Kent Online Degrees Blog

Respond to the need for change in your community. The NASPAA-accredited Kent State Master of Public Administration program will prepare you to focus on ethical leadership, budgeting and financial management in the private and nonprofit sectors, while you learn to comprehend and utilize complex nonprofit and public sector laws and strategic planning.

This year, discussions of criminal justice reform in this country have changed a great deal. In our presidential primaries, a record number of Democratic candidates’ platforms included the importance of reform.1 The COVID-19 pandemic and recent social justice protests have brought to light ways in which our entire system, including criminal justice and law enforcement, disproportionately affects poor communities and minorities.2

Careers in government and public administration often attracts idealistic people who want to make a difference in our democracy and in the lives of their fellow citizens. But what does it actually take to become a leader in bureaucratic structures at the municipal, state and federal levels?

When you tune in to a local weather forecast or reach your destination with the help of a GPS device, you’re reaping the benefits of geographic information system (GIS) remote sensing technology. GIS was first applied in the 1960s to collect and analyze data regarding land usage. Today, there are a myriad of GIS applications ranging from urban planning to predicting the environmental effects of climate change. GIS technology continues to develop, creating an ever-increasing need for skilled professionals.1

There are many reasons to choose to pursue a career in the public sector rather than in the business world. Often, people are drawn to public or nonprofit careers because doing so gives them an opportunity to do good and enact change for the better, rather than just increasing profits for a corporation. But even if you know you want to work in government or at a nonprofit organization, the exact path you follow can vary greatly.

If you’re researching either geographic information systems or geographic information science, it can sometimes be difficult to distinguish one from the other. Although geographic information science is often confused with geographic information systems, and the two terms are closely related, they are not perfectly interchangeable.1

If you enjoy leading others, improving systems, overcoming complex challenges and helping shape the direction of a business or organization, you might be a good candidate for the role of director of administration.

“What does a public administration salary look like?” The path to public good is a personal one, but odds are nearly every person entering the field wonders what kind of salary they can expect. When you think about public administration your mind may automatically drift toward thoughts of government and nonprofit roles, but there are lucrative roles in the private sector as well. What you do with your degree and experience is entirely up to you. You could find roles in government service, nonprofit organizations, or the private and public sectors. Below, we’ll explore roles in each of these categories and discuss the potential public administration salaries for various careers.

Discover how mapping coronavirus transmission can prevent outbreaks in countries outside of mainland China.

Geographic information science (GISc) is a broadly applicable degree that can be used in many fields around the world, including healthcare, climatology, urban development, national parks and more.1 Working in GISc could take you to places as different as a laboratory or the deep wilderness. For example, you might use the skills you have learned to protect the environment, study volcanic activity in other areas of the world, or support the homeless population in your city.2 If you have an analytical mind and are good at visualizing information, you can use GISc technology to tell stories that help others and better understand and serve the world around you in countless different ways.