POLS 2700 - Introduction to Public Administration

Credits: (3)
Typically taught:
Fall [Full Sem]
Spring [Full Sem]
Summer [Full Sem]

To understand the role of public administration in the United States, this course examines the administrators who manage and implement policy, the tools they use, and the environments in which they work. We will cover the economic, political, and social dynamics within public administration as well as management challenges related to human resources, finance, program development, evaluation, and strategic planning. Introduction to public administration would not be complete without discussions about the values and ethics unique to the public sector. We will be using textbooks, other assigned readings, case studies, simulations of ethical quandaries, and whenever possible hands-on learning experiences. The first half of the course will include historical milestones in the history of the administrative state, the logic of public service and the constitutional context of executive power, and management challenges for the public sector in the 21st century. The second half of the course will focus on the policy cycle, program implementation and evaluation, budgeting, leadership and ethics, and the future of public administration.