Political Science 337

I. Course Title: Contemporary Problems in Public Administration

II. Course Number: POSC 337

III. Credit Hours: 3 credits 

IV. Prerequisites: POSC 300

V. Course Description: 

Developments in public finance, budgeting and personnel; trends in representative bureaucracy, regulation, regional administration.

Note(s): Applied Learning designated course. Students may not receive credit for both POSC 435 and POSC 337

VI. Detailed Description of Content of the Course:

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to contemporary issues facing public institutions/administrators. Topics may include:

I. Public Finance

  • A. Financing Government
  • B. The Budget
  • C. The Politics of the Budget
  • D. Budget Reform
  • E. Budget Control

II. Managing Fiscal Stress

  • A. Causes of Fiscal Stress
  • B. Decision-Making Under Stress
  • C. Managing Resources
  • D. Productivity
  • E. Cutbacks

III. Public Employment

  • A. Career Service
  • B. Public Personnel Administration
  • C. Staff Relations
  • D. Employment Conditions
  • E. Civil Service Reform
  • F. Professional Style

IV. Public Service Delivery

  • A. Delivery Systems
  • B. Public Entrepreneurs
  • C. Public Business
  • D. Contract Administration

V. Representative Bureaucracy

  • A. Defining Representation
  • B. Representation By Group
  • C. Representation By Number
  • D. Access
  • E. Minority Groups
  • F. Women
  • G. Reverse Discrimination

VI. Regulation

  • A. Classes of Government Regulation
  • B. Politics of Deregulation
  • C. Political Action Committees
  • D. Role of Administrative Agencies
  • E. Administrative Rule-Making
  • F. OMB
  • G. Forces Behind Increasing and Decreasing Regulation

VII. Regional Administration

  • A. Reasons For Regional Administration
  • B. Opposition to Regional Administration
  • C. T.V.A.
  • D. A.R.C.
  • E. Washington's C.O.B.
  • F. Metropolitan Government

VI. Detailed Description of Conduct of Course:

This course will employ a number of teaching/learning methods including classroom lecture, and individual/group projects.

VII. Goals and Objectives of the Course:

  1. To introduce the student to current issues and controversies in the field of Public Administration.
  2. To conceptualize the role of the public administrator in the governance and problem-solving process.
  3. To portray the highly dynamic constitutional and political environment the modern public agency operates in and the challenges those environments pose to public institutions.

VIII. Assessment Measures:

Class performance maybe evaluated with essay examinations classroom participation, and/or case study analysis.

 

Other Course Information: None

 

Review and Approval

DATE ACTION REVIEWED BY
April 1998 Reviewed M. J. Franck, Dept. Chair

August 2020

March 01, 2021