College of Public Service

The College of Public Service became operational January 2008 with the appointment and arrival of the founding dean, former Nashville Mayor Bill Purcell. The new College fulfilled the Geier Consent Decree of 1984 and from the Institute of Government has expanded to include the Department of Public Administration and the Department Social Work and Urban Professions. The intent of the Consent Decree was to establish a division that would address the workforce needs of the city and state in the various areas of government and public service. The mission of the College is to educate, socialize and serve students and employers of nonprofit, health, and urban organizations by the following degrees and certificates:

• B.S. in Urban Studies, and B.S. in Social Work. Two undergraduate minors in Nonprofit Management and Leadership. Master’s in Social Work, Master’s in Public Administration (NASPAA Accredited) Ph.D. in Public Administration, Online Master of Professional Studies, Graduate Certificate in Health Planning and Administration Graduate, Certificate in Non-Profit Management, Graduate Certificate in Public Policy, Graduate Certificate in Local Government, and Management Graduate Certificate in Public Administration Executive Leadership

• Where are Public Service graduates? The Tennessee Department of Labor, the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services, Juvenile Justice Centers, serving in Student Professional Development, as elected officials, in social services in cities throughout Tennessee, the Tennessee Division of Intellectual Disabilities, the Tennessee Supreme Court, the Tennessee Department of Corrections, the Board of Regents, State Legislators, the Department of Internal Revenue, Community health centers, Hospice, Veterans Administrations hospitals, Advocacy organizations, Programs and Community Development Agencies, Local, state and federal government Associations, and may more.

• Accrediting bodies include: CSWE (Council on social Work Education) NASPAA (Public Administration.

• Certificates include: The Graduate Certificate in Public Administration Executive Leadership (known as Command College) was designed to equip public professionals with skills to lead in a changing public environment. The Command College participants come from several agencies within the State of Tennessee. The Professional Management Academy is a partnership with the Department of Correction and Homeland Security where employee can take six classes to earn a certificate and apply those courses toward a four-year degree.

• National Honor Societies include: Phi Alpha (Social Work) and Pi Alpha Alpha (Public Administration)