POSC 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