Public Administration Vs Political Science

Public Administration Vs Political Science is an age-old dilemma faced by students who wish to make a career in the political and social domain. While inherently different in nature and purpose of study, both disciplines together form the backbone of Social Sciences. Often, students find it difficult to choose between them as there seems to be too little difference, coupled with vague descriptions provided about the courses online. Hence, with this article, we would try to give you clarity about the courses and what your prospective career would look like after making either choice.

“Political questions are not Administrative questions.” – Woodrow Wilson

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What is Political Science?

Aristotle, also known as the father of Political Science defined it as a practical science which focuses on the happiness of citizens. But how do states ensure that people are happy? The most obvious way of doing the same is by following a structured approach in governing the masses. A study of these structures and the overall working of government at national, state and district levels within a country falls under Political Science. Pursuing a full time course in domains will introduce you to different policies across varied time periods along with their after results. This stream is a blend of various other subjects like Economics, History, Sociology and Geography. The scope of courses in Political Science can be divided into – Political Theory, Comparative Politics, Public Administration, International Relations and Public Laws.

What is Public Administration?

It is very clear from the above states paragraph that Public Administration is a subpart of Political Science only. But the functions covered under this particular topic is so vast that it is also studied as an individual discipline in itself. Public Administrations involves operations required to bring in changes or implement of right policies for the betterment of the public. If Political Science suggests the idea, Public Administration makes sure that it is executed well. The operations involved under this stream includes planning, directing, organising and controlling government formulated laws and policies. Some popular topics taught in Public Administration courses include – Good Governance, Political Theory, Public Administration and Society, Working and Functions of the Government, e-Governance, etc.

Discipline	Public Administration	Political Science
Duration	2- 3 years (degree level)	2- 3 years (degree level)
Eligibility	10+ 2/Bachelors/Masters from any discipline with 50% or more	10+ 2/Bachelors/Masters from any discipline with 50% or more
Description	Key features of Public Administration are: Development of Communication Construction Of New-Liberal States Good Governance E-Governance People’s participation Environmental Concerns Welfare to all Development of the Society	Key Topics of Political Science are Political Theory Political Thinkers Public Administration Comparative Politics International Relations Public Laws India and the World
Popular Courses	BSc in Public Administration MA/MSc in Public Administration MA/MSc in Public Policy MA/MSc in Public Management	BA in Political Science MA in Political Science MPhil in Political Science PhD in Political Science
Average Fees	INR 30,000 to 10,00,000	INR 30,000 to 7,00,000
Average Salary	INR 6,28,310 (Post- Masters)	INR 4,78,756 (Post- BA)
Job Options	International aid/development worker Public Administration Consultant Budget analyst Tax examiner Civil Servant Social Work NGO worker Financial Analyst Political Analyst Public Policy Analyst	Communications Officer with a government organization Non-government organizations (NGO’s) Researcher in private companies Political Figure Political representative Lobbyist Political Writer Civil Servant Political Analyst Psephologist

Public Administration Vs Political Science: Key Differences

To start with, Public Administration and Political Science have a lot in common. Both the courses are socially centred, focusing on the administration and workings of Public Policies and the Government. Students from any stream who have completed their high school education with respectable marks can apply for the courses offered by either field of study. Professionals can often comprehend the type of work in the other discipline, while some courses have so many common subjects that they are almost interchangeable. Nevertheless, here are a few points of discussion regarding Public Administration Vs Political Science:

• Political Science studies the operations, organisation and history of governments across different countries at all levels. It uses the events from history to understand and evaluate the current political and social position of a state. Public Administration, on the other hand, works upon the policies of the state. It designs, regulates and implements the laws set up in a country while keeping the benefit of the masses at its core.
• Political Science is a broader Social Science, encompassing the scope of Public Administration. However, Public Administration in itself has grown so much in importance that most educational institutions recognise it as an individual and unique discipline.
• Students with a background in Political Science generally go for professional pursuits in political analysis and consultancy, while Public Administration students find it easier to pursue professions like Civil Services and Policy Planning.

Wondering which one has a better scope out of these two?
Why don’t you decide it for yourself by reading our blog on
Scope of Political Science and Scope of Public Administration!

Relationship & Similarities

Political Science and Public Administration are both closely associated. In fact, public administration is a subset of Political Science and did not become a separate discipline until 1887. Woodrow Wilson, the father of Public Administration in 1887 acknowledged the need to study public administration from a scientific lens and argued that the two disciplines were similar in the sense that they serve people, yet different in their approaches. Political Science and Public Administration are closely linked; while the former is responsible for making policies, the latter ensures a smooth implementation of policies. Both disciplines study the state, government and its functions to understand and develop effective tools of political management and ensure maximum satisfaction.

Public Administration Vs Political Science: Popular Courses

While both the studies offer educational degrees at all levels, there is a sharp distinction between the courses offered under Public Administration vs Political Science. Political Science courses are centred towards Political Theory and regulations around the world, Public Administration courses prepare the students to work for public welfare at administrative as well as representative positions. To give you an overview, here are the top courses offered from both disciplines at different levels worldwide:

Public Administration	Political Science
B.Sc in Public Administration	BA Political Science
Masters of Public Administration	M.Sc / MA Political Science
Policy Evaluation	M.Sc in International Politics
Public Administration (Finance)	M.Sc Political Theory
PhD in Public Administration	PhD Political Science
MA Public Service Leadership	M.Sc Environmental Policy and Regulation
M.Sc International Development: Public Policy and Management	M.Sc Global Politics

Public Administration Vs Political Science: Top Universities

There are many universities around the world that offer courses in both of these fields of Education. As both Public Administration and Political Science are covered under the domain of Social Sciences, there are many study areas that coincide between the two. As a result, top universities that offer courses in Social Sciences generally top the list for both of these subjects. Here are some of the world-leading universities for Public Administration and Political Science, as per QS World University Rankings:

Public Administration	Political Science
Harvard University	Harvard University
University of Oxford	Princeton University
London School of Economics and Political Science	Sciences PO
University of Cambridge	University of Oxford
Stanford University	London School of Economics and Political Science
University of California, Berkeley	University of Cambridge
The University of Tokyo	Stanford University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	The Australian National University
Johns Hopkins University	Yale University
University of York	The University of California, Berkeley

Best Colleges for Public Administration in India	Best Colleges for Political Science in India
St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai Christ University, Bangalore Presidency College, Chennai Madras Christian College Loyola College, Chennai IIT, Kanpur Presidency College, Kolkata	Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Delhi. Xavier’s College, Mumbai Christ University, Bangalore Miranda House, Delhi Presidency College, Chennai Hindu College, Delhi Kautilya School of Public Policy Jindal School of International Affairs Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) Lucknow University

Public Administration vs Political Science: Which is the better optional for UPSC?

Public Administration is the popular choice for an optional in UPSC. This is primarily because the subject is easy to score in and the syllabus is less comprehensive than in political science. Public administration is a part of political science and hence, the latter covers all its subsets making the syllabus lengthier. Another subset under political science that is commonly opted by aspirants is International Relations. Here is the syllabus for public administration and political science for you to compare-

Public Administration Syllabus for UPSC	Political Science Syllabus for UPSC
Public Administration EvolutionIndian Public AdministrationAdministrative BehaviourAccountability and ControlAdministrative LawPersonnel AdministrationPublic PolicyTechniques of Administrative Financial Administration	Political theory and thinkers Political Ideologies Indian Political Thought Western Political Thought Indian NationalismMaking of Indian ConstitutionComparative PoliticsIndia and the World

Career Scope

While both the disciplines of study offer their own opportunities for higher studies, it would be easier to understand the difference between them on the basis of the field of work they relate to. While Political Science does not offer is strictly related to critiquing and working upon Governmental structures and policies, Public Administration works upon the application of these policies on the ground level. Public Administrators get to work hands-on with the problems faced by the public and ensure there are no problems in the functioning of the system. To help you make the distinction, here are a few career options for students to decide between Public Administration Vs Political Science:

Public Administration	Political Science
Budget Analyst	Policy Analyst
Public Administration Consultant	Public Relations Specialist
City Manager	Legislative Assistant
Fundraising Manager	Intelligence Analyst
Tax Examiner	Political Consultant

“Man is by nature a political animal.” – Aristotle

Hope this article helped you clear the air around Public Administration Vs Political Science. It can be a worrisome task for young students to choose among similar courses on their own, and if you are still confused among the two courses and what they offer, worry not. At Leverage Edu, we have a team of experts to provide you with the best career support guidance. We help you select the course which suits you the best and inform you about all the leading Universities around the world that you should target. What’s more, we offer specialised test prep, as well as aid you through your application and admission process. To avail, all these career utilities, connect with us with a free e-meeting today!