What Can I Do with a Degree in Public Administration?

A public administration degree is only as good as the plan you have for it. For Phillip Neely, pursuing a degree in public administration meant improving his own career—and the lives of others. “First of all, the degree helped me to get where I am, because I couldn’t become full-time without it,” says Neely, a graduate of Walden’s PhD in public policy and administration program. “My goal was to become police chief and to go out, finish that up, and then work full-time as an educator in higher ed.”

Earning a PhD in public policy and administration, Neely says, enabled him to elevate himself in law enforcement and then to move on to a fulfilling career as a full-time associate professor. Moreover, he says, pursuing his public administration degree at Walden allowed him to build connections and resources that ultimately helped him become a better, wiser professional. “That’s what Walden strives for,” Phillip says, “pushing you to be better in the community. The degree helped me to get where I am now, and I’m so thankful.”

Listen to Phillip Neely talk about his Walden experience.

Are you interested in a career in public service? Take the first steps by pursuing a degree in public policy and administration.