Public Policy (PUBP)
School of Public Policy
550 Topics in Public Policy (1-3:3:0). Focuses on selected
topics in public policy not covered in fixed-content public policy courses.
601 Theory and Practice of Regional Economic Development (3:3:0).
Focuses on traditional theories of economic development (economic base, growth
pole, infrastructure investment, location theory, central place theory) as well
as nontraditional perspectives, emphasizing application of theory to practice
through case studies.
602 Regional Economic Development and Technology (3:3:0).
Introduces students to the role of technology in economic development policy and
practice. Examines the processes of technological development and change in enterprises
and collaboration among industry, government, and academic institutions through
case studies.
605 State and Local Government Policy and Economic Development (3:3:0).
Examination of state and local government policies and processes designed to promote
local economic development including: institutional arrangements, financing and
tax incentives, non-financial strategies and approaches, land use, environmental
and other relevant regulations, and relationships across government and non-governmental
organizations.
650 Peace Operations I (3:3:0). The first course of a two-semester
sequence on international peace operations. Focuses on the emerging theory of
peace operations, including peace making activities of the United Nations and
other diplomatic initiatives; peace building activities of international organizations
and nongovernmental organizations; and peace support provided by international
militaries.
651 Peace Operations II (3:3:0). The second course of a two-semester
sequence on international peace operations. Focuses on the application of the
emerging theory of peace operations, including peace making activities of the
United Nations and other diplomatic initiatives; peace building activities of
international organizations and nongovernmental organizations; and peace support
provided by international militaries. Several guest lectures from past and present
peace operations provide practical information for future staff of peace operations.
700 Theory and Practice in Public Policy (4:4:0). Theories
of public policy emphasizing both the historical intellectual development of the
discipline and the role that theory and ethics may be expected to play in public
policy making. Assumptions made by policy professionals will be examined reflectively
against a broad range of philosophical, social, political, and economic imperatives
currently impacting the public policy environment.
702 Comparing Political Institutions (4:4:0). Examines political
institutions and processes from a comparative and international perspective and
the role of the political environment in economic policy decisions, trade and
investment. The issues of generalizability, objective knowledge and understanding,
the nature of evidence, and how they impact public policy are also examined.
703 Organizational Informatics in Public Policy (4:4:0). Helps
policy professionals develop proficiency in technological skills necessary for
effective practice by teaching the latest developments in organizational informatics
and web-based student-teacher interaction. The course uses information technology
to understand real-world policy problems.
704 Statistical Methods in Policy Analysis (4:4:0). A graduate-level
introduction to the statistical methods and techniques used in the policy sciences.
Topics include descriptive statistics, sampling and probability theory, graphical
data display, estimation and significance testing, contingency tables, bivariate
regression and correlation, and multiple regression, with an introduction to computer-based
statistical analysis.
705 Advanced Statistical Methods in Policy Analysis (3:3:0).
Prerequisite: PUBP 704 or equivalent. Classical regression methods and
their application to public policy analysis. Simple and multiple regression, analysis
of variance, time series, and simultaneous equation structural models. The problems
associated with applications include specification error, multicollinearity, qualitative
variables, heteroskedasticity, serial correlation, and structural identification.
The course allows students to develop analysis skills by discussing sample empirical
studies and models using advance statistical computer software.
706 Environmental Decisions: Modeling Rational Judgment (3:3:0).
Prerequisite: PUBP 705. Discusses decision aids for environmental or
other policy makers to make and defend decisions soundly and economically. Integrates
public policy and environmental science with decision analysis; i.e., prescriptive
models that quantify the knowledge and values a person or institution does (or
should) bring to bear on a decision. Simple aids, based on decision theory, are
applied to real consulting cases.
709 Research Design and Writing (3:3:0). Help students revise
a draft scholarly paper into a form that would be acceptable in a refereed public
policy journal. Focuses on how to find a researchable question, identify appropriate
methods, build a bibliography, outline an argument, find supporting evidence,
etc.
710 Topics in Public Policy (1-3:3:0). Focuses on selected
topics in public policy not covered by fixed-content public policy courses.
711 Rational Choice and Uncertainty: Modeling Judgment (3:3:0).
Introduces the basics of decision analysis. Examines quantitative modeling of
judgment to aid evaluation of perplexing or controversial options involving conflicting
objectives or outcomes. The course also covers assessing uncertainty about events
and quantities, directly and indirectly; changing uncertainty in the light of
new evidence; gathering information before making a decision; and combating alternative
ways of making the same judgment. Topics apply to public policy, personal, legal,
medical, and other decisions.
712 Policy Systems Analysis and Management Science (3:3:0).
Introduces students to analytical models and analysis that can be applied to support
decisions. The primary emphasis is on understanding the techniques of operation
research/management science, cost benefits, and cost effectiveness for public
decision making. The mathematical details of the algorithms used to solve the
models are not emphasized except as they contribute to understanding the reliability
and validity of these methodologies. Through case studies and computer solutions,
students should gain an appreciation of when, where, and how to use the models.
Finally, students demonstrate their understanding of these techniques by applying
them to a term research project on a government program.
713 Policy and Program Evaluation (3:3:0). Examines how the
programs of public agencies are proposed, established, operated, and evaluated.
Covers the role of research in the program evaluation process, including alternative
methodologies for policy assessment. Considers demand estimation, the supply and
pricing of publicly produced goods and services, and the role of subsidies in
nonmarket environments.
714 Topics in Transportation Policy, Operations & Logistics (1-3:3:0).
Current issues in transportation policy, operations and logistics in
the U.S. and abroad. Practical applications of theories and analysis to policy
problems are included. Competence in improving policy in selected domains is emphasized.
Note: may be taken up to three times and simultaneously for sections addressing
different subject matter.
715 Introduction to Transportation Systems (3:3:0). Transportation
is a service that contributes substantially to the well being of advanced economies.
The resource requirements and byproducts of transportation also pose sobering
environmental challenges for society. This course examines the history and development
of transportation systems, their contribution to and impact on society, the institutions
and practices that govern their planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance,
and retirement from service, the policy and managerial challenges that they pose,
and the tools and techniques available for addressing them.
716 Transportation Operations & Logistics (3:3:0). Provides
a survey of freight logistics issues, methods, problems, and strategies. Topics
include: origins of logistics, industry structure, pricing, underwriting, rate
making, compliance, inventory effects, just-in-time inventory management (JIT),
materials requirements planning (MRP), customer service and order processing operations,
sales functions and operations, dispatch/fleet manager functions and operations,
rate-setting between three parties, typical document flow (electronic and paper),
routing and scheduling; route selection, satellite load trackingthrough dispatchcustomer
web inquiry, role of ITS in route selection, toll system use, congestion, training
activities, logistics markets.
717 Analysis for Transportation Managers (3:3:0). Introduces
basic methods of transportation analysis and evaluation and relates these to a
policy framework. Methods covered include descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing,
contingency tables (Chi-Square analysis), regression, optimization, demand elasticities
and the gravity model. Sources of transportation data and research design are
also covered. While the student will learn the mathematical base and logic of
each technique, the application of these methods to relevant policy and management
problems will be the primary emphasis of the course. Students will be required
to complete a series of assignments along with a research proposal focused on
applying one or more of the methods to a problem of their own interest.
718 Transportation Planning and Policy (3:3:0). Introduces
highway, rail, air and water transport planning in the United States. Students
will learn about the legislative, organizational, fiscal, legal and political
environment within which planning for transportation facilities and services takes
place. The course will also introduce the student to some of the technical and
analytical methods for transportation planning. While the focus of the course
is largely on the public sector, some consideration of commercial transport planning
and the role of the private sector in helping to design, manage, and finance transport
systems is also considered.
719 Transportation Law (3:3:0). Legal issues in transportation
policy, operations and logistics are pervasive. Laws are a fundamental part of
the general context of business and govern a vast range of issues from labor relations,
environmental controls, right of way procurement and eminent domain, liability,
rights and responsibilities in international contracts and services. Regulation
of price and service was also a long tradition in the U.S. beginning in the 19th
century, and abandoned in most respects beginning in the late 1970s. This course
examines the legal environmental of transportation. Topics include: basic legal
concepts and institutions, history and evolution of price and service regulation,
environmental law and regulation, labor relations, and property.
720 Managerial Economics and Policy Analysis (3:3:0). Introduces
microeconomics theory and its application in analyzing public policy issues. The
course is intended to provide the student with the capability to understand economic
literature and theories.
721 Transportation Economics (3:3:0). Provides a basis for
understanding the economics of the transport system and how transportation relates
to urban and regional development. The course treats transport generically, but
includes case studies of specific modes.
722 Practicum in Transportation Policy, Operations, and Logistics (3:3:0).
Engages students in an in-depth field study of ongoing transportation policy,
operations, or logistics situations, and the design and delivery of actions to
manage or resolve problems and opportunities. The range of application areas for
these practica depends jointly on the particular interests of the student body
and opportunities faculty identify for "clients" or real-world projects.
Illustrative domain areas include surface transportation (highways and transit),
airports, and aviation.
723 Metropolitan Transportation Policy (3:3:0). Recent changes
in federal legislation have led to renewed importance for transportation policy
and planning. Considerations of clean air, economic development, congestion management,
and changing urban form have greatly increased the importance of well-planned
transportation facilities and policies. This course introduces students to basic
methods of transportation policy analysis and evaluation. Some specific topics
include data collection, simplified demand estimation techniques, transportation
choice modeling, transportation supply analysis, and ex-ante and ex-post evaluation
methods.
724 Intelligent Transportation Systems & Technology (3:3:0). Provides
an overview of intelligent transportation systems (ITS), which include a wide
range of information technology applications to surface transportation. Categories
of ITS include traffic management systems, traveler information systems, fleet
control systems, commercial vehicle regulation systems, transit systems, rural
systems, and vehicle control systems. Key institutional and policy issues involve
the appropriate federal role in ITS; state and local government collaboration;
public-private partnerships; how privacy interests can be protected as ITS surveillance
and enforcement technologies become increasingly sophisticated; and how driver
information systems, including cell phones, can be used to optimal advantage without
burdening drivers with "information overload."
725 International Transportation Logistics (3:3:0). The increasing
internationalization and globalization of markets is producing new challenges
for transportation services. The challenges are not only in terms of offering
efficient and effective freight transportation options, but also in terms of the
international movement of people both as part of international trade and as part
of direct consumer services such as tourism. Technology shifts have created new
supply conditions to meet the new demands of international commerce that transcend
transportation to embrace communications. The changes are also embedded in new
institutional structures, including liberalized regulatory regimes and the emergence
of international bodies such as the WTO that are beginning to influence the trade
in transportation services themselves. This course is concerned with making an
efficient match between these new demands on transportation and the ways they
can be met. Topics covered embody a multidisciplinary approach to international
transportation logistics drawing on economics, law, information technology, and
network analysis. Subjects covered include international supply-chain management,
global performance indicators, international inter-modal transportation, air-freight
logistics, new technologies, and border-crossing issues.
726 Telecommunications Policy (3:3:0). This course examines
salient issues associated with Telecommunications and Electronic Commerce in the
context of public policy questions facing decision makersin government, education
and business. Examples: privacy, electronic signatures, digital divide, bandwidth
auctions, IP telephony, CRM, Bluetooth, Internet taxation, etc.
727 Transportation Evaluation (3:3:0). Transportation impinges
on many aspects of life, some economic, some social and some political. The provision
and operation of transportation services, therefore, involves a wide-range of
trade-offs. The aim of this course is to look at the range of evaluation techniques
and concepts that are applied in making decisions over such matters as transportation
investments, transportation operating strategies and public policy as it affects
transportation. The course will involve considering both the theory and concepts
involved, together with more detailed assessments of standard evaluation methods
used in the US and elsewhere. A number of case studies will be reviewed in depth.
728 Fleet Operations (3:3:0). Provides an overview of the
most important factors affecting fleet operations today. Topics include: goals
for government fleet operations, goals for privately owned fleets (truck, rail,
air, water modes), pro-forma cost analysis, fleet operations including route and
vehicle and operator selection, asset-based versus non-asset based fleets, fleet
design and make-up based on multiple objectives, scheduled maintenance requirements
and trade-offs, shared capacity issues (trailers, containers, consolidators),
reverse logistics policies, costs, operations, environmental constraints on fleets
(fuels, waste, emissions), fuel logistics (purchasing, location, cost), fleet
decision-making (en-route changes, delays, and environmental challenges), competitive
and market challenges and opportunities in fleet management.
729 Transportation Asset Management (3:3:0). Introduces the
main elements of Transportation Asset Management, a subject that has attracted
significant attention, both in the U.S. and internationally over the past decade.
It is a response to a number of developments that have challenged the traditional
framework for transportation service delivery, including changes in the transportation
environment; a shift in the public's attitude towards the provision of public
goods; and extraordinary advances in communication and computer technologies.
The adoption of transportation asset management poses significant challenges on
both the organizational structure and the existing knowledge-base within transportation
agencies. This course provides an overview of these challenges and introduces
theoretical frameworks within which the challenges may be analyzed.
730 National Policy Systems and Theory (1-4:3:0). Provides
an inquiry into the policy-making environment, organized around the U.S. federal
system. The seminar examines the nation's policy systems and its key components:
the actors, institutions of governance, outside groups, and other influential
interests. Special emphasis is placed on the dynamic character of policy making.
In addition, different policy theories are discussed in the context of current
political realities.
731 Macroeconomic Policy Assessment (3:3:0). Covers monetary
theory, theories of consumption and saving, budget deficits, economic growth,
international finance, and monetary and fiscal policy. Investigates national income
and product accounts, savings, employment, and investment, as well as alternatives
to Keynesian principles. Evaluates theories of inflation, investment, capital
accumulation, and non-proportional growth.
736 The Global Information Economy and the Digital Divide (3:3:0).
Discusses many of the institutional, social and policy issues involved in the
development of a global information economy and society. Economic development
needs, public institutional capacity, non-governmental networks will be examined
critically, and the course will deal with the implications of universal access
to the Internet and equality of use in areas such as online delivery of government
services, privacy, online voting, e-government, and others. The course will also
focus on efforts to ameliorate the digital divide sponsored by major multilateral
agencies like the World Bank and the United Nations. Development of public policies
for democratic governance in a complex networked world will be emphasized.
737 Cases and Concepts in E-Government (3:3:0). Electronic
government has become a significant public policy issue worldwide. It offers the
prospect of dramatic improvements in the delivery of government services, but
also portends major debate about government intrusion. This course covers the
emerging public policy issues associated with electronic government: job displacement
in the public sector, privacy, procurement and supply chain management, voter
profiling, scope of government services, challenges to "digital democracy,"
Internet-based voting, land management, the "digital divide," and others.
738 Information, Technology, and Institutional Change (3:3:0). Examines
role and character of information in institutions as foundation to understanding
role of IT in economy, society and politics. Considers theories of and practice
of information in institutions, organizations and markets, and assesses effects
of information technology changes on key economic, social and political institutions,
such as firms, markets, communities, non-profit organizations and government.
741 U.S. Financial Policy Processes and Procedures (3:3:0).
Examines the design and operation of expenditure and revenue systems at all three
levels of government in the U.S. (federal, state and local). Mobilizing and allocating
resources through the planning, adoption, and execution of the budget is stressed.
In addition to the theory and policy objectives of tax and spending regimes, the
course includes review of financial controls, performance measurement, cash and
debt management, and accounting and financial reporting systems.
742 Transportation Safety and Security (3:3:0). Transportation
safety has long been a paramount consideration in the design, construction, operation
and regulation of transportation systems. In recent years, the security of transportation
systems has become increasingly important, in light of breaches such as aircraft
hijackings and truck bombs. This course examines transportation safety and security
from a multimodal perspective for both passenger and freight. Topics include:
historical context and policy framework, regulation, institutional issues, new
security arrangements for preventing organized terrorist attacks, infrastructure
design, vehicle design, operating protocols, and information systems.
743 National Security Management and Policy (3:3:0). Examines
hierarchies in national security from the president to the military establishment,
including the National Security Council, the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Chiefs
of Staff, the CINCs (Commander-in-Chiefs of the Unified and Specified Commands),
and the intelligence agencies. Covers policies involving national defense, peacekeeping
operations, embargoes and other sanctions, defense conversion, and military acquisition
policy. Also covers significant legislation affecting national security, such
as the National Security Act of 1947 and the Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986.
744 Federal Institutions and Management (3:3:0). Covers management
and policy in the federal government. This course examines policy problems within
the context of the national system of governance, including the political environment,
the evolution and constitutional framework of American government, the U.S. Congress,
the executive branch from the White House to the agencies, and the role of interest
groups and political parties. Special attention is given to the implementation
of legislation, the regulatory process, and intergovernmental relations.
745 Transportation and the Environment (3:3:0). This course,
which is multi-disciplinary in orientation, examines the implications of transportation
and looks at ways in which public policy has attempted to handle these implications
and at ways in which policy may move in the future. It looks at all modes of transportation
and at most of their environmental ramifications.
746 Maritime Transportation Policy, Operations and Logistics (3:3:0).
Examines how the international maritime transportation system has evolved,
and discusses its current challenges and options for future developments. Maritime
shipping is an ancient enterprise that has dominated transportation since long
before industrialization led to the development of steam propulsion, railroads,
motor trucks, and airplanes. Topics include globalization, e-commerce, just-in-time
manufacturing, quick response capabilities, integrated logistic systems, and the
relevance of maritime transportation, especially in light of emerging technological
advances.
747 Air Transportation Policy, Operations and Logistics (3:3:0).
Aviation is a form of transportation with global reach. This course reviews the
evolution of various forms of air transport (i.e., airlines, general aviation,
and military aviation), and includes the following topics: the basics of airline
economics, especially as they intersect with airline operations and the management
of hub and spoke networks; air traffic control technologies and operations and
their intersection with airline economics; safety and security technologies and
regulations; the future of the various elements of air transportation; and the
effects of deregulation on air travel.
748 Public Transportation Policy, Operations and Logistics (3:3:0).
Public transportation plays an important role in providing mobility in
both urban and rural areas. This course provides a general system description
for the components comprising the typical publicly funded transit property. Topics
include organizational structure, historical context, budget development including
operating and capital budgets, personnel and labor relations, regulatory framework,
operations management (bus and commuter rail), the reporting structure (e.g.,
appointed boards), customer service, and contracted operations. The course also
discusses current topics of interest, such as security of transit systems and
transit's role in the pursuit of air quality.
749 Highway Transportation Policy, Operations and Logistics (3:3:0).
Highways have played a central role in the development of the American transportation
system. In particular, the Interstate highway system has revolutionized both freight
and passenger transport. This course examines the history and development of the
highway system, the institutions responsible for its development and ongoing operation,
its environmental impacts and efforts to mitigate them, the emerging emphasis
on operations and management of the highway system, and its role in the freight
logistics and supply chain management system.
750 History of Military Operations Other than War (3:3:0).
Focuses on the history of military activity in support of noncombat missions.
Uses historical examples of the early days of the United States and colonial histories
of Western and Eastern powers. This course also touches on the use of military
force in support of multinational peace operations.
751 International Police Operations (3:3:0). Analyzes the
role of international police monitors and domestic police forces in international
peace operations. Focuses on how using international police monitors and developing
indigenous law enforcement capabilities can improve the prospects for success
of international peace operations. Examines the origins, mandates, planning, and
deployment of international civilian police forces, the problems of coordinating
these international police operations with international military forces and local
security forces, the international role in developing democratically oriented
police forces, the relationship of police to the entire judicial system, and the
need to continue assistance to all parts of the judicial system beyond the initial
intervention.
753 Ethics in Public Policy (3:3:0). Provides an inquiry into
the ethical and moral issues in public policy. Explores issues that are controversial
and often confusing to public policy makers such as health care, secrecy in government,
surrogate motherhood, and disability. Perspectives are national, as well as global,
and deal with the impact of culture and politics on ethical dilemmas confronting
society. The course also looks at the processes by which specific ethical systems
are incorporated into governing bodies. Larger issues, such as war and peace,
"just" and "unjust" wars, capital punishment, medical and
legal ethics, and communitarian vs. individual liberties are also included, with
an emphasis on how they affect public policy.
755 National Security Decision-Making Policy (3:3:0). Applies
behavioral, economic, strategic, and other decision theories to U.S. government
and other actors in historical national security crisis cases and in current policy
issues. We seek to explore the tension in decisions between rational goal seeking
by actors vs. organizational process, and to develop usable decision tools.
756 Geostrategic Assessment Policy (3:3:0). A geopolitical
assessment of global threats to international order and security. The first half
of the course focuses on geopolitical theories, elements of military power, and
global social, demographic and political trends. The second half analyzes region-by-region
political, military, economic, and social trends.
760 Science and Technology Policy in the 21st Century (3:3:0).
This course investigates the roles dynamic scientific research and technological
innovation play in contemporary society. It focuses specifically on the design
and analysis of alternative public policies intended to influence the rate and
direction of technological change in societies, and on the use of scientific and
technical knowledge in public policy making more generally. The course uses historical
and international comparative approaches to assess the politics and pragmatics
of science and technology policy. Included in the course is material from the
fields of policy evaluation and analysis, as well as from organization theory,
the economics of innovation, and the sociology of science and technology. Applications
focus on areas of concern to the "new economy," such as biotechnology,
networked telecommunications and computing, and the globalization of technology-based
production.
761 Social Capital and Public Policy (3:3:0). This course
looks at the literature on social capital, including many classic works like Tocqueville's
Democracy in America that, in effect, made use of the concept long before sociologist
James Coleman brought it into wider use in the 1980s. One of the objectives of
the seminar is to address questions such as the following: Is the concept merely
a passing intellectual fad, or is social capital in fact a useful concept for
understanding political and economic behavior? Are there measures of social capital,
and if so, what are they? Can the concept be plugged into economic models? Can
social capital be introduced to improve our ability to fashion or improve specific
social policies in the areas of crime, education, family, social welfare, and
the like?
762 Social Institutions and Public Policy (3:3:0). The limited
government involvement in social policies changed drastically during the 1960s,
with an explosion of social programs designed to ameliorate poverty, reduce crime,
eliminate racial segregation, and to generally lessen the adverse consequences
of these conditions. These new social policies affect many institutions, including
the family, schools and colleges, the criminal justice system, and government
agencies themselves. Many of these policies have been controversial, with debates
over their efficacy and whether they have cured or exacerbated the social problems
they were designed to alleviate. This course examines the evolution and status
of selected American social policies, including civil right policies, education
reform, family policy, crime prevention, and other topics that can be chosen by
students. Readings and discussions on policy issues are linked to readings and
discussions on social theories and value systems that underpin these social policies.
768 Education and Public Policy (3:3:0). Explores current
issues and policy initiatives in education policy at federal, state, and local
levels, with emphasis on education reform. Issues and topics will vary somewhat
from year to year to maintain currency. Typical policy issues to be addressed
include raising academic standards, high-stakes testing, alternative governance
including school choice and voucher policies, teacher quality and certification,
the role of school resources in academic outputs, and equity topics.
770 Topics in Regional and Urban Development Policy (1-3:3:0).
A seminar exploring the concept of leadership and institutional development in
regional economic development. The first part involves presentations by faculty
members on conceptual, theoretical, and methodological traditions regarding leadership
and institutional development. The last part focuses specifically on the issue
of leadership in the context of regional economic development.
771/SYST 691/EEP 601 Introduction to Enterprise Engineering and Policy
(3:3:0). Prerequisite: INFS 614 or equivalent. Provides an overview
of Extended Enterprise Integration. Lectures focus on the SAP architecture and
the R/3 standard software solution. Laboratory requires students to complete an
end-to-end implementation project with the Great Plains Software midrange ERP
solution, Dynamics C/S +. For modeling, students must demonstrate complete proficiency
in the Architecture of Information Systems (ARIS) methodology, and the supporting
ARIS Toolset.
772/SYST 692/EEP 602 Decision Support for Enterprise Integration (3:3:0).
Prerequisite: SYST 542 and SYST 691 or equivalent. Lectures focus on the
use of "Business Intelligence" to enhance competitive advantage, development
of an information driven set of controls to improve profitability, and emphasis
on the creation of a balanced business with aligned corporate direction and strategic
intent. Solutions provided within ERP systems are examined.
773/SYST 693/EEP 603 Supply Chain Integration and Management (3:3:0).
Prerequisite: SYST 691 or equivalent. Lectures focus on two issues: supply
chain integration from an information technology perspective, and supply chain
management from a decision support perspective. The motivation for the course
is the merging of enterprise computing with operations research, primarily through
customer/supply chain management systems. Topics include ERP/Web integration,
advanced planning, and customer relationship management.
774/SYST 694/EEP 604 E-Commerce Architectures (3:3:0).
Prerequisite: SYST 691 or equivalent. Introduces network and system architectures
that support high volume business to consumer web sites and portals. Provides
insight into the structure of the modern web enabled storefront. Critical business
and technology issues include Storage Area Networks (SANs), server clustering,
load balancing techniques at the server and network level, fault tolerance, and
recovery of database and application servers.
775/SYST 695/EEP 605 Economics of Electronic Commerce (3:3:0).
Prerequisite: SYST 691 or equivalent. Focuses on gaining competitive
advantage through Electronic Commerce implementation; the identification and growing
of new market opportunities, as well as the electronic enabling of existing business
relationships; business-to-consumer relationships, as well as the economics of
strategic procurement, ERP hosting, customer relationship management, catalog
hosting, portal operations, and supplier management.
776/SYST 696/EEP 606 Customer Relationship Management (3:3:0).
Prerequisite: SYST 691 or equivalent. Focuses on the "front office"
and its integration with the "back office." The modern world of e-Commerce
extends intra-enterprise integration [as implemented in Enterprise Resource Planning
(ERP) systems] to include external constituents such as customers, partners, and
suppliers. Course is focused on modern system support for the Demand Chain and
the value creation process that results from integrating the front office systems
(e.g., CRM) with the back office systems (ERP).
777/SYST 697/ EEP 607 Critical Information Technology Infrastructures
(3:3:0). Prerequisite: SYST 694 or equivalent. Design and implementation
of high-speed network and application services in support of modern Enterprise
Resource Planning (ERP) systems. Critical technologies include high-speed data
communication, switched vs. routed data flow, workflow engines, business rule
and web application servers, and load balancing technologies. A large-scale web
enabled ERP system architecture will be examined in detail.
780 Evolution of the Washington Metropolitan Economy (3:3:0).
Explores the evolution and future of the Washington metropolitan area economy,
its historical context, the role of federal spending, tourism, the technology
sector, international business, regional organizations, local government policies,
and forecasts. The course evaluates the development patterns in the District of
Columbia, Northern Virginia, and suburban Maryland.
782 International Financial Policy (3:3:0). Addresses the
theory of international finance, its application to financial policy such as exchange
rate regimes, and the institutions of international finance. It covers the operations
of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, the development of the
European Monetary Union, and the debate over "international financial architecture."
783 Global Governance (3:3:0). This course is a survey of
important issues in global governance given changes in the contemporary world.
It explores the dynamics and complexity of formal and informal actors, institutional
arrangements, organizations, and the roles they play in the process of governance
in the international sphere. Considers states, governmental and nongovernmental
organizations, international regimes, social movements, regional associations,
and multinational corporations as actors bearing on transnational authority. Various
vehicles for international coordination and conflict are examined in terms of
relevance and opportunities for global governance.
785 Urban Development Economics (3:3:0). Examines the changing
structure and functions of the urban economy and develops the skills and knowledge
for evaluating and remedying conditions inhibiting local economic development.
The course includes case studies of redevelopment strategies, programs, and outcomes
for inner-city neighborhoods, central and suburban business districts, waterfronts,
and surplus military bases.
794 Internship (1-6:0:0). Prerequisite: 12 PUBP credits
or permission of instructor. Open only to students in a SPP degree program
that requires an internship. Contact appropriate program director one semester
before enrollment. Work-study programs with specific employers. Credit is determined
by the appropriate degree program.
796 Directed Readings and Research (1-3:3:0). Independent
reading and research at the doctoral level on a specific topic related to public
policy as agreed to by a student and a faculty member.
799 Master's Thesis (1-6:0:0). Prerequisites: Degree candidacy
in a Public Policy Master's program, completion of the required credits of graduate
course work, and approval of a thesis proposal by the faculty advisor, two committee
members, and the program director. Individualized Section form required.
Original research endeavor related to the student's program concentration. Research
must result in a document meeting Public Policy and university standards. Graded
S/NC.
800 Culture and Policy (2:2:0 to 4:3:1). Provides a comparative
overview of institutions and culture, focusing on the ways that the United States
is exceptional when compared with other mature industrial societies. It presents
culture and social structure as explanatory variables in accounting for these
differences. It is also intended to give an overview of the analytical methods
used in comparative public policy research, and to provide background on the political
environment in which international trade and investment decisions are made. This
course is intended primarily for first-year doctoral students in public policy.
It may also be taken, with a reduced set of requirements, by master's students
in the international commerce and policy program as ITRN 502.
801 Macro Policy (2:2:0 to 4:3:1). Demonstrates how macroeconomic,
technological, demographic, and social forces affect the supply and demand for
governmental services. Counterpart analysis of the impact of shifts in the patterns
of international trade, the demographic composition of the population, and trends
in the social structure are also examined. The course is intended to build an
awareness of the need to factor alternative assumptions about the macro environment
into policy planning; to show how macro events can affect both social welfare
and policy performance indicators; and to suggest how national income accounting
analysis and simple macroeconomic models can help to pinpoint impending trouble
spots for public policy.
802 The Logic of Policy Inquiry (1-4:3:0). Prerequisite:
Enrollment in doctoral program in public policy. Defines policy research
problems, questions, and hypotheses. Explores modes of policy research, analysis,
and rhetoric, including interdisciplinary research strategies. The course uses
information sources to emphasize written communication of policy research results.
The course also discusses professional practice issues.
804 Multivariate Statistical Analysis in Public Policy (4:3:0).
Prerequisite: PUBP 704 or equivalent. Explores the multivariate techniques
of contingency table analysis, reliability and validity assessment, factor analysis
and scaling, multivariate regression and path analysis, the analysis of variance
and covariance, and other selected multivariate techniques. Emphasis is on applying
these techniques to real policy data using sophisticated statistical packages.
805 Public Policy Systems and Theory (4:3:0). Prerequisite:
PUBP 730 or equivalent. An inquiry on an advanced level into the national
and international policy-making environment with special emphasis on the dynamic
character of the political arena. The seminar examines policy systems and their
key components: the major actors, institutions of governance, and the influence
of outside groups, political parties, and special interests.
806 Advanced Management Science for Public Organizations (4:3:0).
Prerequisite: PUBP 712 or equivalent. The primary emphasis is to understand
the techniques of operations research/management science, cost benefits, and cost
effectiveness for public policy decision-making. Some familiarity with elementary
calculus and linear algebra will help the students understand the mathematical
basis of algorithms used to solve models and to help understand the reliability
and validity of these techniques. Case studies and computer solutions are used
to help the student understand when and how to use OR models.
807 Advanced Qualitative Research: Theory and Methods (4:3:0).
Prerequisite: SOCI 530, SOCI 634, or equivalent. A course in advanced
qualitative social research to prepare students who intend to use qualitative
methods in their public policy Ph.D. dissertations. Methods covered include ethnography,
the theory and practice of survey research, case study, and discourse analysis.
808 Advanced Economic Analysis for Policy Research (4:3:0).
Prerequisite: PUBP 720 or equivalent. Aims to build analytical skills
in the use of economic analysis for policy modeling. Designed for graduate students
in public policy with competence in elementary calculus and matrix algebra. Reviews
basic mathematical techniques and then covers basic consumer theory, demand estimation
and forecasting, production theory, technological change and productivity analysis,
market structure and competition, capital budgeting, and the role of the public
sector.
810 Theory and Methods in Regional Policy I (2:2:0 to 4:3:1).
Introduces and critiques the theory and methods used in regional policy analysis.
Students learn about central place theory, growth pole theory, and economic base
theory, as well as other theoretical constructs used in regional policy analysis.
Further, methodological tools such as regional econometric modeling, multiobjective
programming, shift-share analysis, economic base analysis, location quotient analysis,
and input-output analysis are also introduced and examined. Finally, selected
current regional public issues are examined using the theoretical and methodological
constructs introduced in the first part of this course.
811 Theory and Methods in Regional Policy II (2:2:0 to 4:3:1).
The second of two semesters of required concentration seminar sequence in
regional development policy. Only students who have participated in the first
semester of this sequence (i.e., PUBP 810) are admitted. In this seminar,
students develop research papers that investigate some element or aspect of regional
policy, with the goal of producing publishable papers. The students develop the
focus of their papers based on work carried out in the first semester, and are
expected to prepare a two-page proposal, followed by a detailed proposal and finally,
the completed paper. Each of these are critiqued in the seminar, which is organized
to conform to this process of review and critique. The instructor works with each
of the students individually, as well as in the seminar sessions.
817 Policy Research Topics: Transportation Policy (2:2:0 to 4:3:1).
This research workshop examines the development of policy research and relevant
methodologies linked directly to faculty and student interests. Students identify
cutting-edge policy concerns and execute a research program. The four-credit version
of this course requires a discussion section and a research laboratory.
820 Technology, Science, and Public Policy I (2:2:0 to 4:3:1).
The first of a two-semester core seminar sequence required for Ph.D. public
policy students in the science and technology policy concentration. Covers
literature relevant to science and technology policy. This core sequence begins
with the postulate that technology has become a major casual force in the contemporary
world. This seminar looks at the key formulations of the relationship of science,
technology, and public policy.
821 Technology, Science, and Public Policy II (2:2:0 to 4:3:1).
The second of a two-semester core seminar sequence in the science and technology
policy concentration. Students develop research papers that investigate some
element or aspect of science and technology policy. The course helps students
identify and develop topics with the goal of producing publishable papers.
833 Topics in Public Policy (1-4:3:0). Focuses on selected
topics in public policy not covered in fixed-content public policy courses.
840 Research Seminar in Policy Governance I (2:2:0 to 4:3:1).
The first of a two-semester sequence (PUBP 840, 841) in the governance and
public management policy concentration. Surveys the major institutions that
formulate and implement public policy in the United States. The seminar examines
linkages between the translation of public preferences into public policy and
decisions about the societal and economic functions that are most appropriately
carried out by governments and those that are best accomplished by private institutions
and individuals. The four-credit course requires a discussion seminar and research
laboratory.
841 Research Seminar in Policy Governance II (2:2:0 to 4:3:1).
The second of a two-semester sequence (PUBP 840, 841) in the governance and
public management policy concentration. Studies the division of responsibilities
among the several levels of government and between the public and private sectors.
The seminar focuses on the impact of these divisions on the development of public
policy in several policy areas, such as urban governance, environmental policy,
and health care.
850 Seminar in Public Policy (1:1:0). A weekly colloquium
series, required of public policy Ph.D. students.
Features a variety of speakers from universities, government, and nonprofit
sectors. Topics include policy formulation and analysis, as well as theoretical
and methodological foundation.
860 Social Theory and Public Policy (2:2:0 to 4:3:1). Introduces
social theory and how it affects public policy. Major theoretical frameworks in
the social sciences are analyzed in relation to the role they can play in the
formulation of public policies in such selected areas as poverty and inequality,
the family, education, crime and drugs, and race and ethnicity.
861 Research Seminar in Culture and Policy (2:2:0 to 4:3:1).
Emphasizes the integration of theory and method into empirical research projects.
Among the issues covered are the linkage between theoretical constructs and empirical
literature, the derivation of research questions from an existing body of literature,
and the selection of methods appropriate to answer those questions. The seminar
requires both the development of concrete proposals for empirical research and
the criticism of such proposals.
870 Organizational and Policy Aspects of Informatics (1-4:3:0).
Examines the effects of informatics on national and international policy; setting
international policy on informatics; ethical and social change in governments
and organizations; shaping national policy in informatics; industry growth; and
research methods from various scientific disciplines.
871 Organizational Processes and Technology (1-4:3:0). Prerequisite:
PUBP 870. Introduces the modern vertically- and horizontally-integrated organization.
Focuses on the modern managerial policy aspects of creating, integrating,
and managing modern information technology-enabled public and private sector organizations.
880 Global and International Public Policy (4:3:0). Explores
the multiple dimensions of globalization and internationalization relative to
public policy processes and consequences. Its aim is to offer substantive insight
into contemporary public policy dynamics from a global and comparative perspective.
Accordingly, it examines a broad range of international cultural, political, technological,
and economic policy issues, and their interactions and implications at all levels
of analysis. Engages relevant theoretical and methodological approaches and debates
in order to provide students with tools for analyzing various world problems and
policies.
881 International Trade Policy (4:3:0). Addresses international
trade theory, trade policy analysis, regional economic integration, and the institutional
arrangements governing world trade. It covers the World Trade Organization (including
its constituent agreements in the areas of goods, services, intellectual property
and trade-related investment measures), regional trade agreements such as NAFTA,
dispute settlement regimes, and the relations between trade and the environment.
998 Research/Proposal for Dissertation (1-9:0:0). Requires
work on a research proposal that forms the basis for a doctoral dissertation.
May be repeated, although no more than 24 credits of PUBP 998 and 999 may be applied
to doctoral degree requirements.
999 Dissertation (1-9:0:0). Requires research on an approved
dissertation topic under the director on dissertation committee. May be repeated,
although no more than 24 credits of PUBP 998 and 999 may be applied to doctoral
degree requirements.
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