MPSA Curriculum Overview-Class of 2014 - Bush School of ...

MASTER OF PUBLIC SERVICE AND ADMINISTRATION
PROGRAM CURRICULUM
AY 2012-2013
In the first semester, all students must take four core courses which are common to both the PPA (Public
Policy Analysis) and PM (Public Management) tracks. During the remaining semesters, students must
complete two core courses and two approved electives required for the track they have chosen. Students
who choose a concentration also must complete three elective courses approved for their concentration.
Public Policy Analysis Track CORE COURSES
Public Management Track
Year 1 – Fall
PSAA 601: Foundations of Public Service
PSAA 611: Public Policy
PSAA 621: Economic Analysis
BUSH 631: Quant. Methods I
Year 1 – Spring
PSAA 622: Public Finance
2 Electives
Year 1 – Spring
Quantitative Methods II requirement
PPA Track
BUSH 635: Quant. Methods II: Policy Analysis
Emphasis
PM Track
BUSH 632: Quant Methods II: Public Mgmt. Emphasis
OR
BUSH 636: Quant. Methods II: Game Theory Emphasis
OR
PSAA 630: Program Evaluation
Year 1 – Spring
PSAA 634: Public Mgmt.
2 Electives
Summer - Internship
Year 2 – Fall
PSAA 615: Policy Analysis
2 Electives
Year 2 – Spring
3 Electives
(At least two electives must
be from PPA menu)
Year 2 – Fall
PSAA 675: Capstone I
Year 2 – Spring
PSAA 675: Capstone II
Year 2 – Fall
PSAA 623: Budgeting
2 Electives
Year 2 – Spring
3 Electives
(At least 2 electives must
be from PM menu)

First-Year Courses
Fall Semester
PSAA 601: Foundations of Public Service (common core)
PSAA 611: Public Policy Formation (common core)
PSAA 621: Economic Analysis (common core)
BUSH 631: Quantitative Methods in Public Management I (common core)
Spring Semester
Quantitative Methods II Course (common core)
PPA Track Students take BUSH 635.
PM Track Students choose from BUSH 632, BUSH 636, and PSAA 630.
Track requirement:
PSAA 622: Public Finance (PPA core)
PSAA 634: Public Management (PM core)
Two electives chosen in consultation with advisor
Summer
Professional Internship (required for those without substantive professional experience)
Second-Year Courses
Fall Semester
PSAA 675: MPSA Capstone Seminar I (common core)
Track requirement:
PSAA 615: Policy Analysis (PPA core)
PSAA 623: Politics of Public Budgeting (PM core)
Two electives chosen in consultation with advisor
Spring Semester
PSAA 676: MPSA Capstone Seminar II (common core)
Three electives chosen in consultation with advisor

Public Policy Analysis
MPSA Tracks
(mandatory selection)
Required courses in public finance and policy analysis
Two or more courses from a menu of electives:
PSAA 605: Homeland Security Polices, Strategies, and Operations
PSAA 606: Environmental Policy and Management
PSAA 616: Public Organizations in a Pluralistic Society
PSAA 617: State and Local Government: Institutions and Policy
PSAA 618: Education Policy
PSAA 635: Social Welfare and Health Policy
PSAA 637: Decision Making in Government and Administration
PSAA 638: Health Economics and Public Policy
PSAA 640: Energy and Security Policy
PSAA 643: Foundations of the Nonprofit Sector
PSAA 647: Risk and Public Policy or PLAN 616
Public Management
PSAA 664: Business and Public Policy
PSAA 671: Science and Technology Policy
INTA 625: International Trade Policy
INTA 651: National Security Policy
Required courses in management and budgeting
Two or more additional courses from a menu of electives:
PSAA 602: Tools for Advancement and Leadership
PSAA 604 :Emergency Management and Homeland Security
PSAA 616: Public Organization in a Pluralistic Society
PSAA 630: Program Evaluation in Public and Nonprofit Organizations
PSAA 636: Grant and Contract Management
PSAA 637: Decision Making in Government and Administration
PSAA 641: Organizational Theory for the Public Sector
PSAA 642: Ethics and Public Policy
PSAA 644: Management and Leadership of Nonprofit Organizations
PSAA 646: Bureaucracy in a Democracy
PSAA 648: Performance Management
PSAA 661: Public Personnel Administration
PSAA 666 : Advanced Public Management

MPSA Concentrations
(optional selection)
‣ Nonprofit Management
‣ State and Local Policy and Management
‣ Energy, Environment, and Technology Policy and Management
‣ Security Policy and Management
‣ Health Policy and Management
‣ Other concentrations developed in consultation with program director and advisor
Nonprofit Management Concentration
Associated Faculty Members
Will Brown - Concentration Coordinator
Khaldoun AbouAssi
Domonic Bearfield
Sharon Caudle
Deborah Kerr
Gina Reinhardt
Scott Robinson
Students must take one nonprofit core course and at least two nonprofit electives:
Nonprofit Core Course (select one)
Foundations of the Nonprofit Sector (PSAA 643)
Management and Leadership of Nonprofit Organizations (PSAA 644)
Nonprofit Electives (select two)
Either core NPM courses not already taken as the core course (PSAA 643 or 644)
International Nongovernmental Organizations (PSAA 603)
Program Evaluation in Public and Nonprofit Organizations (PSAA 630)
(if not taken to satisfy the Quant. Methods II requirement)
Marketing for Nonprofit Organizations (PSAA 631)
Strategic Fiscal Management in Nonprofit Organizations (PSAA 632)
Philanthropy: Fundraising in Nonprofit Organizations (PSAA 633)
Grant and Contract Management for the Public and Nonprofit Sector (PSAA 636)
Networks & Inter-Organizational Collaborations (PSAA 645)
Performance Management in the Public and Nonprofit Sectors (PSAA 648)
Volunteer & Human Resource Management (PSAA 649)
Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship (PSAA 650)
Legal Environment of Nonprofit Management (PSAA 669)

State and Local Policy and Management Concentration
Associated Faculty Members
Domonic A. Bearfield - Concentration Coordinator
Ann Bowman
Leonard Bright
Sharon Caudle
Kalena Cortes
Cole Blease Graham, Jr.
Deborah Kerr
Joanna Lahey
Scott Robinson
Lori Taylor
Students must take two state and local core courses and at least one state and local
elective:
Required of All Students - State and Local Core Course
State and Local Government and Policy (PSAA 617)
Required of Management Track Students (choose one)
Public Personnel Administration (PSAA 661
Organization Theory for the Public Sector (PSAA 641)
Required of Policy Analysis Track Students (choose one)
Performance Management in Public and Nonprofit Sectors (PSAA 648)
Program Evaluation in Public and Nonprofit Organizations (PSAA 630)
State and Local Concentration Electives (choose one)
PSAA 616: Public Organizations in Pluralistic Societies
PSAA 618: Education Policy
PSAA 635: Social Welfare and Health Policy
PSAA 636: Contract and Grant Management
PSAA 642: Ethics and Public Policy
PSAA 646: Bureaucracy in Democracy
PSAA 666: Advanced Public Management
EDAD 620: Educational Program Evaluation
EDAD 652: Politics of Education
LDEV 671: Sustainable Development
MGMT 658: Managing Projects
PLAN 610: Structure and Function of Urban Settlements
PLAN 612: Transportation in City Planning
PLAN 633: Planning for Healthy Communities
PLAN 656: Housing and Community
RPTS 604: Principles of Community and Community Development

Energy, Environment, and Technology Policy
and Management Concentration
Associated Faculty Members
Ann O’M. Bowman - Concentration Coordinator
JimGriffin
Scott Robinson
Arnold Vedlitz
Students must take two core EETPM courses at least one EETPM elective.
EETPM Core Courses (choose two)
PSAA 606: Environmental Policy and Management
PSAA 640: Energy and Security Policy
PSAA 671: Science and Technology Policy
EETM Electives (choose one)
PSAA 636: Grant and Contract Management
PSAA 640: Energy and Security Policy
PSAA 647: Risk and Public Policy
PSAA 663: Natural Resource Economics (cross-listed with AGEC 604)
PSAA 671: Science and Technology Policy
LDEV 661: Development and the Environment
LDEV 671: Sustainable Development
MGMT 602: Markets and Public Policy
MGMT 632: Technology Commercialization
OCNG 676: Marine Environmental Policy
WFSC 604: Ecology and Natural Resource Management

Security Policy and Management Concentration
Associated Faculty Members
Scott Robinson, Concentration Coordinator
Sharon Caudle
James M. Griffin
This concentration examines central security policy and management concepts and
principles, governance structures, strategies, policies, and contemporary events and their
implications. The concentration emphasizes homeland security and emergency
management.
Students must take two required courses and then select at least one additional elective
concentration course. The required courses are:
• Homeland Security Policies, Strategies, and Operations (PSAA 605)
• Emergency Management and Homeland Security (PSAA 604)
The elective concentration courses are:
• Grant and Contract Management (PSAA 636)
• Energy and Security Policy (PSAA 640)
• Risk and Public Policy (PSAA 647) OR Analyzing Risk/Hazard and Public Policy
(PLAN 616)
• Organizational and Community Response to Crisis and Disasters (PLAN 649)
• Disaster Response Planning (PLAN 650)
Students may also substitute as electives other Bush School or Texas A&M University
graduate courses directly related to homeland security and emergency management. For
example, these might include courses on national security policy, intelligence, terrorism,
disaster response planning, or risk and hazard analysis. The substitution(s) must be
approved by the student’s advisor. These courses are not offered each year and may be
subject to enrollment limitations.

Health Policy and Management Concentration
Associated Faculty Members
Joanna Lahey - Concentration Coordinator
Laura Dague
Scott Robinson
Students must take one health policy and management core course and at least two health
policy and management electives:
Health Policy and Management Core Course
PSAA 638: Health Economics and Public Policy
Health Policy and Management Electives (choose two)
PSAA 630: Program Evaluation (if not used for Quant. Methods II requirement)
PSAA 635: Social Welfare and Health Policy
PSAA 636: Grant and Contract Management
COMM 669: Research in Public Health Communication
HLTH 611: Organization and Administration of Health
HLTH 630: Health Program Planning
PHPM 601: Rural Public Health Systems
PHPM 605: Introduction to Health Policy and Management
PHPM 618: Program Evaluation in Health Care Management
PHPM 640: Health Policy and Politics
PHPM 641: Health Policy Analysis and Policy Formation
PHPM 647: Long-term Care Policy and Management
PHPM 670: Health Policy Evaluation
PLAN 631: Health Systems Planning