Course Descriptions
Public Administration
MPA 6501
Seminar in Public Administration
3 credits
This course focuses on federal, state, and local administrative practices; principles of organization; policy formulation; and ethical decision making in public organizations. The impact of bureaucracy on state and local government politics is explored. Organizational processes, including leadership styles, communications, policy formulation, power, authority, community, and political linkages are examined.
MPA 6503
Administrative Law
3 credits
This course focuses on administrative law with respect to enabling legislation that creates agencies at the federal, state, and local governmental levels, including delegated powers. Emphasis is placed on the evolution of agency influence through examination of court decisions with respect to broadened agency powers.
MPA 7201
State and Local Financial Management
3 credits
This course concentrates on state and local government agencies’ approaches to gathering revenues and fees and allocating expenditures. The budget cycle of formulation, adoption, and execution is examined. Competing interest group pressure for scarce financial resources is analyzed.
MPA 7202
Public Budgeting Systems
3 credits
This course is a survey of the current budget practices among all levels of government in the United States. Methods are emphasized, along with the sources and types of information needed in budgetary decision making.
MPA 7502
Analysis of Public Policy
3 credits
This course concentrates on the interdisciplinary nature of public policy analysis. It evaluates the processes through which policy is created and the dynamics of power and access to the policy process. Measurements of policy success and ways to improve both policy quality and the efficiencies of its implementation are evaluated and explored. Federalism, power and the policy process, bureaucracy (the fourth branch of government), the political economy, theories of policy creation and policy evaluation, civil rights, health and welfare, education, defense, criminal justice, and the environment are some issues to be addressed.
MPA 7900
Special Topics in Public Administration
3 credits
This course addresses different topics of interest in Public Administration. It is conducted in a seminar or symposium format where each student is an active and involved participant in the selection of topic questions and material to be covered. Topics might include privatization, deregulation, leadership, and culture in the public sector. The course may be used to meet part of the elective requirements for business degree programs.