Graduate Catalog - Shippensburg University

Courses of InstructionPLS511 State Government (3 crs.)Studies state governments in the American federal system andanalyzes state government institutions and processes with specialreference to Pennsylvania.PLS512 Intergovernmental Relations and Programs (3 crs.)Examines the developing area of intergovernment relations amongfederal, state, and local governments. Special emphasis placed uponthe work of the Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relationsand implementation where feasible by state and local governments.PLS521 Collective Bargaining and Labor Relations in the PublicSector (3 crs.)Reviews whole area of relations between public employees and publicemployers and impact on public personnel administration. Someguide-lines used for past contractual arrangements are covered.PLS551 Planning and Public Policy (3 crs.)Examines relationship between the planning process and publicpolicy including the inputs into the development of public policy aswell as legal and other constraints. Using the current national budgetpriorities as a national plan and in-depth examination and reconciliationof these priorities is carried out in view of political, social, andeconomic constraints.PLS561 Administrative Law (3 crs.)Study of the law concerning the powers and procedures of administrativeagencies. These governmental bodies which affect the rights ofprivate and public parties through either adjudication or rule makingare compared to and contrasted with the judicial, legislative andexecutive processes using the case method.PLS591 Selected Topics (3 crs.)PLS601 Research Methods (3 crs.)Survey of the research process including preparation of a researchdesign, use of theoretical framework, and testing of hypothesis bygathering and analyzing data. Recommend the student complete thiscourse as early in the graduate program as possible.PLS603 Public Policy Analysis (3 crs.)Briefly examines the policy making and policy implementationprocesses as they relate to the analysis of public policies. Major focusis upon results-oriented management techniques, and a number ofspecific quantitative policy analysis techniques.PLS605 Applied management Techniques in Public Administration(3 crs.)Requires students to demonstrate their ability to successfully resolveworkplace situations by utilizing principles and concepts of publicmanagement as presented in the core and elective courses of theMPA curriculum. Employing the case study method and additionalreading, the principal focus requires the students as individuals and inteams to work with the development and implementation of publicpolicy. Takes an application and problem-solving approach designedto develop the practical management skills required in the currentpublic administration workplace.PLS611 Internship I (3 crs.)Opportunity to practice public administration theory and conceptsas participant and an observer in the process. Placement on a limitedbasis in a government or nonprofit activity enhances the student’spreparation in the field.PLS612 Internship II (3 crs.)Opportunity to practice public administration theory and conceptsas participant and an observer in the process. Placement on a limitedbasis in a government or nonprofit activity enhances the student’spreparation in the field.PLS621 Thesis I (3 crs.)PLS622 Thesis II (3 crs.)Psychology (PSY)PSY500 Advanced Research Design and Statistics I (3 crs.)Concerned with scientific method to the investigation of behavior.Research methods and experimental design and statistics are reviewedalong with a survey of the more recent significant developmentsin the field of psychology. Use of computer statistical packages toanalyze data is emphasized. Students demonstrate competency in descriptivestatistics. Prerequisite: required to pass a competency exam priorto entry into the course. Contact the professor or departmental secretary fortest procedures.PSY501 Advanced Research Design and Statistics II (3 crs.)Second component of the research design and statistics sequence isconcerned with the scientific method in the investigation of behavior.Advanced research methods and experimental design and statisticsare reviewed along with a survey of the more recent significantdevelopments in the field of psychology. Use of computer statisticalpackages to analyze data is emphasized. Students demonstrate competencyin multivariate statistics. Prerequisite: PSY500.PSY512 Theories of Learning (3 crs.)Examines the explanations of human learning processes offered byvarious behavioral and cognitive theorists. Classical and contemporarytheories and applications are presented dealing with topics suchas conditioning, motivation, memory, and problem solving.PSY515 Theories of Personality (3 crs.)Explores theories, issues, and research in personality, and encouragesthe psychology graduate student to develop his or her own pragmaticorientation.PSY516 Motivation (3 crs.)Examines and compares different theories of motivation. Basicmotives such as hunger, thirst, sex, and aggression in humans andanimals examined. In addition, more complex motives discussed inlight of decision theory.PSY518 Introduction to Behavior Analysis (3 crs.)Study of the principles of respondent conditioning, operant conditioning,and observational learning, as well as the application of theseprinciples as a means to modify behavior through the following techniques:Desensitization, counter-conditioning, extinction, stimuluscontrol processes, reinforcement, punishment, modeling. Prerequisite:PSY500.PSY519 Life Span Psychology (3 crs.)Lifespan development provides information about developmentalprocesses from conception through adulthood. Interaction of environmentaland genetic factors stressed. Theoretical points of view arepresented. Prerequisite: undergraduate course in child development and/orpermission of the instructor.PSY527 Studies in the Psychology of Adolescence (3 crs.)Systematic study of physical, behavioral, and psychological developmentof the individual from puberty to emerging adulthood.PSY529 Psychology of Successful Aging (3 crs.)Focuses on process of aging during later years of the life span. Developmentalapproach provides basis for the systematic study of aging.Interaction of the physiological, psychological, emotional, intellectual,and social aspect of aging are emphasized. Prerequisite: PSY519.PSY530 Studies in the Psychology of the Exceptional Child (3 crs.)Concerned with findings of significant studies on the exceptionalchild. Emphasis given to the contributions of research dealing withcharacteristics of the exceptional child, identification, ways of meetingspecial needs and implications for the child and those who workwith them.101