FAQ: Major in Public and Nonprofit Administration – Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Academic advisors are available to meet with SPAA students to discuss course registration, transfer credits, Degree Navigator, graduation, and additional guidance related to their academic progress.  

HLLC students and athletes must go to their HLLC or athletic advisors to drop or withdraw from courses. They can come to Student and Academic Services for all other advising inquiries.

All advisement appointments for undergraduate students are scheduled through Navigate.

Students have several resources available to them to assist in course selection:

• Rutgers Degree Navigator – Students use Degree Navigator to assist in appropriate course selection.
• Rutgers University Schedule of Classes – Students use the University Schedule of Classes to manage their schedule.
• Rutgers University Registration Calendar – Students can verify their registration date through the General Registration Guidelines link.
• Rutgers Webreg – Students use the Web Registration System to register for classes on their registration date.
• SPAA Student and Academic Services – You may schedule an appointment with a SPAA advisor via Navigate.

Undergraduate students wishing to obtain special permission numbers for SPAA courses such as Service-learning Internship I, Independent Study, or MPA courses must meet with a SPAA staff member to obtain an SPN.

If you need an SPN for a course in another department, you must contact that department directly. It is at the discretion of the department to provide you with an SPN.

If you are a graduating senior in need of an SPN for a closed SPAA section, please contact your academic advisor for assistance. 

SPAA undergraduates need 120 credits in total to graduate with a bachelor’s degree. This includes 38 credits towards the core curriculum and 35 credits towards the Public and Nonprofit Administration major. Additionally, students must maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA.

Undergraduates who wish to complete a second concentration in Public and Nonprofit Administration must complete 18 credits in the School of Public Affairs and Administration.

Additionally, the School of Public Affairs and Administration offers an accelerated MPA degree (BA/MPA or BS/MPA) that is available to all undergraduate majors at Rutgers University–Newark. Undergraduate students who wish to obtain their MPA may complete 18 graduate credits during their final three semesters as an undergraduate. These 18 credits count as a second concentration towards their BA or BS.

Undergraduate students in the School of Public Affairs and Administration are required to complete at least one internship for course credit toward their degree.

The School of Public Affairs and Administration offers a 5-Year Dual Bachelor’s Degree/Master of Public Administration Degree (BA/MPA or BS/MPA) which offers the opportunity to earn a master's degree in public administration while taking MPA courses as an undergraduate student.

You can find information in SPAA's International Students section.

Students must submit their transcript for review by mailing their official transcripts to the following address:

    University Enrollment Services Admissions Processing
    Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
    65 Davidson Road, Room 308
    Piscataway, NJ 08854-8097

Students transferring from a NJ Community College can use NJ Transfer to assess course transferability. Rutgers University requires a grade of "C" or better for a course to transfer.

Students transferring from a four-year college or university can make the general assumption that classes that are 100-level or higher, worth at least 3 credits, and completed with a grade of "C" or better in an academic department offered at Rutgers University will be accepted for transfer credit. These courses may or may not be utilized to fulfill major requirements but will generally receive a minimum of elective academic credit. Please note that this is a general guideline only and should not be considered a guarantee of any sort. We do not accept credit for professional/certification courses, recreational courses, or seminars.

We also accept transfer credit for AP scores, CLEP scores, and Joint Services transcripts. Submit your AP or CLEP scores to the following email for review: transcripts@admissions.rutgers.edu. Please reach out to the Office of Veteran Affairs for information on submitting your Joint Services Transcript.

You will receive your personalized transfer evaluation via email 4-6 weeks after you have committed to Rutgers by paying your enrollment fee.

Please contact the Rutgers University–Newark Admissions Office for admissions requirements.

Students who wish to declare a Public and Nonprofit Administration major must complete a school-to-school transfer into the School of Public Affairs and Administration. Visit Rutgers Undergraduate Admissions for more information.

Students must have at least a 2.3 GPA if completing a school-to-school transfer to the School of Public Affairs and Administration.