Public Administration and Policy Program (Associate of Science & Certificate)

The Associate in Science in Public Administration and Policy and Certificate program provides students with the coursework necessary for employment in the public sector such as civil service, community relations, education, health care, nonprofits, and any governmental agency (federal, state, county, or city). Using practical management skills, students will be able to pursue the public interest using various models of decision-making.  Students will learn to lead, manage, and serve in a diverse community. 

This Program anticipates graduating 10 students within the first 2 years.  Because all the courses are brand new, the goal over the next 3 years is to have 1-2 sections offered per semester with enrollment in each class within 20 students. 

This program is designed to provide a rigorous academic, accredited, and standardized vocational training to employees and individuals seeking employment in Public Sector such civil service, community relations, education, health care, nonprofits, and any governmental agency that provide goods and services dealing directly with the public in a bureaucratic capacity.  Coursework will cover theoretical and practical applications in decision-making and execution of public policy.  Students will learn professional conduct and be able to increase the global community with ethical consideration of the public. The goal will align the program with the Associate of Arts in Law,  Public Policy , and Society Transfer Degree as well as establishing course-to-course articulation with the California State Universities (CSUs) and Universities of California (UCs).

Students will be expected to complete a minimum of six (6) courses for a total of 18 units in the Associate of Science major. All courses are required and each course is three (3)units. Students wishing to pursue the Associate of Science in Public Administration are required to complete one of SCC’s three (3) general education breadth options: IGETC (Plan C), CSU GE (Plan B), or SCC Local GE(Plan A).  

Course	Title	Units	Year/Semester (Y1 or S1)
PBLC 150	Intro to Public Admin	3 units	Y1 Spring
PBLC 151	Ethics and Professionalism in Public Service	3 Units	Y1 Spring
PBLC 152	Preparing for Public Service Supervision	3 units	Y1 Fall
PBLC 153  PBLC 155	Public Sector Budgeting and Finance  Public Service The Art of  Politics and Policy	3 units  3 Units	Y1 Fall Y2 Spring
PBLC 154	Public Sector Human Resource Fundamental	3 units	Y2 Spring

As stated above, Santiago Canyon College already has public-service related programs in CTE, such as Public Works and Water Utility Science, but this new program will provide opportunities for students to advance in their career or start a career in government. SCC has several different State-approved Associate Degrees and Certificates of Achievement within the discipline of Public Works: Construction Inspection, Construction Management, Environmental Management, and Code Enforcement. The Code Enforcement program is the first in the State, and the Public Works faculty are looking to expand the program with stackable credentials. SCC will work with the campus articulation officer to align course curriculum and programs to meet the transfer requirements and the Transfer Model Curriculum (TMC) for the Law, Public Policy, and Society Transfer Degree.

Based on the data, the COE has determined there may be an unmet need for the Public Administration program in Orange County. Reason provided: • No colleges in the region currently offer a program that focuses on public administration. Only one community college in California (Southwestern College in San Diego County) offers an associate degree in public administration. Currently, six community colleges in California have the Associate of Arts in Law, Public Policy, and Society (AA-T) but only one college is located within the Los Angeles region (West Los Angeles College). No schools in Orange County offer the Law, Public Policy, and Society AA-T. According to the CCCCO Curriculum Inventory, Palomar College (San Diego County) used to have a Public Administration Associate Degree and Certificate of Achievement, but those programs have been inactivated. =

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