MPA 500. Public Administration. 3 Hours

Study of administrative organization, systems, processes and methods as applied to government programs and operations, with a comparison of structural and behavioral approaches.

MPA 504. State & Local Government. 3 Hours

An in-depth examination of particular state-local institutional relationships with emphasis upon current issues.

MPA 508. Contemporary Issues. 3 Hours

An in-depth examination of a current management issue supported by recent literature in public administration and relevant to surrounding local governments. Analysis of root causes of the problem issue. Exploration of management approaches available to local governments. May be repeated once when course focus changes.

MPA 510. Quantitative Methods in Public Administration. 3 Hours

Introduction to research techniques involving quantitative methods and analysis applicable to the formation and implementation of public programs. Emphasis on basic statistics and research methodology. Aimed at understanding appropriate application and interpretation of quantitative methods rather than competence in practical or scholarly use.

MPA 511. Applied Research Techniques. 3 Hours

Introduction to statistical computing techniques, review of research design and inferential statistics, Ordinary Least Square techniques, violations of assumptions, multi-level modeling, and other topics. Prerequisite(s): MPA 510.

MPA 513. Geographic Information Systems for Public Administration. 3 Hours

Concepts and implementation of project design and analysis in geographic information systems (GIS). Students will learn the practice of GIS as a tool for spatial analysis, and as it applies in public administration. The course will stress database design and present skills for data input, query analysis, and data output using GIS.

MPA 514. Government Planning. 3 Hours

Consideration of the planning function in the administrative process and the role of planning agencies in decision-making and problem solving. Evaluation of trends and changing planning characteristics in the United States.

MPA 515. Emergency Management. 3 Hours

Explores policy approaches and administrative response strategies related to various phases of disasters and security crises in the U.S. and international settings with attention to human rights issues.

MPA 516. Program Evaluation. 3 Hours

Program evaluation is the process of collecting, analyzing and interpreting data to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of a program. It involves comparing the outcomes of a program to its goals and objectives. Program evaluation is an important tool for organizations to ensure that their programs are meeting their intended results.

MPA 520. Organization Theory. 3 Hours

Survey of current literature and research on the theory of complex organizations. Rationality in decision making; problems of authority; behavioral, political, and technical influences on organization.

MPA 524. Ethics in Public Administration. 3 Hours

This course stimulates an awareness of the moral dimension of public sector problems and decision making contexts. It provides students the tools and techniques they can use to meet demands for ethical judgments and decisive action in their public management careers.

MPA 526. Leadership in Building Communities. 3 Hours

Seminar class where teams are formed to learn about the processes of building a neighborhood and recommending supportive public policy and other strategic interventions. Participants will be encouraged to refine their notions of community and leadership and to recommend strategies which capitalize on neighborhood assets, improve outcomes, and build community.

MPA 530. Public Budgeting. 3 Hours

Study of governmental expenditures and revenues, budgetary and financial reporting, fiscal policy, and other areas of fiscal management, with emphasis on current practices and problems.

MPA 540. Public Sector Human Resource Management. 3 Hours

Broad-based study of people management ranging from the development and integration of organizational policy, through the many personnel administrative processes, and the human and regulatory aspects affecting the contemporary public sector workforce.

MPA 551. Introduction to Public Policy. 3 Hours

This course is designed to introduce students to the study of public policy and public policymaking. The central concerns of the course involve competing models of the policy process, the policymaking process in the United States, the interplay between the political and economic systems in policymaking, and the processes of policy analysis and evaluation.

MPA 555. Selected Topics in Public Policy. 3 Hours

Policy process, policy outcomes, and policy impact in an area or areas of public policy varying among such topics as transportation, education, welfare, national defense, science, civil rights, and urban and community development. May be repeated when topic changes.

MPA 556. Environmental Policy. 3 Hours

Examines environmental policymaking and implementation in the U.S. and analyzes government responses to particular environmental issues.

MPA 557. Health Policy. 3 Hours

Health policies are public policies or authoritative decisions that pertain to health or influence the pursuit of health, and affect or influence groups or classes of individuals or organizations. This course introduces the major policy issues impacting healthcare value today at the federal, state and local levels and the influential role of advocates in the process. The course focuses on understanding the basics of health policy, health value, Medicaid, Medicare, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and examines selected public health issues in greater depth along with the current policy and policy opportunities impacting those issues at the federal, the state and local levels.

MPA 561. Nonprofit & Community Leadership. 3 Hours

This course surveys the generalized body of knowledge common to all nonprofit and community organizations, distinguishing them from governmental and for-profit entities. Emphasis placed upon an overall understanding of the nonprofit and community sector and its emerging role in society.

MPA 562. Strategic Planning for Nonprofit & Community Organizations. 3 Hours

For nonprofit and community organizations to stay relevant and competitive in an increasingly complex environment, such organizations must continually vision, plan, develop, and implement long-range strategic plans. This course explores and analyzes, step-by-step, the various requirements, components, and challenges in developing a strategic plan for nonprofit and community organizations. Prerequisite(s): MPA 561.

MPA 563. NGO Management & Development. 3 Hours

This course examines the management and function of non-governmental organizations with human-rights advocacy, humanitarian, and/or development missions.

MPA 565. Grantwriting. 3 Hours

Explores the entire continuum of grant writing including the core components of a grant proposal, writing persuasive grant proposals, and proper formatting and submission of grant proposals.

MPA 566. Nonprofit Community Relations. 3 Hours

This course examines how nonprofit organizations build and maintain relationships with a wide network of stakeholders including governments, other nonprofits, private sector, citizens and clients. Prerequisite(s): MPA 561.

MPA 569. Nonprofit Financial Management. 3 Hours

An introduction to accounting and financial accounting as essential parts of an information system that supports economic and program decision making in nonprofit organizations.

MPA 571. Administrative Law. 3 Hours

Study of the judicial function and activities of federal agencies; formal and informal processes in administrative hearings; basic principles of administrative law; judicial interpretation; the question of increased judicialization of the administrative process.

MPA 591. Seminar in Public Administration. 3 Hours

No description available.

MPA 593. Independent Study in Public Administration. 1-6 Hours

Intensive independent research under the direction of a faculty member. Research paper. May be repeated when topic changes. Prior approval of formal project proposal required.

MPA 595. Government Internship. 1-6 Hours

Assignment to appropriate government agencies or units for the purpose of gaining wide experience with the administrative system through a program of work experiences. Internship includes a related academic requirement.

MPA 597. Public Service Project. 3-6 Hours

For students seeking experience with public or nonprofit organizations. Completion of an applied written project for an organization that relates theories and information from the field of public administration. Prior approval of formal project proposal required.

MPA 599. Public Administration Capstone. 3 Hours

Seminar course integrating professional development, critical analysis of current topics and trends, finalization of student portfolio, reflective essay, and integrative presentation to faculty panel. Prerequisite(s): All MPA core courses. Corequisite(s): may be taken with MPA 511.