This paper analyzes the dynamics of public administration education (PAE) in the United States. The historical perspective helps to understand the main factors that influenced the emergence and consolidation of PAE, contextualizing it within the modernist discourse - typical of US society since late XIX century. The paper highlights the role of PAE associations, especially Aspa and Naspaa, in the ideological debates of the field. The strategies to overcome the dilemma "quality versus quantity" of PAE programs are discussed, such as: dealing with the quantitative growth of the PAE programs maintaining, simultaneously, a high pattern of quality. Also, the strategies related to PAE programs' standardization and accreditation are debated, highlighting the main difficulties of implementation in US context. We hope that the analysis of this international experience can stimulate the reflection of Brazilian academy of management, in face of the quantitative growth of its programs.
quality in public administration education; quality; accreditation strategies
