Public Policy Course Descriptions
4911 Management Issues in Nonprofit Organizations: Staff Management Issues
(Same as Policital Science 4911 and, Social Work 4911)
This course addresses issues involved in managing staff in non-profit
organizations. The course will cover the following topics: fundamentals
of staff supervision; balancing supervisory processes with counseling
and coaching; selecting, hiring, evaluating, and terminating staff;
legal issues that affect these processes. (1 credit hour)
Prerequisite: Junior standing.
(Same as Political Science 4812 and Social Work 4912)
This course addresses legal issues involved in managing and governing non-profit organizations. The course will cover the following topics: The Board as steward of the organization; Director and officer liability; tax laws concerning charitable giving; legal issues in managing staff and volunteers (e.g., hiring, evaluating, and terminating employees); and the Missouri Non-profit Organization law.
(1 credit hour)
4913 Management Issues in Nonprofit Organizations: Financial Issues
(Same as Political Science 4913 and Social Work 4913)
This course addresses financial issues involved in the governing and
managing of non-profit organizations. The course will cover the following
topics: Cash flow analysis; budgeting; fund accounting; cost accounting
(determining costs for programs and services); understanding and using
standard financial statements, including balance sheets, cash-flow statements,
statements of activity and operating and capital budgets. (1 credit
hour)
4940 Leadership and Management in Nonprofit Organizations (NPOs)
(Same as Political Science 4940, Sociology 4940 and Social Work
4840)
This course addresses the role and scope of the independent sector
in the United States, as well as the leadership and management of nonprofit
organizations within that sector. Topics include the economic and political
scope of the independent sector, the role of volunteerism in a democratic
society, and the role and scope of philanthropy. Topics in voluntary,
nonprofit organization management and leadership include: the dynamics,
functions and membership structure of NPOs, especially staff-board and
other volunteer relations; resource mobilization; and program development
management and evaluation. (3 credit hours)
Prerequisite: Junior standing.
4960 American Philanthropy and Nonprofit Resource Development
(Same as Political Science 4960 and Social Work 4960)
This course addresses the history, philosophy, roles, and scope of
philanthropy in the United States, including its role in the non-profit,
voluntary sector. It further examines the contemporary forces which impact
philanthropy and charitable giving both by institutions and individuals.
The course examines the effective planning and management of development
programs (e.g. annural giving), fund raising vehicles (e.g. mail solicitations)
and the fund raising process, and form planning through donor relations.
(3 credit hours)
Prerequisite: Junior standing or consent by the instructor.
6010 Introduction to Policy Research
(Same as Political Science 6401)
Procedures for testing explanations, including research
design, principles of measurement, probability sampling,
methods of data collection, and techniques for analyzing
data.
(3 credit hours)
(Same as Economics 5010)
This course introduces microeconomic analysis of consumers, firms, and government, with an emphasis on policy applications. It assumes no prior training in economics and is appropriate for graduate students in Public Policy Administration, Non-profit Management, Political Science, Gerontology, Criminology, Criminal Justice and other related fields.
(3 credit hours)
Prerequisite: Graduate standing.
6000 Introduction to Policy Analysis
(Same as Political Science 6410)
Systematic development of a critical/analytic base for dealing with public
policy.
(3 credit hours)
6150 Directed Readings and Research in Public Policy
(Same as Political Science 6415)
Independent study through readings, reports, research projects, and conferences.
May be repeated for credit, provided subject matter is different. (1 - 10
credit hours)
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor
6170 Income & Pension Policy for the Aged
(Same as Political Science 6417, Gerontology 6417 and Social Work 6417:
MSW students normally take the social policy foundation course prior to enrolling
in this class)
Examination of federal, state and local policies that affect the economic
well-being of the elderly. The development of social security programs and
pension programs is explored within a historical context. Emphasis is placed
on the analysis of current policy problems and proposed solutions.
(3 credit hours)
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor.
6180 Governmental Budgeting and Financial Control
(Same as Business Administration 5450)
A study of municipal and federal financial control and budgeting procedures
with emphasis on public policy. The impact of financial control on top management
decisions and the effect of budget strategies on the allocations of public
funds. (3 credit hours)
Prerequisite: Accounting 5400
6210 Public Sector Microeconomics
(Same as Economics 6500)
This course applies the tools of intermediate microeconomics to address
public sector issues. Special emphasis is place on critically analyzing current
public policy debates using the models developed. Topics covered include: cases
in which the competitive market fails to allocate resources efficiently (e.g.
extranalities and public goods), importance of property rights, incentive effects
of the tax and transfer system, and the fundamentals of cost-benefit analysis. (3
credit hours)
Prerequisites: Economics 3001, Public Policy Administration
6080,or Business Administration 5001
6340 Seminar in City Administration
This course provides an overview of the working environment of a city administrator
and is jointly sponsored by the local city managers' association. Professional
city personnel make presentations to students on six major topics: political
structure, organizational structure, service delivery, finance, personnel
policies and practices, and leadership. The course provides direct observation
of city council meetings, visits to various municipal facilities, exposure
to different philosophies and styles of city management, and provides students
a chance to assemble facts, evaluate options, and present policy recommendations
for real problems that local administrators face.(3 credit hours)
6350 Issues in Urban Management (3)
Designed to evaluate management issues that confront managers in local government from a political perspective. The format will include an intense review and discussion of original case studies from actual local government situations. The specific focus of this course will vary. Course may be repeated.
6400 Proseminar in Public Administration
(Same as Political Science 6440)
Examination of major approaches to analyzing public policies and their
administration. Emphasis is on the effects of administrative organization and
procedures on policy decisions and their impacts. Specific topics may include
administrative accountability, intergovernmental relations, public-private
interaction, implemention processes, bureaucratic expertise, the legal environment
of public administration, and public service and merit issues. (3 credit
hours)
6430 Health Care Policy
(Same as Political Science 6443, Social Work 6443 and Gerontology 6443:
MSW students will normally take the social policy foundation course prior to
enrolling in this course)
Survey course examining current issues in health care policy that face
the nation. Policies are placed in a historical context to show how issues
have been influenced by different political and economic conditions. Secondary
consequences and limitations of current trends in health policy are explored.
(3 credit hours)
Prerequisite: Graduate standing and consent of instructor.
6440 Seminar in Public Policy and Aging
(Same as Political Science 6444 and Gerontology 6444)
The study of specialized issues and methods related to federal, state and
local policies that affect the elderly. Potential policy areas to be covered
include housing, taxation, mental health, transportation, etc. May be repeated
for credit, provided the subject manner is different. (3 credit hours)
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
6460 Selected Topics in Health Care Policy
(Same as Sociology 6446 and Political Science 6446)
The study of specialized issues and methods relating to health care policy.
May be repeated for credit, provided the subject matter is different. (3
credit hours)
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
6490 Human Resources in the Public Sector
(Same as Political Science 6449 and Social Work 6449)
This course presents an overview of personnel and labor relations in the
public sector. Particular emphasis placed on issues which are unique to the
public sector, such as the merit system, the questions of representative bureaucracy
and the constraints of personnel in the nonprofit sector. The topics include
personnel reforms in the federal sector, equal employment and affirmative action
policies, testing, selection, hiring, comparable worth, job evaluation, and
labor relations including grievance arbitration and collective bargaining. (3
credit hours)
Prerequisite: Public Policy Administration 6600 or consent of
instructor.
6510 Urban and Regional Planning and Public Policy
This class focuses on the interdependent processes of urbanization and public
policy. Students will acquire an understanding of urban planning and
public policy in North Amercia. (3 credit hours)
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor.
6550 Strategic and Program Planning for Nonprofit Organizations
(Same as Political Science 6490 and Social Work 6491)
Strategic and program planning enable an organization to concentrate on
efforts and set priorities guided by a mission, vision, and an understanding
of its environment. Focus is on preparing a strategic plan and a program plan
for a nonprofit organization and analyzing an organization's ability to deliver
good and/or services to its constituents in today's economic, social and political
climate.
(3 credit hours)
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor.
6600 Organizational Behavior and Administrative Processes
(Same as Management 5600)
The theoretical and research contribution of the behavioral sciences to
management and administration are examined and applied to selected organizational
situations. Areas to be considered from the standpoint of both individual and
organizational performance are communication, motivation, conflict, decision
making, goal setting, leadership, organizational design, climate, development,
and control. Utilizing a systems perspective, the course attempts to develop
in each student an ability to analyze and solve organizational problems.
(3 credit hours)
6680 Negotiating Workplace Conflict
(Same as Management 5612 and Sociology 5451)
Examines conflict and cooperation between individuals, groups, and organizations
over the control of work. A central theme is how this conflict is expressed,
controlled, and resolved. Students will participate in exercises to learn the
basics of two-party negotiations.
(3 credit hours)
Prerequisites: Public Policy Administration/Managment 5600 and Graduate
standing
6750 Introduction to Evaluation Research Methods
(Same as Sociology 5475, Psychology 5475, and Criminal Justice 5475)
A comparative study of research strategies with regard to data sources,
data collection, and modes of analysis that are appropriate for program evaluation
research. Attention is given to observational survey, and quasi-experimental
designs.
(3 credit hours)
Prerequisites: At least one course in research design and statistics
at the graduate level.
6800 Management Information Systems
(Same as Management Science/Information Systems 6800)
An overview of management information systems is presented, including various
information systems concepts and technologies. Students are introduced to a
mainframe operating system, a microcomputer-based operating system, and a programming
language. Students are also exposed to several common microcomputer-based software
applications.
(3 credit hours)
Prerequisite: Economics 3150
6900 Cases in Public Policy Administration
This capstone course intensively analyzes public policy administration
cases drawn from a variety of issues and settings
(3 credit hours)
Prerequisite: 24 hours of Public Policy Administration courses,
at least 15 of which are core courses
6950 Internship
Independent study involving work with an appropriate public, private or
non-profit agency. Special consent form required. (1-6 credits)
6990 Exit Project Research
The exit project is viewed as the capstone of the MPPA Program. As such,
it is meant to be undertaken towards the end of a student's program, usually
during the final semester. Its purpose is to provide evidence to the faculty
that the degree candidate has mastered the skills acquired in the various courses
completed during residence at the University and can apply them to the analysis
of a practical research problem. (1 credit hour)
Prerequisite: Completion of, or simultaneous enrollment in
other degree requirement courses