
Serve. Respect. Achieve.
The Department of Public and Nonprofit Studies serves as a focal point for scholarship, teaching, and professional service in the fields of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Nonprofit Management. The department was founded with the mission to advance excellence in public and nonprofit management, and our degree programs have a dramatic and positive effect on the lives of our graduates and communities.
The Department of Public and Nonprofit Studies is located on Georgia Southern University’s Statesboro Campus in the Carroll Building, Rm. 1068.
We are currently seeking applications and nominations for the position of tenure-track Assistant Professor of Public Administration.
Undergraduate Programs
At the undergraduate level, students have the option of pursuing a Minor in Public Administration, Minor in Public Policy, or Minor in Nonprofit Management. Students in the University’s Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (BIS) program can also choose among three concentrations focusing on government, the nonprofit sector, and public policy.
Students majoring in Recreation Management or Human Development and Family Science (Family Services concentration) may apply to the Accelerated Bachelors to Masters (ABM) program. The ABM program provides students with the opportunity to apply up to 12-credit hours of MPA coursework (Hybrid Track) towards both their undergraduate and graduate (MPA) degree requirements.
A Nationally Accredited and Respected MPA Program
The Department of Public and Nonprofit Studies is home to the NASPAA accredited Master of Public Administration (MPA) program. The department is a member of the Nonprofit Academic Centers Council (NACC).
The MPA curriculum takes a management approach, emphasizing both the theoretical foundation and practical application of Public Administration and Policy. The overarching goal is to prepare pre-service students for a career in public service, as well as provide advanced training to mid-career practitioners. Building on 50 years of history, the MPA program is offered in a Hybrid Track that blends online and in-person instruction and a cohort-based, fully-online Executive Track.
Through the department’s partnership with the Georgia Municipal Association, the MPA internship program, and relationships with local government and nonprofit organizations, students are exposed to a variety of experiential and service-learning opportunities.
Our graduates go on to successful careers in local, state, and federal government, the nonprofit arena, and the private sector.


