PADM 550.  Workshop   (1-3).

An umbrella course created to explore a variety of subtopics differentiated by letter (e.g., 550A, 550B). Not all subtopics are offered each semester – see the course schedule for availability. Students enroll in the lettered courses with specific topics in the titles rather than in this root course. Prerequisite(s): departmental consent.

PADM 701.  Public & Nonprofit Governance   (3).

Designed to help students develop an understanding of: (a) the governmental and political complexities within which public administration operates; (b) the nonprofit sector-including its major public-benefit sub components-and its role in the public administration environment; and (c) challenges facing both public and nongovernmental actors. Students should develop a working awareness of the significant concepts and components of the governance, politics and institutions, that enables them to analyze forces of change in this challenging environment.

PADM 702.  Research Methods   (3).

Cross-listed as PHS 702. Provides foundational and advanced knowledge and skills to prepare students to develop research studies and locate, appraise and apply age-related research to answer clinical questions. Emphasizes principles of evidence-based practice, research design and methodologies, framing research questions, and interpretation of basic and advanced statistics necessary to critically evaluate, interpret and apply age-related research to industry challenges. Fulfills the university's professional and scholarly integrity training requirement addressing research misconduct, publication practices and responsible authorship, conflict of interest and commitment, research ethics, data management, sharing and ownership.

PADM 709.  Urban Economics   (3).

Cross-listed as RE 709 and ECON 709. Surveys the economic structure and problems of urban areas on both the microeconomic and macroeconomic levels. Stresses the application of regional economic analysis in the study of urban areas as economic regions. Prerequisite(s): ECON 201, 202, junior standing.

PADM 710.  Public Sector Organizational Theory and Behavior   (3).

Cross-listed as POLS 710. Reviews the scope of the field of public administration including a survey of key concepts and schools of thought underlying the field. Identifies issues shaping the future development of the field.

PADM 725.  Public Management of Human Resources   (3).

Cross-listed as POLS 725. Surveys the major areas of management of human resources in the public sector. Includes hiring, training, evaluation and pay promotion policies. Emphasizes the laws governing public personnel management and the unique merit, equal employment opportunity, productivity, unionization and collective bargaining problems found in the public sector.

PADM 750.  Public Administration Workshops   (1-3).

An umbrella course created to explore a variety of subtopics differentiated by letter (e.g., 750A, 750B). Not all subtopics are offered each semester – see the course schedule for availability. Students enroll in the lettered courses with specific topics in the titles rather than in this root course. Prerequisite(s): departmental consent.

PADM 755.  Special Topics in Urban and Public Affairs   (1-3).

An umbrella course created to explore a variety of subtopics differentiated by letter (e.g., 755A, 755B). Not all subtopics are offered each semester – see the course schedule for availability. Students enroll in the lettered courses with specific topics in the titles rather than in this root course. Prerequisite(s): instructor's consent.

PADM 760.  State and Local Economic Development   (3).

Explores the roles of state and local governments and officials in economic development through the use of case studies. Examines financing in economic development from the perspectives of public purpose and community objectives.

PADM 765.  Public Sector Economics   (3).

Cross-listed as ECON 765. Examines theories of economic decision making and institutions, with a focus on how economic tools can be used to inform policy and management in the public and nonprofit sectors. Covers economic principles and discusses market failures and public policies intended to correct or alleviate market failure. Economic decision making tools for public and nonprofit management are also introduced.

PADM 771.  Planning Process   (3).

For students desiring to work in an urban planning agency or who will be involved in planning issues as an administrator at the city, county, state or federal level. Also for students seeking an understanding of the complex process of urban-related life. Examines the role of planning in solving human and environmental problems. Emphasizes the relationship between specialists, citizens and elective officials as participants in the planning process.

PADM 775.  State and Local Government Law   (3).

Exposes students to the legal principles which undergird the foundation of governmental operation and administration.

PADM 798.  Independent Study   (1-3).

For graduate students to pursue research in areas not normally covered in coursework. Repeatable for credit with departmental consent. Prerequisite(s): departmental consent.

PADM 802.  Quantitative Methods for Public Sector Professionals   (3).

Uses standard microcomputer statistical software and analysis to introduce statistics and quantitative analysis for organizational and policy decision making. Emphasizes the application of statistics and writing with quantitative evidence to real public sector policy questions. Assumes little or no background in statistics and software applications. Fulfills the university's professional and scholarly integrity training requirement covering research misconduct, publication practices and responsible authorship, conflict of interest and commitment, ethical issues in data acquisition, management, sharing and ownership when completed in conjunction with PADM 702. Prerequisite(s): PADM 702.

PADM 825.  State and Local Government Administration   (3).

Examines administrative leadership in state and local government through case study and field experience. Draws on the experience of professional public managers. Designed for students nearing completion of the Master of Public Administration degree and planning careers in public management. Prerequisite(s): instructor's consent.

PADM 845.  Public Policy Analysis and Program Evaluation   (3).

An overview of approaches to public policy analysis and program evaluation. Examines the roles of participants in public policy development, implementation and evaluation. Explores policy and program functions and their intended and unintended impacts. Focuses on methodologies for collection of data and their use in the assessment of programs and program impacts. Prerequisite(s): an approved statistics class and an approved methods class.

PADM 865.  Public and Nonprofit Financial Management   (3).

Cross-listed as POLS 865. Introduction to state local government financial administration. Topics include: government accounting systems, budgeting, government financial statement and financial condition analysis, internal financial control systems, debt management and policy, and government cash management and pension investment management systems. Prerequisite(s): PADM 765 or instructor's consent.

PADM 867.  State and Local Government Budgeting   (3).

Covers government budgeting processes and institutions as well as a variety of tools and techniques for budget preparation, decision making, executing and evaluating spending programs while maintaining good financial condition. Emphasizes both political and technical skills in managing public resources. Along with spreadsheet exercises for technical analysis, cases on government budgeting are used to understand 1) how public budgets reflect a government's purposes, policies and priorities as well as its implementation plans, and 2) how public budgets reveal the political power used by a variety of actors involved in the decision-making process. Prerequisite(s): PADM 865 or instructor's consent.

PADM 870.  Fundraising and Financial Management for Nonprofit Organizations   (3).

Focuses on fundraising and financial management in nonprofit organizations. Examines fundraising from public and private sources including funding research, proposal writing and budgeting. Includes analysis of financial statements for the purpose of managing both the short-term and the long-term financial condition of a nonprofit organization. Prerequisite(s): PADM 865.

PADM 871.  Community Networks   (3).

Students learn how to use systems logic to define problems and develop collaborative solutions through networks that involve governmental and nongovernmental organizations. Prerequisite(s): PADM 702, 745, 802.

PADM 873.  Strategic Planning in Public and Nonprofit Organizations   (3).

Students create a strategic plan for a public or nonprofit organization. The course begins with an introduction to measurement and performance management. Students create a logic model that describes key elements of a service or process. Stakeholder analysis, an environmental scan and SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) are among the techniques explored. Students formulate a strategic issue. Scenarios and other planning techniques are used to assess alternative courses of action. The final product is an action plan that includes decision points, cost and implementation details.

PADM 895.  Public Decision Making   (3).

Focuses on decision making by public managers through case study method. Reviews models of public decision making. Explores public management from the perspective of public purposes, politics, organizational results and ethics. Prerequisite(s): successful completion of all other core courses in the MPA or instructor's consent.