Public Administration Courses (AD) - Online Graduate

AD 511 Foundations of Public Administration and Policy 6 Cr.

This course introduces students to public administration in the United States. The course focuses on governance, inter-governmental relationships, organizational theory, policies, and strategic planning as affected by fiscal constraints, public needs, social change and politics. Students are introduced to the role of leadership, the necessity for professional ethics and accountability, and personal competence. Students also begin the program-long requirement of developing their skills of critical analysis, research, integration of information, and effective writing.

AD 521 Public Administration Research and Analysis 6 Cr.

This course reviews major research method designs and their application to policy development and evaluation. Students are also exposed to statistical techniques commonly found in public administration and social science research from the perspective of managerial control and application to evaluation of research design/program evaluation. Particular focus is placed on quality assurance and best- evidence management.

AD 531 Public Organization Resources & Processes 6 Cr.

This course explores three areas of public administration; the legal environment for the public organization, human resources, and organizational leadership. The first part of the course focuses on creating agency authority, public participation, civil liability, employment law, and due process. The second part of the course focuses on selecting and retaining quality employees and managers, evaluations, coaching and training. The third part of the course focuses on strategic leadership, organizational analysis and culture, managing conflict, and organizational vision and change.

AD 542 Leading the Nonprofit Organization 6 Cr.

This course explores the broad scope of leadership responsibilities challenging senior leaders within the nonprofit sector. Among the topics to be studied are strategic planning, fundraising, stakeholder engagement, governance, marketing, and performance management. Students will also examine trends in social entrepreneurship and the use of technology, such as social media, that are transforming the field. The course focuses on developing flexible leadership skills that can be applied in a variety of settings, across the life cycle of both small and large scale nonprofit organizations.

AD 543 Municipal Governance 6 Cr.

This course introduces students to the work of local government managers in the United States. The core of the course is the study of best practices for municipal leadership, including the challenges of providing direction to a wide scope of departments and agencies necessary to serve the needs of communities. Students will also study how to create and maintain intergovernmental relationships and form partnerships with elected officials, staff employees such as directors, managers, and department heads, private sector businesses, bargaining units, citizens and representatives of the media.

AD 544 Strategies and Principles for Sustainability I 6 Cr.

This course introduces students to the principles and strategies of sustainability as it applies to public works services in the community. Specifically, the course will present students with a study of: 1) The connections between the environment and mankind, 2) How air and water pollution affect public health, 3) The impact to the economy when water and transportation policies are not well thought out, 4) The importance of using long-term economic models in public policy decision making, 5) Learning how to think in a holistic manner, 6) The attributes of a sustainable work culture, and 7) How to build community support for a sustainable program.

AD 545 Policy, Politics, and Planning 6 Cr.

This introduced students to the impact of politics on the policy-making process, the basics of policy analysis, and the interdependence of public policy and planning. The course applies basic methods for analyzing and resolving planning and policy issues. Using the lab, students start with Excel and simple analysis and move to SPSS. Exposure to research methods and techniques will ensure that all students understand the basics of the impact of politics on policy and planning, and principles of applying these two basic tools.

AD 552 Nonprofit Administration 6 Cr.

This course of study focuses on the administration and management of tax-exempt organizations that derive their funding and mandates from individuals, foundations, and governmental sources. Topics include the legal framework of nonprofit organizations, organizational design, fiscal management, fundraising, grants, contracts, assessment and planning. Students will study best practices for leadership and management, nonprofit governance, and the effective use of volunteers. Finally, students will review the role of technology with special attention to information integration and assurance.

AD 553 Rural Municipal Governance 6 Cr.

This graduate level course explores the role of the public service leader, divisions and sectors within the rural municipality, organizing stakeholder collaborations and developing an action plan in support of accountability, good governance, and improvement of quality of life. Specifically, discussions will examine interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary cultural competence and effective leadership skills uniquely identified in rural communities as well as exploration of key issues affecting education, economic development, water supply, sewer systems, internet and broadband access, housing, health care access, and mental health status of those living in rural counties and towns.

AD 554 Principles and Strategies for Sustainability 6 Cr.

AD 555 Public Organization Fiscal Management, Part I 6 Cr.

This course explores in greater depths methods of policy analysis, looking at crosscutting research strategies, identifying and gathering data, data analysis, establishing evaluation criteria, and identifying alternatives. Some of the basic elements of chi-square test, hypothesis testing and confidence intervals, projections techniques versus causal prediction, and methods of projection analysis of historical data are examined.

AD 557 Public Works Administration, Part I 6 Cr.

This course of study focuses on the local, state, regional, and national legal, political, technological, and operational issues key to public works administration in the areas of public utilities, water resources, transportation, facilities and structures, and parks and grounds. Topics include the historical development of, and technological advances in, public works management; the public works policy-making process and current public works policy; internal and external communication challenges; public affairs, enforcement, and emergency management roles of public works officials.

AD 558 Fiscal Management Accounting & Contracting 6 Cr.

This course explores the legal and regulatory foundation for financial reporting and accountability for public organizations. Topics include development of transactions, enactment of appropriations, and incurrence of obligations or encumbrances. Other topics include financial reporting, analysis of governmental financial performance, costing of government services, and auditing of governmental organizations. For course readings students are provided current study guides published by the Association of Government Accountants’ Certified Government Financial Manager, designed specifically to prepare professionals and students for the CGFM certification examination.

AD 559 Fiscal Management Finance/Tax & Budgeting 6 Cr.

This course introduces students to four major areas of financial concern: Preparation of budgets; creating management strategies for the organization based on the principles of strategic financial management; obtaining financial resources from issuing bonds and levying taxes; and managing cash and employee retirement funds. Students will also examine contemporary perspectives on professional ethics and ethical behavior by leaders in the public sector especially in regards to their fiduciary responsibility in investing and managing public funds.

AD 561 Capstone Studies 6 Cr.

The core course in capstone studies provides students the opportunity to synthesize learning from all previous seminars and to apply the concepts and principles in two ways: the preparation of a written capstone project that offers a practical or theoretical solution to a program, operation, policy, problem or issue of contemporary importance and relevance to the work or career goals of each student; and a 1500-word paper suitable for publication in a professional journal. Students will be required to exhibit in-depth critical thinking, policy analysis, and effective writing. Course assignments will maximize the exchange of student suggestions and comments on the various stages of the capstone project, to include but not limited to topic section, thesis, resources and supporting information. Prerequisites: Completion of all prior required core and concentration/elective courses, or permission of the program director.

AD 562 Transformational Organizational Culture, Human Resources Devel and Mngt in NonProfit Organizations 6 Cr.

This course addresses nonprofit organization professional and volunteer staff management, nonprofit law, ethics, and risk management, leadership and governance excellence in nonprofit organizations. The course concentrates heavily on competencies and knowledge, skills, and abilities needed by senior managers with major responsibilities for human resource development and management, board and committee development, volunteer resource management, ethics and ethical behavior, organizational core values, diversity awareness and legal and risk management.

AD 563 Urban Municipal Governance 6 Cr.

This graduate level course introduces students to the public administrator in their role as an elected public service leader committed to identifying, examining, and working collaboratively toward effectively improving municipal services and the quality of life for constituents living in urban America. Particular focus will be placed on multidisciplinary collaborations and action plan development, through discussions and reflections of key issues including the unique needs affecting public safety, emergency management, medical services, animal control, and public and mental health concerns. In addition, discussions will further examine the public administrator’s responsibilities surrounding civic engagement, waste-water, storm water, street maintenance, solid waste collection and disposal, forestry, parks and recreation.

AD 564 International Development and Influence I 6 Cr.

This course focuses on world politics and the historical background of U.S. efforts to foster development in developing countries, foreign policy and levels of analysis, nationalism and globalization (which includes transportation, communications, economic and cultural factors). Transnationalism, with a focus on nongovernmental organizations (NGO’s), religious power, and the women’s movement will be explored. Particular focus will be placed on power, international diplomacy and how states are governed.

AD 565 Public Organization Fiscal Management, Part II 6 Cr.

This seminar examines the formulation of policy, the iterative process, the complexity of joint theories and the relationship between policy, implementation, planning and design. It examines policy formulation, explaining behavior, forecasting effects, policy adoption and evaluation of policy.

AD 567 Public Works Administration, Part II 6 Cr.

This course of study focuses on local, state, regional, and national master public works planning, contract administration and project management; multi-year financing of public works projects; environmental impacts and other cost-benefit analyses, and decision-making modeling; multi-jurisdictional services and public-private joint ventures; and, trends and future challenges.

AD 568 Government Procurement and Contract Management 6 Cr.

Examines the scope, methods, and processes of forming contracts between public and private parties for the purpose of accomplishing the missions of governmental agencies at the international, federal, state/provincial and local level. Designed for individuals considering a career in public administration, persons employed in government agencies, public procurement personnel wishing to enhance their knowledge, and suppliers or citizens interested in learning more about the formulation of government contracts. Subject and foundational areas such as planning, ethics, and of the legal basis of the public procurement function will be examined and explored.

AD 572 Resource Development, Management & Efficiency by Nonprofit Organizations 6 Cr.

This course focuses heavily on competencies and knowledge, skills, and abilities needed by senior managers with major responsibilities in such areas as: financial management, accounting, and economics, fundraising, grant writing, mission-focused information technology and knowledge management for nonprofit organizations. Course objectives and learning outcomes emphasize professional and managerial competencies associated with efficient, resource conservative nonprofits, including: Revenue/Resource Development: Fund-Raising and Grantsmanship; Nonprofit Accountability and Economics; Financial Management and Accounting; Performance/Results Measurement, Analysis, Improvement; Information Technology and Management; and, Knowledge Management.

AD 574 International Development and Influence II 6 Cr.

This course builds on the concepts presented in AD564 International Development I. Students will continue to explore world conditions relevant to international development and influence. In addition to those covered in AD564, conditions explored in this course include the history and roles of intergovernmental organizations, the United Nations, the European Union, international law and human rights. Security issues such as the causes of war, terrorism, unconventional and conventional force, weapons of mass destruction, and global and international security concerns will also be discussed. Finally, the course will examine theories of international political economy, environmental concerns and international cooperation.

AD 575 Tools for Policy Analysis 6 Cr.

This seminar examines and uses the key concepts, tools, and techniques used in scientific research, design, implementation, and evaluation. It examines various methods needed in order to present data using techniques such as SPSS, SAS, R, and Python.

AD 576 Foundations of Leadership and Ethical Decision Making 6 Cr.

This course introduces students to the fundamentals of management and leadership in public administration. The course explores major models of leadership from a theoretical, ethical, and practical perspective. Students in this course will gain an understanding of major leadership theories by examining the basis of each theory, evaluating their strengths and weaknesses, and learning how to apply the theory to practical situations in public administration and nonprofit settings. These activities enable students to reflect on how they perceive leadership from both a subordinate and leadership perspective. By the end of this seminar, students will have developed a thorough understanding of leadership concepts, and will be able to apply them in their own leadership situations.

AD 578 Government Contract Management 6 Cr.

Students study the concepts of contract management beginning with crafting the Request for Proposal, (RFP) through contract negotiations,award, and management. Students gain knowledge of government contract management from both the government and the private sector (industry) perspective including all fields of procurement.

AD 582 Healthcare Management 6 Cr.

The course provides learners with managerial competencies – aggregated knowledge, skills and abilities – associated with quality management of healthcare nonprofit organizations. The learning outcomes emphasize competencies outlined and highlighted in the Healthcare Leadership Competency Model and the CPHQ Examination. AD 582 addresses all of the competencies outlined in the NCHL Health Leadership model, including: transformation, execution, and people. The seminar is designed to fully prepare the learner to successfully complete requirements for the professional certification of Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality. Among the main themes of the course are the following: organizational administration of health care facilities, financial management in health care, strategies and methodologies for effective health care planning, information systems planning and management in health care, health care economics, quality management in health care organizations, health care leadership, communications and marketing in the healthcare environment, healthcare quality management, including assessment tools and models and program improvement processes, knowledge and information management, human resource management in healthcare organizations, legal and regulatory issues and policies, and, professional ethics.

AD 585 Economics & Decision Making 6 Cr.

This course introduces students to finance and economic theories, and explains how these concepts are utilized in public sector decision making. The core of the course is the study of best practices for financial, economic, and decisive leadership, including the challenges of providing such direction to a wide scope of departments and agencies. Students evaluate key financial, economic, and decision making principles and strategies. This understanding equips public sector leaders to make decisions based on rational analysis, as well as allows for thoughtful consideration of financial issues pertaining to the current state of the economy, both domestic and global.

AD 586 Public Leadership, Crisis Management, and Organizational Change 6 Cr.

This course explores the role of leadership in public organizations by examining how leadership is intrinsically tied to the organization. Students will gain an understanding of how effective leaders articulate their leadership philosophy, how they embody the ideals and values of the organization, and how they motivate and reward their subordinates. The course also examines the role of leadership in crisis situations including how decisions are made and implemented, how information is communicated in critical situations, how political leaders are held accountable for crisis situations, and how communities can be returned to a state of normalcy after a critical incident has occurred.

AD 590 MPA Portfolio 0 Cr.

The Portfolio is a required element of the MPA Degree Program. Students submit the final graded assignment from each of the first five seminars for evaluation of overall growth and improvement throughout the course of the MPA degree program.

AD 595 Residency 0 Cr.