BS Public Affairs at University of North Dakota

Programme overview

Let our education fuel your passion. Begin your career in public service with a Public Affairs degree. Good public policy relies on individuals who are clear thinkers and communicators. But it also demands an in-depth understanding of management, accounting and economics.

Faculty: Nistler College of Business & Public Administration | Duration: 4 years (120 credit hours) | Study mode: full-time; online | Intake: Fall (Aug. 15), Spring (Dec. 15), Summer (May 1) | Location: Grand Forks, ND, United States

What you will study

Requires 120 credits (36 of which must be numbered 300 or above), including Essential Studies and major courses. Required courses include POLS 115 American Government I; ACCT 200 Elements of Accounting I; ECON 201 Principles of Microeconomics; MGMT 300 Principles of Management; POLS 437 Administrative Processes; POLS 495 Senior Colloquium in Political Science and Public Administration.

Career pathways

Roles include Federal, state and city governments, Nonprofits that are local and national in scope, Colleges, universities and professional schools, Hospitals.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

University-wide undergraduate admission (not specific to this major): complete 14 units of high school core courses (English 4, math 3 of Algebra I or above, lab science 3, social studies 3, plus 1 additional unit from those areas or a world language); a high school GPA of 2.75 or higher is recommended (3.25 for Aviation Management and Commercial Aviation); ACT/SAT scores are not required. Source: UND Freshmen admissions page.

Domestic applicants: USD 10,789 a year (2026-27). North Dakota resident rate. On-campus tuition for 2026/2027 as shown in the programme's tuition table (fall and spring semesters, rate band 'Business'); excludes mandatory student fees, housing and books. The same table lists Minnesota residents $12,084.0 Source

International applicants: USD 21,579 a year (2026-27). International student rate. On-campus tuition for 2026/2027 as shown in the programme's tuition table (fall and spring semesters, rate band 'Business'); excludes mandatory student fees, housing and books. Source

Entry terms: Fall, Spring and Summer. Applications are accepted up to one year before the start term.

Terms run Fall (August-December), Spring (January-May) and Summer (May-August).

First-year applicants: Fall priority deadline Feb. 1, Fall final deadline Aug. 15, Spring Dec. 15, Summer May 1. The Feb. 1 priority deadline applies to automatic freshman scholarships. ACT/SAT scores are not required. Application fee $35 (non-refundable, no waivers), submitted through the UND admissions application.

Transfer applicants: Fall Aug. 15, Spring Dec. 15, Summer May 1. Application fee $35 (non-refundable, no waivers).

Aviation Management and Commercial Aviation: applications for fall 2027 opened Aug. 1, 2026 and close Oct. 31, 2026; these degrees are not available on the Common App and require the UND application. Minimum unweighted high school GPA 3.25 (2.60 college GPA for transfers).

International undergraduate applicants (outside Canada): Fall June 15, Spring Nov. 15, Summer March 15. Canadian applicants and international students transferring from another US institution: Fall July 15, Spring Dec. 15, Summer April 15. Application fee $35 (US funds), non-refundable.

Apply through the official page: https://und.edu/admissions/apply.html

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