This course will address a specific area of study in Public Administration not already covered by other course offerings. Prerequisites vary by topic.

This course introduces the development of public administration as a professional and scholarly area of knowledge and practice focusing on administrative reform and its intellectual roots. The course provides an overview of the field including defining and outlining public administration, political management, administrative responsibility, policy systems, personnel administration (including labor relations), financial resources management, organization theory, and challenges in public administration.

Processes of making public policy, including detection of public issues, consideration of alternatives, and adoption and implementation of solutions. Highlights major actors in policy process, and environment within which they work.

Examines broad trends in governmental and community relationships required in effective public administration. This course addresses theory and practice of federalism, with particular focus on intergovernmental relations and changing roles of federal, state, and local governments. The course also addresses issues relating to privatization, devolution, mandating, regulatory reform, and public-private partnerships.

This course explores fiscal management in public agencies, including revenue administration, debt management, and public budgeting. The course includes an examination of public revenue sources and expenditure types. Analysis of public budgeting process and financial management tools are also addressed.

Techniques, skills for public managers to solve policy-related problems or analyze policy-related data. Focuses on problem definition, research design, and problem solving under conditions of uncertainty in public sector.

This is a graduate level course in applied research, insights, and evaluation. Students will learn research methods appropriate for developing and evaluating projects in a variety of professional settings. In doing so, they will gain insight into the research process and learn strategies for making data-driven decisions.

This course is the MPA capstone course. Students will engage in advanced study using cases to relate principles and theories of public administration to concrete, real-world problems. Students develop an evidence-based, data-driven capstone project. Students are advised to not take this course until they have completed most or all of the MPA core curriculum.

This course will cover principles of effective management in nonprofit organizations, focusing on leadership theory, governance and board relations, legal structure and standards, strategic communications, financial and resource management, personnel and volunteer management, and program development. This course will offer both an overview of historical best practices in the nonprofit industry, as well as provide some of the research and theory on issues facing current nonprofits so that students can approach problems from a strategic perspective grounded in both theory and practice. The course will integrate real-world examples and experiences to ensure that academic lessons translate to the nonprofit experience.

This course will introduce and cover the fundamentals of grant writing, principles of fundraising, and the role of philanthropy for nonprofit organizations. Students will learn how to strategically plan and document ideas effectively for foundation, federal, and corporate grant proposals, as well as better understand advancement resource development in relation to endowments, donations, and planned giving. Additionally, the course will examine the social role of philanthropy in the United States and the nature of giving as it relates to the nonprofit industry.

Focuses on leadership, management, and strategic planning within public safety agencies. This course will give a comprehensive overview of the responsibilities of administration and management in the field of public safety. This course will examine organizational structure, interpersonal skills, and leadership development.

Provides a thorough study of contemporary legal issues faced by public safety organizations while emphasizing due process issues and judicial review of administrative decision making. Laws regarding labor unions and labor practices in the public safety field will be examined.

This course surveys the major theories, concepts, and practical approaches that define the field of community and economic development. Emphasis is placed on understanding the determinants of economic growth, including the role of the community in this process; the generation and evaluation of policy alternatives within the context of community and economic development; and the practice of community and economic development within rural, suburban, and urban settings.

This course will address a specific area of study in Public Administration not already covered by other course offerings. Prerequisites vary by topic.

The purpose of the MPA Internship is to enable Aurora University students to apply course concepts in a real world, applied. This experience is designed to expand on the learning experience and to integrate and reinforce skills and concepts learned in the classroom. The MPA Internship provides a practical experience in a structured public administration context. Permission of the instructor required.