Public Administration Courses

500 Public Administration (3). Foundations of Public Administration (3). Explores the evolutionary process of American public administration with the intent of focusing on theoretical and applied contexts of contemporary public administration. Special attention is placed upon the role of administration as it applies to the legislative-executive relations (including accountability, transparency, and responsibility in democratic administration); the role of administration in the policy-making process; the legal basis for public administration, and financial and personnel responsibilities of administrators in the public sector.

501. The Analysis of Policy (3). An in-depth investigation of inter-governmental functions and major programs on the federal, state, and local levels of government, including modes of analysis, models of decision making, evaluation methods, and styles of executive leadership by employing examples of past and current policies.

502. Research Methods in Public Administration (3). Social research methods and their application to public administration; examination of the role of social research in the analysis, interpretation and clarification of problems in public administration. (PSC 502 is cross listed with CJ 502 and only one course may be counted for credit.)

504. Administrative Leadership and Ethics (3) The effective application of major theoretical frameworks to diagnose organizations' ethical cultures, and exercising the various principles of leadership when resolving ethical issues in order to institute organizational change.

512. Inter-governmental Relations (3). Examines the development, institutions, processes, and problems of state and local government in the United States, and their interaction with each other and with the federal government.

521. Administrative Law (3). Legal principles and procedures involved in administration of government agencies.

531. Public Personnel Administration (3). Functions, procedures, and problems of personnel management at all levels of government.

532. Public Finance Administration (3). Collection, custody, and expenditure of public revenue, public borrowing and debt management, preparation and execution of the budget, and financial accountability for public spending.

540. Organizational Theory and Bureaucratic Structures (3). Designed to enhance the study of complex organizational structures and the behavior of individuals working within those organizations. Emphasis is placed on public institutions and the effect different organizational structures and behaviors have on public policy.

545. Seminar in Public Administration (3). Theories, or models, of administrative organization and behavior and examination of relationship between public administration and political process.

555. Seminar in Comparative Public Administration (3). Comparison of approaches to and  problems associated with public administration in different nation types: western/non-western, developed/underdeveloped, large/small, and open/closed.

585, 586. Directed Studies in Public Administration (3) (3). Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor and approval of the department head. An in-depth study of selected topics.

597, 598. Public Affairs Internship (3) (3). (Grade of Pass or Fail only) Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor and approval of the department head. Supervised assignment in office of an area public agency for a minimum of eight hours per week.