CC 500 Organizational Theory and Management

This course examines the nature and major trends of public administration, specifically in the nonprofit, criminal justice, and governmental sectors, as these sectors are understood within the context of a broad shift in governance, both in the US and internationally. The course aims to deepen student understanding of the nature of public administration and its organizations, using both theoretical and practical lenses to do so. Understanding the legitimacy and authority of these sectors to address collective problems requires inviting both management and policy practitioners to see the intersection between managerial practices and policy decisions and to connect the macro and micro dynamics of governance.

The course focuses heavily on the broad trends shaping the sector, predominantly in the United States, but making connections to international trends. The goal is for students – whether they are interested in policy, finance or management – to develop their own “cognitive map” of their respective sector, so that they can identify and interpret key issues and challenges of sustainability experienced by stakeholders in their field, and consider their implications for practice. Classes will involve a mix of brief lectures; discussion based on readings and written assignments; and guest speakers.
 
Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): None

CC 505 Introduction to Graduate Statistics

Correlation and regression analysis, probability and sampling theory, estimating population parameters, testing hypotheses. Familiarity with descriptive statistics assumed.
 
Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): None

CC 510 Program Planning and Evaluation

Program and policy evaluation is an important means for policy makers, managers, and other stakeholders to learn about program and policy effectiveness and make judgments and decisions regarding those programs and policies. While evaluation evolved from the social sciences and uses many of the same research methodologies to inform users, the different purposes of evaluation mean that the planning and implementation of evaluations require perspectives and techniques different from those used in traditional research.
 
Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): None

CC 515 Finance and Budgeting

At a broad level, the budget is the tool governments, not-for-profits, and public sectors use to transform policies and goals into outcomes, and it determines the extent to which these goals are achieved. At a more basic level, the budget specifies the allocation of resources among competing services and operations. Politically and financially the budget also manifests governance more than any other activity organizations engage in.

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the intricacies of budgeting and related areas of fiscal administration, including performance budgeting, budget development, budget implementation, internal controls, and cost analysis. The course will give students a basic understanding of the concepts and skills needed to perform these tasks
and to evaluate both budget processes and documents. Budgeting is, in large part, a technical task that requires determining factors such as the costs of items, proper charges for services, and programmatic net effects.
 
Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): None

CC 520 Political and Policy Analysis

The goal of this course is to provide a greater understanding of (1) the process by which public policies are formulated, decided on, implemented, and evaluated, (2) techniques of analysis appropriate for various policy issues, and (3) substantive policy issues facing us today.

Public policies will be examined, developed, and analyzed from three perspectives: the critic, the client, the consultant. Students will learn how to act as critics who identify strengths, weaknesses and logical inconsistencies in policy ideas and analyses. As clients, students will learn to manage policy studies that yield high quality and politically relevant information related to policy issues. As consultants, students will learn concrete tools to efficiently conduct and explain policy studies.
 
Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): None

CC 599 Graduate Internship Experience

The course provides the opportunity for the application of theories and principles of classroom learning in an area of public and/or criminal justice administration. There is a requirement of 40 clock hours for each registered credit hour. Students will work under the supervision of a qualified preceptor and/or program faculty. Students may meet as a group periodically during the semester. Attendance at these integrative seminars and completion of practicum objectives are required.
 
Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): None

CC 688 Comparative Public Administration

Comparative public administration emerged as a field of study centered on the development and distribution of foreign aid. Overtime, the field has evolved in many directions ranging from the study of administrative inefficiencies, policy implementation, budgeting, systems analysis and fragmentation, culture and public administration, and distributions of governmental power. The course will not only discuss the web of international institutions that have arisen in the last several decades but also take into account how they cooperate and collaborate in order to meet the global challenges. The course includes how government and governance systems are embedded in historical, cultural, ideological, and religious contexts that may be unique to particular nations and regions but may not be generalizable to global settings.
 
Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): None

CC 699 Study Away

The graduate studies program offers a one-week study away experience in a foreign country focused on the application of the knowledge and skills gained during studies in the graduate program. In the Spring 2013 semester students will stay in the City of Budapest comparing issues and problems in the delivery of public services in Hungary and the United States. Prior to leaving for Hungary, the classroom experience will prepare students for travel with introductions to the Hungarian language, history, and culture.
 
Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): None