This course provides students with the tools and techniques for ethical analysis of public policies. This class is designed to enhance understanding about 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.
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.
This course addresses basic principles, structure and internal management of state and local governments and a wide variety of issues they face in the day-to-day administration. Topics addressed include authority, communication, productivity, planning, morale, and change.
This course covers various processes used by public policy analysts in understanding the nature of the problem to be analyzed, structuring the research strategy, gathering data and other information, formulating the answer to the problem, and writing the memo or report. Innovative techniques for accomplishing the above steps are covered including cost benefit analysis, problem definition techniques, and different types of commonly encountered policy analysis situations. (The case method is used in this course.)
This course analyzes computer software applications including word processing, spreadsheet, database management, graphics, desktop publishing, and statistical analysis software. Also covered in this course are important changes in data management through new technologies and how public organizations budget for and manage their IT departments.
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.
This course examines basic principles of financial management with a focus on governmental operations. The following topics are covered in depth: budget as a financial instrument, cash and debt management, capital budgeting, risk management and pensions, purchasing, and basic public sector accounting principles and procedures.
