PAD 710. Public Administration Principles. (3 h)

Learned skills and shared experiences lead to practices that inform and advance your career. Identify and examine management principles and practices for public institutions such as: how public organizations operate and are managed, public personnel management, budgeting and finance, and policy implementation, alongside methods to identify and assess available interventions to further stakeholder well-being in a cross-cultural context.

PAD 712. Financial Management and Budgeting. (3 h)

Leading a team, task force, or organization requires a confident understanding of financial management and budgeting. This course examines financial management associated with public administration including financial statements and reporting, cost analysis, budget approaches and preparation, financial forecast, cash flow management, and financial risk management. The course approaches this material from a leadership perspective, presenting the various parts of financial management and budgeting across agencies or levels (local/state/federal) of government. Because public sector budgeting and financial management reflect concerns of competing stakeholders, the course explores the way public administrators identify and weigh multiple concerns and outcomes in the budgeting process.

PAD 714. Research Methods for Public Administration. (3 h)

Developing and applying new sources of knowledge is crucial to effective leadership and organizational success. This course covers research design, data collection, data analysis, and how to communicate research findings. Qualitative and quantitative research methods, experimental and non-experimental research, survey instrument development and use, case studies, content analysis, and secondary data analysis are covered. Equitable outcomes and the domains of sustainability, climate change, and social responsibility are of increasing importance to public sector leaders and this course will explore sustainability, environmental awareness, and equitable outcomes in research design and methods and will be addressed.

PAD 720. Technology and Public Administration. (3 h)

Technology can inform and enhance policy and its effective use will remain a core competency for future public leaders. Examine the role of emerging technologies in setting and implementing public policy, the role of stakeholders and interest groups, and available tools to apply from a technology and innovation framework. The class will analyze how new technologies improve and impact policy efficacy.

PAD 724. Public Law. (3 h)

Successful policy leaders must navigate the legal and regulatory environment where policies are made and applied. Public law defines the relationship between individuals and government. Explore and examine the structure of public law at the local, state, and federal levels alongside the historical context and legal framework governing the relationships between individuals, organizations, and government.

PAD 730. Data Analytics and Public Administration. (3 h)

A leader must effectively analyze and explain complex data to stakeholders in clear, understandable language.  Learn to analyze and interpret data to tell a clear and compelling “story”, manage the projects and programs, then implement policy. Topics covered will include data management, data visualization, statistical analysis, and machine learning. In addition, new tech-enabled methods of collecting and understanding data will be explored as they relate to policy administration.

PAD 732. Equity and Public Policy. (3 h)

Public administrators must develop and execute policies that result in increasingly equitable outcomes. This course uses a multidisciplinary approach to examine the intersection of equity and public policy. The course uses a multidisciplinary approach to examine equity and public policy. Explore the intersection between social equity and the formulation and implementation of public policies and the ways public policy can impact social inequalities and promote a more equitable society.

PAD 750. Housing and Development. (3 h)

Many leaders in the public sector lead initiatives focused on the built environment, including housing, commercial, industrial, and shared public spaces. This course examines public-private partnerships for housing and community development. Topics include affordable housing development strategies, commercial reuse and revitalization initiatives, and neighborhood development. Global forces shape local decisions. As such, global issues related to trade, business competition, and migration will be explored.

PAD 751. Sustainability and Environmental Systems. (3 h)

Institutions at all levels, local, state, federal, and international, are facing growing changes related to how human activities impact natural and environmental systems. Public administration leaders need skills and insights to effectively lead institutions as they respond. This course examines sustainable systems and environmental sciences to understand the conflicting objectives that are often part of public administration. Examine environmental justice and the administrative forces that place environmental burdens on some groups and not others, at the local/state/federal levels.

PAD 799. Capstone in Public Administration. (3 h)

Integrating and applying learned skills and experiences leads to a deeper understanding and habits of practice that inform a career. The capstone project applies the knowledge and skills gained through the program to a real-world challenge in the field of public administration. The specific project will vary depending on student interest and goals and may include such things as evaluating the effectiveness of a public policy; preparing a strategic plan for an organization in the public sector; leading a comparative analysis of public administration systems in different countries, designing a public engagement strategy for a public sector organization; and/or analyzing an emerging issue relevant to the field.