Overview

      The mission of the Faculty of Administration is to improve public policy and public leadership so that people can live in societies that are more safe, free, just, and sustainably prosperous. At Oxford World University, this mission is realized through a Faculty of Administration that prepares current and future leaders to navigate, design, and reform the complex systems of governance that shape the lives of citizens around the world.

      Public Administration  also known in academic discourse as Public Policy and Governance is the discipline that studies, designs, and implements collective responses to the social, economic, environmental, and institutional challenges of contemporary societies. Its scope extends across government agencies, international organizations, non-profit institutions, and public-private partnerships, encompassing the full spectrum from policy design and analysis to organizational management, democratic governance, and evidence-based decision-making.

      Graduates are equipped with the analytical and professional skills to effectively understand and address the challenges of contemporary governance and make an immediate impact for employers in public, private, and non-profit organizations around the world.

      Intellectual Foundations of the Discipline

      Public Administration as an academic discipline is rooted in a rich tradition of political philosophy, organizational theory, and applied social science. Its modern foundations were shaped by Max Weber’s theory of bureaucracy establishing rationality, hierarchy, and legal authority as cornerstones of effective governance and transformed by the 1968 Minnowbrook Conference, which introduced New Public Administration: a paradigm centered on social equity, democratic responsiveness, and ethical leadership.

      The subsequent emergence of New Public Management in the late 20th century drew on market-based principles to reform the efficiency, transparency, and accountability of public institutions. Today, the discipline continues to evolve in response to the challenges of digital governance, artificial intelligence in public services, climate policy, global health governance, and the growing complexity of multi-level institutional architectures.

      The Faculty of Administration at Oxford World University engages all of these traditions critically, equipping students not merely to administer existing systems but to question, reform, and lead them.

      Mission

      The Faculty of Administration strives to equip leaders with the analytical tools, ethical frameworks, and practical knowledge needed to make decisions that improve lives around the world.

      We train students and researchers to become agents of principled change capable of designing sound policies, leading complex organizations, and contributing to a more just, efficient, and democratic public sphere. Our faculty are scholars and practitioners who bring the rigor of academic research and the depth of professional experience to bear on the most pressing governance challenges of our era.

      Vision

      In alignment with the standards of the world’s leading schools of government including Harvard Kennedy School, the London School of Economics School of Public Policy, Sciences Po School of Public Affairs, Princeton’s School of Public and International Affairs, and Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs the Faculty of Administration aspires to be a globally recognized center of excellence in public administration, policy analysis, and governance leadership.

      We are at the heart of the global public policy conversation situated within a dynamic institution committed to rigorous, empirical, and evidence-based approaches to governance and public management.

      Our Approach to Administrative Education

      The Faculty of Administration at Oxford World University is built on four interconnected pillars of excellence:

      1. Analytical Rigor. Programs cover economics, political science, quantitative methods, public management, and philosophy, providing a nuanced and integrated understanding of contemporary governance. Students develop the capacity to analyze complex policy problems with precision and intellectual depth.

      2. Evidence-Based Practice. Programs focus on rigorous and empirical skills that underpin evidence-based policymaking, then test these skills in real-world problems and contexts. This ensures that graduates are not only theoretically grounded but operationally effective.

      3. Ethical and Servant Leadership. Drawing on the Oxford tradition of service, the Faculty cultivates leaders of moral integrity and civic commitment. Students are challenged to reflect on what it means to bear responsibility for urgent public problems and to engage with those problems with courage, humility, and accountability.

      4. Global and Interdisciplinary Perspective. Research and educational curriculum reflect six sub-disciplinary pillars: Comparative Politics, Conflict Studies, Political Behaviour and Political Psychology, Political Economy and Institutional Analysis, Political Theory, and Public Policy and Public Administration. Students are prepared to operate effectively across national, regional, and international governance contexts.

      Strategic Research and Teaching Areas

      The Faculty concentrates its intellectual resources in the following thematic domains:

      Governance, Democracy, and Institutional Reform Democratic governance; constitutional design; rule of law; anti-corruption policy; institutional accountability; federalism and decentralization.

      Public Policy Analysis and Design Policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation; regulatory frameworks; social policy; health policy; environmental policy; evidence-based decision-making.

      Public Management and Organizational Leadership Strategic management in the public sector; human resources in government; performance management; financial administration; digital transformation of public institutions.

      International Affairs and Global Governance Multilateral institutions; international development; humanitarian governance; diplomacy and negotiation; global public goods; foreign policy analysis.

      Social Equity, Ethics, and Public Law Administrative law; ethics in public service; social justice and inclusion; human rights policy; gender and public policy.

      Business Administration and Public-Private Governance Corporate governance; public-private partnerships; nonprofit management; entrepreneurship and social innovation; business ethics and sustainability.

      Programs of Study

      The Faculty of Administration offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs aligned with the frontiers of contemporary governance and administrative practice:

      Undergraduate Programs (Bachelor of Science / Bachelor of Arts)

      • B.S. in Public Administration
      • B.A. in Political Science and Government
      • B.S. in Business Administration
      • B.A. in International Relations

      Graduate Programs (Master’s Degrees)

      • Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.)
      • Master of Public Policy (M.P.P.)
      • Master of Public Policy and Management
      • Master of International Policy and Practice
      • Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.)
      • Master of Science in Business
      • Master of Science in Operations Management
      • Master of Cybersecurity and Public Policy
      • Master of Environmental Policy and Planning
      • Master of Science in Public Policy

      Doctoral Programs (Ph.D. / D.P.A.)

      • Doctor of Public Administration (D.P.A.)
      • Doctor of Public Policy
      • Doctor of Government
      • Doctor of Business Administration
      • Doctor of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law
      • Doctor of Strategic Leadership
      • Doctor of Criminal Justice

      Executive Education Short-format intensive programs for senior leaders in government, international organizations, the private sector, and civil society covering crisis management, negotiation, leadership, and evidence-based governance.

      Graduate Profile and Career Outcomes

      Faculty members and graduates are doers as well as thinkers, shaping public policy and devising entrepreneurial approaches to public problems at the local, national, and international levels.

      Graduates of the Faculty of Administration are prepared to lead with distinction across the following sectors:

      Government and Public Institutions — Senior civil service positions; policy advisory roles; legislative and regulatory agencies; local, national, and international government.

      International Organizations — United Nations agencies; World Bank; International Monetary Fund; Inter-American Development Bank; regional governance bodies.

      Non-Governmental and Civil Society Organizations — Policy advocacy; humanitarian programs; social innovation; community development; human rights organizations.

      Private Sector and Consulting — Public affairs and regulatory consulting; public-private partnerships; corporate governance; strategic management.

      Academia and Research — Faculty positions; policy research institutes; think tanks; doctoral study; scholarly publication.

      Graduates have gone on to occupy senior positions in a range of organizations including leading financial institutions, national audit offices, the World Bank, leading universities and research institutes worldwide, and the national, regional, and local civil services of many countries.