Courses List & Descriptions

Sequence of Courses in the Public Administration Program

Fall 2012

Session A – 8 weeks

PAD 430 Introduction to the United States Health Care System

An examination of the foundations and history, beliefs and values, and public policy choices within health care in the United States. The emergence of managed care and proposed reforms to expand access, contain costs, and enhance quality are explored.

PAD 440  Organization Behavior

An examination of human behavior in public organizations. Representative topics include organizational change, personal development, and team building.

Session B – 8 weeks

PAD 401 Grant Writing and Administration

An examination of the practice of grant writing, including analysis of the different kinds of grants, the market for grants, the preparation of grant proposals/applications for submission and successful management of the grant and the relationship with the funding agency.

PAD 420 Administrative Ethics

A study of the definition and philosophy of ethics. Students will learn to recognize ethical problems and gain skills to approach them with honesty, sincerity, and confidence. Special emphasis is given to public service ethics for public administrators.

Spring 2013

Session A – 8 weeks

POS 422 State and Local Government

A study of the structure of state and local government, including topic such as the governor, the legislature, and state and local finance.

POS 401 Research Methods For the Social Sciences

A survey of the research techniques and issues common to the social sciences. Topics include experimental design, survey design, observational techniques, quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis, and research ethics.

Session B – 8 weeks

PAD 372 Intergovernmental Relations

An examination of how the various levels of government, local, county, state, and federal, share authority and power in their constantly changing relationship of joint action.

PAD 460 Program Evaluation

An examination of the evaluation of public programs. Topics to be covered include planning, monitoring, and conducting program evaluations. Students will also study cost-benefit analysis and evaluation design.

Fall 2013

Session A – 8 weeks

COM 300 Principles of Public Relations

An introduction to the principles and practice of public relations. The course includes the history and role of public relations; the activities, skills and ethics required of a public relations professional; introduction to persuasion theory; basic survey research; and the process of creating a plan.

PAD 301 Public Administration

A survey of the major concepts and ideas shaping the field of public administration today, emphasizing public vs. private management, bureaucratic processes and politics, and administrative responsibility.

Session B – 8 weeks

PAD 220 Accounting for Public Administrators

An introduction to accounting. Representative topics of study include the Financial Status Report, and analyses of accounting statements

PAD 320 Public Policy

An examination of the policy making process, and a survey of the major policy areas facing public administrators today, including representative topics such as the environment, education, crime, welfare, and taxation.

Spring 2014

Session A – 8 weeks

PAD 351 Administrative Law

A review of the safeguards in the administrative system for the rights and liberties of those in direct contact (or conflict) with public administrators, and for the rights and liberties of public administrators. Topics of study include rule making, adjudication, administrative discretion, regulation, and the Administrative Procedures Act.

PAD 200 The Public Economy

A review of the American economy. Topics of study include federal, state, and local effects on the American economy, economic growth, inflation, and the United States in the world economy.

Session B – 8 weeks

POS 221 Politics in the U.S.

An introduction to the functioning of the U.S. political system. Beginning with a survey of the cultural and constitutional contests of U.S. politics, the course is focused on an investigation of the actual workings of the political system in an effort to determine where real power lies.

PAD 360 Fiscal Administration

An examination of fiscal administration within the public sector. Major topics of study include: principles of public finance, the budgetary process, budget methods and practices, budget classifications and reform, capital budgeting, tools of taxation, user fees, tax collection, revenue forecasts, intergovernmental fiscal relations, debt administration, and cash management.

Fall 2014

Session A – 8 weeks

PAD 305 Management in the Public Sector

An introduction to the role of management in the successful operation of public sector organizations. Representative topics include executive-bureaucratic linkages, human relations, and strategic management.

PAD 410 Public Sector Human Resource Management

A review of the personnel function in public organizations. Representative topics of study include position analysis, job evaluation, recruitment, selection, promotion, employee benefits, training, collective bargaining, and conflict resolution.

Session B – 8 weeks

PAD 362 Administrative Leadership

A study of leadership theory and how it applies to real situations. Topics include an examination of the strengths and criticisms of the various approaches to leadership including Traits, Skills, Style, Situational, Contingency Theory, Path-Goal Theory, Transformational, and Team Leadership. Topics of study will also include the differences between leadership and management.

PAD 340 Emergency Management

An introduction to Emergency Management, including such topics of study as the evolution of Emergency Management in the United States, managing natural hazards and disasters, and managing man-made hazards and disasters.