CORE COURSES, REQUIRED OF ALL MPA STUDENTS

The following two courses introduce students to research and research design in public administration.

PSCI 655: Scope and Methods of Political Science and Public Administration--3 hours. Introduction to the graduate study of political science and its sub-fields, with attention to methodology, research design, and research methods.

PSCI 658: Seminar in Empirical Theory--3 hours. Survey of contemporary approaches in political science, including, among others, sociological and psychological perspectives, role and group theories, theories of games and coalitions, organization theories, and systems theories. Topics selected to accord with student needs and interests.

The following two courses introduce students to the American public policy process, and to the institutions in which policy is made and through which it is administered.

PSCI 621: Seminar in American Government--3 hours. A comprehensive survey of major perspectives on American government in literature and research. Voting behavior, congressional-presidential relationships, the decision-making process and the public interest.

PA 601: Proseminar in Public Administration--3 hours. An analytical overview of public administration as a field of study and as a profession in the United States and other countries.

These three courses introduce students to core functions within the practice of public administration.

PA 605: Organizational Behavior in Public Agencies--3 hours. Conceptual and empirical analysis of organizational and personal relationships in public agencies. Professional socialization, interpersonal relationships, conflict management, and informal influence will be emphasized.

PA 606: Public Personnel Administration--3 hours. Analysis of managerial philosophies and techniques utilized in public and non-profit agencies. Topics covered will include manpower analysis, recruitment, affirmative action, and job analysis.

PA 607: Budgeting in Governmental Agencies--3 hours. Financial administration in public agencies, emphasizing budgetary techniques and political aspects of financial decision making. Budget preparation for state and local agencies will be emphasized.

ELECTIVES

Electives in public administration: Students may in consultation with the MPA director choose from among these public administration courses to fulfill the requirements for the degree.

PA 608 Legal Environment of Public Administration--3 hours. Analysis of key legal concepts as they relate to public and non-profit agencies. Municipal law, administrative law, personnel matters, and constitutional concerns will be surveyed

PA 609 Ethical Concerns in Current American Public Administration--3 hours. This course reviews theories of ethics and principles of ethics applied to management in the public sector. It deals with ethical issues that may confront the public manager. Accountability, discretion, working in the public interest, and influence of public administrators on public policy are reviewed. The course emphasizes practical approaches to ethical dilemmas in public administration. (Course description revised.)

PA 640 Seminar in Personnel Law--3 hours. Analysis of personnel-related legal matters and their applications in public personnel management. Topics covered will include EEOC/OSHA guidelines, fair employment, employee rights, and collective bargaining laws. A major research paper will be required.

PA 660 Seminar in Administrative Law--3 hours. Advanced study of administrative law in relation to local, state, and federal public administration. A major research paper will be required.

PA 690 Special Topics in Public Administration--3 hours. Special topics in public administration not covered by regularly scheduled research seminars will be considered. The course may be repeated for up to 6 hours of credit with a different topic. A major project will be required.

PA 698 Directed Research in Public Administration--3 hours. Supervised research on an approved topic resulting in a major research document.

Other Required Courses

PA 697 Public Administration Capstone--3 hours. This course will provide supervised research experience to non-thesis M.P.A. students. Each class member will produce a major research paper and make a formal presentation in an open forum. The class will meet regularly to consider methodological innovations, research designs, and progress reports on individual projects.

PA 695 Internship in Public Agency--3 hours. Work experience in a public or not-for-profit organizations under administrative and academic supervision. Only required of students without significant work experience in public or nonprofit management.

ELECTIVES IN POLITICAL SCIENCE

Students may choose from among the following political science courses to fulfill the requirements of the MPA.

PSCI 500 Topics in American Government and Politics--3 hours.

PSCI 507 Legislative Process and Behavior--3 hours.

PSCI 509 Congress and Public Policy--3 hours.

PSCI 510 Groups and the Political Process--3 hours.

PSCI 514 The American Presidency--3 hours

PSCI 516 Public Opinion and Mass Political Behavior--3 hours

PSCI 517 American Constitutional Law II: Separation of Powers, Federalism, and Representation--3 hours.

PSCI 518 American Constitutional Law III: Civil Rights and Civil Liberties--3 hours.

PSCI 596 Contested Issues in Political Science--3 hours.

PSCI 676 Seminar in International Relations--3 hours

PSCI 693 Seminar in Comparative Politics--3 hours

OTHER ELECTIVE COURSES

The political science department and the public administration program encourage their students to take advantage of interdisciplinary study now offered by the university as a result of partnerships between this and other departments throughout ISU. MPA students may enroll in elective courses offered by other departments if the courses chosen, in the judgment of the MPA director and the PA faculty, comport with one or more elements of the study and practice of public administration.

The Catalog of Indiana State University is the document of authority for all students. The requirements given in the catalog supersede information issued by any academic department, program, college, or school. The University reserves the right to change the requirements at any time.