Gannon University

Director: Renee M. Lamis, MPA

INTRODUCTION
There’s an impression abroad that administration is synonymous with “bureaucracy” and that public administrators are sentenced to lives of dull routine… But at the core of their professional lives, most public administrators are neither “mere bureaucrats” in the pejorative sense nor prisoners of routine and red tape. They are, before everything else, problem solvers.

Gannon University’s Master’s of Public Administration Program strives to give you the tools you need to be able to effectively solve problems. Our mission is to provide you with the vision, values, and leadership skills required for successful professional and rewarding personal lives.

Public administration is at the core of the discipline of political science. It involves the study of the management of governmental entities. It’s the who, when, and where of how policies are formulated, implemented, and evaluated. It’s where campaign promises get carried out (or not).

Public administration is a rapidly changing field. In fact, the one thing that is constant is change. It is a field in which new ways of doing things are constantly being suggested. It is a field in which politics and values are always in flux. Public administrators are consistently being held to higher standards—to be accountable, to be ethical, to be efficient and effective, and to be responsive.

These recent dramatic changes in the worlds of politics, government, international relations, nonprofits, and the private sector have cast a new light on the importance of leadership within the public sector. Political appointees of the past are rapidly being replaced by a new breed of public sector managers, similar to the executives, engineers, and accountants of the private sector. Governments, agencies, foundations, and authorities are seeking highly motivated individuals with communication, critical analysis, marketing, finance, and organizational skills and the ability to solve problems creatively.

To meet this demand, the Gannon MPA and MBA programs share resources. This encourages public administration students to pursue management skills training with the rigor and dedication frequently associated only with business school training. It also provides opportunities to specialize in a vast array of concentrations.

Gannon is a student-oriented, value-centered teaching university. This philosophy guides our approach to teaching, advising, and designing our curriculum. We recognize and understand the ongoing changes taking place in today’s workplace environments as a result of the introduction of recent reinvention initiatives. We want to prepare you to excel in this current reality. Our approach is to work closely with each student, challenging you to grow while ensuring you meet your own objectives. Courses are rigorous and challenging by design, but we will work with you to build the skills you will need for the world of the new millennium.

Our experience as the region’s oldest and largest graduate school of management and administration has taught us some important lessons. Simply having a master’s degree is no assurance of success or happiness. To succeed, you need real skills; an understanding of the worlds of the public, private, and nonprofit sectors; practical experience; and a moral compass.

What are the origins of public administration? How has public administration evolved and changed? Is the study of public administration an art or a science? What motivates human behavior? What are the differences and the similarities between public, private, and nonprofit management? What are the various theories of organization? What is the science of “muddling through?” How are policies formulated and implemented? What is strategic planning and how is it done? How are budgets and financial statements created? How do we evaluate programs? What is the role of law in public administration? What is the relationship between public administration and the public? What role do ethical considerations play in public administration and what tools exist to help “good people make tough choices”? Where is public administration headed in the 21st Century? These are some of the questions that you will grapple with during your time studying the field of public administration at Gannon.

Our location, which is central to city, county, state, and federal government offices, makes Gannon a virtual public administration laboratory. Our close proximity allows for continuous interaction with government and agency leaders who visit classes on a regular basis and often serve as instructors themselves. This is a program in which real world case studies are often the focus of seminar deliberations and class projects. In addition, internship opportunities abound. This practical experience adds balance to academic life.

OFFERINGS
We offer the Master’s of Public Administration Degree (MPA), a Specialized Five Year Bachelor’s Degree MPA Program, and a number of Graduate Certificates.

Within the MPA, you are able to take one of four directions.
They are:

• The Administrative Track
• The Organizational Leadership Track
• A combination of electives to best meet your needs
• A program with a concentration or Graduate Certificate

Our programs of study may be pursued on either a full or part-time basis.

OBJECTIVES

• To impart a sophisticated and lasting paradigm for understanding bureaucracy and the administrative process in large, complex organizations;
• To develop requisite skills necessary to succeed in management and leadership roles in public administration; and
• To enhance leadership potential in the public, nonprofit, and for-profit sectors

Outcomes of the Foundation Curriculum
Upon completion of the MPA, you should be able to:

• appreciate broader environmental and contextual backdrops
• acquire both theoretical and experiential perspectives
• lead successful professional lives and rewarding personal lives based on the vision, values, and skills acquired
• know and understand the basic principles and theories of public administration
• leverage technology with the use of computers
• understand global cultures and concepts
• understand public policy
• evaluate policy outputs
• understand the budgeting process
• understand basic legal principles affecting all facets of public administration
• understand the worlds of government, profits, and for nonprofits and how they interface
• act with integrity and ethics in all aspects of daily life
• interact with local and religious leaders and managers

• do accounting, financial management, marketing
• do quantitative analysis
• analyze financial data and prepare operating budgets
• collect data, understand statistical methodology, and analyze statistical data
• evaluate the effectiveness of on-going programs
• learn effective strategies in applying for grants
• understand the concepts underlying the use of scarce resources

• solve problems creatively
• negotiate and bargain effectively
• lead, motivate, and empower others
• bring people to consensus
• prepare a strategic plan
• facilitate a visioning process
• effectively communicate re listening, speaking, and writing skills
• understand how leadership style affects the outcomes of policy implementation
• understand the importance of community leadership/trusteeship

• Bachelor’s Degree
• a completed application
• transcripts from all prior institutions
• TOEFL scores if English is not a first language
• GRE scores (if you are seeking a degree or a certificate and if your undergraduate GPA is less than a 3.2)
• three letters of recommendation

GRADUATE CERTIFICATES
Gannon offers graduate certificates in a number of disciplines (as previously listed). If you are unable to commit to a degree program but wish to develop a particular specialization or if you have a master’s degree but wish to upgrade skills or retrain, a certificate may be just what you’re looking for. Most of the certificate programs include 12 to 15 hours of graduate work.

INTERNSHIPS AND COOPERATIVE EDUCATION
In consultation with your Director, you may accept field placements related to your interests and academic studies. Placements range from short-term assignments to full-time positions. If you are looking for experience, internships complement your book learning and classroom lectures and are also a great resume builder. If interested, you can consult the Director. In some circumstances, you may be able to earn elective credits for these placements.

SECOND MASTER’S DEGREE MBA/MPA
A student who has earned an MBA or MPA can obtain the second master’s degree with a reduced number of courses. See Program Director for details.

RESEARCH PROJECT
Course research projects are frequently geared toward helping and/or understanding local government and nonprofit organizations. This component of study helps students to learn better by doing while community groups benefit from student involvement.

You will compile a final integrating portfolio which will serve as a culmination of your MPA experience. This will compel you to reflect on your course work, do an extensive literature review, exercise your professional speaking and writing skills, and apply what you have learned. The Research in Public Administration course (GMPA799) will provide you the opportunity to prepare this written project. Through this project, you must weave together theory and practice developing your own philosophy of leadership/administration, a leadership checklist, a self-assessment profile, and a personal action plan with individual goals for growth. In addition, you will be required to do a research project as a component of your portfolio. This segment of the portfolio will provide you with a powerful tool for illustrating what you have learned and how it can be applied to work, in the community, or in other venues. You will develop your research topic in consultation with the Director and/or your Instructor. Through a program of directed study and seminar-type deliberations, the course will seek to conclude and integrate your Public Administration experience.

You are to make two copies of this project, bind them in standard thesis folders, and present them to the research project mentor for inclusion in the university research archives.

TRACKS/CONCENTRATIONS
In registering for electives, you have a number of avenues you can pursue. You can:

1. Specialize in the Administrative Track (12).
2. Specialize in the Organizational Leadership Track (12).
3. Take various courses in Business, Corrections, Counseling Psychology, Education, Gerontology, Pastoral Studies, and/or Public Administration to meet your personal needs.
4. Pursue a certificate in Accounting (24), Financial Management (15), Marketing (15), Human Resource Management (15), Investments (15), Risk Management (18), Gerontology (15), Environmental and Occupational Science & Health (18), Early Childhood Intervention (15-18), Reading Specialist (30), Family Nurse Practitioner (27), Pastoral Ministry (12), or Religious Education (12).

CURRICULUM
The MPA is a professional degree program. Each student begins studies with a wide variety of academic and work backgrounds. As such, the design of the curriculum is dependent upon your experiences and academic background.

The MPA curriculum requires 36/37 credits and is outlined as follows:

Core Curriculum (24/25 credits)
This series is designed to give you the basic principles and theories of public administration along with the necessary skills to help you succeed in the current environment.
0    GMPA 500 MPA Orientation
3    GMPA 502 Elements of Public Administration
3    GMPA 511 Administrative Decision Making Skills
3    GMPA 522 Ethics and Public Policy
3    GMPA 531 Administrative Law
3    GMPA 601 Strategic Planning
3    GMBA 631 Organizational Behavior/Theory
4    GMPA 534/GEDU 600 Graduate Statistics
             or
3    GMBA 525 Statistical Analysis
3    GMPA 799 Research in Public Administration

Administrative Track (12 credits)
Suggested courses from which to choose:
3    GMBA 501 Financial Accounting
3    GMBA 531 Management Concepts
3    GMBA 651 Marketing Management
3    GMBA 710 Management Information Systems
3    GMBA 740 Forecasting Methods
3    GMPA 741 Public Finance 
3    GMPA 751 Public Personnel Administration
3    GMBA 772 Labor Law
3    GMBA 773 Labor Management 

Organizational Leadership Track (12 credits)
Suggested courses from which to choose:
3    GMPA 632 Nonprofit Management and Leadership
3    GMPA 633 Program Development
3    GMPA 634 Grant Writing
3    GMPA 635 Community Power
3    GMBA 736 Human Resource Management
3    GMPA 745 Community Development Process
3    GMPA 763 Leadership and Environments of Administration

GMPA 790-794 Special Topics 3
To be determined in consultation with Director

Please note: The Leadership Certificate includes 15 credits selected in consultation with the Director.

Additional Electives
3    GMPA 746 The National Policy Process
3    GMPA 747 Human Services Administration
3    GMPA 761 Politics and Government in Metropolitan Regions
3    GMPA 796 Directed Readings
3    GMPA 798 Internship

Special Topics Electives (3)
GMPA 790-794
      Corrections Management
      Court Administration
      Economic Development
      Fund Raising
      Inspirational Leadership
      Issues of Public Management
      Leadership in Educational Administration
      Leadership in the Twenty-First Century
      Marketing for Nonprofits
      Negotiating and Bargaining
      Program Planning Evaluation
      Public Policy Process
      The Administrative Process
      Urban Administration
      Workforce Empowerment and Personnel Policy
      World in Change

Criterion for Waiving Courses
You may waive 500 level courses on the basis of academic and/or professional experience in consultation with the Director. If you waive a required course, an elective will replace it.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
Consult the Business Administration section for courses with GMBA prefix and Education section for courses with GEDU prefix.

500 Series Courses

GMPA 502 Elements of Public Administration
3 credits
This course will provide you with an overview of the field of public administration: its origins; its evolution; differences and similarities between public, private, and nonprofit management; various theories of organization; policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation; the role of law; ethics in public policy; and the future of public administration.

GMPA 511 Administrative Decision Making Skills
3 credits
A study of the technical aspects of the administrative decision-making process. This course will teach you how to use accounting and financial information to support administrative decisions. Also included is an overview of budgeting and marketing concepts as they relate to the offering of public services.

GMPA 522 Ethics and Public Policy
3 credits
This course explores special problems public administrators face in the decision-making process. We will discuss the policy cycle and use case studies to stimulate your thoughts regarding ethical/unethical behavior; provide you with a framework for making tough decisions; and get you to think about where you stand on various issues of public policy and ethics.

GMPA 531 Administrative Law and Ethics
3 credits
Basic legal principles and the rules and ethics affecting the administrative process, legislative delegation of powers, administrative investigations, rule making, discretionary powers, adjudication, and judicial review. Legal and political contexts of regulatory administration.

GMPA 534 Graduate Statistics
4 credits

600 Series Courses
GEDU 600 MPA Orientation
No credit
A one session introduction to the program, curriculum, and structure; required of all new students.

GMPA 601 Strategic Planning
3 credits
Prerequisites: GMPA 511
This course will teach you how to do effective strategic planning. Strategic planning is the art and skill of deliberately matching the organization’s resources to the environment in order to maximize the contribution of its mission and its customers.

GMPA 632 Nonprofit Management and Leadership
3 credits
Through extensive reading and site visits, you will explore the many challenges facing nonprofits and examine the functions and roles of nonprofit staffs and boards. You will also reflect on the similarities and differences between the business, government, and nonprofit sectors and the effective ways in which these three sectors collaborate.

GMPA 633 Program Development
3 credits
In this course, you will learn a variety of tools and processes that are used in the program/service development process including feasibility studies, financial analysis, and project management software tools. Upon learning the concepts, you will then apply what you have learned through an experiential project with a local nonprofit organization or government entity.

GMPA 634 Grant Writing
3 credits
This course introduces you to the basics of grant writing. You will learn effective communication strategies with prospective grant seekers, how to match requirements between requesters and providers, methods of basic project assessment, and specific steps for submitting and writing quality proposals.

GMPA 635 Community Power
3 credits
Through extensive reading, this course introduces you to the concept of community power after which you will apply what you learn to the Erie community.

700 Series Electives
*Courses which are noted contain research project components.
GMPA 741 Public Finance
3 credits
Prerequisite: GMBA 525
Theory and practice of public finance in the United States. Revenue sources, taxation, fiscal policy and policy making, budgeting, expenditure trends, administrative problems in public finance.

GMPA 745 Community Development Process
3 credits
Defining community problems and establishing priorities and objectives for the response of the public and private sectors. Program planning and administration, with emphasis on developing comprehensive, coordinated and innovative approaches. Citizen participation and community control.

GMPA 746 The National Policy Process: The American Presidency, Congress and Public Policy
3 credits
Focuses in on the policy, roles and responsibilities of the American Presidency, the White House Staff and Executive Office agencies, the contemporary House and Senate. Emphasis is placed on the impact of structure on the content of U.S. public policy and how to appropriately interface at the national level.

GMPA 747 Human Service Administration
3 credits
Human Service organizations and programs. Role functions and tasks of the administrator in a human service organization and non-profit foundation.

GMPA 751 Public Personnel Administration
3 credits
Theories of public personnel administration and the merit system. Organization for personnel administration on national, state, and local levels. Labor management problems, review of methods of recruitment, classification, promotion, discipline, control and separation.

GMPA 761 Politics and Government in Metropolitan Regions
3 credits
An analysis of the political structure and processes in American metropolitan areas. Includes consideration of basic organization and operation of urban governments; political relationships among governments within metropolitan regions; the impact of federalism and intergovernmental relationships.

GMPA 763 Leadership and Environments of Administration
3 credits
Administration, whether it be in the public, private, or non-profit sector, is strongly influenced by various contexts internal and external to the bureaucracy. The major contexts are: cultural, economic, political, governmental, legal and administrative. This course will survey each in an effort to understand its role and, through seminar deliberations, formulate strategies for better performing leadership and managerial roles within large, modern complex organizations.

GMPA 790-794 Seminar: Select Topics in Public Policy, Administration, and Leadership Skills
3 credits

GMPA 796 Directed Readings
3 credits
A program of directed study in which students do an independent literature review on an area of interest within the field of Public Administration.

GMPA 798 Internship
3 credits
Prerequisite: Permission of the Program Director
Students are placed in work roles that are related to their professional interests and supervised by both a faculty member and a field coordinator.

GMPA 799 Research in Public Administration
3 credits
Prerequisites: Director’s permission
Through a program of directed study and seminar-type deliberations, this course will seek to conclude and integrate your Public Administration experience. You will apply principles and concepts of Public Administration and develop a culminating portfolio.

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