Courses
PADM A601 Introduction to Public Administration and Policy 3 Credits
Introduces the fields of public administration and policy. Analyzes the scope, nature, history, current context and basic tools in the study of public policy and administration. Topics covered include social, economic and political environments of policy and administration; comparative policy/administration; bureaucratic politics; power and authority; law; ethics of policymakers and administrators; and politics of expertise.
Special Note: Offered fall and spring semesters.
Registration Restrictions: Graduate standing
PADM A602 Seminar in Public Management 3 Credits
Focuses on tools and insights that support individual growth in ethical, effective, and efficient management abilities. Students are offered the opportunity for personal development in the context of understanding their own strengths and challenges as a manager in a diverse workforce.
Registration Restrictions: Graduate standing
PADM A603 Management Analysis 3 Credits
Introduction to organizational and systems analysis, systems theory, information systems, procedure analysis, management planning, and management problem solving.
Registration Restrictions: Graduate standing and instructor approval
PADM A604 Research Methods in Public Administration 3 Credits
This course introduces methods of empirical research, including research design, survey sampling, data collection and statistical analysis. There is a special emphasis on communicating results of analysis to administrators, policymakers and the public.
Registration Restrictions: Graduate standing and successful completion of an introductory course in statistics with a minimum grade of C
PADM A606 The Policymaking Process 3 Credits
Examines the skills, protocols and insights required to understand, and participate in the policymaking process. Offers a historical, theoretical, and practical framework for policymaking in a democratic society. Examines the internal and external forces that influence policy development and addresses practical and ethical decision-making considerations.
Registration Restrictions: Graduate standing
PADM A608 Organizational Theory, Design and Development 3 Credits
Prepares students to navigate complex and changing organizational environments and to implement effective organizational design and development. Examines relationships between national events and political and cultural perceptions that impact public organizational environments. Offers a comprehensive framework of organizational theory, practical models and tools that develop organizational resilience.
Registration Restrictions: Graduate standing or instructor permission
PADM A610 Public and Non-Profit Organizational Behavior 3 Credits
Focuses on applying knowledge and practices of organizational development in public and non-profit institutions. Offers an understanding of human behavior in the workplace from individual, group and organizational perspectives. Examines a broad menu of behavior theory. Presents an in-depth study of organizational behaviors including concepts of motivation, leadership style, authority, collaboration and change.
Registration Restrictions: Graduate standing
PADM A620 Internship in Public Administration/Policy 1-3 Credits
Applied work experience in public administration or policy analysis. The course consists of the equivalent of three months of full-time work in an approved state, federal, local, or private agency, under the supervision of a senior agency employee in cooperation with a faculty advisor. An internship journal and a final internship report are required.
Special Note: Offered as demand warrants.
Registration Restrictions: Graduate standing and instructor approval
PADM A624 Human Resources Administration and Labor Relations 3 Credits
Presents a broad spectrum of practical skills, protocols, tools and regulations relating to human resource administration and labor relations in the public sector. Examines the legal requirements, historical context, and ethical underpinning of human resource management and labor relations.
Registration Restrictions: Graduate standing
PADM A628 Public Financial Management 3 Credits
Introduction to the management and administration of public financial resources. The course focuses on finance issues currently faced by professionals who are responsible for administration of public funds. This course explains the local budgetary process and familiarizes students with the following: budget development and implementation; debt financing, operating and capital budgets; accountability and corruption; and integrating performance measures within budgets.
Registration Restrictions: Graduate standing
PADM A632 Public Policy Analysis 3 Credits
Combines theory and practical approaches to public policy analysis. Students are trained to identify policy problems, to select an appropriate method for analysis and to analyze public policy options.
Registration Restrictions: Graduate standing and instructor approval, PADM A604 recommended
PADM A634 Natural Resource Policy and Management 3 Credits
This course introduces the concepts of sustainability science and ecosystem processes related to natural resource policy and management. The course also explores ecosystem management methods, the legal, regulatory and management issues of common-pool resources, resource evaluation and the issues of multi-jurisdictions in natural resource management and policy.
Registration Restrictions: Graduate standing or instructor approval
PADM A640 Dispute Resolution 3 Credits
Reviews literature and principles of dispute resolution. Focuses on negotiation, mediation, and consensus building as ways to resolve individual conflicts, group conflicts, and public disputes.
Registration Restrictions: Graduate standing or permission of instructor
PADM A650 Alaska Policy Studies 3 Credits
Employs analysis and problem-solving skills to gain an understanding of Alaska's dynamic, contemporary and unique policy issues. Topics include the state's government structure and political environment, economy, federal influences, Alaska Native perspectives, and Arctic futures.
Registration Restrictions: Graduate standing
PADM A651 Issues in Arctic Policy 3 Credits
Provides an overview of current Arctic policy issues from sustainable development to national security, and introduces major actors and governance structures. Examines the rapid political, social, economic and climate changes occurring across the circumpolar north.
Registration Restrictions: Graduate standing
PADM A652 Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for Policy and Planning 3 Credits
An overview and hands-on experience of various spatial analysis tools to explore spatial questions related to policy decisions and planning. Students will use social and environmental Geographic Information Systems (GIS) datasets to test hypothesis, discover spatial patterns, and visualize data related to policy issues among a variety of disciplines.
Registration Restrictions: Graduate standing or instructor approval
PADM A659 Public Administration Capstone 3 Credits
Demonstrates PADM student ability to synthesize MPA graduate-level coursework through a final capstone project. Refines student knowledge and skills to identify a client, define a topic, conduct research, and prepare and present a policy report. Integrates research, critical thinking and communication skills as well as experiential and theoretical learning.
Registration Restrictions: Successful completion of the MPA comprehensive core program.
PADM A660 Public Policy Capstone A 3 Credits
Synthesizes Master of Public Policy graduate-level course work through a final capstone project. Refines student knowledge and skills to identify a client, define a topic, and conduct research. Integrates research, critical thinking, and communication skills as well as experiential and theoretical learning.
Special Note: Offered in the fall. First of two sequential courses.
Registration Restrictions: Graduate standing and instructor approval
PADM A661 Public Policy Capstone B 3 Credits
Synthesizes Master of Public Policy graduate-level course work through a final capstone project. Second part of the capstone experience, this course focuses on translating research data into a public presentation and publication, and how to demonstrate leadership in policy creation.
Special Note: Offered in the spring. Second of two sequential courses.
Registration Restrictions: Graduate standing
Prerequisites: PADM A660 with a minimum grade of B.
PADM A671 Selected Topics in Public Administration 1-3 Credits
Analyzes selected public administration issues. Topics will be announced in the published class schedules.
Registration Restrictions: Faculty permission or graduate standing
PADM A688 Program Evaluation and Performance Measurement 3 Credits
Covers theory and practice of program evaluation and performance measurement. Course topics include: needs assessment techniques, an understanding of program logic models, research designs for program evaluation, qualitative and quantitative evaluation approaches, and cost benefit analysis. Development of performance measures, ethics and communicating findings are also covered.
Registration Restrictions: Graduate standing; one undergraduate or graduate statistics course; PADM A604 recommended