Courses - PPA Graduate Level
500. Foundations of Public Policy and
Administration (3)
Concepts of the discipline; fundamentals of public organization theory, policy formulation and analysis, and administrative and management processes; management in the public interest; and ethics in government.
Letter grade only (A-F).
509. Seminar in Strategic Planning for Public
Managers (3)
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor
Introduction to the theories and practice of strategic planning in public organizations. The course is designed to promote an understanding of the theories and approaches to strategic planning and help the student to acquire practical skills involved in strategic planning.
Letter grade only (A-F).
510. Urban Environmental Governance (3)
An examination of the challenges of environmental protection and resource management confronting urban governments. An emphasis is placed on comparative and historical perspectives.
Letter grade only (A-F).
512. Urban Executive Management (3)
Examines problems confronting today's urban administrator and offers techniques for solving a variety of pressing problems. Subjects include managing in a local government setting issues such as public policy, planning, financial resources, personnel, and labor relations.
Letter grade only (A-F).
514. Municipal Law for Administrators (3)
Examination of major laws and legal issues affecting local government. Basic powers of cities including regulatory (police) powers, corporate (service) powers, taxation and eminent domain.
Letter grade only (A-F).
515. Administrative Report Writing (3)
Preparation of written documents required of public administrators.
Letter grade only (A-F).
517. Analytical Skills Development (3)
Designed to develop or improve the skills needed to perform analytical work in the public sector. Emphasis is on the methods of analysis and evaluation used in public service organizations. Communication of results will also be covered.
Letter grade only (A-F).
518. Microeconomics and Public Policy (3)
Covers key principles of microeconomics such as supply, demand, and market processes. Provides extensive coverage of topics that concern public section decisions, such as public goods, externalities, welfare analysis, and cost-benefit analysis.
Letter grade only (A-F).
521. Microcomputer Management for Public Administrators (3)
Focuses on the design, development, and management of microcomputer systems and applications in public organizations. Course elements: analysis of critical concepts and issues relating to management of computer systems, and hands-on computer laboratory experience for design, and use of applications.
Letter grade only (A-F).
522. Automating Government Administration (3)
The use of computers to assist government management. Special emphasis on automation of services. Provides an introductory background in computers and their applications to government systems and files for non-computer specialists.
Letter grade only (A-F).
523. Urban Information Systems for Public
Management (3)
Overview of significant information technologies impacting government management: World-Wide Web and G.I.S. (Geographic Information Systems.) Introduces students to the construction and use of Web pages. Includes an introduction to GIS in public organizations. Extensive use of computers.
524. GIS Management and Applications for Public Managers (3)
Introduces students to the management and applications of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in the Public Sector. Covers the requirements for designing and managing GIS applications for solving public sector problems. Hands-on use of GIS and analysis of GIS cases.
Letter grade only (A-F).
525. Non-Profit Management (3)
Examination of principal characteristics, scope, and functional management areas (i.e., governance, fund development, board development, volunteer and staff management, intersectoral relations; budgeting) in American nonprofit organizations, with particular attention to the important roles of nonprofits in the delivery of health and human services.
Letter grade only (A-F).
533. Race, Inequality and Public Policy (3)
Examines the multiple sources of ethnic, racial, gender, and class inequalities in the United States and how public policies have attempted to address these issues.
Letter grade only (A-F).
535. Intergovernmental Relations (3)
Presents concepts and issues of U.S. intergovernmental relations. Topics include history of the field, intergovernmental finances, state and federal legislative processes, legislative advocacy, interorganizational management, and current issues.
Letter grade only (A-F).
540. Grants Administration and Management (3)
Study of the various types of financial and technical assistance to local public and quasi-public agencies; the strategies for locating and obtaining grant programs support; and the development of effective project systems for externally funded projects.
Letter grade only (A-F).
542. Emergency Planning and Management (3)
Planning and management processes and issues involved in large-scale emergencies; the nature of natural and technological risk and emergency, with attention to public sector roles in contingency planning and response.
Letter grade only (A-F). Same course as EMER 506. Not open for credit to students with credit in EMER 542 or EMER 506.
546. The Urban Crisis and the Public Administrator (3)
Survey of the history of urbanization, the literature of urban power relations and decision-making, and the dynamics of race relations in the urban environment. Major focus on extensive interface with urban agency representatives.
Letter grade only (A-F).
547. Local Government Economic Development Processes (3)
Discussion of the nature, goals and processes of locally based economic development programs. Definition of governmental incentives designed to maximize private investment. Explanation of property-related revenues from public and private perspectives.
Letter grade only (A-F).
554. Public Works Facilities and Urban Policy (3)
Provides a study of public infrastructure essential to urban communities. Focus given to water, wastewater, transportation, solid waste, public facilities, and schools.
Letter grade only (A-F).
555. Government Budgeting and Finance (3)
Prerequisites: PPA 518 or ECON 101 or ECON 300 or equivalent with a grade of "C" or better.
Presents the major concepts and skills associated with budget preparation for all levels of government. Topics include: budget processes and formats, basic principles of government accounting, revenue, and capital budgeting.
Letter grade only (A-F).
560. Public Financial Management (3)
Prerequisite: PPA 555.
Focuses on financial planning, implementation and management control, financial reporting, and financial analysis used in public service organizations.
Letter grade only (A-F).
567. Basic Governmental (Fund) Accounting (3)
Prerequisite: PPA 555.
Provides an introduction to unique characteristics of governmental accounting. Aspects of recording and reporting of financial transactions in public service organizations. Governmental auditing and financial condition analysis.
Letter grade only (A-F).
570. Negotiating Dynamics: Strategies and Skills (3)
Examination of negotiating strategies and skills based on tested use of power and psychological principles in negotiations. Different strategies and skills examined for negotiating under varying levels of cooperation and conflict.
Letter grade only (A-F).
571. Leadership Skills and Strategies in the Public
Sector (3)
Leaders in urban governments, community based and non-profit organizations are challenged to move their bureaucracies toward solutions to complex problems. Examines administrative leadership, current approaches to organizational excellence and their applicability in a variety of administrative settings.
575. Public Sector Employer-Employee Relations (3)
Analysis of prevailing practice and techniques of collective bargaining and its continuing impact on the economic, political, and organization structure in the public sector.
Letter grade only (A-F).
577. Public Sector Human Resources Management (3)
Historical development of civil service/merit system; laws which affect operations of personnel system; analysis of the various components of a personnel system; impact of labor negotiations; role of personnel system as a change agent.
Letter grade only (A-F).
581. Government/Community Relations (3)
Investigation of relationship between governments and community based organizations, with particular attention to strategies for diagnosing problems and opportunities and prescribing courses of action in public policy where governments and nonprofits converge.
Letter grade only (A-F).
585. Public Policy and Administration Internship (3-12)
Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
Provides exposure to and understanding of the governmental environment. Students seeking the MPA degree who do not have managerial experience in government are required to participate in the internship program.
May be repeated to a maximum of 12 units. Academic credit earned for the internship program is beyond the 39 units required for the MPA degree. Letter grade only (A-F).
590. Selected Topics in Public Policy and
Administration (3)
Investigation of a special problem as defined by the instructor that is of current interest to the field of public policy and administration.
Letter grade only (A-F). May be repeated to a maximum of 9 units with different topics. Topics announced in the Schedule of Classes.
- S. Small-Scale Survey Research for Public Administrators
- T. Public Finance
Prerequisite: PPA 555.
597. Directed Studies (1-3)
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
Independent study in public policy and administration.
Letter grade only (A-F).
610. Seminar in Urban Affairs (3)
An interdisciplinary course gives students opportunity to develop expanded awareness of the interrelationships between various urban problems in the urban systemic environment.
Letter grade only (A-F).
660. Seminar in Organization Theory and Behavior (3)
Examination of theories of organizations and behavior of members therein. Among the subtopics: generalist management, bureaucracy, organization structure and design, systems theory, motivation, leadership, decision-making, group and team dynamics, power and conflict, culture, organization change and development.
Letter grade only (A-F).
670. Policy Issue Analysis (3)
Introduces theories and approaches to policy analysis. The core of the course follows the policy analysis cycle and includes: problem recognition, problem definition, development of alternative solutions, analysis of alternatives, selection of policy options, policy implementation and evaluation.
Letter grade only (A-F)
696. Research Methods in Public Administration (3)
Prerequisite: PPA 517 or STAT 108 or equivalent with a grade of "C" or better.
Covers the techniques of public sector research. Topics include research design, survey research, and statistical analysis. Note:
Suggested: take PPA 696 early in MPA program. Letter grade only (A-F).
697. Directed Research (3)
rerequisites: Advancement to candidacy, completion of required MPA courses, consent of instructor.
Required capstone project. Individual research of a public issue. Supervision of a full-time faculty member required.
May be repeated to a maximum of 6 units in the same semester. Letter grade only (A-F).
