Graduate Courses for Public Affairs (PUAF)
Schedule of Classes:
Fall |
Winter |
Spring |
Summer
(Only current and next semester available)
PUAF 610 Quantitative Aspects of Public Policy (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy.
Introduces statistical methods needed for evaluating and choosing among
policy options. Topics include probability; decision-making under
uncertainty; the organization, interpretation, and visual display of
complex data; prediction and inferences about causality; hypothesis
testing; and linear and multiple regression. Develops analytical skills
and the ability to apply theory to complex, real-world problems.
PUAF 611 Quantitative Analysis of Policy Issues (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy.
Study of a series of problems and the development of quantitative
techniques to describe or evaluate the problem. The organization and
interpretation of complex data and its use for prediction and inference
about casual effects. The definition of objectives, trade-offs among
objectives, and allocation of resources to meet objectives. Sensitivity
of outcomes to changing conditions.
PUAF 620 Political Analysis (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy.
Examination of politics as a process for allocating scarce resources
among claimants for public benefits. Comparision of the allocative
model of politics with other distributive processes, such as markets.
Comparison of the model with behavior of different political
institutions, such as Congress and the presidency. Study of politics as
a process with distinctive concepts of rationality. The translation of
voter and interest group preferences into public choices. The impact of
political decisions on competing constituencies.
PUAF 640 Microeconomic and Policy Analysis (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy.
Applies intermediate microeconomic theory to public policy issues:
resource allocation by firms and consumers; the response of economic
agents to changes in incentives; market allocations in competitive and
non-competitive environments; and market failures and government
remedies. Uses extended case studies of particular issues in such areas
as the environment (acid rain), international trade (tariffs), industry
regulation (cable TV), and the provision of public goods (highways).
PUAF 641 Macroeconomics and Policy Analysis (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy.
Studies the behavior of the economy as a whole: the level of national
income, unemployment, and inflation; the vulnerability of the U.S.
economy to external influences; possible federal influence over the
level of economic activity; and the consequences for prices, employment
and the U.S. trade deficit. Also examines possible U.S. policy responses
to widespread debt crises in developing countries.
PUAF 650 Moral Dimensions of Public Policy (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy.
Explores the moral issues involved in public policy questions; the
limits and usefulness of decision-making tools; problems of choosing,
justifying and using criteria to judge a program's success and
suitability; ethichal issues involving the welfare state and income
distribution; and possible obligations beyond one's political community
and generation.
PUAF 660 Environmental Policy Workshop (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy.
Students work as a team to analyze and recommend responses to a current
enviornmental policy issue. Emphasizes problem definition, organization
of information and presentation of results.
PUAF 670 Finance (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy.
Introduction to principles of resource allocation over time, role of
debt in context of changing sources of governmental revenues, long- and
short-term debt instruments, analysis of mixed public-private economic
development projects, leasing, and the impact of borrowing devices.
PUAF 671 Public Sector Finance (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy.
The goal of this course is to provide a useful overview of basic public
sector financial management principles in a simulated managerial
situation to midcareer students currently working in government and
nonprofit organizations.
PUAF 688 Topics in Public Policy (1-3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of instructor. Repeatable to 18 credits if content differs.
Special topics in Public Policy.
PUAF 689 Public Policy Topics (1-3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of instructor. Repeatable to 18 credits if content differs.
Special Topics in Public Policy.
PUAF 692 Leadership Principles and Practices (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy.
This course will introduce leadership principles and practices to
students by focussing on the theory of leadership, different leadership
themes and skills, and discussions with practitioners.
PUAF 698 Selected Topics in Public Affairs (1-3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy.
Special topics that arise in public policy.
PUAF 699 Selected Topics Public Policy (1-3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; and
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy.
Special topics that arise in public policy.
PUAF 700 U.S. Trade: Policy and Politics (3 credits)
Prerequisite: PUAF641, PUAF620, and PUAF640. Restriction: Must be in a
major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or permission of PUAF-School of
Public Policy.
Interplay between government and private interests in shaping official
actions that affect international trade. Policy tools available to
influence balance, magnitude, and composition of imports and exports.
Evolution of executive, congressional and quasi-judicial government
institutions under increased U.S. international trade exposure and
trade deficit.
PUAF 706 Public Policymaking for Journalists (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in JOUR-Philip Merrill College of
Journalism.
Focuses on the political, procedural and administrative realities of
policy formation and implementation. Specifically for the Journalism
students who staff the Capital News Service.
PUAF 711 Public Management and Leadership (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy.
Reviews the managerial, political, and ethical problems faced by public
sector managers and leaders, including setting an organization's goals,
obtaining and protecting a program mandate, designing a service delivery
system and implementing a new program.
PUAF 712 Analysis of Fiscal Conditions (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy.
The financial operations of U.S. government at various levels, with
emphasis on local governments. Practical problems in revenue
management, including revenue forecasting and cash flow analysis; debt
management operations, such as borrowing; intergovernmental financial
operations, such as grants management and reporting requirements, and
personnel management issues that have a direct bearing on governmental
finances.
PUAF 715 Government and Non-Profit Accounting (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy.
Basic accounting practices of governmental and non-profit
organizations. Emphasis on presentation of data in assessing an
organization's financial health, financial data by organizations,
structuring of accounting information to achieve management control,
way in which evolving national standards influence kinds of information
organizations have to apply in the future.
PUAF 716 State and Local Government Budgeting (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy.
State and local government practices as a laboratory for studying
public sector financial management.
PUAF 717 Federal Budgeting: Policy and Process (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy.
Budgeting as a political and administrative instrument of government.
Development of budgeting, the multiple uses of the budget, including
role in fiscal policy and resource allocation, the roles and
relationships of major participants, and effects of resource scarcity
on budgeting behavior. Emphasis on the federal level.
PUAF 720 International Security Policy (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy.
Reviews the principal features of international security as currently
practiced. Traces the evolution of contemporary policy beginning with
the initiation of nuclear weapons programs during World War II.
Particular emphasis is given to experience of the United States and
Russia, since the historical interaction between these two countries has
disproportionately affected the international security conditions that
all other countries now experience.
PUAF 722 Terrorism and Democracy (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy.
United States government's decision process for dealing with crises;
the options available to a president for deterring and handling
incidents of terrorism, and how a president can and should select
between the options.
PUAF 724 Problems of Global Security (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy. Formerly: PUAF698W.
Explores the international security implications of globalization,
presenting evidence indicating that altered circumstances will
eventually induce a major redesign of prevailing security arrangements.
Includes three segments: 1) a review of the principal problems that have
been the focus of established security policy and would be the context
for any major adjustment of policy; 2) an assessment of relationships
with the major countries where traditional problems are most acutely
present; and 3) a review of the organizing principles that can be
expected to emerge in the new situation.
PUAF 732 Policy and Politics of Education Reform (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy.
Examines education reform in its historical, fiscal, cultural, and legal
contexts, and the changing relationship between education and economic
opportunity. Focuses on institutional and normative issues, including
national standards, public school choice, charter schools, vouchers and
funding equity.
PUAF 734 Foundations of Social Policy (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy.
Provides an overview of government's role in social policy and the
history of the development of federal and state policies with respect to
welfare, aging, education, and housing. Analyzes current federal
institutions and legislation in the same policy areas and the
demographic history of the United States. Develops skills in analytic
writing and presentation of descriptive data.
PUAF 735 Health Policy (3 credits)
Analyzes the origins, history, status, and future of health care as
problems in political and economic theory and as puzzles in policy
formation. Considers current American reform controversies in the light
of several disciplines and in comparison to foreign experiences and
structures.
PUAF 736 Managing Social Services (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy. Credit only granted for:
PUAF736 or PUAF698V. Formerly: PUAF698V.
Focuses on managing social services across federal, state, and local
jurisdictions with an emphasis on how strong management can improve
results. Exposes students to management thought and philosophy as
applied to different social services and social policy challanges within
various operating environments and programmatic settings. The watchwords
for this course are "management" and "applied".
PUAF 737 Strategies of Equality (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy. Formerly: PUAF698Y.
Concentrates on the institutional and political means by which
disadvantaged segments of the United States population have sought
to enhance their social, economic and political prospects. Race, gender
and disability are the substantive focal points, with considerable
attention given to the challanges of African American socio-political
uplift. Also explores legislation, litigation, administration, agitation
(i.e. protest), and constitutional reform. Students become familiar
with alternative conceptions of equality and the modes of argument
employed in different institutional and political contexts.
PUAF 740 Public Policy and the Environment (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy.
Surveys of major federal environmental legislation; the development and
implementation of laws, and alternative ways of thinking about the
relationship between humans and the environment.
PUAF 741 Global Environmental Problems (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy.
Suitability of analytic tools for examining global environmental
problems, human overpopulation, land abuse, ozone depletion, climate
change, acid rain, loss of biological diversity, the scarcity of food,
fresh water, energy and nonfuel mineral resources, and health hazards
of pollutants toxic metals and radiation.
PUAF 742 Environmental Ethics (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy.
Analyzes issues such as the relation between human beings and nature
from the perspectives of the science, history, philosophy, and religion.
Considers the bases for policies such as environmental regulation,
public lands, and international conventions with respect to the
environment.
PUAF 743 Ecological Economics (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy.
Course is based upon the text Valuing the Earth: Economics, Ecology,
and Ethics.
PUAF 744 Environment and Development (3 credits)
Analyzes sustainable development and its conflicting interpretations.
The dominant view, as expressed in the World Bank's 1992 World
Development Report, is studied, along with some critical responses.
Further readings on issues of population, consumption and development
indicators.
PUAF 745 Human Health and Environmental Policy (3 credits)
Reviews the major human physiological systems and their integrated
toxicological functions; considers key bodily defenses; and discusses
classic, emerging, and ambiguous risks; in all ecological context.
Applies to scientific controversy, the methods of policy formation, such
as risk analysis, social-cost analysis, "outcomes" analysis, and
decision analysis, all in political-economic context.
PUAF 746 Dynamic Modeling for Environmental Investment and Policy Making (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy. Formerly: PUAF698M.
Examines the theory, methods and tools to dynamic modeling for policy
and investment decision making, with special focus on environmental
issues. Provides extensive hands-on modeling experience and makes use of
state-of-art computing methods to translate theory and concepts into
executable models.
PUAF 752 Managing Differences:Resolving Conflict and Negotiating Agreements (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy.
Enhances the student's negotiation and leadership skills for managing
differences between individuals and groups. Students study the nature of
conflict, learn how to handle two and multiparty conflicts, exerting
leadership where there are no hierarchy leaders, and explore the impact
of facilitators and mediators on the negotiating process. Blends skill
building exercises and theory discussions about the behavior of groups
and individuals in groups to understand negotiation dynamics.
PUAF 753 Advanced Negotiations (3 credits)
Prerequisite: PUAF752. Credit only granted for: PUAF698C or PUAF753.
Formerly: PUAF698C.
Deepens the student's negotiation and leadership skills for managing
differences between individuals and groups. Cover conflict, escalation,
dealing with intractable conflicts, sustaining agreements in inter-group
conflicts, and the effects of trauma on negotiations.
PUAF 770 Seminar in Housing and Community Development Strategies (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy.
Detailed examination of community and social policy issues relating to
the construction and management of affordable housing.
PUAF 771 Housing and Community Development Overview (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be enrolled in the executive training program
sponsored by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
An overview of the housing development process. Community development
context, financial analysis, analytical tools including microcomputer
applications, architectural and design issues, engineering constraints.
PUAF 772 Housing Finance (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be enrolled in the executive training program
sponsored by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Fundamentals of housing investment analysis. Structuring feasibility
analyses, appraisals, pro forma statements, return on investment,
leverage analysis, underwriting ratios, taxation and syndication.
PUAF 773 Housing Clinic (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be enrolled in the executive training program
sponsored by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Issues and strategies applicable to urban, suburban, and rural areas.
Field experience and a team exercise, using the case study method, will
give an opportunity for concrete application of the concepts to a
specific set of community problems.
PUAF 774 Asset Management (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be enrolled in the executive training program
sponsored by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Asset manager's role at each stage of the property's life cycle and
property analysis, including cash flow debt and staffing. Topics include
capital needs; major building systems, costs and useful lives; marketing
and outreach; and anti-crime strategies. Field trips to problem
properties to perform cost/benefit analysis, diagnose potential cures,
and prepare action plans.
PUAF 780 The American Foreign Policy-Making Process (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy.
Survey and analysis of the governmental institutions and processes
which shape U.S. global engagement on national security and
international economic issues. Particular emphasis is given to
executive-congressional relations and the broader domestic roots of
foreign policy.
PUAF 781 International Economic Policy (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy.
Issues and choices facing the United States in today's global economy.
Primary, but not exclusive, emphasis is given to "competitive
interdependence" among advanced industrial societies.
PUAF 782 International Development Economics (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy. Credit only granted for:
PUAF698U or PUAF782. Formerly: PUAF698U.
Examines key current economic and policy issues for developing and
transition economies. Topics include inflation stabilization, fiscal
policy, selected trade issues, dealing with international capital flows,
the role of multilateral organizations, such as the International
Monetary Fund and the World Bank, and issues relating to saving,
investment and growth.
PUAF 783 Development and Foreign Aid (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy. Formerly: PUAF698Q.
Examines the empirical, conceptual, and ethical dimensions of
international development policies and U.S. foreign aid. What is the
present character of development in poor countries/regions? How should
development be conceived? What development strategies are best? What is
and should be the purpose of U.S. foreign aide and development
assistance?
PUAF 790 Project Course (3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy.
Students work at a sponsoring government agency or private firm
researching problem of interest to sponsor and relevant to
concentration. Emphasis on problem definition, organizing information,
and both oral and written presentation of results.
PUAF 798 Readings in Public Policy (1-3 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy.
Guided readings for discussions on public policy.
PUAF 898 Pre-Candidacy Research (1-8 credits)
PUAF 899 Doctoral Dissertation Research (1-8 credits)
Restriction: Must be in a major in PUAF-School of Public Policy; or
permission of PUAF-School of Public Policy.
