Why should I enroll in free online courses in public administration? If you found the traditional education model less appealing, then enrolling in online certificate courses in public administration is a good choice. The growing popularity of the internet has resulted in creating a new digital classroom. We live in a time where many students choose to study in a flexible and self-paced environment; as a result, a lot of them are opting for online degrees.
If you have a flair for working with the masses and want to carve a profession out of it, enrolling in online certificate courses in public administration can set the pace for building a career in the field. A career in public administration allows you to work in almost any industry, both public and private. Working in these fields also enables you to make a difference in people’s lives while simultaneously providing stable employment, good income, and benefits.
If you’re looking for free online certificate courses in public administration that will allow you to study at your pace without driving to a learning center or institution, you need to peruse this piece.
In this article, we’ll explore what public administration is all about, why you should embark on a career in public administration, how you can earn a certificate in public administration, and the best free online courses in public administration.
Set, ready, and read!

What is Public Administration?
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) defines it as a field of study that trains people to work as public service managers in the municipal, state, or federal government.
Public Administration is a field of study that deals with the planning, organizing, directing, coordinating, and controlling of either a private or governmental sector. As a public administrator, you could work in management, human resources, budgeting and finance, communications, legislation, and data analysis.
Furthermore, administrators serve communities to promote the common good and bring about constructive change, hence “public service.” If you want to become a qualified public administrator, you can begin by taking one of the free online courses in public administration that we’ll be listing out soon.
What Does a Public Administrator Do?
Public administrators have a critical role in enforcing laws and regulations, civil rights, municipal budgets, and health and safety requirements to protect the communities they serve. Specifically, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) outlines some of the responsibilities you might have working as a public administrator:
You’ll conduct research, design, and recommend policies and programs that are cost-effective and adhere to administrative and federal regulations.
You’ll be in charge of managing and evaluating unusual initiatives.
You make adjustments and improvements, and also collect and analyze qualitative and quantitative data, such as public documents, budget reports, surveys, and historical data.
Finally, you’ll inform other employees and stakeholders about the program’s effectiveness.
Why Should You Have a Career in Public Administration?
Public administrators have significant roles in both the neighborhood and the nation. The following are reasons why you should pursue a career in public administration:
1. Increased Demand
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projected a 9% growth from 2022 to 2030 in demand for public administrative services, which is about as fast as the average for all occupations. It further stated that an average of 29,200 job opportunities for administrative services had been forecast over the last ten years.
Organizations are increasingly looking for skilled applicants motivated by a sense of purpose and overall goals to fill public administration positions, and the higher the demand, the higher the pay. According to ZipRecruiter, the average annual salary for a Public Administrator in the United States is $63,330. It is likely to climb further; therefore, enrolling in certificate courses in public administration is a good idea.
2. Opportunity to Hold Important Government Positions
A career in public administration has attracted some of the most powerful government leaders. A public administrator can pursue a variety of career choices, including serving on the President’s Cabinet, competing for election, and serving as a police commissioner.
Suppose you desire to delve into any governmental role in the future. In that case, you should consider having a degree in public administration, and you can start by enrolling in any of the free online courses in public administration.
3. Opportunity to Develop Your Leadership Skills
One of the favorite quotes of a world leadership expert known as John C Maxwell said: “Everything rises and falls on leadership.” Public administration jobs require strong leadership skills; as a result, if you want to hone your leadership skills, a career in public administration can help you do so.
4. Large Variety of Jobs
Positions in public administration are accessible in various industries across the globe. Health, communications, public transportation, and legal areas are just a few of the fields you can work in. As a result, a career in public administration allows you to work in various industries.
5. Opportunity to Impact Large Groups of People
If you want to leave a positive imprint on the sands of time and look back and say that you committed your time to something that mattered, a job in public administration can help you do so. As a public administrator, you could work for the government or a non-profit organization.
Profits are necessary for offering assistance to non-profit groups, such as feeding the less fortunate, advocating for human rights, and administering health care. However, to accomplish all of this, you’ll need to have specific skills, so before we go any further, let’s look at some of the skills you’ll need to work as a public administrator.
Skills that a Public Administrator Must Have
The following are essential skills you need to have as a public administrator:
- Analytical Skills
- Communication Skills
- Eye for Details
- Leadership Skills
- Financial Management
- Management
- Problem-Solving
- Strategic Planning
Why Enroll In Online Public Administration Course?
The following are reasons why you should enroll in online certificate courses in public administration:
1. It is Cost-Effective
There are many free online public administration courses available, so you would not be required to pay. Because you may avoid paying for extra metro journeys or driving long distances to the learning center, online public degree programs are cost-effective and time-saving. You can start the class at any time and from any location globally; all you need is a smartphone, computer, and an Internet connection.
2. Flexibility and Stability
For some, online learning is a relatively new concept, yet the truth is that many students today find the option to take online classes interesting. An online certificate course in public administration allows you to do assignments when you want and where you want. You can study whenever you want, from the comfort of your own home or anywhere else that appeals to you.
How Do You Become a Certified Public Administrator
Below are four common steps you can follow to become a certified public administrator:
1. Earn a Bachelor’s Degree
A bachelor’s degree is usually the bare minimum for a career in public administration. However, your degree does not have to be in public administration, political science, or a similar field of study.
2. Obtain Work and Community Service Experience
Real-world experience gained through undergraduate internships and early professional experience can lead to full-time employment after graduation. Participating in the community through volunteer work and other means fosters relationships that can help you advance your public administration career.
3. Consider a Master’s Degree
For higher positions, a master’s degree may be necessary. Working professionals can continue their education by enrolling in online Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree programs.
4. Earn a Certification in Public Administration
To become a certified public administrator or public manager, you must first complete your studies and obtain your Certified Professional Manager accreditation from the NCPMC. Each state has its CPM program that meets the NCPMC’s requirements. To locate a CPM program in your area, go to the NCPMC’s website.
Now that you understand why you should pursue a career in public administration and how to become a certified public administrator let’s look at some free online courses in public administration.
Top Ten Free Online Courses in Public Administration
The following are the best free online course in public administration:
1. Mediation, and Conflict Resolution Specialization
This course, offered by ESSEC Business School, is one of the best free online courses in public administration in our list. The course is designed for managers in business, government, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who want to go beyond intuition and obtain proven techniques to help them achieve higher success in negotiation. This course will teach you the fundamental negotiating skills and tools and how to analyze situations and conduct a commercial negotiation in a stressful setting.
Provider: Coursera
Subject: Negotiation, Mediation, and Conflict Resolution Specialization
Duration: 5 Months
Start Date: Self-paced
2. Leadership for Public Health Crises Specialization
Leadership for Public Health Crises will enable current and prospective managers, directors, unit heads, and elected officials to lead their organizations in response to profound health-related emergencies effectively. This course will teach you about leadership for public administration, public health, social work, business, homeland security, education, and related fields.
Provider: Coursera
Subject: Leadership for Public Health Crises Specialization
Duration: 3 Months
Start Date: Self-paced
3. Challenging Forensic Science
Most individuals nowadays are stunned by the technical capabilities given by forensic science. They have the delusion that forensic evidence is impregnable and provides 100 percent certainty of intangible results.
This online administrative course, taught by experts in the area, goes beyond the typical image propagated by television shows. In this course, you’ll learn about the methodologies’ limitations to support competent forensic science administration in the criminal justice system.
Provider: Coursera
Subject: Challenging Forensic Science
Duration: 17 Hours
Start Date: Self-paced
4. Health Informatics Specialization
Health informatics is another excellent option among the many free online public administration courses available. This administration course offered by Johns Hopkins University can be a suitable fit for you if you’re a health professional, administrator, health IT staff, vendor, or startup who needs or wants to engage in the health IT/informatics process. Throughout the course, you will study the social and technological context of health informatics concerns.
Provider: Coursera
Subject: Health Informatics Specialization
Duration: 5 Months
Start Date: Self-paced
5. AI & Law
AI & Law also ranks in our list of free online courses in public administration courses. Artificial intelligence (AI) is progressively taking over how things are done in real life; in this course, you’ll learn how the growing usage of AI affects the practice and administration of Law in a broad sense. You’ll study the relationship between AI and Law in terms of legal responsibility, lawmaking, law enforcement, criminal Law, Medical Law, and intellectual property law.
Provider: Coursera
Subject: AI & Law
Duration: 22 Hours
Start Date: Self-paced
6. Meta Social Media Marketing Professional Certificate
If you’ve been looking to learn how to run Meta Ads, this administrative course is for you. In this course, you’ll learn how to establish your business goals and brand when creating and evaluating an ad campaign in Meta Ads Manager.
You will also learn how to work directly within social media platforms to create engaging and relevant content, learn the ins and outs of each social media platform, practice analyzing metrics, and more. The intriguing part of this course is that you will get to practice your new skills through hands-on projects, resulting in a portfolio you can share with a future employer or utilize in your own business.
Provider: Coursera
Subject: Meta Social Media Marketing Professional Certificate
Duration: 7 Months
Start Date: Self-paced
7. Cryptography
Cryptography is the practice and study of techniques for securing communications in the presence of third parties. This administration course will educate you on safeguarding data to maintain its integrity, confidentiality, and validity.
You will have a fundamental understanding of cryptographic ideas and how to apply and develop secure protocols, key management concepts, critical administration and validation, and Public Key Infrastructure.
Provider: Coursera
Subject: Cryptography
Duration: 14 hours
Start Date: Self-paced
8. HI-FIVE: Health Informatics For Innovation, Value & Enrichment
Our nation’s healthcare system is rapidly evolving, and transformational healthcare delivery systems rely primarily on health information technology. To improve and coordinate care, maintain patient registries, and allow analytical capabilities to guide decision-making and speed reporting. This course will teach about population health, care coordination, interoperability, value-based care, healthcare data analytics, and patient-centered care.
Provider: Coursera
Subject: HI-FIVE
Duration: 14 Hours
Start Date: Self-paced
9. Global Quality Maternal and Newborn Care
The course will provide you with the background, suggestions, and resources you need to address issues connected to high-quality maternity and newborn care in your setting. Whether you’re an administration, advocate, policymaker, clinician, or service user, this is why it ranks in our list of the best free online courses in public administration.
You’ll learn about the evidence for applying the midwifery model of care to improve the health and welfare of mothers and babies around the world.
Provider: Coursera
Subject: Global Quality Maternal and Newborn Care
Duration: 18 Hours
Start Date: Self-paced
10. The Kennedy Half Century
On November 22, 1963, John F. Kennedy boarded the presidential limousine at Love Field in Dallas, Texas, and began his journey into history. That path continues today, and we refer to it as the Kennedy legacy.
Understanding the Kennedy legacy and recognizing components of his legacy within the context of modern politics aids in understanding many of the perplexing problems that have arisen over the last half-century and many of the challenges that we face today.
This administration course will look at President John F. Kennedy’s presidency, assassination, and legacy. You’ll discover how JFK’s life, administration, and sad death influenced the general public, the media, and subsequent US presidents.
Provider: Coursera
Subject: The Kennedy Half Century
Duration: 9 Hours
Start Date: Self-paced
Conclusion
With the growing popularity of the internet, more educational institutions are adopting an online learning model. Because we live in a time when many students choose to study in a flexible and self-paced environment, many have chosen to pursue an online degree.
If you have a natural talent for working with people and want to make a career from it, enrolling in online certificate courses in public administration will help you get started. A career in public administration allows you to work in practically any commercial and general industry, make a difference in people’s lives, develop your leadership abilities, and more. We hope you find this list of free online courses in public administration helpful.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Free Online Certificate Courses In Public Administration
Public Administration is a field of study that deals with the planning, organizing, directing, coordinating, and controlling of either a private or governmental sector.
Yes! There are a lot of free online courses in public administration that you can enroll in.
You can get paid online courses for free from the following website:
Coursera
Udemy
edX
Skills are
FutureLearn
Alison
LinkedIn Learning
MIT OpenCourseWare
Below are common skills an administrator should have:
Analytical skills
Communication skills
Detail-oriented
Leadership skills
Management skills
Problem-Solving
Strategic Planning
Here are some of the most popular and hunted jobs in Public Administration:
Tax Examiner
Budget Analyst
City Manager
Mayor
Fundraising Manager
Public Administration Consultant
International Aid/Development Worker
Reference
- coursera.org – Free Online Courses in Public Administration
- nces.ed.gov – What is Public Administration?
- bls.gov – What Does a Public Administrator do?
- teach.com – Step in Becoming a Public Administrator
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