Public Administration & Policy Certificate Program in Public Sector Management

A certificate program in Public Sector Management offers a specialized alternative for those with degrees in other fields who seek graduate training in public administration and policy. The five course program was designed to serve the needs of professionals who hold or desire management positions and have no formal administrative training. Specializations are available in such areas as Public Management, Public Economics and Finance, Local Government Management, Public Policy, and Information Strategy and Management. Coursework in each specialization includes topics related to general management principles, and the administrative environment and special concerns of the field.

Public Management
This specialization provides a foundation in management for persons engaged in or planning careers in management or supervision in the public service. Public management courses focus on techniques of organizational analysis, budgeting, planning, and decision-making.

Required Courses:
•PAD 500 – Introduction to Foundations of Public Administration
•PAD 501 – Public and Nonprofit Financial Management
•PAD 506 – Foundations of Public Management

Elective Courses - Select Two:
•PAD 504 – Data Models, and Decisions
•PAD 600 – Fundamentals of Administrative Law
•PAD 610 – Organizational Theory and Behavior
•PAD 611 – Decision Making in Government and Administration
•PAD 614 – Managerial Leadership in the Public Sector
•PAD 615 – Strategic Planning and Management
•PAD 618 – Public Personnel Administration
•PAD 626 – Evaluation of Public Sector Programs
•PAD 637 – Social and Organizational Networks in Public Policy, Management,
and Service Delivery: Theory, Methods, and Analysis

Public Economics and Finance
This specialization provides a foundation in public economics and finance for working in budgeting, financial and analytical aspects of state and local government. It is also beneficial for those who cross the public and private sector financial boundaries.

Required Courses:
•PAD 501 – Public and Nonprofit Financial Management
•PAD 503 – Principles of Public Economics

Elective Courses:
Select Three:
•PAD 532 – Performance Measurement and Contracting in Government
•PAD 540 – Public Policy Analysis
•PAD 631 – Cost Management for Government and Nonprofit Organizations
•PAD 640 – Financial Management for Nonprofits
•PAD 641 – Basic Governmental Accounting
•PAD 642 – Public Budgeting
•PAD 643 – Economics of Government Programs
•PAD 648 – Economics of Government Revenues
•PAD 659 – Managing Public Service Organization Finances

Local Government Management
The Local Government Management specialization provides a professional development opportunity for government employees interested in local government executive and senior administrative positions. It is also an opportunity for those returning to school and beginning graduate work with a longer range goal of obtaining the MPA with a Local Government Management Specialization.

Required Courses:
•PAD 500 – Introduction to Foundations of Public Administration
•PAD 683 – Program Seminar in Managing Local Government
•PAD 684 – Seminar in Urban Policy Analysis

Elective Courses:
Select Two:
•PAD 504 – Data Models, and Decisions
•PAD 561 (POS 523, PLN 523) – Urban Community Development
•PAD 618 – Public Personnel Administration
•PAD 631 – Cost Management for Government and Nonprofit Organizations
•PAD 641 – Basic Government Accounting
•PAD 651 – Labor Relations in the Public Sector
•PAD 685 – Culture and Public Policy: Developing Creative Communities

Public Policy
This program area provides an intensive introduction to policy analysis skills and approaches useful to the public sector administrator or advocate.

Required Courses:
•PAD 503 – Principles of Public Economics
•PAD 504 – Data Models, and Decisions
•PAD 505 (POS 505) – Statistics for Public Managers and Policy Analysts
•PAD 540 – Policy Analysis

Elective Courses:
Select One:
•PAD 515 – Implementation and Impact
•PAD 522 – Politics and Policy
•PAD 529 (POS 529) – Law and Policy
•PAD 603 (POS 509) – Citizen Participation in Public Policy
•PAD 604 (POS 604, WSS 604) – Inequality and Public Policy
•PAD 626 – Evaluation of Public Sector Programs
Or other courses dealing with public policy and policy analysis issues within specific substantive areas, such as education, finance, welfare, health care, or environmental policy, chosen in consultation with your academic advisor.

Information Strategy and Management
The Information Strategy and Management specialization prepares public managers to understand, apply, and leverage information and technology in designing public services and solving public problems. It focuses on the interaction of policy, management, and technology domains in single organizations, and in multi- organizational and intergovernmental settings.

Required Courses:
•PAD 504 – Data Models, and Decisions
•PAD 550 – Foundations of Government Information Strategy and Management
Select One:
•PAD 500 – Introduction to Foundations of Public Administration OR 
•PAD 506 – Foundations of Public Management

Elective Courses:
Select Two:
•PAD 650 – Building a Case for Government IT Investments in the Public Sector
•PAD 557 (POS 577) – Information Technology, Globalization and Global Governance
•IST 523 – Fundamentals of Information Technology
•IST 560 – Information and Public Policy
•IST 636 – Systems Analysis in the Information Environment
•ITM 522 – Managing Information Technology
•ITM 603 – Management of IT Projects
•COM 659 – Topics in Organizational Communication
•GOG 596 (PLN 556) – Geographic Information Systems