Discipline: Political Science Degree Credit  [X]
Non Credit  [ ]
Nondegree Credit  [ ]
Comm Service  [ ]
 

Riverside Community College District
Integrated Course Outline of Record

Political Science 8


COURSE DESCRIPTION
8 Introduction To Public Administration Units: 3.00
 
Prerequisite(s): None.

Advisory: Qualification for English 1A.
This course is designed as an introduction to the processes of policy formation and implementation. Public administration, decision making in the public bureaucracy, and administrative tasks are discussed. In addition to the politics of administrative organizations, personnel management, budget administration, public relations, and Government service as a career are discussed. Practicing public administrators will be featured as guest speakers. 54 hours lecture.
 
SHORT DESCRIPTION FOR CLASS SCHEDULE
Examines public administration, policy formation, personnel, budgeting, personnel management, and public relations. Features guest speakers.
 
ADVISORY ENTRY SKILLS
Before entering the course, students will be able to:
  1. critically discuss and analyze primary and secondary texts, recognizing key ideas and responding in both oral and written form;

  2. analyze, synthesize, and evaluate concepts studied in primary and secondary texts using intermediate to advanced critical thinking skills;

  3. compose and develop unified, stylistically competent writing assignments and adjust writing to the target audience with intermediate to advanced skill.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
 Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to:

1.   Understand the structure of public administration.

2.   Analyze the decision making process within the bureaucratic and
      political framework.

3.   Examine various organizational structures and their effectiveness.

4.   Compare perspectives on personnel management in public
      agencies, political organizations and public service organizations.
      a.   Compare trends, theories, and characteristics of these
             perspectives. 
      b.   Critically examine how these perspectives and
             theories relate to each other.

5.   Examine the process of budgeting and the constraints on that
      process.

6.   Explore various methods and styles of public relations.
      a.   Critically examine how these methods and styles relate to each
             other.

7.   Examine career options in public administration and related fields.
 
COURSE CONTENT
  TOPICS
 

Focus of class readings may be chronological, topical-thematic, disciplinary, and/or based on case studies.  The class covers the following topic areas. 
1.   The Challenges of Public Administration
      a.    Examination of the scope and purpose of public administration
      b.    Defining the core values and focus of contemporary public
             administration
2.   Politics and Public Policya.
      a.   Definition and explanation of administrative power
      b.   Approaches to the relationship between politics and
            administration
3.   Program Management
      a.   Key decision makers inside public administration and the
            concepts of bureaucratic subsystems, incremental choice, and
            administrative communication
      b.   Definition and explanation of administrative communication,
            executive management, and effective public organizations
4.   Personnel Management
      a.  Comparison of theoretical approaches to public personnel
           management and motivation
5.   Financial Management 
      a.   Comparison of theoretical approaches to public budgeting
      b.   Description and critical analysis of the politics of public
            budgeting
6.   Assessment 
      a.   Definition and explanation of key concepts of policy
            implementation and assessment
      b.   The relationship between bureaucracy and the public interest

 
 
METHODS OF INSTRUCTION
 Methods of instruction used to achieve student learning outcomes may include, but are not limited to:

  • Present class lectures and discussions on the policy process, program and personnel management, public budgeting, and policy assessment in order for students to understand the relationship between public administration and the political process
  • Show videos/films/slides/audiotapes/internet resources to reinforce understanding of key concepts related to public administration.
  • Small group assignments designed to demonstrate successful understanding and application of basic concepts and definitions of administrative politics, decision making, policy and personnel management, and policy assessment.
  • Develop and assign class exercises such as reports and papers in order to develop and reinforce course content.
  • Create and have students participate in cooperative learning tasks, such as pair and small group discussions and assignments, in order to assist students in understanding course content.
  • Invite guest lecturers to class in order to discuss topics related to the public administration and the political process.
  • Develop and assign web-based/online learning assignments such as web-quests, web-site reviews, and viewing of online presentations in order to reinforce course content.

 
 
METHODS OF EVALUATION
 Students will be evaluated for progress in and/or mastery of learning outcomes by methods of evaluation which may include, but are not limited to:

  • Grades based on demonstrated proficiency in subject matter.
  • Class discussions and preparation designed to assess students’ understanding of the key approaches to public administration.
  • Written reports and assignments designed to demonstrate successful understanding and application of basic concepts and course content.
  • Oral reports and presentations designed to demonstrate successful understanding and application of basic concepts and course content.
  • Participation and regular attendance as required by instructor to ensure progress in mastering course content.
  • Final examination designed to assess students’ mastery of the essential concepts explored in the course.
  • Quizzes/examinations designed to assess students’ ability to recall, critically analyze and apply key concepts and course content.
  • Class/group and individual projects designed to evaluate students’ understanding of public bureaucracies, public budgeting, personnel and policy management, and policy assessment.

 
ASSIGNMENTS

Required Reading Assignments


Required Writing Assignments


Other Outside-of-Class Assignments
 
COURSE MATERIALS
 All materials used in this course will be periodically reviewed to ensure that they are appropriate for college level instruction. Possible texts include:

  • McKinney, Jerome B. and Lawrence C. Howard. Public Administration: Balancing Power and Accountability. 2 ed. New York: Praeger Publishing, 1998.
  • Dye, Thomas R. . Understanding Public Policy. 11 ed. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall, 2005.
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