Public Administration Graduate Courses
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5100. Colloquium in Public Administration (1:1:0). Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Discussion of current issues in public administration led by department and visiting faculty. Credit-no credit.
5320. Program Evaluation and Quantitative Analysis (3:3:0). Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Introduction to the design, logic, and politics of research methods appropriate for the evaluation of policies and programs before, during, and after their implementation.
5321. Advanced Quantitative Methods in Public Policy and Administration (3:3:0). Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor. Quantitative methods and approaches for analyzing public policy questions and data, including inferential statistics and the use of computer-based statistical programs.
5326. Information Technology in Public Administration (3:3:0). The role of information and communication systems are examined as well as applications used by public administrators. Emphasis is placed on understanding the systemic issues facing the application of information technology in the public sector.
5331. U.S.-Mexico Border Administration (3:3:0). Discussion of the history, politics, and social problems of the U.S.-Mexico borderlands, with an emphasis on the policy challenges posed by regional integration.
5333. Environmental Policy and Administration (3:3:0). Analysis of the formulation, implementation, and evaluation of environmental and natural resources policy, emphasizing theoretical foundations, political contexts, and principles of administering environmental policies.
5334. Healthcare Policy and Administration (3:3:0). Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Analysis of the formulation, implementation, and evaluation of healthcare policy and service delivery, emphasizing skills and knowledge in policy-making, management, and decision-making.
5335. Management of Nonprofit Organizations (3:3:0). Study of the third sector and the administration of nonprofits, including laws, boards, personnel, volunteers, finances, grant writing, fundraising, marketing, and planning.
5337. Public Organization Theory (3:3:0). The major political and administrative theories applicable to public sector organizations are examined. Contemporary trends in organization theory and public management are emphasized.
5340. Seminar in Public Administration (3:3:0). Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Critical survey of the field of public administration.
5341. Public Policy Theory and Process (3:3:0). Introduction to competing theoretic explanations of U.S. public policy making. Course will explore interactions between institutional actors, logic of administrative structure and delegated authority, and bureaucratic discretion.
5342. City Management (3:3:0). The political implications and administrative functions of city government are examined. Contemporary issues of municipal management are emphasized.
5343. Public Personnel Administration (3:3:0). Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Description and analysis of the personnel function in public agencies.
5344. Public Budgeting (3:3:0). Political aspects of the budgetary process as the central mechanism for public resource allocation and executive planning.
5345. Administrative Ethics (3:3:0). Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Considers applications of ethical systems and thinking in public organizations. Particular emphasis on the ethical dilemmas caused by administrative discretion and defining the public interest.
5346. Public Financial Management (3:3:0). Prerequisite: PUAD 5344 or consent of instructor. An in-depth study of government finance function with emphasis on fund structure, financial reporting, and related management practices including cash, debt, risk, and inventory management.
5347. Internship in Public Administration (3:3:0). Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Service assignment in a public agency to enhance professional skills for students in the Masters in Public Administration program. Graded pass-fail and may be repeated for credit.
5348. Selected Topics in Public Administration (3:3:0). Special studies on subjects in public administration. Topics will vary from semester to semester.
5352. Public Policy Analysis (3:3:0). Introduction to analytic tools for evaluating public policies; examines policy choices given resources and informational constraints. Topics include risk assessment, cost-benefit analysis, and market failures.