NGO Education Survey

Department: Master of Public Administration

Courses:

PAA 501- Accounting for Government, Health Care, and Nonprofit Entities

Elective This is a basic course for students with a limited background in accounting. Emphasis will be placed on the development of basic accounting, concepts, and techniques, the difference between public and private sector accounting and applications of accounting concepts to government, health care, and nonprofit institutions. The course will provide an overview of financial cost, and managerial accounting. Topics to be included are: reading financial statements, governmental fund and nonprofit accounting, operating and capital budgets, general fixed assets and long-term debt, account groups, and government accounting standards. Emphasis will be placed on the role of accounting in management decision making and organizational control. Prerequisites: This course does not have a prerequisite.

PAA 501- Accounting for Government, Health Care, and Nonprofit Entities

This is a basic course for students with a limited background in accounting. Emphasis will be placed on the development of basic accounting, concepts, and techniques, the difference between public and private sector accounting and applications of accounting concepts to government, health care, and nonprofit institutions. The course will provide an overview of financial cost, and managerial accounting. Topics to be included are: reading financial statements, governmental fund and nonprofit accounting, operating and capital budgets, general fixed assets and long-term debt, account groups, and government accounting standards. Emphasis will be placed on the role of accounting in management decision-making and organizational control. Prerequisites: This course does not have a prerequisite.

PAA 601 - Public Administration and Its Environment

This course provides an introduction to the field of public administration, including its history as an academic discipline and a field of service. It focuses on the organization and structure of American national, state and local governments and examines their powers, responsibilities and functions in the federal system. The course emphasizes the impact of a changing political environment on the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government as they influence the development of public policy. Specific case examples illustrating the principles of public administration will be taken from government, health care, and nonprofit organizations. Prerequisites: This course does not have a prerequisite.

PAA 602- Organization Theory and Management

This course examines organizations from three perspectives, as closed, natural and open systems. It will help students to understand better the relationship among organizational structure, organization functions, and individual and group behavior. Behavioral forces and their implications will be addressed as students are exposed to concepts of power, control and change within appropriate contexts. Leadership will be discussed from a situational perspective with emphasis on the complexity of the modern organization in the government, health care, and nonprofit sectors. Knowledge of organization theory will be used to enhance students' understanding of management functions. Prerequisites: This course does not have a prerequisite.

PAA 603- Economics of Government, Health Care, and Nonprofit Entities

This course introduces the principles of economics as applied to the government, health care and nonprofit sectors in the United States. The course will provide an analysis of the role of public and nonprofit institutions in the private market economic system. Special attention will be paid to the interaction of economics and the political process. Specific topics to be covered are: public vs. private goods, market failure and externalities, supply and demand analysis, public choice theory, indifference curve analysis, macroeconomic stabilization, the public debt and economic development and growth. Economic analysis will be applied to contemporary policy issues such as public welfare, health care, the environment, transportation, education, and taxation. Prerequisites: This course does not have a prerequisite.

PAA 604- Budgeting and Financial Analysis

Elective This course provides an in-depth analysis of budgeting and finance as applied to government, health care, and the nonprofit sectors. Its main focus is on principles of public finance and budgetary analysis as seen in financial decision making. Topics introduced in the course include the budget cycle, budget methods, budget reform, taxation and tax structures, intergovernmental fiscal relations, and cost and break-even analyses. The course also involves computer applications of these concepts to problems in government, health care, and nonprofit sector decision-making. Prerequisites: This course does not have a prerequisite.

PAA 604- Budgeting and Financial Analysis

This course provides an in-depth analysis of budgeting and finance as applied to government, health care, and the nonprofit sectors. Its main focus is on principles of public finance and budgetary analysis as seen in financial decision making. Topics introduced in the course include the budget cycle, budget methods, budget reform, taxation and tax structures, intergovernmental fiscal relations, and cost and break-even analyses. The course also involves computer applications of these concepts to problems in government, health care, and nonprofit sector decision-making. Prerequisites: This course does not have a prerequisite.

PAA 605- Ethics and Leadership

This course is designed to make students aware of their responsibility as professionals in leadership and administrative positions in our complex society. Individual values and normative choices associated with the implementation of public policy will be discussed. Social, legal, and economic realities will be examined in light of philosophical arguments. Case studies and current examples relevant to government, health care, and nonprofit organizations will be used as practical applications of ethical precepts and conduct. Prerequisites: This course does not have a prerequisite.

PAA 606- Research Design for Administrators

This is a core course in the MPA program. It covers the fundamentals of research methods for public administrators. The course is designed to assist public administrators in the consumption and production of research in their field. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches to research will be covered and public administration students will be given direct experience in both of these research areas. Prerequisites: This course does not have a prerequisite.

PAA 607- Applied Data Analysis

This course teaches the fundamentals of statistic and quantitative methods as applied to public administration. The course is designed to integrate statistical and quantitative methods and decision making. Topics to be included are: basic measurement and experimental design probability and probability distribution, samples and sampling techniques, inference and hypothesis testing, contingency tables, analysis of variance, correlation analysis, and simple and multiple regression analysis. Emphasis will be placed on the applications of these concepts to issues and problems in government, health care, and nonprofit organizations. Prerequisites: This course does not have a prerequisite.

PAA 614- Strategic Planning and Marketing

This course examines basic concepts in strategic planning and marketing with special emphasis on the organization and management of the strategic planning process, marketing decision models, and techniques for the promotion of services to the public. Discussion of the ethical issues surrounding marketing is included. Required of all students with a specialization in planning and evaluation or nonprofit financial management. Prerequisites: This course does not have a prerequisite.

PAA 615- Program Planning and Evaluation

Program planning techniques common to all organizations will be studied. Special emphasis will be placed on the application of the planning process to governmental, health, and nonprofit organizations. The course will have equal emphasis on the evaluation of existing programs. Needs assessment, monitoring, and methods of measuring program impact will be studied. The course will examine the environment in which planning and evaluation take place, as well as the tools, designs, and techniques required. Required of all students in the planning and evaluation specialization. Prerequisites: This course does not have a prerequisite.

PAA 615- Program Planning and Evaluation

Program planning techniques common to all organizations will be studied. Special emphasis will be placed on the application of the planning process to governmental, health, and nonprofit organizations. The course will have equal emphasis on the evaluation of existing programs. Needs assessment, monitoring, and methods of measuring program impact will be studied. The course will examine the environment in which planning and evaluation take place, as well as the tools, designs, and techniques required. Required of all students in the planning and evaluation specialization. Prerequisites: This course does not have a prerequisite.

PAA 670- The Not-for-Profit Sector

This course examines the history of nonprofit organizations in the United States to develop a social perspective and a sense of the magnitude, scope and functions of the nonprofit sector. The course also looks at the relationship of the nonprofit sector to government and business. The course explores the theoretical basis on which social scientists have sought to understand the nonprofit sector in our economic, political and social environment. Issues shaping the future role of the nonprofit sector will be discussed. Required of all students in the nonprofit management track. Prerequisites: This course does not have a prerequisite.

PAA 670- The Not-for-Profit Sector

This course examines the history of nonprofit organizations in the United States to develop a social perspective and a sense of the magnitude, scope and functions of the nonprofit sector. The course also looks at the relationship of the nonprofit sector to government and business. The course explores the theoretical basis on which social scientists have sought to understand the nonprofit sector in our economic, political and social environment. Issues shaping the future role of the nonprofit sector will be discussed. Required of all students in the nonprofit management track. Prerequisites: This course does not have a prerequisite.

PAA 673- Financial Resource Development for Not-for-Profits

This new course will provide a thorough examination of the history, theory, and practice surrounding the variety of means by which not-for-profits generate funds, solicitations of gifts, planned giving, capital campaigns, earned income, fees for service, sale of products, memberships, grants, contracts, investments, and special events. The growing impact of social entrepreneurship on not-for-profit revenue models will also be examined. Special attention will be given to understanding philanthropy as distinctive to the not-for-profit sector, strategic choices and consequences among the various fundraising means, and impact upon organizational mission. Course Rotation: TBA. Prerequisites: This course does not have a prerequisite.

PAA 673- Financial Resource Development for Not-for-Profits

This new course will provide a thorough examination the history, theory, and practice surrounding the variety of means by which not-for-profits generate funds solicitations of gifts, planned giving, capital campaigns, earned income, fees for service, sale of products, memberships, grants, contracts, investments, special events. The growing impact of social entrepreneurship on not-for-profit revenue models will also be examined. Special attention will be given to understanding philanthropy as distinctive to the not-for-profit sector, strategic choices and consequences among the various fundraising means, and impact upon organizational mission. Course Rotation: TBA. Prerequisites: This course does not have a prerequisite.

PAA 681- Advanced Seminar for Not-for-Profit Management Issues

This seminar focuses on advanced management topics of special interest to students in the nonprofit management track. Examples include board development, communication and public relations, and organization development strategies. Prerequisites: This course does not have a prerequisite.

PAA 699- Capstone Project Seminar

The Capstone Project Seminar provides the student with the opportunity to carry out an analysis of an organization with which she/he is familiar. It may be one in which the student is currently employed, or the site of an administrative placement during the program. The specific focus of the analysis will be determined by the interests of the student and approved by the project advisor. Seminar discussions will assist the student to relate concepts to the functioning of ongoing organizations, thus tying the curriculum to the world of work. A formal presentation of the analysis will be required. Restrictions/Requirements: A 3.0 GPA is required for a student to register for the Capstone.Required of all students in the MPA program. This course is taken during the last year of graduate study. Department approval required. Prerequisites: PAA 601 and PAA 602 and PAA 603 and PAA 604 and PAA 606 and PAA 607 with minimum grade