PA 501 Introduction to Public Administration
Credit-Bearing
Graduate |
This course provides an understanding of the fundamental theories, key practices and underlying values that provide the framework for contemporary American public administration. It will discuss the political and administrative values affecting the theory and practice of public administration in the United States; review the historical development of American public administrative systems and processes; examine key issues facing public administrators in the light of both traditional and contemporary values and views; critically evaluate administrative approaches to public service delivery; and explore contemporary strategies to address critical problems in a rapidly changing world. |
PA 502 Organizational Behavior
Credit-Bearing
Graduate |
PA 502 builds awareness and understanding of the behavior of individuals and groups in organizations, preparing managers to be more effective within their organizational contexts. Topics include individual differences in motivation, perception, culture and learning style, group and organizational dynamics, and the impact of organizational structure and culture on behavior. Leadership techniques for influencing other organizational members, creative problem-solving and decision-making, ethics and values-based managing are covered. This course helps students relate basic theories, concepts, and techniques to real-world situations through the extensive use of case studies. |
PA 522 Human Resource Management
Credit-Bearing
Graduate |
This course focuses on human resource planning, recruitment, examination, and promotion of procedure. It familiarizes students with the key human resources management factors involved in supervising employees as well as collective bargaining, affirmative action, and employee productivity and performance evaluation. It is directed towards practical applications in dealing with these topics as managers and employees working in their teams or individually and covers employee professional responsibility and behavior. Students in this class will learn to utilize human resource planning, recruiting, interviewing and selection processes to improve organizational outcomes; analyze the legal/cultural aspects of personnel when making organizational decisions; identify the key components of performance management to improve themselves and their direct reports; develop specific solutions to solve critical workplace personnel issues; and apply a variety of motivation and team performance techniques in current and future organizational settings. |
PA 532 Public Financial Optimization and Management
Credit-Bearing
Graduate |
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to public budgeting, governmental accounting and related areas of public fiscal administration. The course will give students a basic understanding of the concepts and skills needed to evaluate budget processes and documents and to assess the financial condition of governments. It is also designed to provide students with an understanding of the public finance environment and an opportunity to explore practical challenges in managing government resources. Emphasizing best practice models and case studies, the course will focus primarily on local government finance with some reference to state governmental policies and practices and nonprofit organizations. |
PA 568 Optimization in Policy and Administration
Credit-Bearing
Graduate |
This course is a strategy, competitiveness, and leadership laboratory for public sector managers and leaders of the 21st century. Students will gain an understanding of IIT Stuart's unique core concept of strategic competitiveness as well as frameworks from theories of entrepreneurial government, strategic management, and economic competitiveness. Students will critically analyze conventional frameworks for relevance to various contexts across the public sector in the rapidly changing Next Economy. Cases discussing the public sector's efforts to transform its management processes to meet the challenges of the Next Economy and to successfully interact with the business community are emphasized. The course employs a dynamic classroom environment using case method, class discussions, and group projects. Students will appreciate the challenges, complexities, and characteristics needed to effectively lead and be successful in the competitive global economy by delving into questions such as: How do countries, regions, states, and cities compete in the global economy? How do public leaders create innovative economic development strategies by influencing firms' strategic decisions regarding investment and trade? How can public leaders enhance the competitiveness of their business environment by adopting entrepreneurial government strategies? What are best practices for economic development in the Next Economy? . |
PA 580 Policy Forecasting and Evaluation
Credit-Bearing
Graduate |
This course will present a variety of tools and techniques to evaluate existing programs and policies to determine and measure their most important elements, and to give policy-makers the necessary information to fund, improve or terminate programs based on empirical evidence regarding factors such as cost/benefit, efficiency, effectiveness, equity, and other important characteristics. Evaluation can also allow policy-makers and staff to focus budgets and efforts to best achieve policy or program goals. |
PA 581 Policy Economic Modeling and Design
Credit-Bearing
Graduate |
This course considers methods that help design effective Public Policy Design by presenting and examining practical, cost-effective techniques that can be used to make better decisions regarding the allocation of scarce resources. Includes problem identification, goal development, data needs and collection, generation of alternative solutions, projecting impacts, goals-oriented evaluation, and strategies for implementation. |
PA 599 Practicum
Credit-Bearing
Graduate |
PA 599 is a capstone course where students apply concepts and theories they have studied to analyze an organizational or policy problem and deliver a report that normally specifies the problem or task, defines alternatives, and proposes recommended course of action. The recommendation will be supported by reasons and evidence. PA 599 should be taken in the student's last semester. |
PA 505 The Law and the Nonprofit Sector
Credit-Bearing
Graduate |
This course is an examination of local, state, and federal law as it pertains to the nonprofit sector. This includes such things as the IRS, lobbying, human resources, property, and contracts. |
PA 533 Advanced Financial Management for Public and Nonprofit Sectors
Credit-Bearing
Graduate |
An advanced course focusing on the application of techniques used by financial managers to evaluate government financial condition and performance. Students will conduct case studies in which they apply tools such as performance measurement, budget analysis, priority setting, and financial indicator analysis to evaluate core public financial documents including budgets, capital improvement plans, and audited financial statements. |
PA 535 Resource Development in the Nonprofit Sector
Credit-Bearing
Graduate |
Resource Development in the Nonprofit Sector provides insight and learning into fundraising, marketing, and strategic planning in the nonprofit sector. This course offers an in-depth look into finding and securing the resources necessary to the success of nonprofit organizations. |
PA 540 Alternative Dispute Resolution
Credit-Bearing
Graduate |
This course will introduce you to the formally accepted varieties of resolving disputes without going to court: negotiation, mediation, fact-finding, mini-trials, court sponsored settlement procedures, and arbitration. We will focus on process: what each term means; how the different processes work and compare with one another; when they can and cannot be used more effectively and how; and what considerations, techniques and/or factors make each kind of process work best. This is a survey course to give a general idea of the different kinds of alternative dispute resolution methods. Although simulations are used it is not equivalent to a full skills training program. Note: This course is also applicable to the nonprofit sector. |
PA 541 Performance Measurement in Nonprofit and Public Management
Credit-Bearing
Graduate |
Performance management is a process of measuring progress toward specific organizational goals and objectives through the use of quantitative indicators of efficiency, effectiveness and quality. It is an essential tool that can help nonprofit and government leaders and staff plan and manage the programs and services they offer to customers, clients, and the public. This is an applied course which will help students understand performance management concepts, develop specific performance measures, and apply performance management techniques to solve real world problems in both the nonprofit and public sectors. |
PA 543 Public Policy, Nonprofits, and Philanthropy
Credit-Bearing
Graduate |
This course examines the long history of charitable giving across the globe with special emphasis on the United States. In particular this course will focus on the philosophical roots of philanthropy, organized giving, and the role philanthropy has played in the development of modern public policy as it pertains to health and human services. |
PA 565 The Nonprofit Sector
Credit-Bearing
Graduate |
This course considers the role played by the nonprofit sector in the larger American society and economy. Topics include major organizational forms, financial management, human resource policies, leadership, board-executive relations, and private-public connections. |
PA 566 Nonprofits and the Public Sector
Credit-Bearing
Graduate |
Nonprofits and the Public Sector provides an overview of the complex and important relationship between government and nonprofits. This course includes a review of the history, funding schemes, the differences between grant and contract funding, recent trends, and more. |
PA 570 Social Capital and the Community
Credit-Bearing
Graduate |
The 21st century confronts the public sector with new challenges and opportunities. Many of these challenges and opportunities will take place on the community level, and many of those challenges and opportunities will be centered on the notion of social capital and the community. Social capital means the building of and use of community assets -- those resources available to the community through its residents or citizens, association, institutions, and economic life. Using an asset-based community development approach, the objective of this course is to help the student understand and use the concepts of asset-based approaches to social capital and community as it relates to public administration. |
PA 579 Ethics and Professional Responsibility in Public Service
Credit-Bearing
Graduate |
This course focuses on the ethical problems and issues faced by individuals in public service organizations. It also examines questions related to corruption, abuse of power, financial impropriety, ethics codes and standards in government and professional fields, whistle-blowing, and other topics related to front-page concerns and individual problems of conscience and judgment. The course traces the growth of concern about the standards of ethical behavior in government in the U.S. |
