Master of Public Administration

3 Credits

This course applies the tools available to UOPX graduate students and the competencies of successful managers to understand the functions of public administration. Students will understand the relationship between the political system and public administration in the creation and implementation of public policy. Other topics, at the state and local level, include executive & legislative branches of government, the evolution of public administration, intergovernmental relationships, and fiscal sources & uses.

3 Credits

This course prepares students to communicate with multiple stakeholders, elected officials and the public in the political environment. Students will apply communication concepts to create messages that are sensitive to the opinions and positions of disparate groups. Other topics, at the state and local level, include uniqueness of public sector communications, public involvement, and internal & external communications.

3 Credits

This course prepares students to apply legal concepts in public administration. Students will analyze legislative and judicial processes in the administration of state and local governments. Other topics, at the state and local level, include enabling laws, regulatory review, open-meeting/sunshine provisions, adjudication, and the Administrative Procedures Act.

3 Credits

This course prepares students to apply human capital development concepts in a public sector. Students will create plans for managing human capital in a public and political environment. Other topics, at the state and local level, include recruitment, development & retention of employees, compensation, motivation, performance evaluation, employee/employer relationship, personnel policies & politics, and public service ethic, union management relations, employee/employer relations.

3 Credits

This course prepares students to lead change in the public sector. Students will apply leadership theories in the public sector considering the unique role of shared decision making between appointed and elected officials in a political environment. Other topics include culture in the public sector, power, group behavior, financial and nonfinancial motivation, and workplace conflict.

3 Credits

This course prepares students to analyze information and present it appropriately to diverse stakeholder groups. Students will collect and analyze primary and secondary data to measure effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of public sector goods and services. Other topics, at the state and local level, include pre-testing, post-testing, correlation, and forecasting.

3 Credits

This course prepares students to apply techniques to evaluate public sector programs. Students will be evaluating public sector programs using analytical tools. Other topics, at the state, county and local level, include measures of effectiveness, benchmarks, baselines, performance standards, and customized stakeholder communication and collaboration.

3 Credits

This course prepares students to leverage technology in support of effective and efficient administration of government. Students will apply technology concepts to enhance self-service tools for citizens while providing data security and respecting privacy concerns. Other topics, at the state and local level, include mobility, database interconnectivity, Internet, intranet and extranet, and data maintenance and retrieval.

3 Credits

In this course students learn the accounting and budgeting tools and theories used in the public sector. Students will analyze the relationship between public policy and the public budget process. Other topics include budgetary decision making, basics of government and not-for-profit accounting, reporting, capital and operating expenditures, and inter-period equity.

3 Credits

This course prepares students to apply the principles of economics to the public sector. Students will create a plan for a public-private partnership to deliver a public good or service. Other topics include, at the state and local level, revenue sources, income redistribution, multilevel government financing, bond issuance, role of nonprofits, and basic micro- and macroeconomic variables.

3 Credits

This course prepares students to trace the development of a public policy. For a selected policy, students will analyze the policy- making process and the challenges that accompany each stage. Other topics, at the state and local level, include public policy planning, policy alternative evaluation, and stakeholder conflicts.

3 Credits

Students will utilize knowledge learned in the entire MPA program to develop a comprehensive applied public sector policy and implementation plan. It is highly encouraged that students develop a current project in partnership with an actual public sector leader in their organization.