Public Administration - PA

The information below lists courses approved in this subject area effective Fall 2015. Not all courses will necessarily be offered these terms. Please consult the Schedule of Classes for a listing of courses offered for a specific term.

500-level courses require graduate standing.

Back to Course Index

210 Introduction to Policy Process
3 hours. Public policy and the policymaking process. Prerequisite(s): Grade of C or better in ENGL 161. US Society course.

211 Policy Analysis and Alternatives
3 hours. Policy analysis and approaches to assessing policy problems and alternatives in the U.S. context. Prerequisite(s): Grade of C or better in ENGL 161. US Society course.

230 Nonprofit Organizations in U.S. Society
3 hours. Provides a basic introduction to the U.S. nonprofit sector and examines the social, political, and economic impact of these organizations in American society. US Society course.

300 Introduction to Urban Policy Processes
3 hours. Basic structure of the policy process within the urban context including the nature of urban policy, its formulation, evaluation, and implementation. Emphasis on state and local policy development as it relates to urban areas. Same as UPA 300. Field work required. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the BA in Urban and Public Affairs and College-level Microeconomics; or consent of the instructor.

303 Urban Government I: Managing the Internal Environment
3 hours. Personnel management, organizing, budgeting, finance, leadership, motivation, economic development, accountability, ethics, legal and constitutional foundations. Same as UPA 303. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the BA in Urban and Public Affairs Program or consent of the instructor.

305 Urban Government II: Managing the External Environment
3 hours. Intergovernmental finance, inter-jurisdictional competition, intergovernmental cooperation, intergovernmental cooperative agreements, and contractual and informal relations with non-profit organizations and governmental actors. Same as UPA 305. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the BA in Urban and Public Affairs Program or consent of the instructor.

309 Public Budgeting and Financial Management
3 hours. Government budgeting, financial, management and the reciprocal relationship between government and the economy. Same as UPA 309. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the BA in Urban and Public Affairs Program or consent of the instructor.

310 Environmental Policy
3 hours. Provides an introduction to political, economic and social dimensions of environmental policy and teaches methods needed to understand, evaluate, design and implement environment policies, especially in the United States.

400 Public Administration Theory
3 OR 4 hours. Theoretical developments; including bureaucracy, administrative state, politics and administration, market and bureaucratic alternatives, organizational decision making, organizational culture, ethics in public sector organizations. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MPA program or consent of the instructor.

407 Data Analysis for Public Administration
4 hours. Topics and methods of analyzing information relevant to the administration and management of public programs and organizations. Includes causation, univariate statistics, significance testing, correlation, and regression. Prerequisite(s): Appropriate score on the department placement test; and graduate standing; or consent of the instructor. Admission to the MPA program or consent of the instructor.

410 Economics for Public Administration and Policy Decisions
3 OR 4 hours. Basic economic tools and methods relevant to public administration and current policy, including opportunity cost, competition versus monopoly, economic efficiency, equity, market failure, public goods, and externalities. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): Appropriate score on the department placement test and graduate standing and admission to the MPA program; or consent of the instructor.

421 Public Management
3 OR 4 hours. Theories, concepts, and applications of management in public organizations. Topics include bureaucracy, public versus private organizations, leadership, motivation, and managing organization change, discretion, and networks. Previously listed as PA 415. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MPA program or consent of the instructor.

447 Survey Planning and Design
3 hours. Theory and applications of sample survey planning and design for conducting research in health sciences and related fields. Addresses three major topics: survey design and planning, sampling, and data collection procedures. Same as CHSC 447. Prerequisite(s): Graduate or professional standing and BSTT 400 and CHSC 446; or approval of the department.Recommended background: Credit in CHSC 446 or the equivalent.

460 Data Management
4 hours. Database theory and constructing and managing databases relevant to the operation of government. Utilizes database software and allows students to gain practice with complex database programs and development of a database system. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MPA program or consent of the instructor.

461 Management of Information Technology in Government
4 hours. Concepts and methods of planning, implementing, and managing new information technology or modifying existing technology. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MPA program or consent of the instructor.

462 Project Management for Public Managers
4 hours. Discusses the theory, principles, tools, and techniques behind solid project management. The Project Management Institute's (PMI) standards for project management will be emphasized throughout the course.

463 Introduction to e-Government
4 hours. Application of the Internet and related technologies for public management. Topics include, Web-based service delivery, online governance, the technological divide, the use of social media, and the changing role of public managers. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MPA program or consent of the instructor.

464 Technology and Innovation Theory
4 hours. The course focuses on theories surrounding the creation, development, transfer, and use of technology. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Ph.D. in Public Administration program or consent of the instructor.

465 Geographic Information Systems for Public Managers
4 hours. Individuals completing this course will have an understanding of some fundamental GIS tools and applications as well as the challenges in implementing and sustaining a GIS function in the public setting.

466 Science, Technology and Public Policy
4 hours. This course addresses the relationships between public policy and science and technology in the United States. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Ph.D. in Public Administration program or consent of the instructor.

490 Field Experience in Public Administration
4 hours. Students work in an organization such as a government agency, community group, or nonprofit organization. Students are required to submit written work and meet with professor on periodic basis to review work experience. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. May be repeated. A maximum of 4 hours of credit may be applied to the Master of Public Administration program. Field work required. Students who have no prior work experience in the public or non-profit sectors are strongly recommended to register for this course. Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing required; and admission to the MPA program or consent of the instructor.

493 Topics in Urban and Public Affairs and Administration
3 hours. In-depth study of selected issues on urban and public affairs. Same as UPA 493. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours. Students may register for more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the BA in Urban and Public Affairs Program or consent of the instructor.

494 Special Topics in Public Administration
3 OR 4 hours. Consideration of timely or enduring issues in public administration not available in regularly offered courses. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MPA program or consent of the instructor.

496 Senior Capstone Experience in Urban and Public Affairs I: Public Administration
3 hours. Selection of capstone topic and introductory research on that topic. Same as UPA 496. Field work required. Prerequisite(s): Senior standing or above; Admission to the BA in Urban and Public Affairs Program or consent of the instructor.

497 Senior Capstone Experience in Urban and Public Affairs II: Public Administration
3 hours. Students synthesize and draw upon knowledge gained in the UPA major to engage in projects in the urban community. This course is an extension of UPA/PA 496. Same as UPA 497. Field work required. Prerequisite(s): Senior standing or above; Admission to the BA in Urban and Public Affairs Program or consent of the instructor.

499 Independent Study in Urban Planning and Public Affairs and Administration
1 TO 3 hours. Provides an opportunity for students to pursue an independent project that is not available through the required UPA coursework. Same as UPA 499. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 hours. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the BA in Urban and Public Affairs Program or consent of the instructor.

502 The Legal Context of Public Administration
4 hours. Legal basis and statutory framework for administrative agencies and actions in government. Relationship between courts and public agencies, rulemaking and adjudicative powers of public agencies, and impact of specific laws on government. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MPA program or consent of the instructor.

503 Public Personnel Management
4 hours. History and current innovations in managing personnel and other areas of human resources. Compensation, classification, affirmative action, performance appraisal, labor relations, and unions. Statutory and court decisions affecting government personnel issues. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MPA program or consent of the instructor.

504 Budgeting for Public Administration
4 hours. Processes and methods relevant to government finances and fiscal health: revenues, taxation, budget formulation, operating budgets, cost analysis, planning and performance, budget reforms, politics, capital budgeting, role of budgeting in management. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MPA Program or consent of the instructor.

506 Policy Development and Analysis for Public Administrators
4 hours. Examines the process by which public policies are formulated, decided on, implemented, and evaluated. Techniques of analysis appropriate for various policy issues, and substantive policy issues facing us today. Prerequisite(s): Grade of C or better in PA 407 and admission to the MPA program or consent of the instructor.

510 Organization Theory and Behavior in Public Administration Research
4 hours. Analysis of major analytical models of organizations; decision-making; control and accountability; change and development; interorganizational relations; the organization-environment interface. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Ph.D. in Public Administration program or approval of the program director.

511 The History and Development of Public Administration Research and Theory
4 hours. The history and development of modern public administration, with emphasis on the U.S. model. Major scholarly movements; institutional developments; other factors shaping the present state of the discipline. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Ph.D in Public Administration program or approval of the program director.

515 The Bureaucracy and the Policy Process
4 hours. Theories and research issues concerning the role of administrators in policy formation. Case studies and research on federal, state, and local agencies. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Ph.D. in Public Administration program or approval of the program director.

521 Strategic Management: Planning and Measurement
4 hours. This course addresses strategies and issues relating to the strategic management of public and quasi-public organizations. It addresses strategic planning and performance measurement processes within organizations. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MPA program or consent of the instructor.

522 Ethics and Accountability
4 hours. Better government through institutionalizing ethics and accountability. Effectiveness of boards of ethics, Inspector General, codes of ethics, and educational programs. History of ethics within the Western intellectual tradition. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MPA program or consent of the instructor.

523 Intergovernmental Management
4 hours. Relationships between federal, state and local governments focusing on management of overlapping programmatic, regulatory and fiscal responsibilities. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MPA program or consent of the instructor.

524 Leadership in Public Sector Organizations
4 hours. Examines theories and practices of leadership in public sector organizations. Global, political, social, and organizational contexts of public sector leaders and interface between administrators, appointees, elected officials. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MPA program or consent of the instructor.

526 Public Decision Analysis
4 hours. Provides an introductory treatment of decision analysis. The intended participants are students who want to learn more about decision making under uncertainty and tools that can be used to support it. Prerequisite(s): PA 407 or consent of the instructor.

527 Public Management Theory
4 hours. Addresses the development of the public management subfield within the field of public administration. It covers the development of public management theory from its early stages to current questions and theoretical approaches. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Ph.D. in Public Administration program or consent of the instructor.

528 Public Program Evaluation
4 hours. Theory and procedures for evaluating the effectiveness of programs administered by public and non-profit organizations. Includes application of research design, quantitative, and qualitative methodologies. Prerequisite(s): PA 542 or equivalent; and admission to the Ph.D. in Public Administration program or consent of the instructor.

529 Change and Reform in Public Organizations
4 hours. Examines how large, bureaucratic organizations change how they do business. Can improved efficiency and effectiveness result from such change? What techniques are being applied by public organizations to achieve such change? Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MPA program or consent of the instructor.

530 History and Theory of the Nonprofit Sector
4 hours. History of philanthropy in the U.S., noprofits in an international context, the civic base of the nonprofit sector, and the historical and modern relationships between the government and the nonprofit sector.

532 Labor Management Relations in the Public Sector
4 hours. Skills and knowledge to manage labor relations in government. Constitutional influences on public employment, rights of public employees, mgmt and labor unions; civil service laws, collective bargaining, non-discrimination, and equal opportunity. Prerequisite(s): PA 503; and admission to the MPA program or consent of the instructor.

533 Managing Workplace Diversity
4 hours. Examines discrimination and diversity in public sector workplaces along several dimensions including race, ethnicity, sex, age, sexual preference, and physical ability. Prerequisite(s): PA 503; and admission to the MPA program or consent of the instructor.

534 Human Resource Development and Management in Public Administration
4 hours. Topics in public personnel administration; work motivation, performance appraisal, high performance work systems, equal employment opportunity, affirmative action, strategic human resource management and representative bureaucracy. Prerequisite(s): Admission to a Ph.D. program or consent of the instructor.

536 Financial Management and Fundraising in Nonprofit Organizations
4 hours. Financial management and fundraising activities in nonprofit organizations. Financial accounting, developing nonprofit resources, fundraising, fund development, marketing, philanthropy, grant-writing, and nonprofit budgeting. Prerequisite(s): PA 504 and PA 538; or consent of the instructor.

537 Local Government Management
4 hours. Issues in the management of local government, including the metropolitan and regional context, the evolving role of managers and special considerations in finance, reform, service delivery, economic development, and democracy at the local level. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MPA program or consent of the instructor.

538 Nonprofit Management
4 hours. Examines management in nonprofit organizations: volunteer management, membership, fundraising, faith-based organizations, grant management, service delivery, philanthropies and missions, finance and reporting requirements, and performance. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MPA program or consent of the instructor.

540 Research Design for Public Administration
4 hours. Logic and methods of quantitative and non-quantitative research in public administration. Issues in measurement; causal inference; experimental and quasi-experimental designs; and methods of data collection. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Ph.D. in Public Administration program or approval of the program director.

541 Advanced Data Analysis I
4 hours. Elements of matrix theory; introduction to the theory of estimation; hypothesis testing; logit and probit models; factor analysis; and principal components analysis. Application of techniques to public administration research. Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing; and PA 540 or equivalent or approval of the instructor.

542 Advanced Data Analysis II
4 hours. For those likely to pursue careers in the more quantitative aspects of public administration research. Discrete multivariate analysis and regression; multivariate analysis of variance; other advanced techniques. Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing; and PA 541or equivalent or approval of the instructor.

544 Qualitative Research Methods in Public Administration
4 hours. The uses, strengths and limitations of qualitative methods of research and analysis including case studies, participant-observer, and ethnography will be explored. Prerequisite(s): Graduate or professional standing; PA 540 or equivalent; or consent of the instructor.

545 Research Topics in Public Administration I
2 hours. Provides Ph.D. students with a better understanding of current research topics in PA. Students will read current working papers and published articles so as to develop the tools needed for critical analysis of current research. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Ph.D. program in Public Administration and advanced standing or consent of the instructor.

546 Research Topics in Public Administration II
2 hours. Continuation of PA 545. Students critically analyze current research and will develop a research topic of their own focusing on the elements needed to write a quality research paper. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. Prerequisite(s): PA 545; and admission to the PhD program in Public Administration with advanced standing or consent of the instructor.

550 Financial Management of Government
4 hours. Overview of issues and concepts important for admin and mgmnt of govt's financial affairs: govt accounting, purchasing, cash management and investment, risk management, pension and benefits administration, debt management and capital financing. Prerequisite(s): PA 504; and admission to the MPA program or consent of the instructor.

551 Governmental Accounting
4 hours. Introduction to major concepts, principles, and objectives of governmental accounting (including fund accounting) and budgetary control systems for local and state government. Designed for students with little or no background in accounting. Prerequisite(s): PA 504; and admission to the MPA program or consent of the instructor.

552 Public Capital Budgeting and Finance
4 hours. Examines governmental capital budgeting processes, linkages between the capital budget and capital improvement plan, and methods and techniques of financing capital projects including debt financing. Prerequisite(s): PA 504; and admission to the MPA program or consent of the instructor.

553 State and Local Public Finance
4 hours. Analyzes expenditures and revenues of state and local govts and public sector responses to market failures. Examines state and local revenue sources and discusses governmental provision of services. Prerequisite(s): PA 504; and admission in the MPA program or consent of the instructor.

554 Financial Management in Public Administration
4 hours. Principles of financial management and applications in various institutional and programmatic settings. Forecasting techniques, computer applications, innovations in public borrowing and debt management. Prerequisite(s): Graduate or professional standing; and PA 410 and PA 504 or equivalents; or consent of the instructor.

567 Topics in Political Communication
4 hours. Intensive study of selected aspects; organizational communication in public institutions, urban political communication patterns, communication elites. Independent research using a variety of community research techniques. Same as COMM 567 and POLS 567. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.

577 Survey Questionnaire Design
3 hours. Concepts and strategies for developing survey questionnaires for various modes of survey data collection. Same as CHSC 577. Prerequisite(s): Graduate or professional standing and CHSC 446 or CHSC 447; or approval of the department.

578 Surveys, Public Opinion, and Public Policy
4 hours. Addresses the nature of the relationship between public policy and public opinion and the role that surveys play in that relationship. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MPA or Ph.D. in Public Administration program or consent of the instructor.

579 Practicum in Survey Methodology
2 TO 6 hours. Students learn about survey research by participating in the process of conducting a survey or surveys. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MPA or Ph.D. in Public Administration program or consent of the instructor.

580 Survey Nonresponse
2 hours. Provides an overview of current problems in survey nonresponse and related questions of impact on data quality. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MPA or Ph.D. in Public Administration program or consent of the instructor.

581 Cross-Cultural Survey Research Methods
2 hours. Provides graduate students with a clear understanding of the methodological issues involved in collecting survey data across multiple cultural groups and best practices when conducting cross-cultural research. Recommended background: Admission to the MPA or Ph.D. in Public Administration program or consent of the instructor.

582 Survey Data Collection Methods: Theory and Practice
4 hours. This course will address the impact of data collection methods on survey responses and data quality. Prerequisite(s): Graduate or professional standing or consent of the instructor.

583 The Psychology of Survey Measurement: Cognitive and Social Processes
2 hours. Introduces students to one approach to survey methodology ? the examination of the psychological processes through which survey respondents answer questions. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MPA or Ph.D. in Public Administration program or consent of the instructor.

584 Internet Surveys
2 hours. Examines current developments in the collection of survey data via the internet, including both the methodological strengths and weaknesses of this approach, as well as current standards for best practice. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MPA or Ph.D. in Public Administration program or consent of the instructor.

585 Survey Research Ethics
2 hours. Students will be exposed to survey research ethical issues. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MPA or Ph.D. in Public Administration program or consent of the instructor.

586 The History of Survey Methodology
2 hours. Examines the history of surveys, their development and change over time. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MPA or Ph.D. in Public Administration program or consent of the instructor.

587 Seminar on Special Topics in Survey Methodology
2 hours. This seminar is for special topics in survey methodology not covered in the other elective courses. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MPA or Ph.D. in Public Administration program or consent of the instructor.

588 Applied Survey Sampling and Analysis
4 hours. Provides an in-depth overview of available procedures and standards for survey data reduction and data analysis activities. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MPA or Ph.D. in Public Administration program or consent of the instructor.

590 Public Administration Capstone
4 hours. Integration of classroom learning with practical experience. Students will work in groups to solve real problems for public and non-profit organizations. Extensive collaboration required among group members outside of class time. Students should expect significant field work at their assigned organizations. Students are responsible to the course professor and to the project supervisor in their assigned organizations. Because the coursework is team-based, students are not allowed to drop this course once teams are created. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor and enrollment in the MPA program. Course must be taken in the last two semesters in the MPA program or consent of the instructor.

593 Independent Research in Public Administration
1 TO 8 hours. Advanced study and analysis of a topic selected by a student under the supervision of a faculty member. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. May be repeated. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): Approval of the director of graduate studies and consent of the instructor.

594 Special Topics in Public Administration
1 TO 4 hours. Advanced study of an announced topic. May be repeated. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Ph.D. in Public Administration program or consent of the instructor.

596 Independent Study in Public Administration
1 TO 4 hours. Advanced study and analysis of a topic under guidance of select faculty. May be repeated. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): Approval of the director of graduate studies and consent of the instructor.

599 Ph.D. Thesis Research
0 TO 16 hours. Individual study and research. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. May be repeated. Prerequisite(s): Open only to degree candidates, upon approval of topic by dissertation committee.

Information provided by the Office of Programs and Academic Assessment.

This listing is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract. Every attempt is made to provide the most current and correct information. Courses listed here are subject to change without advance notice. Courses are not necessarily offered every term or year. Individual departments or units should be consulted for information regarding frequency of course offerings.