Fall 2013 Course Listings

PA 295 Critical Issues in Transportation in the 21 Century
Brian Lee
CRN: 92948
Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:00 - 5:15pm
The local, regional and global transportation systems are vital to community, the economy, and economic development.   Transportation policies impact the environment, energy, culture, equitable mobility between regions and groups, as well as overall quality of life.  Critical transportation issues and problems in the 21st century will require multidisciplinary teams to design innovative solutions.  Yet, the majority of transportation-related courses at most universities are within the Civil and Environmental Engineering or Geography departments.   The objective of this new course is to develop a multidisciplinary partnership to spark a campus-wide awareness of critical issues in transportation. 3 Credits

PA 301 Foundations of Public Administration
Chris Koliba
CRN: 90212
Mondays 4:05 -7:05pm
This course is an analysis of major elements of management in the public sector (organization, personnel, budgeting) with special attention to problems arising from political imperatives generated by a democratic society.  3 Credits
View/download syllabus (PDF). >>

PA 303 Research Methods
Jane Kolodinsky
CRN: 91579
Tuesdays and Thursdays 8:30 -9:45am
Thomas DeSisto
Wednesday Labs: 9:35-10:25 am [CRS: 91580] OR 4:05-4:55 pm [CRN: 91581]
This course has been designed to enable students from a variety of  backgrounds (a) to be informed consumers of social research and (b) to be able conduct a basic social science research project from conception to completion. Throughout the semester, theoretical underpinning will be presented and discussed, but the course will primarily focus on applied research. Enrollment in a laboratory section is required.  Credits: 3

PA 305 Public and Non-Profit Financial Resource Management
Richard Cate
CRN: 91557
Tuesdays 5:30-8:15pm
This course is an introductory survey of public budgeting and financial management. The purpose of this course is to explore fundamental ideas, concepts, and theories that contribute to understanding public sector revenue and expenditure decisions and to examine basic practices and techniques of modern financial administration, budget preparation, and performance measurement. The course will rely on readings, discussions and case studies that focus on state and local governments and non-profit organizations as examples. An effort will be made to cover federal budget systems as well.  3 Credits
View/download syllabus (PDF). >>

PA 308 Decision Making Models
Asim Zia
CRN: 91582
Thursdays 4:00 - 6:45pm
In this advanced graduate level seminar, we will explore and analyze a wide range of normative and descriptive decision making models. This course focuses on systems level thinking to impart problem-solving skills in complex decision-making contexts. Individual, inter-personal, organizational and inter-organizational decision making contexts will be analyzed with varying levels of complexity. The emphasis will be placed on imparting cutting edge skills to the students to develop intelligent decision support systems, including agent based simulation models; artificial intelligence (AI)-based technologies such as logic rule-based systems, neural networks, fuzzy logic, case-based reasoning, genetic algorithms, data-mining algorithms; and deliberative decision making models such as mediated modeling and multiple criteria decision analysis techniques. 3 Credits

PA 325 Health Care Policy (click here for sample syllabus)
Meg O'Donnell and Steve Kappel
CRN: 90201
Mondays 5:10 - 8:10pm
This course addresses policy issues affecting structure, performance and change in the U.S. health care system. Historical, comparative, environmental, economic and policy perspectives are considered, as well as recent and current reform efforts. The focus is on policy challenges relevant to health care managers, policy makers, providers and consumers. The course is intended to benefit students with an interest in health services as well as those wishing to improve their understanding of how the health care system affects other settings and systems. 3 Credits

PA 395 Nonprofit Governance and Development
Jane Van Buren
CRN: 92363
Wednesdays 4:05 - 7:05pm
This course is designed to explore in depth the topics of governance and fund development, which are introduced in PA 323, Nonprofit Administration.  The first half of the course will focus on the role and responsibility of a nonprofit board of directors, including different models and theories of governance.  The second half will focus on revenue development in nonprofits and we will discuss the many methods currently in practice from special events to grant writing. 3 Credits

PA 395 International Development NGO
Ned McMahon
CRN: 92949
Wednesday 4:05 – 7:05
This course is designed to help enable students to function effectively in the NGO international development sector. Students will consider questions surrounding the growth of these types of organizations; how and why this has occurred, what effects (positive but also, in some cases, negative) they have had on development, and what trends are in this regard. The course will also provide an up-close perspective for students interested in how such NGOs are organized, and how they can function to have the greatest positive impact. Participants will have the opportunity to work together to prepare project proposals under "real world" conditions of proposal requirements, timing and limited resources. The course will feature hands-on perspectives of individuals who are engaged in the task of designing and implementing programs to be as effective as possible. It will be extremely interactive and collaborative.
View/download syllabus (PDF). >>

PA 395 Peace Corps Service Analysis
Ned McMahon
CRN: 92500
Peace Corps Fellows with three or more years of PC service will receive 6 academic credits in recognition of their substantive Peace Corps activities which are of particular relevance to their CDAE or MPA course work. Consultation with the Peace Corps Director is required for final paper instruction and accrual for academic credits.
Permission from the Director is required. 1-6 Credits

PA 395 Housing Policy
Maura Collins
CRN: 94785
August 26 - October 18, 2013
This online-only , 8-week course covers key housing policy debates such as: the past and future of the private market and federal government's role in housing finance; the history of affordable housing; innovative housing models; land use decision making; and how housing impacts other policy goals such as energy, health care, transportation and education. 3 Credits

PA 395 Strategic Planning in Healthcare
Catherine Hamilton
CRN: 94640
Mondays 5:10 - 8:10pm
This course provides an introduction to Strategic Planning in organizations with a specific focus on health care organizations. The course offers both a conceptual framework and process guidelines for effective planning. It reviews strategic planning concepts, processes and techniques for developing, implementing and evaluating strategic plans within organizations.

PA 380 Internship
CRN: 90197; 3-6 Credits

PA 391 Thesis Research
CRN: 90198; 6 Credits

PA 397 Readings and Research
CRN: 90200; 3-6 Credits

Last modified May 01 2013 09:50 AM