MPA/JD Dual Degree Archive 2020-2021

3.00

This introductory graduate-level course provides an overview of public administration and service and serves as a basis for further advanced studies in the MPA program. This course covers the structure, functions, and process of public service organizations at various levels, including governments and nonprofit organizations. Students explore historical trends, ethical considerations, and political rationale for the present operations of public service.

3.00

This course demonstrates how issues, problems, and questions surrounding public policies, program operations, and administrative systems can be structured as hypotheses and made amendable to resolution through the application of social science research techniques. The elements of research design such as surveys, true experiments, quasi-experiments, case studies and non-experimental studies are described, as well as sampling techniques and descriptive statistics. Ethical issues related to employment of these methods in the policy making process are also explored. The course content is presented as a way to reduce managerial uncertainty regarding alternative courses of action.

3.00

This course introduces the fundamentals of budgeting, financial management, and revenue systems. Course goals include a heightened awareness of the democratic ideals and values that must inform budgeting and financial management decisions, including a commitment to ethics, transparency and accountability; an understanding of the budget process and the distinctive features of budgetary decision making; an understanding of the critical linkage between budgeting and financial management systems and the capacity of an organization to achieve its strategic goals; the ability to use the budget and financial reports as planning and management tools; knowledge of the basic principles of taxation as well as the structures and functions of federal, state, and local revenue systems. The course emphasizes knowledge and skills essential to the full range of public service careers.

3.00

This course will explore complex issues in public and non-profit human resource management (HRM) by examining policies and practices that support and enhance the value and contribution of individuals in these organizations.

3.00

Students explore small groups and organization operations, practices, behaviors, and structures. They develop techniques for maximizing efficiency and/or effectiveness; evaluation analysis; concepts and applications of Classicists; leadership; organizational development, and result-oriented management; as well as elements of reorganization, innovation and change.

3.00

Quantitative analysis introduces basic statistical techniques used to analyze and draw conclusions from citizen and client surveys; program and policy evaluations; and performance and operations data. These techniques include chi square, lambda, gamma, correlations, and analysis of variance, t test correlations, and multivariate regression. Knowledge of these statistical techniques empowers managers by giving them the ability to evaluate the work of consultants, access the policy and management of literature, and analyze data using the analytical tools available in commonly used statistical software, such as Microsoft Excel and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).

3.00

Leadership is a critical ingredient of successful communities and organizations. This course develops a diagnostic framework as well as strategies and tactics to mobilize adaptive work; engage multiple government, non-profit, and business stakeholders; and build awareness and momentum for actions at all levels of government and community organizations. It introduces the catalytic model of leadership and applies it to the ethical handling of societal and organizational problems. Students' leadership competencies are reviewed and improved. This course is designed for people from diverse backgrounds with various experience in leadership roles.

Restricted to students that have completed 30 credits.

3.00

Students will integrate the substance of previous courses in order to develop a capacity for strategic management based on a personal perspective of the role of the professional manager in the policy making process. This holistic perspective is expressed in an extensive research paper that describes the leadership role of the professional manager and defines a basis for ethical action. The course features the review of research articles, the discussion of case studies, and a consideration of future trends in public and non-profit management.