Course Descriptions:

PA 611 - Public Administration Philosophy, Theory, and Practice (4 Units):

Historical and political context of public administration. This course reviews the classical and emerging theoretical perspectives on human organizations and critically analyzes emerging domestic and global ideas and issues shaping and being shaped by the public sector.

1. Understand and articulate important practices for effective contemporary public administration.
2. Understand the rationale for and use academic research and writing in graduate-level courses.
3. Articulate principles and theories that influence public administration as well as identify current issues and key challenges facing the field.
4. Critically reflect on the components of broad theoretical frameworks presented in course texts in terms of the impact on society and implications for public administration.

PA 612 - Research Methods in Public Administration (4 Units):

Examines various methods for designing and conducting interpretive (Qualitative) and positivistic (Quantitative) research for organizational improvements, policy research and decision making in the public sector.  Various modes of data-gathering and analysis are discussed and the logic underlying the methods explored. 

1. Demonstrate a theoretical and practical understanding of the types of and basic differences among descriptive, quasi-experimental, and experimental research methods and designs.
2. Practice qualitative and quantitative research data collection techniques, including observation, interviews, and document analysis, etc.
3. Articulate the epistemological assumptions underlying qualitative and quantitative research methods, including the competing paradigms in research.
4. Demonstrate proficiency in using SPSS to derive descriptive statistics (mean, median, mode, sample variance, standard deviation), and statistics associated with frequency distributions, multiple regression, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and cross-tabulated analyses.
5. Gain proficiency in social science hypothesis testing, measurement theory, validity and reliability determination, and principles of data quality while also articulating key ethical issues in the application of quantitative and qualitative research methods.
6. Evaluate the appropriateness and quality of questionnaires, interviews, and other data collection methods.

PA 621 - Seminar in Human Organizations, Change, and Social Realities (4 Units):

Considers theoretical frameworks for thinking critically about how knowledge, social realities, and administration are constituted. Meaning-centered, experientially grounded theories are applied to examine organizational humanization and effectiveness. Opportunities to integrate these theories for action and changing organizations are explored.

1. Develop and apply a critical and self-reflective approach to the study of public administration and human organizations.
2. Analyze the contributions and limitations of a scientific, empirical approach to the study of public administration and human organizations.
3. Identify the range of ways scholars and organizational leaders suggest organizations should be structured.
4. Compare and contrast the traditional and contemporary approaches to the study of public administration and human organizations.
5. Explain theories of and approaches to changing organizations to identify possibilities for constituting organizational realities in more desired and humanistic ways and think more critically about why change is necessary.

PA 622 - Seminar in the Public Policy Process (4 Units):

Critical analysis of the public policy-making processes emphasizing the interrelationships among policy formulation, implementation, evaluation, and revision. Explores alternative models of the policy process; develop strategies and tactics for identifying and solving implementation problems; assessment of policy impact and effectiveness. 

1. Explain the historical foundations of public affairs (policy, administration, and  management).
2. Articulate how policy as process and policy as substance are intertwined and explain the political, managerial and operational implications of policy choices.
3. Demonstrate the ability to recognize and interpreting societal trends and events in terms of their potential for policy intervention and apply theories and concepts to policy problems.
4. Discuss the basic elements of the public policy process and identify the participants, stakeholders, and others influencing the public policy process and their motivations.
5. Demonstrate the ability to identify, explain, and evaluate the connections between public problems, goals, public programs, outputs and outcomes.
6. Demonstrate a basic understanding of key areas of policy substance (economic policy, education policy, welfare/social service policy, environmental and morality policy, etc).

PA 631 - Management, Human Resources, and Ethics in the Public Sector (4 Units):

Examines the responsibilities of public sector managers, public HRM and the ethical dimensions of public service.  Topics discussed include influence of social and political values upon public service concepts; examination of public managers as strategic leaders; value dilemmas, and accountability. 

1. Understand and articulate how theoretical paradigms have historically impacted human resource management in public agencies.
2. Explain the legal/statutory framework that guides public organizations’ human resource practices, and evaluate comparative models of decision-making in human resource management, paying specific attention to competing interests and sources of conflict in public agencies.
3. Identify critical issues facing contemporary HRM in the public sector and assess effectiveness of models, instruments, and other tools for personnel assessment and evaluation.
4. Articulate a guiding definition of ethics for professional work and explain basic principles, concepts, and standards of ethics in today’s public sector.
5. Discuss a variety of ethical issues commonly encountered in public service and recognize ethical dilemmas and distinguish them from non-ethical dilemmas.
6. Apply moral reasoning to conflicts of interests and ethical issues and assess personal ethical principles in relationship to underlying ethical issues.

PA 641 - Public Budgeting and Finance Administration (4 Units):

Exploration and analysis of the governmental budgetary process and review of strategic principles of fiscal policy in attaining public goals. Emphasizes the role of government budgeting shaping public policy and administrative control at federal, state and local levels. 

1. Describe how government influences the economy: particularly its powers to influence price, distribution of goods and services and the distribution of income or wealth.
2. Discuss taxation theory and concepts, how and why state and local governments tax certain goods and services, and how to apply user fees.
3. Describe the budgetary process at the federal, state, and local levels, providing an overview of how public organizations are managed today via governmental budgets with an emphasis on the San Francisco Bay Area and California local and regional government.
4. Articulate the elements involved in the full governmental budgeting cycle and demonstrate critical thinking, assessment, and analytical skills as public administrators by using governmental budgets as a set of management instrument and administrative control.
5. Identify the various types of budgets and the advantages and disadvantages of each type, thereby emphasize the importance of meeting public accountability and understand priority-setting in alternative budget scenarios under limited and/or scarce funding resources.
6. Explain the difference between the technical, socio-economic, and political aspects of governmental budgeting and the budgetary roles and interactions between policymakers, public administrators, special interests, community interests and the public environment during budget deliberation and presentation.

PA 692 - Graduate Synthesis (4 Units):

A synthesis of public administration theories and concepts with a review and critique of major readings in the field. Concludes with the Comprehensive Examination. Advancement to Candidacy (completion of all core courses and option area requirements) and consent of instructor.

1. Lead and manage in public governance while demonstrating an understanding of the role of theory in humanizing public organizations and the application of these theories toward administrative inquiry.
2. Participate in and contribute to the public policy process.
3. Analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems, and make decisions while demonstrating an understanding of interpretive and quantitative research methodologies.
4. Articulate and apply a public service perspective that integrates social purpose, the public interest, and effective participative problem solving.
5. Communicate and interact productively with a diverse and changing workforce and citizenry with a commitment to social equity and justice.
6. Apply the theory and concepts derived from courses throughout the MPA curriculum.

PA 697 - Issues in Public Administration (4 Units):

Readings, discussion, and research on contemporary and/or significant issues in public administration. 

1. Demonstrate in oral and written work an ability to think critically and research significant issues in public administration.
2. Identify strategies of change we might seek to make public administration more effective.

Health Care Administration Concentrations:

HCA 611 - Evolution of the U.S. Health Care System, Health Disparities and Policy (4 Units):

Provides critical examination of the U.S. health care system, including definitions of health and health determinants, key policies, health disparities, the role of insurance, reform efforts, and the influence of different system stakeholders including providers, patients, policymakers and payers. 

1. Analyze the U.S. health care system in terms the major health care system components, including third-party payers, providers, patients, medical device manufacturers, pharmaceutical organizations, regulators, and educational facilities.
2. Evaluate the effects of various political, economic, social, health, environmental, and resource factors on the health care system and health care policy.
3. Compare and contrast the U.S. health care system with other health care systems in developed countries.
4. Evaluate the performance of the U.S. health care system in terms of mortality, morbidity, patient satisfaction, costs, and quality of life indicators.
5. Dissect the major public third-party payers, such as Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP, in terms of benefits,  funding, major policy decisions, and policy influencers.
6. Evaluate health care disparities in the U.S. in terms of race and ethnicity, gender, SES, geography, and sexual orientation.
7. Assess the roles and influence of different system stakeholders such as providers, patients, policymakers, and public and private third-party payers, especially in terms of health care reform efforts.
8. Discuss the health care policy making process in the U.S. and the various methods used to influence it.
9. Demonstrate sensitivity to cultural, ethnic, gender, and sexual orientation characteristics in the design and delivery of health services.
10. Create formal class presentations that demonstrate the ability to think critically, take information from different sources and create something new, and work collaboratively in a team with diverse team members.
11. Utilize APA publishing guidelines for writing research papers, discussion papers, and critical essays that demonstrate an integration of knowledge, are well-organized and well-written, display an understanding of the relationship among material obtained from all sources, reflect critical thinking, and are free of plagiarism.

HCA 612 - Health Care Management, Leadership and Strategic Planning (4 Units):

Provides an exploration of management principles, roles and responsibilities in health care organizations, including organizational design, motivation, management theories and applications, conflict management, teamwork development, leadership styles and application, and strategic alliance formation.  

1. Compare, contrast and apply different theories of management and leadership.
2. Assess, analyze, and articulate one’s own leadership abilities, attributes, strengths, and weaknesses.
3. Utilize strategic planning tools and methodologies to define organizational vision, assess the internal and external environment to formulate a strategic plan to achieve the vision, implement the plan, evaluate progress, and make adjustments as necessary.
4. Apply the principles and tools of management,  organizational behavior and design, strategic planning, and change management to achieve organizational goals.
5. Demonstrate sensitivity to cultural, ethnic, gender, and sexual orientation characteristics in teamwork development, conflict management, and performance evaluation.
6. Create formal class presentations that demonstrate the ability to think critically, take information from different sources and create something new, and work collaboratively in a team with diverse team members.
7. Utilize APA publishing guidelines for writing research papers, discussion papers, and critical essays that demonstrate an integration of knowledge, are well-organized and well-written, display an understanding of the relationship among material obtained from all sources, reflect critical thinking, and are free of plagiarism.