Courses:
Master of Public Affairs with a Concentration in Public Administration (MPA) - Accelerated Online

This course is a survey of the study and the field of public administration. In addition to the introduction to concepts and foundations of the field of public administration, students are given an opportunity to analyze the historical milestones of public administration as a profession. The course covers the ethos of public service and foundational theories related to the practice of the administrative sciences. The course content addresses two major dimensions: professionalism in public service and effective public management in the context of individual and societal values. Students are also introduced to critical thinking and schools of thought essential in understanding relationships between democratic institutions and governance across societal sectors.

Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3

The primary objectives of this course are to help the students gain skills in research methods and the quantitative analysis of data. This course introduces students to the basic concepts, tools, techniques and uses of applied quantitative and qualitative research relative to public administration. Topics discussed include: research design, data gathering, statistical analysis and the methods of formal preparation and presentation of reports. This course also covers advanced topics in applied research including the various steps in the creation of a research design. The course includes laboratory assignments that cover univariate and bivariate analysis as well as multiple regressions. A survey of advanced statistical methods is also provided. Students will get hands-on experience using SPSS.

Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3

This advanced course applies quantitative methods to the evaluation of public policy program implementation. This course provides students with up-to-date tools for program evaluation and offers an opportunity to examine key concepts, methods, and approaches in the field of evaluation research. Students learn the theoretical and methodological diversity inherent in current evaluation practices across a number of substantive areas (e.g., social services, education, and business). The comprehensive range of activities involved in designing, implementing, and assessing the utility of social programs is the primary focus of the course. Practical training in program evaluation is provided as students learn techniques in all phases of designing and implementing a program evaluation. Included in the training is the development of a model, conducting the study, analyzing the results, and writing the evaluation report. Students are expected to fully design an evaluation plan capable of implementation in a real-life setting of public management. Students successfully completing this course should be able to understand an evaluation study in great detail and form a well-grounded judgment about its value.

Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3

This course is designed to give students a good understanding of the nature and role of budgeting in the public sector. The course covers budgeting at the federal, state, and local levels and analyzes budget preparation, revenues and expenditures, the role of the executive, and the legislation and appropriations. The technical and political context of budgeting is analyzed giving students insights into government priorities and values that governments must also fulfill beyond the numbers reflected in budgets. Students analyze how budgets reflect the choices resulting from the political processes that ultimately become issues in the electoral process. The course explains what is budgeting but also the managerial role and challenges in developing and implementing budgets. How public management decisions are influenced and influence the American culture, and technology and public management are examined and analyzed.

Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3

This course will evaluate and analyze the critical attributes of leaders. Students will synthesize the concepts of political decision-making and leadership to adapt these for specific circumstances and devise recommendations for leaders at all levels of an organization which will reflect best practices in addressing common issues found in political decision-making. The course is designed to examine the leadership role as a part of each step within the organizational design and to show the competencies needed for each level of the organizational career ladder.

Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3

This course examines various principles and issues regarding the management of human resources in the public sector. This course includes a discussion of effective techniques for hiring, motivating, training, compensating, and evaluating public servants. Relevant issues such as the value of diversity in the workplace, the role of labor unions, and the ethical predicaments involving public servants will be analyzed. Other topics covered include job discrimination and employee conflict resolution.

Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3

This course provides students with the tools and techniques for ethical analysis of public policies. This class is designed to enhance understanding of the ethical debate that surrounds most public policies and to deepen the awareness of the ethical standards in public administration or public services, in general. Starting with the foundations of ethical study, this course introduces the major ethical philosophies, the application of these principles to decision making for a better understanding of the “values” that underpin or prescribe public policies, and the codes and standards of ethics in public administration. This course applies the standards of thought found in the critical thinking materials and techniques.

Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3

This course analyzes the political, administrative, and fiscal relationships among governments in the American political system, the constitutional and theoretical basis for federalism, the national-state-local government relations, and regional arrangements. A comprehensive analysis of intergovernmental management, administration, shared resources, and power across different levels of government is provided. Students are provided with insights into evolving, expected transboundary and challenging issues which may impact intergovernmental relations in the years ahead.

Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3

This course covers the study of various processes used by public policy makers to bring about change, understanding why and how policy changes occur, and presenting strategies used in public sectors and government to respond to public sector problems. This course attempts to provide a comprehensive review of various policy areas, policy making, and various policy outcomes in the United States. Policy analysis approaches are discussed such as those designed to make governments more efficient and cost-effective, as well as normative aspects of public policy, to help students understand the meaning of a good policy.

Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3

This course analyzes Information Technology concepts and approaches in the management of IT software and hardware applications and the various management approaches needed to develop oversight in a governmental setting at any level. Also covered will be the various stakeholders and the roles that are exhibited in the overall management of governmental information systems. Specific attention will be given to the overview of the organization in achieving effectiveness in the operation and oversight of governmental information systems.

Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3

This course is a survey of the field of grant writing and fund development for nonprofit organizations. This class reviews the various types of funding nonprofit organizations depend on, including state and local revenues, foundation grants, federal government grant-in-aid programs as well as explores other approaches to fund development.

Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3

This overview course introduces students to public policy analysis and economics. The broad scope includes policy development, the policy community, implementation strategies, and evaluative tools. Various micro- and macroeconomic approaches to understanding public policy, its creation and limitations will be covered.

Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3

This course is the research capstone course for the Master's in Public Affairs AOP program. It is a review and synthesis of the profession and practices of public affairs. This Capstone course is developed around real-world, client-based projects that require the student to draw upon areas of knowledge and expertise from a broad spectrum of subject areas covered in the MPA course of study. Students work with an assigned organization (client) to identify and address an issue or problem in the organization and provide them with an appropriate formal report or recommendation.

Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3