Sustainability education in public administration and policy: A multi-method study of NASPAA accredited programs

ABSTRACT

This study examines the nature of sustainability education in public affairs programs. First, through web content analysis of NASPAA accredited MPA/MPP programs, and second through web survey of program directors, data were collected on perceptions about sustainability education and public administration, demand for sustainability education, sustainability related courses, pedagogical tools used, nature of collaborators that make sustainability education possible and factors that impede or enable the inclusion of sustainability education in these programs. When considered as a holistic concept without being broken down into its three componential parts, only 10% of all courses offered are on sustainability. Results show that a total of 164 programs (~94%) have listed courses in at least one of the three areas (economic, environmental and social) of sustainability. Programs vary in terms of whether they offer courses as core or electives. Thirty-five programs offered a dedicated concentration in environmental sustainability. Survey results indicate general agreement about synergies in sustainability education and PA education which should be formalized through curricular inclusion. However, only about 50% of survey respondents experienced demand for sustainability education. Programmatic, institutional and professional facilitators, and impediments to infusion of sustainability education in PA curricula are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Curricula
• public affairs
• sustainability
• sustainability education

Notes

^1. There were 175 accredited programs in the NASPAA roster. However, one program had to be excluded from the web search due to non-availability of data related to the program, course content or faculty on its website at the time when this research was conducted.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nandhini Rangarajan

Nandhini Rangarajan is associate professor of political science at Texas State University. She earned a PhD in Public Administration from the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, State University of New York at Albany. Her research interests are in creativity and innovation, public management, human resources and public affairs education. Her articles have appeared in prominent journals such as the Review of Public Personnel Administration, Public Productivity and Management Review and the Journal of Public Affairs Education. Her co-authored book, A Playbook for Research Methods: Integrating Conceptual Frameworks and Project Management, provides useful tools for graduate students to manage the research process.

Saumya Joshi

Saumya Joshi is currently pursuing her masters in higher education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Prior to this, she received a BA in economics (Honors) from Delhi University, and an MBA from the Indian School of Business (ISB). Her research interests are in financial sustainability, institutional advancement, and the effects of diversity, equity, and access in higher education. Saumya has close to 10 years of experience working across fields like management consulting, corporate research and higher education administration.