Tracks

Students select from a track in Public Management (PM) or Public Policy Analysis (PPA) and complete two required and two elective courses in their chosen track. These tracks help students design a program that best meets their individual needs and interests based around the two central themes of public administration.

Public Management (PM)

This track focuses on the capabilities required for effective and ethical leadership in the public and nonprofit sectors. These include knowledge and skills pertaining to the internal operation of public-service organizations and to the relationship between those organizations and their operating environments. The track consists of two required courses: PSAA 623: Budgeting in Public Service and PSAA 634: Public Management, as well as two or more additional courses from a menu of electives that includes the following:

Public Policy Analysis (PPA)

This track offers students an in-depth understanding of how decision makers can assess policy choices. It includes a consideration of why government should or should not take action in response to particular problems. It also familiarizes students with specific evaluative techniques such as cost-benefit analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, and risk assessment. Students have numerous opportunities to apply what they learn to current policy issues. The track consists of two required courses: PSAA 622: Public Finance and PSAA 615: Policy Analysis, as well as two or more courses from a menu of electives that includes the following: