Public Administration and Leadership Careers
Key information
Recent graduates of this programme are working as; analysts in the insurance sector; community workers; graduate entry level public servants. Recent graduates are working for employers like Northern Trust; the National Treasury Management Agency; the Policing Authority and Intel.
A wide range of career opportunities are open to you from this programme, in the public, private and non-profit sectors:
- Public sector positions at a national and local level and in a range of state agencies and in international public sector bodies;
- Private Sector opportunities e.g. within the banking and financial services sector as well as in industry;
- Non-Profit Sector employment within charitable, voluntary and community organisations, including local level community development as well international development NGOs (Non- Governmental Organisations).
Follow-On Study
- Graduate Diploma/MA in Public Administration
- MA Politics
- MA EU Politics and Governance
- MA International Studies
- MA Peace and Development Studies
- MA Sociology
- MA Business Management
- MSc Marketing, Consumption and Society
- Law LLB (Graduate entry)
Student Profile
Frank Fitzgerald
Coming from school in Clare, my main interest was (and still is) current affairs. I chose my four first year subjects on LM002 Bachelor of Arts with that in mind – Politics, Public Administration & Leadership, History and Sociology.
In second year I had a hard time choosing which two to keep, but I chose politics and especially Public Administration and Leadership because I wanted to understand how politics and government works: who runs it, who decides, who implements, and the dynamics that not only dictated where we’ve been, but help predict where we’re going.
Public Administration isn’t a single topic. It covers different aspects of the study of how the permanent machinery of states (and beyond that wider institutions like those of the EU) work – everything from the effect of European membership on Ireland’s permanent administration systems to environmental policy. This emphasis on policy and the permanent side of the state aligns nicely with the political – and so with taking politics as my other subject.
If I were starting again, I would advise getting as much information as you can about the modules available and what assignments are like in college – the UL Book of Modules is great for this; just check which modules you will be taking in Public Administration and Leadership then type in the module code. This gives a better idea of which modules might be right for you.
Finally, if unsure about anything at all when deciding what to choose, lecturers’ emails should be easy to find – if you email they will be happy to help with any queries.
Padraic Duhig
I was drawn to the arts programme because it is broad and gave me the chance to study various subjects. In first year, I took public administration and leadership, politics and international relations, Sociology, and English then from second year onwards, I focused on Politics and International Relations alongside Public Administration and Leadership.
Before starting, I didn't know much about Public Administration or the specific content of the pathway but I found the modules on social justice and public administration and leadership interesting. For my final year project, I researched social workers in the community development sector. My work placement at Limerick City and County Council in housing support services was a pivotal experience, helping me realise my passion for social work. I now work there part-time and the placement was the highlight of my course.
I find lecturers helpful and responsive to emails, but the learning is largely independent so you have to be prepared to really apply yourself. Most of my modules were assessed continuously rather than through big exams, and I initially found that adjusting to referencing and essay styles was challenging but you are eased into it. In public administration and leadership, there is a lot of group work and you learn to communicate effectively. It’s a good choice because it opens up many different career opportunities in the public service sector that people might not even consider.
