Public Administration

This course provides an overview of special topics the field of public administration, which is concerned with the study of the implementation of public policies and the management of public organizations. Topic and content will vary as announced

Offered As needed

Analysis of the role of public administration within the American political system and of the concordant functions and responsibilities of public sector administrators; discussion of administrative ethics; overview of public sector administrative and managerial processes.

Offered Fall, Spring, Summer, All terms

Study of human behavior in organizational settings; examination of how managerial/supervisory functions impact employee morale and productivity and overall organizational effectiveness. Primary areas of analysis include motivation, leadership, interpersonal and group dynamics, communication, and organizational power.

Offered Fall, Spring, Summer

Administrative and political considerations of fiscal policy, the budgetary process and fiscal controls, financial management and planning, government and the economy, intergovernmental fiscal relations and nature of grants-in-aid, alternate revenue sources, contemporary issues.

Offered Fall, Spring

Study of policies, methods, and techniques in Public Personnel Administration; government personnel systems; manpower management; values in public career systems; concepts of man and work; motivation and morale; training; labor-management relations; contemporary issues.

Offered Fall, Spring

Policy decisions and their implementation and evaluation, relationship of the branches of government and characteristics of bureaucracy.

Offered Fall, Spring, Summer

Prerequisite: MAT 131. Role and application of statistical analysis in public management; review of mathematics and statistical functions; use of statistics in planning and decision-making functions; introduction to the uses and application of computer technology.

Offered Fall, Spring, All terms

Introduction to research methods in social science and their application in public administration, including formulating research questions, reviewing literature, designing data collection processes, describing sample and population, conducting statistical analysis and writing research papers.

Offered All terms

Introduction to government ethics, providing opportunities to develop ethical competence for careers in government and serves as a foundation for further study of government ethics.

Offered All terms

Prerequisite: PUB 303 or MGT 313. Review of concepts, approaches and techniques used to develop compensation programs in public organizations. Emphasis will be upon practices, legal requirements and guidelines for these specialized areas of personnel management.

Offered Fall, Spring, Summer

Developments in public employee unionization, collective bargaining laws and strategies, bargaining as a technical and political process, strikes and impasse machineries, employee organizations and public policy, administrative implication of public service unionism.

Offered Fall, Spring

Analytic and quantitative approaches to planning, evaluation, and decision-making; rational decision-making process as analytic framework for comparing alternative public policies and actions; public sector applications of selected quantitative methods, such as forecasting and cost-benefit analysis.

Offered Fall, Spring

Introduction to the history, theory and practice of U.S. local government administration, including the changing structure, forms, and functions of local governments; the dynamics of intergovernmental, intersectoral, and interpersonal relationships; the tools and strategies that contribute to effective local government management and solution of problems.

Offered All terms

Structures and processes of administrative agencies in the urban setting, interagency rela­tions, administration of urban public services, functions and problems of the urban public executive.

Offered Fall, Spring

Basic administrative practices; concepts and theory of administration; role and responsibilities of management in planning, organizing, directing and controlling a health services program; examination of current policy issues; study of public policy formulation process; politics as a force of change.

Offered Fall, Spring

Examination of current issues, trends, and problems in health care, including public policy on the national, state and local community levels. Emphasis will be given to the changing nature of medical care delivery, the policy formation process, professional dominance, and new developments in organizational forms.

Offered Fall

Offered All terms

Introduction to the economics concepts for those interested in a career in public service. This course explores the economic principles behind societal problems and offers insights into how to solve them; how markets and prices allocate scarce resources to achieve efficiency and prosperity; discuss how markets can fail, and what the public can do to intervene and solve these market failures to improve social welfare.

Offered All terms

Offered All terms

Offered All terms

Offered All terms

Analysis of financial and administrative relationships between different levels of government and between the public, non-profit, and private sectors. Discussion of developments in grants-in-aid, grantmanship strategies, grants management, resource development and evaluation. Application of knowledge through a grant proposal writing project.

Offered Spring

A review of the techniques of administrative planning to include normative forecasting, planning and policy formation. The future environment of government services to include demands and resources will be explored within the framework of systems analysis and policy sciences.

Offered Fall, Spring

Provides broad overview of the sector, its origin, size, composition, and role in American Society and elsewhere.  This course also reviews theories of the sector and its conceptual underpinnings (i.e., its philosophical, political, economic, and social basis in American society) in some depth along with historical and religious foundations.  We will also look at such issues as why people organize, give financial support and donate time.

Offered Fall, Spring

Prerequisite: PUB 450 (recommended). This course aims to understand the important role of nonprofit organizations in American society and the growing impact of non-governmental agencies around the world. It addresses the opportunities for and challenges to organizational effectiveness and is designed to reflect the interests and needs of nonprofit staff, board members, volunteers, and those who are seeking to make an impact with their financial contributions.

Offered Fall

Prerequisites: PUB 450; PUB 451 (recommended). This course examines key aspects of the fundraising process for nonprofit organizations- major theoretical foundations and general fundraising principles as well as a variety of fundraising techniques, sources of donations, and aspects of managing the fundraising process. The course combines applied and conceptual readings and provides students with opportunities to apply concepts and techniques through a series of service-learning portfolio assignments in collaboration with area nonprofit organizations.

Offered Infrequent

Prerequisite: Senior status. Integrative course emphasizing application of administrative concepts and principles through use of case study analyses and simulation. Based upon student interest, course may be structured to address specific concentration areas. Three hours of seminar per week.

Offered Fall, Spring

Prerequisite: Consent of department chair. Independent investigation of a research problem or directed readings in a selected area of public administration. CR/NC grading.

Offered Fall, Spring, Summer

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. An intensive study of an issue, concept or administrative technique that is of interest to both students and faculty of public administration.

Offered Fall, Spring

Prerequisite: Consent of department chair. Supervised internship in a public agency. A written project related to the internship experience is required. CR/NC grading.

Offered Fall, Spring

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. The student develops and completes an individual study under faculty supervision. Repeatable course

Offered Infrequent

History and development of the field of public administration, and the context of operations and the functions of management. The practice of management will focus on the political environment, management theory, planning, organizational structure, resources, decision-making and policy analysis.

Offered Fall, Spring

Structural overview of the functioning and skill requirements for contemporary managers in public and nonprofit sectors; examination of the basic management functions from a comparative perspective; emphasis on communication and critical thinking through action-based approaches.

Offered Fall, Spring

Prerquisites: PUB 500 and PUB 501 are recommended. Historical overview of Organizational Theory and Public Administrative Theory and analysis of the theoretical perspectives that have characterized these fields; discussion of various theories, concepts, and models that can be used to analyze organizations and to improve organizational effectiveness.

Offered Fall, Spring

Introduction to empirical research design in the social sciences, and public administration in particular. Students will learn to assess the use of both qualitative and quantitative research in social sciences and discuss the epistemological principles that underlie different approaches to research.

Offered All terms

The first course in a two-course sequence on quantitative methodology in Public Administration (the subsequent course is PUB 505). The goal of this tow-course sequence is to explore a variety of statistical methods that are useful for managerial planning, decision-making, and public policy analysis.

Offered Fall, Spring

Required Prerequisite: PUB 504. This is the second course in a two-course sequence on quantitative methodology in Public Administration (the previous course is PUB 504). The goal of this tow-course sequence is to explore a variety of statistical methods that are useful for managerial planning, decision-making, and public policy analysis.

Offered Fall, Spring, Summer

Prerequisite: PUB 505. Application of analytical tools to the solution of public management problems, introduction to general models of policy analysis, integration of solutions into administrative processes in government; policy studies cases.

Offered Fall, Spring

Managing the human resources of a public agency with emphasis on selected activities of recruiting, staffing, evaluating, compensating, motivating and training the work force. Procedures and legal requirements for collective bargaining, affirmative action, and equal opportunity will be explored. Three hours of seminar per week.

Offered Fall, Spring

Examination of methods, processes and problems in the budgeting and administration of public revenues, revenue generation, forecasting, cost control; emphasis on the political, economic and managerial aspects of public budgeting.

Offered Fall, Spring

Examination of the foundations of ethical administration, including evaluation and application of ethical theories to public sector issues. Course provides opportunities for students to think reflectively, recognize ethical problems, and gain skills to effectively deal with political and administrative problems.

Offered Fall, Spring

Prerequisites: PUB 501 and PUB 502 are required. Overview of the theoretical and practical foundations of leadership in the public sector. Emphasizes the knowledge and skills needed to effectively lead within public and nonprofit organizations.

Offered Fall, Spring

Prerequisite: PUB 510. Course offers survey of financial management functions in state and local government such as accounting, fund structures, debt and cash management, and financial reporting. Course provides a theoretical and practical introductions to financial analysis and management in the public sector.

Offered All terms

Course aims to prepare current and future managers of public and/or non-profit organizations by focusing in the knowledge, skills, values, and perspectives needed to manage organizations strategically. The course provides an introduction to the theory and application of strategic planning and management in the public and non-profit sectors.

Offered All terms

Course examines theoretical foundations and practical models of collaborative management in local government. Students will collect and review relevant literature fro inter-government relations, public management, and public/private partnerships, and apply findings to a policy issue in local government.

Offered All terms

Prerequisite: PUB 500 is required. Introductory course on the most important concepts and methods of qualitative research. Involves reading and discussion of presentations and examples of qualitative research and a qualitative research project.

Offered Spring

This course aims to demystify economics for managers in the public and nonprofit sectors. This course will provide you with the economic principles to better analyze and understand problems facing public managers. You will learn why markets can be so successful in allocating scarce resources and achieving efficient market and social welfare outcomes. You will learn how individuals, firms and government, as producers, consumers, and regulators, interact at the microeconomic level, and why macroeconomic concepts such as inflation, unemployment, economic growth, interest rates, and are important to understand. You will also learn how governments can intervene to solve market failures and hence improve social welfare.

Offered All terms

This course will examine issues associated with health care management responsibilities, functions and leadership. This course will analyze the administrative process, accountability, equity, ethics, and diversity issues in health care administration.

Offered Fall, Spring

This course defines the foundation, scope, and boundaries of health care policy with an emphasis on public health care systems and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Students will explore the differences between local, state, and federal health policy levels.

Offered Fall, Spring

This course provides a comprehensive overview of the financial structure, market forces, and techniques in health care financial management. The courses is intended for students without a background in financial management.

Offered Fall, Spring

Prerequisites: PUB 500 and PUB 501 are recommended. Provides an overview of the nonprofit sector and addresses leadership and management issues. Emphasizes the context, institutional setting of the sector and nonprofit governance, leadership, ethics, marketing, strategic communications, advocacy, lobbying, program evaluation and human resource management.

Offered Fall, Spring

Prerequisite: PUB 510 is required. Examines financial management functions in government and nonprofit organizations, such as financial planning, accounting, cost control, fund structures, debt and cash management, financial reporting, and financial trend monitoring.

Offered Fall, Spring

Prerequisites: PUB 500 and PUB 502 are required. Examines key aspects of the fundraising process, techniques and management, such as sources of donations, planning, development, fund goal-setting, major gifts, capital campaigns, trustee participation, and managing the fundraising process.

Offered Fall, Spring

Prerequisite: Completion of MPA Core courses. Integrative course that emphasizes the interrelationships between the academic field of public administration and administrative practice. Course includes case study analysis and individual and group integrative projects. Three hours of seminar per week.

Offered Fall, Spring

Prerequisite: Consent of MPA Program coordinator. Independent investigation of a research problem or directed readings in a selected area of public administration. CR/NC grading. Repeatable course.

Offered Fall, Spring

Prerequisite: Consent of MPA Program coordinator. Intensive study of a specialized area of Public Administration (e.g., Urban Administration, Criminal Justice Administration) or a selected topic in contemporary public management. Three hours of seminar per week. Repeatable course.

Offered Fall, Spring

Prerequisite: Consent of MPA program coordinator. Supervised internship working with a cooperating government agency in a function germane to public administration. Sessions are held to discuss and analyze the problems with which interns are concerned. A written project related to the internship is required. CR/NC grading.

Offered Fall, Spring

Prerequisites: Grade point average greater than 3.80 and consent of MPA program coordinator. Thesis relating to public administration. CR/NC grading.

Offered Fall, Spring

Graduate students who have completed their coursework but not their thesis or comprehensive examination, or who have other requirements remaining for the completion of their degree, may maintain continuous attendance by enrolling in this course. Signature of the MPA coordinator required.

Offered Fall, Spring