PUAD 501

Concepts of Public Administration

Instructor: Dr. J.E.D. Riggs

Office Hours: One-Half hour before class and by appointment.

Text: Denhardt R.B. Public Administration: An Action Orientation.

This course is designed to give the student an overview of the discipline of Public Administration. In this course we will investigate the origins of PA, its development and its prospects for the future. In short, the question for this course will be: "Where have we been, where are we and where are we going?"

Course Objectives:

There will be a mid-term and a final exam. The mid-term will fall on the last class session of week four, and will consist of all readings and lectures to date. It will be worth one-third of your total grade. The final exam will fall on the last session of week eight, and will consist of all readings and lectures since the mid-term, and will be worth one-third of your grade.

The remaining third will be allocated to a 15-20 page theme paper discussing some trend in modern Public Administration. (More about this the first class session.) By week four of the term, I expect to see from each student a paper topic sheet that informs me of the topic. This topic sheet is mandatory. The papers are due on the day of the final exam. Failure for any reason to turn in the paper on time will result in an automatic 20% reduction in the paper's grade.

Reading Assignments:

Tthere will be additional readings assigned at the first class session.

Week 1. Chapters 1, 2.

Week 2. Chapter 5.

Week 3. Chapter 7.

Week 4: Chapter 8.

Week 5. Chapters 8,10.

Week 6. Chapter 3.

Week 7 Chapter 6.

Week 8. No Readings.