Public Administration Career Paths

The largest employer in the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the government: federal, state and local government jobs exceed 100,000 in number—not including military, police or teaching jobs. Opportunities for employment in government are not just limited to Kentucky but are nationwide. Just as Kentucky alone has that many government positions, there are approximately 5,000,000 government positions in all fifty states and Washington, D.C. Graduates from Kentucky State University’s Master of Arts in Public Administration program are not limited to just employment in government but are also employed in for-profit organizations and non-profit organization.

Some graduates have performed upper level executive responsibilities within large organizations. For example, graduates have served as General within the Kentucky Army National Guard, General within the United States Army’s Active Forces, as Kentucky Commissioner for Disability Determination, and as Deputy Secretary of the Kentucky Personnel Cabinet. More typically, however, the Program’s graduates instead provide front line or middle management service to public or non-profit organizations. Graduates have served as the Personnel Director for a Girl Scout Council, as the Assistant Registrar within a University, and as staff serving the Kentucky Legislature.