2013-14 Public Administration (MPA)
Application and acceptance to the program is required. (Non admitted students with a bachelor’s degree and Evergreen undergraduates are eligible to take MPA electives on a space available basis: see the MPA home page for more information.)
The Master of Public Administration degree is offered in three areas of concentration: Public & Nonprofit Administration, Public Policy and Tribal Governance. Students in these three concentrations are organized into two cohorts: the General cohort (Public & Nonprofit Administration and Public Policy concentrations) and the Tribal cohort (Tribal Governance concentration).
| Title | Standing | Credits | Schedule | F | W | S | Su | Description | Preparatory | Faculty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Cohort | ||||||||||
| 1st Year Core - General | ||||||||||
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The Context of Public Administration
Amy Gould, Steve Laubacher and Gregory Weeks |
GRGraduate | 6 | 6-10p Thurs, 9a-5p Sat, Dec 14 | F 13Fall | Amy Gould Steve Laubacher Gregory Weeks | |||||
| 2nd Year Core - General | ||||||||||
|
Analytical Techniques for Public Service I
Cheryl Simrell King, Moroni Benally and Marc Baldwin |
GRGraduate | 6 | 6-10p, Thurs, 9a-5p Sat Oct 19 | F 13Fall | Analytical Techniques for Public Service is a two-quarter long Core program for second-year MPA students. Across the two quarters we seek to: understand research methodology; understand why we do research in public service; become competent in quantitative and quantitative data collection and analysis; understand analytical techniques in practice (public policy; budgeting and finance; performance measurement and management; evaluation research; etc); situate analytical techniques in management/public policy (the context); become facile with the critiques of analytical techniques; develop skills in communicating about data (displaying data; presentations) and writing research reports; and become a savvy and sophisticated consumer of research. In the Fall quarter, we focus specifically on questions of design and the application of analytical techniques in public service. | Cheryl Simrell King Moroni Benally Marc Baldwin | ||||
| Public Policy Concentration | ||||||||||
|
Foundations of Public Policy
Amy Gould |
GRGraduate | 4 | Oct 15, 26-27, Nov 9-10, 19, 6-10p Tues, 9a-5p Sat/Sun | F 13Fall | Policies can be regulatory, distributive, or redistributive; material or symbolic; substantive (what government intends to do) or procedural (how something will be done and who will do it). They can provide collective goods or private goods and can be liberal or conservative. Public policies are not limited to governing public life: Our "public life" relates to how, when, and why we engage with the public sphere and this often involves our private life. For example, the materials used in your home can be regulated by public policies developed and enforced by public servants. This is known as entering into a "Ulysses contract" whereby I grant policies and government legitimacy by agreeing to allow government policies to stop me from harming myself. Therefore, public policies can be a goal or value of one entity and not representative of an entire "public". Finally, while a policy can be driven by law or actually influence law, policy cannot do less than law requires. As noted by Schneider and Ingram, the key is for any public policy to solve problems.This course provides an overview of the concepts and issues at the heart of public administration: public policy. One of the texts you will read is by Deborah Stone who stated, “policy is the struggle over ideas and these ideas are the stuff of politics." This course is intended to provide an introduction to the study of public policy processes and the practice of public policy analysis. By comparing and contrasting various approaches, we seek to provide guidance for future policy makers and policy analysts. To accomplish this, students will become policy designers and functional critics who recognize the social constructs and subjective limitations of policy creation, implementation, and evaluation. | Amy Gould | ||||
| Tribal Cohort | ||||||||||
| 2nd Year Core - Tribal | ||||||||||
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Analytical Techniques for Public Service I - Tribal
Moroni Benally and Jenny Serpa |
GRGraduate | 6 | Oct 4-6, 18-20, Nov 1-3, 1-5p Fri, 8:30a-5p Sat/Sun | F 13Fall | Analytical Techniques for Public Service is a two-quarter long Core program for second-year MPA students. While we will focus each quarter on specific approaches to applied public service research, the intent is that the learning objectives of the program will be achieved across both quarters. The learning objectives include: Understand research methodology; understand why we do research in public service; Become competent in quantitative and quantitative data collection and analysis; Understand analytical techniques in practice (public policy; budgeting and finance; performance measurement and management; evaluation research; etc); Be able to situate analytical techniques in management/public policy (the context); understand the importance of these techniques; Become facile with the critiques of analytical techniques not to be a cynic but to be a better user/developer of the techniques; Develop skills in communicating about data (displaying data; presentations) and writing research reports; and Become a savvy and sophisticated consumer of research. In the Fall quarter, we focus specifically on questions of design and the application of analytical techniques in public service. | Moroni Benally Jenny Serpa | ||||
| Tribal Concentration | ||||||||||
|
Tribal Economics
Marc Baldwin, Alan Parker and John McCoy |
GRGraduate | 4 | Nov 15-17, Dec 6-8, 1-5p Fri, 8:30a-5p Sat/Sun | F 13Fall | Tribal Economics will be taught by John McCoy and a yet to be announced professor. This class will focus on the unique roles that tribal government plays in relation to economic, business and community development within Indian reservations and the surrounding areas. As the local government within reservation boundaries, tribes are responsible for determining which business enterprises may be licensed, which economic activities are to be permitted by individuals and corporations and which are to be tribally-managed. Tribal governments are responsible for regulating all land uses and to assess the environmental impacts of development proposals. In fulfilling these responsibilities, tribal governments constitute the primary authority charged with safeguarding the public good and protecting the tribal community from any harmful practices of private business. At the same time tribes strive to create an environment in which legitimate business and commerce may flourish. Tribal governments have the authority to impose taxes on economic activities and business transactions in order to generate revenue for public services. They must also fund the development of physical infrastructure such as roads, utilities, etc. Tribes take on the role of “community development” which includes construction and maintenance of public housing, schools, health care facilities, public recreation and cultural preservation. In this course, we will examine how tribal governments balance these complex and challenging roles in the context of cultural compatibility with the values and traditions of the tribal community and integration of the Tribes role within the surrounding non-tribal communities and external public land management agencies. | Marc Baldwin Alan Parker John McCoy | ||||
| Electives | ||||||||||
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Doing The Public's Business
Stephen Buxbaum |
GRGraduate | 2 | Nov 15-17, 5-9p Fri, 9a-5p Sat/Sun | F 13Fall | This course explores how public programs, projects and services are conceived, approved, funded and financed; using case studies about environmental, infrastructure and affordable housing projects and activities. Students will learn about how resource allocation decisions are made, how public value is determined and how levels of government work with and sometimes against each other as they take action to meet public needs. Course is intended for MPA or MES students and upper division undergraduates. | Stephen Buxbaum | ||||
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Government Finance Policy
Russ Lidman |
GRGraduate | 2 | Oct 11-13, 5-9p Fri, 9a-5p Sat/Sun | F 13Fall | There is theory and practice in government finance. A few words about practice. All getting and spending decisions are determined in a political context and may have little or no connection to what theory might suggest. Why then spend time on theory? It is important to be able to articulate the case for or against a public sector role. It is a good idea if at least one person in the room where decisions are made can anticipate the outcomes of a decision and might have some thoughts about how to accomplish a desired end more efficiently or more equitably. Advocates, perhaps not in the room where decisions are made, need a basis to assess getting and spending proposals, and theory is a foundation of assessment. Theory too is at the basis of regulatory frameworks. This weekend course will include lectures, speakers, cases and readings. Students will complete a subsequent project where they will examine a program or revenue source, implemented or proposed. | Russ Lidman | ||||
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Human Resources
Pamela Peters |
GRGraduate | 4 | Oct 11-13, Nov 8-10, 5-9p Fri, 9a-5p Sat/Sun | F 13Fall | This 2 weekend intensive is not your average HR course. Students will be introduced to management concepts affecting today’s diverse workplaces and will engage in active learning experiences designed to improve their management skills. Concepts covered will include those that affect employment issues in the public sector as well as tribal government while gaining a better understanding of how doing HR in tribal government differs from other government employers. Students will also learn how management impacts the way employees interact and communicate with one another to improve morale, teamwork, and productivity. | Pamela Peters | ||||
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Legislative Policy
Karen Fraser |
GRGraduate | 4 | Oct 4-6, Nov 15-17, 5-9p Fri, 9a-5p Sat/Sun | F 13Fall | Legislative Policy, taught by Washington State Senator Karen Fraser, deepens perspectives on public policies made by legislature and the legislative policy making process. Students learn about many of the "nuts and bolts" of the state legislative policy making process, including consideration of bills and resolutions, expenditures and revenues, gubernatorial appointments, initiatives and referenda, legislative staff and other professional opportunities, scheduling and negotiating strategies. In addition, the class examines the political context of the legislative policy making process including: state and federal constitutions, tribal treaties, interstate compacts, international treaties, federal and local governments, political parties, interest groups, media, citizens and more. Students will explore a variety of legislative issues | Karen Fraser | ||||
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Nonprofit Theory and Practice
Steve Laubacher |
GRGraduate | 4 | 6-10p, Tues | F 13Fall | This course will provide a thorough introduction to nonprofit theory and practice through a comprehensive examination of the major systems of a nonprofit organization. Specifically, we will examine the systems of programming (organizational output); business (accounting, program and capital budgeting; and support services such as technology); resource development (grant writing, event management; and personal solicitation); and human resources (hiring; managing the employment process; and evaluation). We will also examine selected topics such as board governance, strategic planning, and/or personal interests of the participants. This course will be the first of a three course series (offered in the fall, winter, and spring terms) that will focus on nonprofit organizations. A major emphasis will be to give participants both a theoretical sense of the selected topics but also some practical tools that will enable an individual to excel within a nonprofit agency. Students will benefit from taking any or all of the series. | Steve Laubacher | ||||
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Sustainable Leadership & Decision Making
Michael Mucha |
GRGraduate | 2 | Nov 22-24, 5-9p Fri, 9a-5p Sat/Sun | F 13Fall | This course will focus on ways for the manager or team leader to use sustainability as a management competency to achieve community or organizational goals in a way that empowers people, promotes healthy eco systems and creates thriving and vibrant communities. Instead of viewing sustainability as being an abstract end goal, this course will focus more on how students can lead in a sustainable way. This course will also help students use sustainability as a decision-making platform to build trusting relationships, channel creativity and create balanced solutions that last and have fewer unintended consequences. | Michael Mucha | ||||
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Transportation Policy
Ryan Warner |
GRGraduate | 2 | Nov 1-3, 5-9p Fri, 9a-5p Sat/Sun | F 13Fall | No matter if you are a program manager at a non-profit, a policy analyst in a government agency, or simply a citizen trying to get to work or school your life is affected by the challenges of transportation. During this weekend intensive seminar we will analyze and discuss the wide range of transportation choices. The course will focus on understanding how transportation policy is formed at the various levels of government by examining statutory and regulatory frameworks, institutions involved in transportation policy, policymaking processes and the stakeholders who shape transportation policy and investments. The class will look at modes of surface transportation including motor vehicles, rail, public transportation, bicycling and walking and examine the relationship between transportation policy and other critical urban and regional policy issues including economic development, public health, land use, smart growth and climate change. The weekend will be interactive with guest speakers, small group work, and out of the classroom learning | Ryan Warner | ||||