The Department of Public Administration started at King Saud University in 1397 AH (1977). Its aim was to prepare a generation of young people capable of enhancing the government agencies and institutions by providing them with the knowledge and skills they need. The Department began its Bachelor's Degree Program which was then followed by a Master's Program in Health and Hospitals in 1400 H (1980), for the preparation of highly qualified cadres in the field of administration and health management in line with the developments in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
When the Department of Public Administration was started the aim was to qualify the public sector employees, so the Department set up a Master's Program in Public Administration in (1410 H ) (1990), which was considered as one of the most important graduate programs at( K S U). Every year, hundreds of students apply for enrollment in the program. However, only a limited number of them are admitted.
These programs are geared to prepare qualified specialists in the leadership of public organizations in accordance with the highest global academic and applied levels. A parallel program for a Master's degree in Public Administration and Management of Health and Hospitals was also started. The program offers evening courses in order to allow employees and workers in the public and private sectors to join it.
In 1429 H (2008), the Department started a doctoral program in Public Administration for the purpose of contributing to the upgrading of scientific research in the field of management and solving administrative problems faced by non-governmental organizations and the public. The undergraduate programs in Public Administration have been discontinued after the restructuring of the College and the introduction of other departments such as the Department of Management in order to achieve the goal of this program.
These departments include a selection of Public Administration faculty who are graduates of the finest universities in the world and have leading contributions in research. Many of them obtained professorship in public administration. It should be noted that these programs are introduced in the Department of girls.