Learn to understand, analyse and contribute to the management of public institutions and public-service systems — combining policy, law, economics, public finance, governance and digital administration.
The Bachelor of Public Administration is structured to develop graduates who can understand, analyze and contribute to the management of public institutions and public-service systems. The curriculum combines public administration theory with public policy, economics, law, public finance, management, governance, research, monitoring and evaluation, and context-specific study of Somali government, federalism, history and culture.
Its sequence begins with a broad foundation year and progressively moves toward specialized public-sector management, reform, accountability, service delivery and applied research. The curriculum contains a two-semester Foundation Year followed by eight numbered semesters. Across the full sequence, students complete 52 courses and 166 credit hours.
The design gives substantial weight to discipline-specific Public Administration (PAD) courses while also drawing on management, economics, political science, law, accounting and auditing, statistics, communication, sociology, entrepreneurship, research methods, digital government, development planning and supervised professional practice.
To cultivate capable, ethical and analytically grounded public-administration graduates who can contribute to effective governance, responsive institutions and sustainable public service.
To provide an academically rigorous and context-aware education integrating public administration, policy, governance, management, public finance, law, research and practical public-sector problem solving.
Attention to auditability, institutional rules, evidence and responsible stewardship of public resources.
Commitment to responsive, accessible and citizen-centred public service delivery.
Integrity, transparency, fairness and the rule of law in the conduct of public affairs.
Policy analysis and development planning are connected with economics and statistics; service delivery with strategy, HR, organizational behaviour and e-government; public financial management with accounting, procurement and public auditing.
Somali history and culture, federalism and intergovernmental relations, and Somali government and politics anchor the programme in its national context.
Comparative public administration, public-private partnerships, NGO management, social entrepreneurship, development administration and planning, and digital public administration broaden practice perspectives.
A final internship connects academic preparation with supervised professional experience in public and nonprofit settings.
Build a strong conceptual foundation in public administration, political science, management and governance.
Develop competence in public policy formulation, analysis, implementation, development planning and evaluation.
Prepare students to understand public financial management, public-sector accounting, public auditing, procurement and contract management.
Develop knowledge of constitutional and administrative law, federalism, decentralization and intergovernmental relations.
Equip students to manage public organizations, people, change, projects and stakeholder relationships, and to exercise leadership consistent with good-governance principles.
Strengthen evidence-based decision making through statistics, research methods, monitoring and evaluation, and capstone research.
Prepare graduates to work across government, local administration, public agencies, NGOs, nonprofit organizations, development programs and public-private initiatives.
Develop capability in e-government and digital public administration, including the use of technology to support accessible, accountable and responsive public services.
On successful completion of the curriculum, graduates should demonstrate the following integrated capabilities.
| Domain | Graduate Capability | Key Curriculum Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Knowledge and understanding | Explain major theories, institutions and contemporary issues in public administration and governance; describe the roles of policy, law, economics, finance, planning and management in public-sector decision making. | PAD102, PAD201, PAD307, PAD408 |
| Policy analysis | Frame public problems, interpret evidence, compare policy alternatives, connect policy to development planning, and communicate reasoned analysis. | PAD109, PAD206, PAD408 |
| Governance and intergovernmental relations | Analyze federalism, local government, decentralization, public-sector reform, leadership, good governance and relations among levels of government. | SOM103, PAD205, PAD310, PAD409 |
| Public financial stewardship | Understand public-sector accounting, public financial management, procurement, contracting, auditing and assurance as elements of accountable resource stewardship. | ACC108, FIN210, PAD304, AUD407 |
| Management and leadership | Apply principles of strategic management, organizational behaviour, human resource management, change management, project management and public-sector leadership. | MGT301, MGT305, MGT401, MGT402, PAD409 |
| Service delivery and partnerships | Examine public-service delivery, stakeholder management, digital public administration, public-private partnerships, infrastructure governance and nonprofit-sector roles. | PAD302, PAD303, PAD406, PRM203, NPM404 |
| Research and evaluation | Use social statistics, research methods, monitoring and evaluation approaches, and capstone inquiry to investigate public-sector questions. | STA107, RES308, PAD403, RES405 |
| Communication and engagement | Communicate clearly in academic and professional settings and engage stakeholders through public relations and structured dialogue. | ENG101, ENG204, PRM203 |
| Contextual and civic awareness | Relate public administration to Somali history, culture, political institutions, government and federal arrangements. | SOM003, SOM012, SOM103, SOM110 |
| Professional responsibility | Approach public-sector work with attention to accountability, auditability, institutional rules, evidence, public interest, good governance and responsible stewardship. | LAW208, AUD407, PAD409, INT410 |
A ten-semester pathway of 52 courses and 166 credit hours, with credit loads of 16–18 hours per semester, culminating in capstone research and a supervised internship.
| Academic Stage | Semester | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation Year | Foundation Year — Semester I | 18 |
| Foundation Year | Foundation Year — Semester II | 18 |
| Degree Sequence | Semester I | 16 |
| Degree Sequence | Semester II | 16 |
| Degree Sequence | Semester III | 16 |
| Degree Sequence | Semester IV | 16 |
| Degree Sequence | Semester V | 17 |
| Degree Sequence | Semester VI | 16 |
| Degree Sequence | Semester VII | 16 |
| Degree Sequence | Semester VIII | 17 |
| Program Total | 166 | |
| Thematic Area | Courses |
|---|---|
| Public Administration & Governance | PAD006, PAD102, PAD201, PAD205, PAD307, PAD310, PAD408, PAD409 |
| Public Policy & Service Delivery | PAD109, PAD206, PAD302, PAD403, PAD406, PAD408 |
| Public Finance, Accounting & Procurement | ACC108, FIN210, PAD304, AUD407 |
| Government, Law & Political Context | POL010, SOM103, SOM110, LAW208, POL209 |
| Management & Organizations | MGT005, MGT301, MGT305, MGT309, MGT401, MGT402, PAD409 |
| Economics & Quantitative Methods | MTH002, MTH008, ECO106, ECO202, ECO207, STA107 |
| Communication & Stakeholder Engagement | ENG001, ENG007, ENG101, ENG204, PRM203 |
| Research & Applied Inquiry | RES308, RES405, PAD403, INT410 |
| Partnerships, Civil Society & Innovation | PAD303, NPM404, ENT306, PAD406 |
| General & Contextual Studies | SOM003, SOM012, ISL009, GST004, GST011, CSC104, SOC105 |
A balanced assessment system measures both academic understanding and the ability to apply public-administration knowledge.
| Assessment Form |
|---|
| Written examinations and quizzes for conceptual mastery. |
| Policy briefs, analytical essays and legal or administrative case analyses. |
| Quantitative exercises and data interpretation in economics, statistics and monitoring and evaluation. |
| Group presentations, stakeholder simulations and management cases. |
| Project plans, procurement and contract exercises and service-delivery assignments. |
| Research proposal, data-analysis work and capstone research project. |
| Class participation, reflective tasks and seminar discussion where appropriate. |
| Internship assessment using an approved placement plan, workplace and supervisor feedback, reflective reporting and evidence of professional learning. |
Conceptual learning is combined with applied public-sector problem solving through lectures, seminars, case-based inquiry, quantitative exercises, stakeholder simulations, project and procurement tasks, and a supervised internship in the final semester.
Assessment progressively moves from knowledge recall toward analysis, application, synthesis and independent inquiry as students advance through the programme — supported by research methods, monitoring and evaluation, and capstone research.
Graduates are prepared for roles in institutions that administer public programs, manage policy and resources, plan development, deliver services, support e-government and monitor performance.
Government offices, agencies and local administration functions.
Policy formulation, analysis, implementation and evaluation.
Public financial management, accounting, budgeting and stewardship.
Public procurement, contracting and contract management.
Performance monitoring, evaluation and evidence-based reporting.
HRM, organizational behaviour, change management and administration.
Development planning, project management and programme implementation.
Public auditing, assurance and accountability functions.
Digital public administration and technology-enabled service delivery.
Nonprofit management, social entrepreneurship and public-private partnerships.
Admission follows the institution's general requirements for entry to a bachelor degree programme, including secondary-school completion, document verification, and any language, placement or equivalency requirements established by the university.
Contact AdmissionsTo be eligible for admission into the Ilays University undergraduate programs, applicants must meet the following criteria: