The State Administration Science Department (IAN) is the development and improvement of the status of the State Administration Science Study Program since 2015. The Department / Study Program of State Administration Science is considered a young department / study program compared to other education-based departments / study programs at Padang State University (UNP). Initially, the IAN Study Program was initiated after the expansion of the mandate of the Institute of Teacher Training and Education (IKIP) to become a university. The establishment of the State Administration Study Program (IAN) is based on the Decree of the Director General of Higher Education Number 4380/DIKTI/Kep/2004.
Initially, the IAN Study Program was an expansion of the mandate of the Pancasila and Citizenship Education (PPKn) education program at FIS UNP and was under the Department of Social and Political Sciences (ISP), Faculty of Social Sciences, Padang State University. Although the IAN Study Program has accepted students in the 2004 batch, the real activity of the first lecture was held in early 2005 with 63 students at that time. The number of students continues to grow along with the high interest in this study program which is considered capable of responding to the needs of the world of work for professional public administration officials.
Along with scientific developments and demands from the world of work, IAN study program enthusiasts continue to increase from year to year and become a study program that is in great demand by prospective student applicants. This condition was responded positively by the leaders and lecturers of the IAN Study Program and finally initiated the development of the IAN Study Program into the IAN Department. The establishment of the IAN Department officially began on March 10, 2015 based on UNP Rector Decree No. 35/UN35/KP/2015. In 2014, the IAN study program developed itself by opening a Master of Public Administration (MAP) Study Program and is currently developing itself again to open an IAN D3 Study Program (currently being proposed to Kemristekdikti).