skills you'll gain: Exploratory Data Analysis, Data Visualization, Plot (Graphics), Statistical Analysis, Data Presentation, Ggplot2, Program Evaluation, Policy Analysis, Surveys, Data Ethics, Data Analysis, Tidyverse (R Package), Statistical Visualization, R Programming, Statistical Methods, Data Visualization Software, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Demography, Political Sciences, Public Policies
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
73 reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: AI skills
Microsoft
Microsoft Public Relations and Communications Associate
Skills you'll gain: Media Relations, Marketing and Public Relations, Content Development and Management, Stakeholder Communications, Stakeholder Management, Public Relations, Internal Communications, Integrated Marketing Communications, Crisis Management, Stakeholder Engagement, Content Creation, Target Audience, Marketing Communications, Communication Planning, Corporate Communications, Writing and Editing, Content Management, Public Affairs, Web Content, Performance Reporting
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
98 reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Status: New AI skills
Google
Google Digital Marketing & E-commerce
Skills you'll gain: Media Planning, Search Engine Marketing, Email Marketing, Data Storytelling, Social Media Strategy, Search Engine Optimization, Social Media Marketing, Content Creation, Order Fulfillment, Google Ads, Online Advertising, A/B Testing, Social Media Campaigns, Target Audience, Digital Marketing, E-Commerce, Loyalty Programs, Customer Retention, Customer experience strategy (CX), Campaign Management
Build toward a degree
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
39K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

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Google
Google IT Automation with Python
Skills you'll gain: Git (Version Control System), GitHub, Version Control, Cloud Services, Debugging, Puppet (Configuration Management Tool), Infrastructure as Code (IaC), Bash (Scripting Language), Configuration Management, CI/CD, Cloud Computing, Technical Communication, Docker (Software), Unit Testing, Scripting, Network Troubleshooting, Web Services, Python Programming, Restful API, Programming Principles
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
48K reviews
Advanced · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free
Indian Institute for Human Settlements
The Art and Science of Economic Policy
Skills you'll gain: Policy Development, Economics, Policy, and Social Studies, Public Policies, Policy Analysis, Behavioral Economics, Economics, Market Dynamics, Competitive Analysis, Governance, Program Implementation, Decision Making, Resource Allocation
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
110 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Colorado Boulder
Principles of Public Relations
Skills you'll gain: Strategic Communication, Public Relations, Marketing and Public Relations, Corporate Communications, Media Relations, Communication Strategies, Corporate Sustainability, Brand Management, Business Ethics, Persuasive Communication, Professional Networking, Research, Stakeholder Engagement
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
580 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free
University of Glasgow
MBA Essentials
Skills you'll gain: Business Administration, Leadership Studies, Digital Transformation, Supply Chain Management, Marketing, Financial Data, Innovation, Corporate Sustainability, Accounting, Business Modeling, Change Management, Business Economics, Project Management, Business Strategies, Global Marketing, Digital Marketing, B2B Sales
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
190 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of Michigan
Assisting Public Sector Decision Makers With Policy Analysis
Skills you'll gain: Statistical Analysis, Program Evaluation, Policy Analysis, Data Analysis, Statistical Methods, Public Policies, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Policy Development, Analytical Skills, Forecasting, R Programming, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Research Design, Time Series Analysis and Forecasting
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
25 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free
Coursera Project Network
Public Speaking with Canva
Skills you'll gain: Canva (Software), Oral Expression, Public Speaking, Verbal Communication Skills, Multimedia
4.4
Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
126 reviews
Intermediate · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours