PA 2170 Introduction to Public Administration

Course Description

This course is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of public administration in the American government system. Public administration includes the execution of the public laws, regulations, court decisions, and public policies that form the core of our constitutional form of government. The course will examine the foundations, public organizations, public financing and management of this administrative responsibility.

The term “administrative state” has been used to explore the rapid growth in administrative functions as citizen demands of government have increased, leading to the development of new public policy issues, rapid growth in administrative agencies and major increases in governmental budgets. The growth and complexity of public administrative functions have led to new roles and relationships between government and the private and non-profit sectors.

This course will help students have better understanding of the profound impact of public administrative processes and procedures on the daily lives of citizens. Public administrators manage virtually every aspect of public services provided by tax-supported system of government. Federal public administrators play a key role in taxing our salaries and wages, protecting our food and water supply, controlling how aircraft travel in air space, insuring our bank deposits, and having responsibility for our domestic security. State public administrators focus on managing our welfare system, supervising highway construction, overseeing public education, operating our prisons. Local public administrators run agencies that provide fire and police protection, run utilities and public transportation, administer hospitals and health clinics, manage our garbage collection and disposal, provide parks and recreational facilities and supervise the elections of our public officials.    

This course is taught entirely online. I will post lecture slides, lecture videos, supplementary materials, and assignments on Canvas. Student should carefully read the textbook, lecture slides, and complete assignments before each deadline. I will post announcements about readings and assignments if there is a change in syllabus. Student should check for Canvas announcements and emails on a regular basis (daily). All classes will open on every Monday at 9:00 am.

By the end of this course, it is expected that each student will be able to:

1. Develop a better understanding of public administration and relationship between politics and public administration by familiarizing them with the knowledge, values, and skills relevant for engaging in public affairs as a public administrator, or citizens.
2. Learn to apply core concepts or theories of public administration, such as competing organizational and bureaucratic theories, methods of budgeting, the basic tenants of personnel management, and accountability.
3. Develop a critical thinking and writing ability by analyzing current public affair issues and evaluating the structure and function of public administrative agency.