University Certificate in Public Administration
The University Certificate in Public Administration is designed for students who aspire to careers in, or working with, organizations in the public and non-profit sectors. While many management principles are universally applicable, the UC-PADM focuses on administration at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels of government, as well as non profit and quasi governmental organizations. Students will take courses in management, policy, legal studies, and Indigenous studies. They can also take courses in such areas as communications, criminal justice, governance, human services, and women's and gender studies.
Students may find this certificate useful to enter or re-enter the job market, to change careers, or for promotion in the public sector and/or non profit sector, or to provide a foundation for further studies.
Planning your program
Our online program plans can assist you in selecting the courses needed to fulfill your program requirements.
Counselling Services offers an assessment website, Mapping Your Future.
Athabasca University has developed program learning outcomes that describe the career options that may be available to you upon graduating.
Ladder this certificate into the BPA degree program
This certificate can be taken in partial fulfillment of the 60-credit admission requirements for the Bachelor of Professional Arts (BPA) program. It can also be used for the first 30 credits taken as the third year of all four of the BPA majors: Communication Studies; Criminal Justice; Governance, Law, and Management; and Human Services.
Students planning to use 18 to 30 credits within the diploma toward the 60-credit total for degree completion must not take more than 12 junior credits (courses at the 200 level), including an English Language Assessment recommended skill-building course at the 100 level, if required. See English Language Assessment below.
Students pursuing this option should consult the online program plans to see how this certificate can ladder into the BPA major of your choice. Advising Services can assist you in selecting the courses needed to fulfill your program requirements.
English language assessment
Applicants to the UC-PADM are strongly advised to take the English Language Assessment (ELA). Based upon the applicant's ELA results, a recommendation will be made as to which writing skills course is appropriate. Those applicants whose test results suggest they would benefit from skill building courses at the 100 level can register in ENGL 155: Developing Writing Skills; ENGL 177: English for Academic Purposes; or PHIL 152: Basics in Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing and that course will count as a Junior Option.
Program requirements
Students complete the program regulations in effect at the time of their enrolment.
Program structure
| Total credits in the program | 30 |
| Required credits | 15 |
| Elective credits | 12 |
| Option credits | 3 |
| Minimum CMNS, CRJS, GOVN, or HSRV credits required to use UC-PADM to satisfy requirements in a BPA major (courses in LGST can be used in UC-PADM to ladder into the BPA-CRJS major) | 9 |
| Residency requirement. A minimum of 15 credits must be obtained through Athabasca University. | 15 |
| Maximum Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) credits | 15 |
Required courses
(15 credits)
Students should register in ADMN 232 or HSRV 201 or CMNS 201 or LGST 230 or ENGL 255 or PHIL 252 early in their program.
Elective courses
(12 credits)
Select four courses from the following list:
Option courses
(3 credits)
Choose any 3-credit course. Those students with no post-secondary education are encouraged to take a 200-level course. Students with advanced analytical and writing skills might consider taking a 300- or 400-level course.
Notes:
Students cannot use the same course to satisfy both a required and an elective course requirement.
Students who plan to ladder into the BPA degree program should consult with Advising Services to ensure a seamless fit for their Elective and Option courses. Students using this certificate to count toward the first 60 credits of BPA admission are encouraged to select Junior courses. Those students who have 42 credits or more to apply toward admission to a BPA program, or who wish to apply the completed certificate to their 3rd year of a BPA program must complete no more than 12 junior credits within the certificate—only 12 Junior credits are allowed in the Majors, so additional junior courses will not all be transferable.
Students who wish to pursue employment in the federal civil service or foreign affairs are strongly encouraged to take French for their Option courses. Students interested in North American integration should take Spanish. Students interested in governance capacity building for First Nations communities should consider taking an Indigenous language course.
Updated September 03, 2025 by Office of the Registrar (calendar@athabascau.ca)