2008-2009 Graduate Catalog - Catalog of Studies - University of ...

The Graduate School Departments and Course Descriptions
required to document by an original copy of the test sent by the testing
agency to UACS a minimum score of 550 on the paper-based or 213 on the
computer-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) examination.
Students seeking to enter the M.P.S. program must also provide proof
by an original copy sent by the testing agency to UACS of recently taking
(within the past five years) the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) and
their scores. M.P.S. program applicants who have completed a master’s,
doctoral or professional degree or the UA Clinton School Certificate in
Public Service program are exempt from the GRE requirement. Subject
to the approval of the Student Admissions and Financial Aid Committee,
scores on comparable graduate tests may be accepted as a substitute for
the GRE requirement. The Student Admissions and Financial Aid Committee
shall consider the sum total of the applicant’s work and educational
experience and shall not allow a single factor to outweigh others in making
recommendations for admission.
Requirements for Admission to the Certificate: Applicants seeking to
enroll in the Certificate in Public Service Program in the Clinton School must
submit a completed application form, an application fee, and other documentation
as outlined herein. All application forms must be accompanied by a
personal statement or letter of interest (500 to 700 words), three letters of
reference (one academic, one personal, and one of prior community/public
service), a current curriculum vitae or résumé, and a copy of college transcripts
showing post-secondary credits. All international applicants, including resident
and non-resident aliens, whose native language is not English and who
do not have an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college
or university, are required to document by an original copy of the test sent by
the testing agency to UACS a minimum score of 550 on the paper-based or
213 on the computer-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
examination. The Student Admissions and Financial Aid Committee shall
consider the sum total of the applicant’s work and educational experience and
shall not allow a single factor to outweigh others in making recommendations
for admission.
Requirements for the Certificate: The Certificate of Public Service
program requires 13 semester credit hours:
HOURS
Analysis for Decision-Making in Public Service 3
Leadership in Public Service 3
Communication Processes and Conflict Transformation 3
Dynamics of Social Change 3
Ethical and Legal Dimensions of Leadership 1
Total 13
Requirements for the Degree: The Master of Public Service (M.P.S.)
degree program requires 36 semester credit hours for students with in-depth
experience in public service. Of this, 13 hours are in core courses. In addition,
each M.P.S. student will be required to participate in 5 semester hours
of a capstone project, 5 semester hours of a group practicum, and 13 semester
hours from selective (international project) and elective options courses to (a)
strengthen a student’s particular skills, (b) prepare the student for the capstone
experience, or (c) work toward an applied interest field such as rural development,
conflict transformation, or nonprofit organizational management. The
following curriculum of core, elective, and capstone courses is required for
completion of a Master of Public Service from the Clinton School. Students
without extensive prior experience in public service will be required to take an
additional five credit hour practicum not described below.
Required Core
HOURS
Analysis for Decision-Making in Public Service 3
Leadership in Public Service 3
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Communication Processes and Conflict Transformation 3
Dynamics of Social Change 3
Ethical and Legal Dimensions of Public Service 1
Electives/Selectives (including 5 credit-hour “internship”) 13
Practicum 5
Capstone Sequence 5
Program Total 36
M.B.A./M.P.S. Concurrent Degrees
Students interested in obtaining both the Master of Business Administration
(M.B.A.) and the Clinton School of Public Service Master of Public
Service (M.P.S.) degrees may pursue both degrees concurrently. The programs
require separate application and admission to both the Clinton School of
Public Service and the Graduate School of Business M.B.A. program. Students
participating in the M.B.A./M.P.S. programs concurrently must file a degree
plan for both degrees and obtain prior approval to take courses to be used for
reciprocal credit. Interested students should obtain applications from both the
Walton College Graduate School of Business and the Clinton School of Public
Service.
U A Clinton School (UACS)
UACS501V Special Topics in Public Service (Irregular) (1-3) Designed to cover
specialized topics not usually presented in depth in regular courses. May be repeated for up to
6 hours of degree credit.
UACS502V Advanced Problems in Public Service (Irregular) (1-3) Provides an
opportunity for individual study.
UACS5101 Ethical and Legal Dimensions of Public Service (Irregular) This
course will provide an overview of the primary ethical principles and legal concepts that guide
difficult decisions in the public realm. Traditional academic study of ethical and legal theory
will be combined with practical approaches to problem solving. Students will explore issues
of economic, political, and social justice through case studies of current issues. Students will
construct cases that are relevant to their own fields and present them to the class, identifying
ethical and legal constraints on decision-making and implementation.
UACS5303 Communication Processes and Conflict Transformation (Irregular)
The course is designed to increase the student’s personal communication effectiveness
as a leader and public servant, and to enable students to understand the application of communication
processes in the public arena.
UACS5313 Dynamics of Social Change (Sp, Fa) The course deals with the
elements of social change in a democratic society, and how these intersect with and are affected
by economic and political forces. A critical examination of the various justifications for
promoting or discouraging social change will be undertaken, and the inherent strengths and
weaknesses of these various approaches will be analyzed. Real-world cases will be used, and
a culminating exercise will be a strategic assessment of the Lower Mississippi Delta.
UACS5323 Leadership in Public Service (Sp, Fa) This course is designed to
increase students’ knowledge of leadership concepts and best practices, provide opportunities
and experiences that improve leadership skills and techniques, and enhance capabilities in
organizational management. Students will assess their leadership strengths and weaknesses,
as well as develop an action plan to match their career goals. They will improve knowledge and
skills in building diverse teams, in initiating/managing change, in addressing uncertainty, and in
leading non-governmental organizations. At the end of the course, students should be able to
design leadership strategies to successfully address a spectrum of issues in public service and
in promoting the community good.
UACS5333 Analysis for Decision Making In Public Service (Irregular) This
course is intended to provide students with analytical tools that enhance their skills in diagnosing
problems and formulating solutions within organizations and communities. Instruction will
focus on evaluating community assets as a balance to assessing community need. Underlying
values of social justice and collaborative problem-solving provide a benchmark for these
activities. Students, working in teams, will be challenged to apply their skills to cases related to
affordable housing and homelessness.
COMMUNICATION (COMM)
Robert Brady
Department Chair
417 Kimpel Hall
479-575-3046
73