Wildcat Head Logo
Find Your Way Forward

Public Service and Management Associate Degree Online

If you are a first responder, current military personnel, or veteran, IWU's public management degree online was built for you. The A.S. in Public Service and Management is designed to help you qualify for leadership positions in the private and public sectors — and to do it efficiently, by giving you credit for the training and experience you've already earned. Choose from a First Responder Track or a Military Track depending on your background, and build on your real-world foundation to advance into roles like community outreach coordinator, nonprofit coordinator, or management-level positions in government and public service organizations.

Why Pursue My A.S. in Public Service and Management at IWU?

IWU's A.S. in Public Service and Management helps you translate the leadership skills and confidence you developed as a first responder or military professional into a management-level career. The curriculum is taught by faculty with direct experience in public service leadership — and grounded in the Christian worldview central to IWU's mission, so you can integrate ethics in public service into every professional decision you make.

From day one, your tuition rate is locked in, so you can focus on your studies without worrying about cost increases along the way.

What Will I Learn in This Public Management Degree Online Program?

The curriculum blends foundational and core coursework to give you practical, career-ready skills. You'll study business leadership, communication, national security, public policy basics, and organizational behavior in government — all areas that translate directly to careers in public service, emergency management, corrections, and beyond.

Specific learning outcomes include:

  • Developing critical thinking skills to analyze complex situations and identify effective solutions quickly
  • Communicating clearly and professionally in both high-stress and formal contexts
  • Understanding how globalization shapes economics, politics, and national security
  • Applying ethics in public service and Christian principles to your leadership approach
  • Building foundational knowledge in public policy basics and organizational behavior in government

The program concludes with a capstone project that challenges you to apply your learning to real-world management scenarios.

What Makes IWU Different?

Education Pioneer

IWU has provided education for more than 100 years.

Rooted in Christ

Christ-centered support, resources, and services to online students, staff and faculty.

Superior Support

Discover online student resources to help along your journey.

Tuition & Aid

60 Credit Hours

paw print

$325/ Credit Hour

Net Price Calculator

Financial aid is available in the form of grants, loans, scholarships, veterans’ benefits, and employer reimbursement.

Financial Aid Tuition & Fees Info

Applicable fees for resources and services will be assessed throughout the program. Tuition and fees for prerequisites and required elective courses are in addition to the charges shown on the program cost sheet. Your tuition rate will remain the same as long as you remain continuously enrolled in the same program. The estimated cost of attendance is available on the financial aid webpage. Cost sheets may be requested from an enrollment counselor by calling 866.498.4968 or emailing iwuenroll@indwes.edu.

What You'll Study

Coursework for this associate in public service management degree covers how to:

  • Develop critical thinking skills to quickly analyze situations and strategize effective solutions
  • Communicate clearly in high-stress and professional situations in an appropriate manner for the context and audience
  • Gain the knowledge and ability to understand the impact of globalization on economics, politics, and national security
  • Integrate Christian principles into your career and leadership abilities, no matter which professional role in public service you pursue

Indiana Wesleyan University

Courses in this Program

These courses contain the program-specific knowledge. Upon completion, you should have the tools to conquer your new career with confidence. For a full list of courses and prerequisites required to complete your degree, please visit the course catalog. Click on a course below to view the description.

GEN-111,HRM-175,HRM-215,MGT-215,COM-115,COM-209,COM-280,ECO-205,UNV-181,BUS-230,CRJ-181,CRJ-202,CRJ-268,CRJ-270,CRJ-318,POL-100,POL-215,POL-230,POL-232,LDR-270

After Graduation

paw prints

Potential Careers

  • Corrections Officer
  • Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
  • Firefighter
  • Paramedic
  • Police Officer
  • And more!


Work in Various Industries

  • Industries

Program Requirements

  • Available only to qualified military students. A qualified military student is defined as someone who has 6 semester hours of ACE recommended military training and experience on a JST or CCAF transcript and is identified as one of the following categories:
    • Active duty members of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard
    • Currently serving in the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard Reserves
    • Currently serving in the Army or Air National Guard
    • Veterans discharged under honorable conditions from all branches of the Armed Forces, Reserves, National Guard, and Coast Guard
    • Air Force veterans without a conferred Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) Degree must provide their CCAF transcripts
  • Original transcripts from all previous college or university study at a college or university that is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by both the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
  • Prior completion of at least 6 transferable credit hours as listed on a JST or CCAF transcript for training received in any Military Occupation Specialty (MOS), Naval ratings and designators used along with the Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC) system, and Air Force Specialty Codes (AFSC), and Coast Guard Ratings.
  • Available only to qualified first responder students.
  • Original transcripts from all previous college or university study at a college or university that is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by both the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
  • Prior completion of at least 6 credit hours granted for a law enforcement, fire academy, first responder, or emergency medical personnel either through IWU’s prior learning assessment or as evidenced on an official transcript from a college or university that is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by both the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
  • Credit documented on a transcript awarded by a college or university that is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by both the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) with a minimum grade of "C".
  • Credit documented on a JST or CCAF transcript for training received in any MOS, NEC system, AFSC, and Coast Guard Ratings.
  • Completion of 60 hours
  • Completion of foundational, major, and general education requirements as outlined in the program of study
  • Completion of 24 hours of general education requirements as specified (General Education Requirements).
  • Completion of 27 hours in the major with a minimum GPA of 2.0.
  • To meet the residency requirement 15 semester hours must be completed at IWU.
  • Cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.
  • Payment of all tuition and fees in order to receive a diploma.

Accreditation

  • Completion of 60 hours
  • Completion of foundational, major, and general education requirements as outlined in the program of study
  • Completion of 24 hours of general education requirements as specified (General Education Requirements).
  • Completion of 27 hours in the major with a minimum GPA of 2.0.
  • To meet the residency requirement 15 semester hours must be completed at IWU.
  • Cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.
  • Payment of all tuition and fees in order to receive a diploma.

Take the Next Step

Your experience in the military or as a first responder has prepared you for more than you may realize. IWU's public management degree online is designed to turn that experience into a credential — and your next career. Learn more about the program and start your path forward today.

Request Info Apply Now

Related Pages