Public Administration
Program Code: 120402
Duration: 4 years
Educational Objectives:
In order to meet the major strategic needs of the country and adapt to social development and scientific and technological progress, this training program aims at cultivating public management compound talents who develop comprehensively in morality, intelligence, physical fitness, aesthetics and labor. Students are expected to practice the core socialist values, master theoretical knowledge of administrative science, political science, economics, management, sociology and law, have both humanistic sentiments and scientific literacy, integrate public spirit and professional skills, and strengthen the spirit of innovation, creativity and entrepreneurial awareness. Students should master the ability of organization, coordination, communication, adaption and expression, as well as the practical skills to identify, analyze and handle problems. Moreover, they are required to possess qualities of international vision, global thinking and strong data analysis and information processing capabilities. Thus, students are expected to become modern public management interdisciplinary talents engaging in public administration practice and public policy research.
Overview of educational objectives
（1）Educational Objective 1: Uphold the core socialist values, achieve all-round development in ·morality, intelligence, physical fitness, aesthetics, and labor, and possess both humanistic sentiments and scientific literacy.
（2）Educational Objective 2: Master theoretical knowledge from multiple disciplines such as administrative science, political science, management, and economics, and possess core abilities like organization and coordination, as well as problem analysis and handling. Be capable of creatively applying theories from multiple disciplines to solve public management challenges. The cultivation of innovation-creation-entrepreneurship capabilities will be emphasized, so that students will be capable of creatively solving practical problems in public administration.
（3）Educational Objective 3: Develop an international perspective and digital literacy, and serve the needs of major national strategies and modern governance.
Student Outcomes:
(1) Moral cultivation: Understand and master the scientific world outlook and methodology, have good moral character and social morality, have a sense of family and country and social responsibility, and be able to practice socialist values.
(2) Management knowledge: Be able to use mathematics, social sciences and public management science to solve complex public management problems.
(3) Problem analysis: Be able to apply the basic principles of mathematics, social sciences and public management science, identify, express, and analyze complex public management problems through literature research to obtain effective conclusions.
(4) Design/development solutions: Be able to design solutions for complex public management problems, design policy solutions that meet specific needs, and be able to reflect innovative awareness in the design process, considering social, health, safety, legal, cultural and environmental factors.
(5). Research: Be able to study and think about complex public management problems based on scientific principles and using scientific methods, including designing research plans, analyzing and interpreting data, and obtaining reasonable and effective conclusions through information synthesis.
(6) Use of modern tools: Ability to develop, select and use appropriate technologies, resources, modern management tools and scientific methods for complex public management issues, including prediction and simulation of complex public management issues, and understanding their limitations.
(7) Environment and sustainable development: Ability to understand and evaluate the impact of public policies for complex public management issues on the environment and social sustainable development.
(8) Social ethics and professional norms: Possessing humanities and social science literacy, being able to understand and abide by professional ethics and norms in public management practice, and fulfilling responsibilities.
(9) Individuals and teams: Ability to assume the roles of individuals, team members and leaders in a multidisciplinary team.
(10) Communication: Ability to communicate and exchange effectively with industry peers and the public on complex public management issues, including writing reports and designing manuscripts, making statements, expressing clearly or responding to instructions. And have a certain international perspective and be able to communicate and exchange in a cross-cultural context.
(11) Project management: Understand and master the principles and decision-making methods of public management, and be able to apply them in a multidisciplinary environment.
(12) Continuous lifelong learning: Have the awareness of independent learning and lifelong learning, have the ability to continuously learn and adapt to development, and be able to actively identify problems in the field of public administration and engage in critical thinking.
Program Profile:
Public Administration is a second-level discipline under the first-level discipline of public management. School of Public Administration (SPA) of South China University of Technology (SCUT) was authorized to confer bachelor’s degree in Public Administration in 2001, and now has grown to provide one doctoral program (in four research areas: Public Administration, Public Policy, Social Security, Emergency Management), four postgraduate programs (Public Administration, Land Resource Management, Social Security, Education Policy and Management) and one professional Master of Public Administration (MPA).
This major is divided into two orientations: Public Administration and Digital Governance. Public Administration orientation aims at cultivating students with knowledge in public administration, management, political science, law, sociology, economics, etc., and equipping them with strong public administration capabilities. Digital Governance orientation is committed to enabling students to systematically master the basic principles, skills, and methods of digital government management in the information age, and to have strong abilities to analyze and solve problems using public administration theory, computer science, and network information technologies.
This major takes the digital government management of various levels of Party and government affiliations, social organizations, enterprises and institutions as its research object, and is dedicated to cultivating advanced professional talents in public administration and digital government management who have both high theoretical literacy and strong practical abilities. After graduation, students are suitable for administrative work in Party and government departments, enterprises and institutions, and various social organizations.
Program Features:
1. Students are expected to have a broad foundation in various disciplines, mastering knowledge in administrative science, management, political science, economics, sociology, law and other fields.
2. Students are expected to be proficient in applying theories from multiple disciplines to analyze social issues, possessing strong organizational coordination and problem-solving skills.
3. This program offers three specialized directions, with a wide range of social adaptability and broad employment prospects.
Degree Conferred: Bachelor of Management Sciences
Core Courses: Principles of Management, Principles of Politics, Principles of Economics, Principles of Sociology, Public Management, Principles of Public Administration, Contemporary Chinese Government and Politics, Public Policy Analysis, Organizational Behavior, Public Management Research Methods and Thesis Writing
Featured Courses:
·Freshmen Seminars: Professional Concepts and Thoughts in Novels, Network Social Governance
·Courses Taught in English: The History of Western Political Thoughts, Public Organization
·Subject Frontiers Courses: Government Administration Innovation, Digital Governance Theory and Methods, Labor Relations and Employment Management, Big Data Governance, Smart City
·Interdisciplinary Courses: Statistics, Operations Research, Public Human Resource Management, Public Crisis Management, Administrative Law and Administrative Litigation Law, Methodology of Social Research, Management Information System
·Baccalaureate-Master’s Sharing Courses: Public Management Research Methods and Thesis Writing
·Innovation Practice: Social Investigation and Practice
·Entrepreneurship Courses: Entrepreneurship Education of Public Welfare Projects
·Workshops: Public Management Tribune
·Education on The Hard-Working Spirit: Social Investigation and Practice
