Photo Bar
Nav Bar
header

Public Policy Course Descriptions

 

4911 Management Issues in Non-Profit 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. 

4912 Management Issues in Non-Profit Organizations: Legal Issues in Government and
Managing Non-Profit Organizations
(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 Non-Profit 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 Non-Profit 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 Non-Profit 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) 

6080 Microeconomics for Policy Analysis
(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)

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

Current Course Schedule

Master of Public Policy Administration
University of Missouri - St. Louis 
One University Boulevard , 406 Tower 
St. Louis, MO 63121-4400 
(314)516-5145
Fax: (314) 516-5210
UMSL logo
Home Request Information Apply for Admission University Phonebook Contacts A-Z Index Search