Public administration is best described as an applied social science that designs the overall direction of development.

From a macro perspective, it looks at the interaction between government and the public, examining the relationship between the public and private sectors, and ask questions about the role of government to effectively manage various public goods. As an applied social science, Public administration differs from other social sciences in that it focuses on 'problem solving'. It is the role of public administration to think about how we can solve problems facing our society by more effectively using policy tools. Public administration is also interdisciplinary and constantly interacts with neighboring disciplines. Many public problems that public administration needs to solve are not simple problems with only one aspect but complex problems with various perspectives. Therefore, it is necessary to combine various adjacent studies to solve problems effective.

KUPA alumni are the designers of the past, present, and future of Korea.

In the last half century, KUPA has produced numerous leaders in the public sector including the legislative, judicial, and administrative branches. During the last ten-year period, on average 13.6% of KUPA students have passed the Higher Civil Service Examination, the highest percentage from a single department. Furthermore, graduates of KUPA are extending their career paths to various sectors including financial agencies, journalism, international organizations, NGOs, and other notable fields.