Master of Public Administration Online

The course aims to familiarize students with analytical techniques and research methods used currently by public administrators. Provides an introduction to applied statistics and data analysis for problems of interest to public administrators. *Restricted to enrollment in MPA graduate program or consent of the department.

Introduction to the study and practice of administrative process and public management. Theoretical, political, and practical issues of organizing, staffing, financing and implementing government decisions and other issues are surveyed.

The analysis and evaluation of governmental programs. Emphasis is placed upon use of analytical techniques to determine program impact and the use of evaluation in governmental decision making. Prerequisite: PADM 503. Restricted to enrollment in MPA graduate program or consent of department. Lab fee $50.

An examination of the theory and practice of budgeting in the public sector and of selected elements of fiscal management. The course focuses on administrative aspects of budgeting and is oriented toward preparation of students for careers in the public service. Students utilize primary materials in conducting individual or class projects aimed at development of budgetary skills. *Prerequisite: PADM 340 or equivalent. Restricted to enrollment in MPA graduate program or consent of department.

A study of the processes and procedures used in contemporary public personnel systems. Emphasis is placed on examination of competing models of personnel administration, application of personnel management strategies to specific case problems and public sector labor relations. Restricted to enrollment in MPA graduate program or consent of department.

An examination of various approaches to describing and understanding public organizations and the individuals within them. Emphasis is placed on study of the important theoretical literature in the field and on the applications of the theory of practical management problems in governmental units and agencies. Restricted to enrollment in MPA graduate program or consent of department.

An examination of contemporary theories of leadership and their applicability on the public and non-profit sectors. The course emphasizes the range of behaviors and actions relevant to leadership in contemporary governmental organizations and the analysis of factors resulting in leadership success or failure. *Restricted to enrollment in MPA graduate program or consent of the department.

Examines the ethical dimensions of public service, particularly as it relates to the cultural context of the United States, while emphasizing the responsibility of the public manager to act with integrity. Assesses the virtues necessary for moral leadership in the public sector, as well as managerial strategies that reinforce ethical climates in public organizations and ethical behavior among public employees. Focuses on contemporary cases to explore the practical relevance of theories of morality and ethics. Special attention will be invested in examining the ethical implications of contemporary modes of governance and tensions between managerial and democratic values. *Prerequisite: PADM 537.

Explores the shifting locus of public service delivery over time, and examines alternative organizational arrangements through which public services are provided to citizens. Emphasis is placed on the environment, structure and management of service delivery networks including combinations of public, private, and not-for-profit actors. Explores joint agreements, public-private partnerships, and contracting regimes as elements that bind network actors in the process of delivering high quality public services. Additional focus is invested in evaluating the leadership and management strategies that can ensure accountable and ethical public policy implementation by non-governmental organizations that act with the authority of government. The factors that facilitate network performance are also explored.

Study of selected problems in public administration and policy. Emphasis placed on the practitioner's perspective. *Prerequisite: PADM 340 or equivalent. Restricted to enrollment in MPA graduate program or consent of department.

Examines the theories, skills and practices for writing grants for nonprofit and public organizations. Students practice these skills by actually preparing grants for a nonprofit or a public organization.

An examination of basic concepts in the policy sciences, approaches to policy analysis, applications to selected areas of policy, and instruments of policy development.

An examination of relationships among national, state, and local governments in the American federal systems, with emphasis on recent literature and contemporary issues. Restricted to enrollment in the MPA graduate program or consent of School.

This course examines the question, can NPOs and NGOs do their good works better? In looking for the answer, students considerhow perspective shapes reality, the need for a new framework for action, the conflict between limited resources and seemingly unlimited need, importance of local focus, conflicts between donors' demand for short term results with a situation's requirement for a long term program, issues caused b public policy, roles of gender and ethnicity in solving problems and the role of simplicity. Students will do this in anticipation of becoming leaders/managers of NPOs or NGOs.

Courses is designed for advanced MPA students and examines social, political, legal and managerial constraints on the behavior of public administrators. Issues in ethics and the public's expectations of professional administrators are also examined. Restricted to students who are in the MPA program and who have completed at least three required MPA courses, or consent of the department.

This course focuses on the development and analysis of public policy alternatives and how they are used in governmental decision making.

This course examines the unique resource development needs of nonprofit organizations and public organizations and looks at the principles and practical sides of meeting those through relationship management, marketing and fundraising. Time will be taken to look at all the aspects of a successful relationship, fundraising and marketing management plan. Students will be expected to participate in at least one fundraiser for a local nonprofit during the semester.

Examines the characteristics of nonprofit organizations that distinguish them from the public and for-profit sectors. Explores social and economic functions of nonprofits and such administrative issues as fundraising, working with volunteers and governing boards, satisfying tax codes and service distribution. *Prerequisite: PADM 340 or equivalent. Restricted to enrollment in MPA graduate program or consent of department.

A survey of the major literature in the field of public administration. The course will synthesize and integrate the literature and provide an overview of topics to be covered in greater detail in other seminars. Required of M.A. ad PhD. student offering public administration as a graduate area before enrolling in more advanced subject-matter seminars.

Supervised readings in selected subjects. Credits 1-6

Selection, Investigation and writing of a research paper under the personal supervision of a member of the program graduate staff.

Fieldwork in the office of a governmental or quasi-governmental agency. The internship is arranged by the field representative of the M.P.A degree program. A paper in which the student correlates academic knowledge with practical internship experience is required. Mid-career M.P.A student may receive credit upon completion of a paper relating previous work experience to public administration literature and theory. Restricted to enrollment in the MPA graduate program or consent of department. Graded S/U only.

Upon successful completion of core courses, the student expands and develops a previously written MPA graduate program paper. The project involves an issue or problem in public administration and it written with the approval and under the supervision of the student's committee chair. Restricted to enrollment in the MPA graduate program or consent of department.

Guides students in preparing the Professional Portfolio displaying competencies developed through their course work and a project applying them to public administration practice. Graded S/U only. Restricted to enrollment in the MPA graduate program or consent of School.