Jurnal Ilmu Pemerintahan Kybernan Vol. 7, No.

1, Maret 2016

STUDENTS ATTITUDE TOWARD GOVERMENT SCIENCE AND

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION STUDIES

Muhammad Fadil
Universitas Islam ‘45’
fadil@unismabekasi.ac.id

Abstract

The research purpose is to describe students’ attitudes about their major studies
in social and political faculty in Universitas Islam ‘45’, which are goverment science (IP)
and public administration (IAN). Attitude concern is if they regard that both major have
similarities to each other since they have almost same competencies. The attitude levels
are affective, cognitive, and behavior as for cognitive is the most dominant level
evaluating both majors. This survey research uses descriptive method, with 27
respondents in the process of writing of final research from both major. The result shows
positive tendencies from all level of students attitude (mode=4), especially cognitive. It
means that both students group (government science =17 and public administration=10)
has same attitude concluding that both of major studies are similar. T-test also shows no
significant value (p ≥ .05) which means both students group have no differences attitude.

Keyword: Attitude, Cognitive Level, Government Science, Public Administration.

BACKGROUND existed enormously in some private

and public universities, they often
In Indonesia, some major studies
make confussions to students, for
derived from political science
example, when they try to choose
develope in various form such as
topics of research or reason behind
political science itself, international
why they choose those majors. It
relation, government science, public
happens to majors such as
administration, and the others.
Government Science and Public
In spite of its history and
Administration.
development in Indonesia, both
While students start to choose
majors has settled and run according
topics of research, some questions
to its function. Besides being taught
would come if their topics belong to
in university, Indonesian government
Government Science or Public
established the institutions such as
Administrasion. Becoming public
Home Affair Government Institute
servant is also most frequently
(IPDN) and National Institute of
answered behind the reason why they
Public Administration (LAN).
choose the major as their parent did.
Although those majors have already

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Jurnal Ilmu Pemerintahan
Those conditions are not really
big matter while the major is the only
implemented in university or in
seperated institutions, since
major might differ independently.
However, some universities apply
both major, govermental science and
public administration in
faculty, for example is Universitas
Islam ‘45’ in Bekasi West Java.
Nowadays, all major faces huge
challenges to increase
competencies and its standards.
Fulfillment of lecturers, cooperation
among universities, journal writings
and research establishment, and all
accreditation requirements shoud be
fulfilled by all universities and
faculty. The faculty should bear all
those conditions in order to develop
quality of its education and output
(alumni) so that they are able to
compete with job requirements and
global challenge. Therefore,
university and faculty should run all
programs effectively with
available resources.
Generally, one faculty may have
more than one major. If there are
various and different majors, then
faculty and its academic supports
would focus more on their own
Kybernan Vol. 7, No. 1, Maret 2016
fields. For example, accounting and
management studies are always
placed in economic faculty. Since
the they have different competencies,
each major has directly developed its
basic and concise competencies.
Nevertheless, both government
same science and public administration has
no similar condition as previous
example. Obviously, they have same
object/focus of studies, similar
their competences, shared resources and
literatures, and become a place to
study for public servants or who are
interested while their faculty
members still hold own opinions and
regard of its differences persistently.
This research tries to explore
and answer those conditions
according to the attitude of their
students about their field of studies.
By describing student attitudes, it
will have real descriptions how they
think and feel their major and field of
studies. It will also help each
all members in faculty to develop (or
change) so that they will run the
programs effectively and efficiently.
This is only basic effort to know
and system of education in
university, since it might not only
happen in Universitas Islam ‘45’, but
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also in other universities. However, it
might not necessarily
solutions since there are always lot
of aspects and causes to reform its
education system in university.
Research Question
How are student attitudes
toward Government Science and
Public Administration Studies in
Universitas Islam ‘45’?
LITERATURE REVIEW
1. Attitude
Attitude is an
evaluation to objects, individu, and
issues (Taylor, Peplau, & Sears:
2006). The attitude has three levels;
affective, cognititve, and behaviour
which people apply everytime to
anything. According to Bohner and
Schwarz (2001), evaluation is an
acceptance both favorable
unfavoable to any object around us,
from simple object such as a thing,
individual behaviour, traffic on road,
issues, and impact of government
policies.
On the other words, attitudes
toward object appear to be positive
and negative. Positive attitude is a
favour while negative attitude is an
unfavour. On attitude
Kybernan Vol. 7, No. 1, Maret 2016
tendency of positive or negative is
become made on scales. It may also need
elaboration if the attitude is
consistent, changing, and influencing
individual behaviour or decision
(behavioral level). One example if
there is an attitude change is through
media, information, advertisement,
campaign, and personal influence
(Martin: 2001).
a. Affective.
Affective attitude is an
individual feeling to some object or
individual issues. Affective level is basic form
of an attitude on individu. It happens
to certain feelings such as like or
dislike, happy or sad, when he/she
sees or thinks an object. This display
an honest form of attitude of
individual. Any form of like or
dislike to a person or object is a
and simple attitude appeared on individu.
b. Cognitive.
Cognitive level is form of
thinking or belief of an attitude.
Evaluation on objects or issues
comes from this level. It happens
how people give evaluations based
on their perspective, opinion and also
form of individual belief. Those
come from experience and learning
research, (Hovland, Janis, & Kelly, 1953).
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Jurnal Ilmu Pemerintahan Kybernan Vol. 7, No. 1, Maret 2016

The learning process shows administration (Ndraha, 2008). The

how one individu concludes their model then becomes applied science
opinion or belief in his/her life. For (bestuurkunde) run by some institute,
example, one might say, “it is such as Home Affair of Government
good/bad” or “I think that is Institute (IPDN).
improper”. To tracing back its core
c. Behaviour studies, government science if part of
Behaviour level of attitude political science. Political science
appears on individual behavior, act focuses on state, authority, decisions,
and desicions. Different to the policy, and distribution (Budiharjo,
previous levels, behaviour is not a 2006). Those concepts are very
feeling or an evaluation but kind of close to government basically.
action that may be stimulated by Van Ylst (2008) explained
both affective/cognitive or even that government science develop
none, since there might be behavior from state studies; ideas of state how
attitude against the other level. it grew. It continues to how run state
McGuire (1969) tried to research and form government in order to
the three level of attitudes though create good governance on
apparently those level would be government. Ndraha (2005) tried to
consistent to each other. explain the growing of government
2. Government Science and science to the new paradigm that he
Public Administration. called kybernology. The new
Although both major could be paradigm bring government science
found at some institutes and have over other diciplinaris such as
grown independently, deeper studies administration, management, and
and understanding always be needed technology.
through research or philosophical Government science becomes
approach. multi-diciplinary studies that
a. Government Science involves many aspects such as
According to Herman Finer, empowering organization, human
government is basically a resource, leadership, financial, and
combination of both politic and so on.

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c. Developments of
b. Public Administration Government Science and
As government science, public Public Administration.
administration developed from Generally, curriculum
political science. Public developments and changes in college
administration was inseperately follows some needs: stakeholder,
political studies (Thoha 2003). As social and global issues, and its
government science, public academic associations.
administration was about state. To make it short, both major
Dimmock dan Dimmock (1992) (IP & IAN) have basic competencies
explained how political derived from their curriculum.
administration wor ked as it a. Political Science.
happened because of pressure group. Political science is expanded
According to Thoha (2003), there are into some courses: introduction
old and new paradigm of public to political theory, Indonesia
administration. Old paradigm tried to political system, and political
make dichotomy between political comparative system.
science and administration studies. b. Public Policy
There was an effort to bring Public policy is begun from
administration to be not part of planning and development,
political science. Second, as new policy analysis, including to
paradigm, it shows that old paradigm impact of policy socially and
had started to be left since public environmentally.
adminstration is not to be understood c. National and local government.
as the administration of state. Public Generally, government topic is
administration works as an studied as introduction to
administration of public interest. government science, local
Fesler dan Kettl (2002) have autonomy, government finance,
closer opinion to government that and government control.
public administration activity is d. Public Administration.
governmentl studies. It also has some courses such as
introduction to administration,

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Indonesia administration system, Information system is a

and public administration.
e. Management
Management and its derivation
have some course to both major
such as introduction
management and some topics
1) Human resource.
Mostly focus on public servant
and government human
resource.
2) Planning and Development
One aspect of management and
learnt as part of policy process.
3) Organization Development
It is basic competency how to
run organization and its behavior
in government scale. Both major
has it as a course.
4) Leadership.
Most important course students
must take its course that is how
leadership works in public.
f. Social
It is social aspects although all
students from both major must
take social studies course such
as sociology, social system,
political sociology,
community development.
g. Information and Communication
Techology.
technology aspect, that students
should learn its implementation
in government. It is called in
some ways, such ICT-
to Government or E-Government.
Although general distributions
course listed above, each program
basically develop rest courses to suit
them to qualification student needs.
Those courses are to describe
cognitive level of attitude. Other
indicators are to conclude generally
whether both field of studies has
similarity. Affective and behavior
level are also observed though it less
describes directly to similiraty of
governemtal science and public
administration.
Framework Research
The framework research is
described below:
and
Cognitive level is most
dominant level of attitude in order to

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know students attitude toward RESULT AND ANALYSIS

Government Science and Public 1. Political science.
Administration Studies. It is because Both groups show high
of that cognitive level shows favourable score around 70% and
evaluation of students by their 22.2%. It means that political science
experience and academic process. must be studied to both major.
Then, cognitive level is more Table 1
Political Science
%
suitable than the two levels. Disagree 7,4
Agree 70,4
Strongly Agree 22,2

RESEARCH METHOD
The research is using survey 2. Public Service.

method to collect data from students. Both students shows high

It is also known as descriptive favourable (44% and 51.9%) to

method because the collected data public service courses.

Table 2
will be used to describe fact of Public Service
%
research object (Neuman, 2007). The Disagree 3,7
Agree 44,4
variable is students attitude. Strongly Agree 51,9

Data analysis is using

3. Leadership
descriptive statistic which is
Leadership also show high
precentage, frequency mode and t-
percentage of favourable score
test to describe the data. The
(48.1% and 51.9%). As
respondents are students both
aforementioned, leadership is very
government science (17) and public
important course and topic for both
administration (10) (N=27) who are
studies.
in the process of final research
Table 3
Leadership
writing (skripsi). Questionnaire is %
Agree 48,1
used as an instrument to collect the Strongly Agree 51,9

data and using Likert scale (5 scales).

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4. Government System 6. Public Policy.

(National and Local). As leadership aspect, public
Although, government policy plays very important role for
terminology is close to the both major. Its score is (59.3% and
government science, there is no 40.7%)
unfavorauble score. There are high Table 6
Public Policy
%
score (51.9% and 48.1%). On the Agree 59,3
Strongly Agree 40,7
other hand, public administration
students also regard that government 7. Management.
is one their object.
Though it has no character of
Tablel 4
National And Local Government political science, both students really
%
Agree 51,9 know the importance of management
Strongly Agree 48,1
for both studies with score 77.9%
5. Administration and 14.9%. Governance and
It also shows high score for both administrations develop from
students (63.0% and 25.9%) though management studies after all.
there is little score of disagree score Table 5
Management
%
(11.1%). Disagree 3,7
Table 5 Do not know 3,7
Administration Agree 77,8
Strongly Agree 14,8
%
Disagree 11,1
Agree 63,0
Strongly Agree 25,9 8. Planning and Development.
It has a combined aspect of
It means that government science
policy and management which also
students also think that
give high score from both students
administration knowledge also
(77.8% and 18.5%).
important for them though it might Table 8
Planning And Development
not be directly becoming specific %
Disagree 3,7
course. They benefit it primarily as Agree 77,8
Strongly Agree 18,5
resource and readings to government
studies. 9. Organization
As a management, an
organization studies also become
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Jurnal Ilmu Pemerintahan Kybernan Vol. 7, No. 1, Maret 2016

important for both students how to 12. Information System

understand and run government Although it is studied as new
organization or institution. Both approach – applied technology,
students groups positively give high which had no necessarily need for
score (44.4% and 48.1%). students competencies, students now
Table 9 live with those technology.
Organization
%
Disagree 3,7
Nowadays, Information
Do not know 3,7
Agree 44,4 Communication and Technology
Strongly Agree 48,1
(ICT) aspect could not be seperated

10. Control System from human life. Learning ICT in

Control of government system also government is widely impemented in

reaches high score (55.6% and for both major. The score is also high

40.7%). Both students know that (66.7% and 22.2%).

Table 12
policy process needs control in order Information and Communication Techology
%
to create good governance. Disagree 3,7
Do not know 7,4
Table 10 Agree 66,7
Control System Strongly Agree 22,2
%
Disagree 3,7
Agree 55,6
Strongly Agree 40,7 13. Government Finance.
As information system, students
11. Human resource regard this also important for them to
This aspect focuses on understand tax and government
government employee and still finance. The score is 70.5% and
connects to leadership since the 14.8%.
relation of leader and staff often Table 13
Government Finance
become focus for both majors. The %
Disagree 3,7
score is also high (51.9% and Do not know 11,1
Agree 70,4
Strongly Agree 14,8
40.7%).

Table 11
Human Resource
%
Disagree 3,7
Do not know 3,7
Agree 51,9
Strongly Agree 40,7

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14. Social studies government science or vice versa.

Like politics, social studies is Result shows rather positive
fundamental for both majors. The tendency (59.3% and 22.2%). It
score is 44.4% and 55.6%. means that students have confussions
Table 14 and also regard both major as the
Social Studies
%
Agree 44,4
same, since they research same
Strongly Agree 55,6
object and use same resource in their
writing.
On similiraties
Table 16
The next aspect is a question if Confussions to distinguish both major
%
there is similarity between Disagree 14,8
Do not know 3,7
Agree 59,3
government science and public Strongly Agree 7,4
administration. The result show
variance. Those answers indicate that For the affective level, the
first, student regard both major is score (55.6% and 37%) shows that
similar (40.7% and 7.4%). Second, students really like their field of
there are students who are still in studies. For the behavior level,
doubt (14.8%). Third, students who students are asked if they are in right
think that both major are different job or will find suitable job as their
(33.3% and 3.7%). The last answer is major. The result shows various
also caused by some factors such as answer since some students already
the existences of both programs in have job and some do not, though
faculty and students pride of their most of them want to get jobs that
major. suit their major.
Table 15
If there are similiraties on both major Table 17
% If they like the studies
Strongly Disagree 3,7 %
Disagree 33,3 Do not know 7,4
Do not know 14,8 Agree 55,6
Agree 40,7 Strongly Agree 37,0
Strongly Agree 7,4

Table 18
To strengthen the result, Finding job following their education
%
Disagree 14,8
question is asked to students if they Do not know 11,1
Agree 55,6
have confussion in creating research Strongly Agree 18,5

topic, such as which topic belongs to

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In conclusion, all students 3. On question “if there is

both government science and public differences between both
administration program give positive studies”, it also shows
result with high value of favourable unfavorable answer higher
percentages. By using frequency of than the other questions
mode, most students give favour though the favorable is still
answer (agree) with mode=4. It also the highest score. It might be
explains that both groups think that caused by some factors such
both majors are basically similar, if it as the existence of both
is not said as the same. program for long time and
The data is also analysed students pride to their major.
using t-test to know if there is a Generally, most students still
difference between two groups of think that both major are
student (IP & IAN). T-test result similar.
shows that there are no significant
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