Public Administration

The basic purpose of the course is to provide the student with broad overview of the vast and varied literature concerned with the nature of organizations and theory and research pertaining to management in organizations. Since management approaches are ultimately linked to their organizational context, the first part of the courses focuses on the theory of organizations and is eared toward the development of an under- standing of organizations in terms of structure, function, process, and environment. The second half of the course concerns behavior in organizations and focuses on the individual within the organization. Topics covered and linked to theory include leadership, motivation, interpersonal relationships, decision making, and problem solving. The course will prepare students to face supervisory management problems, organizational dynamics, work design and ethical confederations for working with people within organization systems.

The course develops the evolution of budgeting in the public and health sectors. The course presents applications of budget theories and principles. It covers the formats used to create and present budgets. The course develops cost analysis in a budge in program context with attention to the accounting processes attached to cost analysis. Topics include planning, program design, taxation, reimbursements for health providers and facilities, and grants.

Students explore the utility or organization theory and research for improving organizational effectiveness. Both theory and application are emphasized in addressing the central question of how to design effective organizational systems including communication, decision making authority autonomy and participation, influence models, leadership, and motivation. Approaches to planned change such as quality management will be considered. Student will apply problem solving, systems concepts, and environmental analysis to develop skills in the analysis, planning, implementation, and evaluation of organizational change.

Public law, criminal justice, and regulatory processes of concern to public and non-profit administrators will be surveyed. Topics will include the nature of the law, the constitutional framework, the legislative process, evolution of judicial control, growth of the administrative process, governmental agency rule making and enforcement, administrative hearings, relief from agency decisions, and the administrator's legal responsibilities.

The scope and methods of a number of disciplinary approaches to the public policy process are analyzed. Policy development and formulation will be covered but policy analysis is emphasized. Techniques include cost/benefit, operations research, and systems analysis.

An orientation to the planning, analysis, design, implementation, implementation, evaluation, and administrative control of government programs. Emphasis will be on integration of these phase, the role of information systems, use of analytic techniques, and accountability to policy makers and the public.

A course designed to demonstrate how economics may be understood and used by the public administrator. The focus will be the application of economics to such public and third sector areas a human resources, manpower, health, mental health, developmental disabilities, social services, and urban problems. The theory underlying cost-benefit and input-output analysis will also be discussed.

Designed for part-time students, the practicum provides an intensive research/analysis experience in an appropriate governmental, health or human service agency. Each student will design, in conjunction with the organization and instruct or, an applied research and analysis project which will culminate in a written research report and action recommendations.

This course is an introduction to the language and methodology of social science research in public, health, and human service administration. Particular attention is given to the research process. The application of research methodology and statistical analysis will be examined. Topics include the nature of the scientific method, sampling theory, and a review of survey, field, experimental, and evaluation methods. The nature and character of scientific evidence, research design, statistical analysis interpretation, and data interpretation are also covered. Students will develop abilities as informed consumers and critics of the methods used to collect and interpret information about human activity and preferences.

The internship will provide a placement for half time for a term or full time for a summer in an administrative or analytical job in an appropriate agency for the student's concentration area. The student will prepare a written report describing and analyzing the experience in reference to coursework taken in the curriculum.

This course is designed to serve as the capstone of the master' concentration in public management. The class meetings will involve seminary discussions of the major issues of theory and practice in the field. A key aspect of the course is the writing and class presentation of a major research paper on an important problem in public management.