NGO Education Survey

UST 500 - Public Administration in the City

This course explores the functional aspects of public administration, with a specific focus on the Cleveland and the Northeast Ohio region within the American federal system. Topics include public sector values, how government is organized, service delivery areas, and intergovernmental relations. Additionally, the course introduces public administration as an academic discipline, emphasizing key theories and concepts. It also celebrates public service as an honorable calling and enables students to map potential career trajectories.

UST 507 - Planning the City

This course explores the evolution of urban and regional planning as both a profession and an academic discipline. We will examine theories about how planning should be conducted and how these theories have evolved over time. Throughout the course, we will identify consistent tensions and debates surrounding the role of planning and planners, as well as the ethical responsibilities of planners in an increasingly urbanized and diverse world.

UST 510 - Proposal Writing

Examination of the structure and content of proposals, sources of funding, foundation decision making, program evaluation, and social/institutional change in the urban environment. Students gain experience through independent preparation of a proposal and application of evaluation procedures.

UST 519 - Foundations of City Design

Learn to transform spaces into vibrant, people-centric places. This course equips you with the skills and knowledge to conduct city-and neighborhood-level analyses. Dive into the world of design, harness industry-standard software, and master the principles of place-making. Students will become familiar with in-demand software that will allow you to create professional-quality plans and designs as you learn to shape the cities of tomorrow.

UST 520 - Applications of City Design

This course examines community design, neighborhood planning, and the art of placemaking. Students will put theory into practice by developing city-or neighborhood-scale design-oriented plans that address public spaces and/or private developments. Explore the comprehensive process of preparing urban design and physical plans with hands-on projects situated in the vibrant context of Cleveland and the dynamic Northeast Ohio region.

UST 550 - Nonprofit Management in the City

Examines the role of nonprofits as community institutions, with a specific focus on Cleveland and the Northeast Ohio region. Course content covers the nature of leadership and management in the nonprofit sector, including history of the field, introduction to fundraising, financial management, governance, and the respective roles of board, staff and volunteers, the political, economic and inter-organizational environment of stakeholders, community relations and advocacy.

UST 551 - Fundraising and External Relations for Nonprofit Organizations

Provides the fundamentals of fundraising and external relations for nonprofit organizations, with special emphasis on the challenges faced by small to mid-sized community and faith-based organizations; development of viable strategies for attracting diverse and sustained financial support for nonprofits; development of strategies for dealing with clients, area residents, members, trustees, legislators, the press, and other important constituents; practical, hands’-on exploration of the skills and knowledge needed to equip managers of nonprofits to position their organizations effectively in the community.

UST 560 - Community Development

This course explores Cleveland’s vibrant community development system, including neighborhood-based nonprofit organizations, city-wide coordination, funding bodies, and public sector collaborations. Additionally, it covers federal, state, and local policies and encourages practical engagement through fieldwork and applied projects.

UST 573 - Columbus Seminar

Intensive one-week experience in Columbus, Ohio. Examination of the state policy-making, legislative, and judicial processes.

UST 576 - Historic Preservation

The roots of the preservation movement in America and its historical antecedents. Preservation policies at the federal, state, and local levels. Preservation planning tools used in Cleveland and other American cities.

UST 579 - Community Engagement & Participatory Methods

This class equips urban professionals with the fundamental knowledge and skills to engage with urban communities and diverse stakeholders to inform public decision-making processes. The course addresses the format, role and function of public meetings and hearings, techniques for collecting public input, methods of designing and administering surveys, and techniques to analyze data collected through participatory methods. Students will explore cutting-edge trends in community engagement and hone their skills in effectively conveying data generated through engagement initiatives.

UST 585 - GIS Principles

The course focuses on the principles of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as a tool to provide geospatial information analysis and displaying results using industry standard map design and output. Students learn techniques in importing attribute and spatial data; recognize critical components of cartography to design appropriate map output; build attribute and spatial queries in problem solving in spatially related project analysis. Laboratory exercises incorporate the use of GIS software to aid in the analysis of workplace problem situations.

UST 593 - Special Topics in Urban Studies

Topics will be listed in the semester course schedule. May be repeated up to 40 credit hours when topics vary.

UST 601 - Data Analytics for Social Impact

The course empowers students with the skills to harness data for enhancing societal outcomes. It introduces quantitative analysis logic and essential data techniques, enabling students to identify pertinent issues, formulate testable hypotheses, conduct analyses, and effectively communicate findings to diverse audiences. By evaluating others’ analyses and applying newfound knowledge, students become adept at data-driven decision-making for the public good.

UST 602 - Program Evaluation

The course focuses on practical program evaluation skills. Students learn various evaluation frameworks, data collection methods, ethical considerations, and communication techniques. Performance measurement and management practices are also examined. The course emphasizes hands-on projects and real-world case studies in both government and nonprofit sectors, providing students with the expertise needed to assess and improve programs. Students who are uncomfortable formatting and exploring data in applications like Excel or Tableau should take UST 601 prior to enrolling in this course.

UST 605 - Regional Theory and Analysis

Explores the structure and function of urban regions; urban theory and applied analysis relating to population, migration, regional economics, housing, and transportation.

UST 613 - Land Use Planning & Sustainable Development

Provides students with a foundation in land use planning and sustainable development; Introduces students to land use planning processes, decision-making, analysis and implementation considerations; Provides an understanding of sustainability as an organizing framework underpinning land use decisions, comprehensive planning and other planning activities.

UST 617 - Policymaking in the Public Interest

This course is designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills to actively participate in the policy process. The course emphasizes stakeholder involvement and explores the stages of policymaking. Students will learn how to identify public problems, understand the roles of various actors in policymaking, evaluate policy arguments and data, and collaboratively address community-based problems from inception to evaluation.

UST 618 - Power, Influence, and Ethics in the City

This course explores leadership, power, and influence in urban contexts. Analyze the individuals and entities wielding influence in urban regions and study the factors impacting human behavior within organizations. Examine organizational adaptability in response to evolving external demands and consider the ethical dimensions of public service. This course combines theory and practice, enabling students to enhance their leadership and management skills while formulating actionable insights for real-world application. Cross-listed with UST 718.

UST 622 - Economic Development Policy

An examination of the international and national competitive positions of industry; state and national industrial policy proposals; various approaches to economic development and industrial policy.

UST 637 - (re)Developing Legacy Cities

Explore the revitalization of legacy cities by delving into the process of real estate development and planning. Gain a comprehensive understanding of the essentials, including real estate finance, pro forma analysis, site selection, landscape planning, architecture and design, market analysis, and economic development incentives. Students will understand local development in terms of equity considerations and community partnerships and power. This course empowers you with the knowledge and skills needed to shape the future of legacy cities, reinvigorating their economic and cultural vitality.

UST 650 - Nonprofit Financial Management

Provides an understanding of basic financial, budgetary, and accounting concepts, processes, and techniques relevant to managers in nonprofit organizations; develops an appreciation of how and why financial decisions are made and how they affect nonprofit operations; strengthens participants’ ability to understand and use financial documents; and develops skills in financial analysis and management.

UST 652 - Environmental Policy and Administration

A comprehensive, interdisciplinary introduction to the values, preferences, and economic interests that underlie the formulation of environmental policy. Local, regional, state, national, and global issues are examined and characterized with emphasis on the national and state levels.

UST 654 - Nonprofit Income Sources and Portfolios

This course explores essential funding streams for nonprofits, including government grants, individual donations, social entrepreneurship, and more. Students will examine how each income source operates, why it functions that way (theoretical reasons), and how it impacts nonprofit organizations and their choices. Additionally, the course covers practical aspects of managing these income sources, including selecting the right mix to support a nonprofit’s mission effectively.

UST 656 - Adv Topics Nonprofit Mngmt

This seminar considers key aspects of leadership and management in the nonprofit sector as they are applied in practice. Integrates significant theory and research results with practical skills. This course is intended as a capstone experience for students pursuing the graduate certificate in Nonprofit Management, or the MPA nonprofit specialization.

UST 662 - Housing Policy and Analysis

This course focuses on the evolution of urban housing policy, the policies that shape the current housing system, and proposals for modifying housing policy and programs. We will analyze existing housing data within a framework of supply, demand, and population dynamics. We will consider major aspects of urban housing, including equity, financing, affordability, preservation, and discrimination. Cross-listed with UST 762.

UST 686 - Smart and Sensible Global Cities

This course will analyze smart and sensible cities in an international context, comparing the adoption, acceptance, and effectiveness of smart city technologies across different geographical, societal, political, and cultural settings. Students will understand what and how smart technologies have developed in local and global cities. Topics will include the current state of smart city technologies, the potential impact of smart cities on equity and sustainability, and the future of smart and sensible cities.

UST 688 - Transdisciplinary Perspectives

Transdisciplinary Perspectives introduces students to transdisciplinary theory, perspectives, and processes as well as tools and techniques for successful transdisciplinary research in human-centered technology. Transdisciplinary approaches are becoming more prominent as research attempts to tackle today’s bigger, more complex global challenges in urban settings. Through this course, students will learn how they might use transdisciplinary approaches to engage community members with lived experience as part of the research team, allowing for the emergence of new ideas to benefit society. Through literature and case studies, this course provides the intellectual and contextual foundations for this type of convergent research and practice and encourages students from various disciplines to explore how they might approach wicked problems at the intersection of humans and machines through a transdisciplinary research lens.

UST 690 - Urban Internship

UST 692 - Capstone Seminar in Public Administration

Prerequisite: departmental approval. A generalist public administration capstone course that provides a final, common experience for MPA students. Students integrate learning from the MPA core curriculum with professional practices encountered in public and nonprofit organizations. Students are expected to prepare and defend a capstone paper.

UST 696 - Individual Research