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2020-2021 Graduate Bulletin [Archived Bulletin]
Courses
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LGST 8070 - Environmental Law and Justice
The course emphasizes major air, water, land, and procedural laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Superfund clean up law, with a focus on the practical applications of these laws in legal professions. Students will research and explore current topics in environmental justice.
Credits: 4
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LGST 8075 - International Human Rights Law
This course explores international human rights and their bases in law by focusing on the creation and operation of international human rights instruments.
Credits: 4
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LGST 8080 - Criminal Law
An in depth study of the substantive aspects of criminal law and an opportunity for research, application and analysis of the legislative creation, implementation, and enforcement of criminal law.
Credits: 4
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LGST 8085 - Advanced Litigation Survey
This class builds upon the foundation of Civil Litigation to provide a better understanding of how lawyers and law firms represent clients in the litigation process. Students will continue their exploration of the legal system, its process for resolving disputes, and the historical development of law in the context of civil disputes. They will also explore the tools and systems used to manage litigation and get practical training and development in understanding how to manage litigation. The student will learn the skills necessary to succeed as part of the litigation team in the adversarial system and gain the understanding to succeed in this role. It is a practical approach which will require the student to take part in numerous role plays and exercises that portray actual case situations.
Credits: 4
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LGST 8090 - E-Discovery
This course covers the purpose of electronic discovery and the legal framework that governs its objectives and standards. Students will learn to:
- Define the purpose and overarching objectives of the e-Discovery process from all perspectives.
- Explain the relationship between evidentiary requirements and the e-Discovery process.
Credits: 4
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LGST 8100 - Introduction to Educational Law Compliance
This course introduces students to the study of law in the context of education policy using primary sources, including cases, statutes, and administrative regulations. The course focuses on the fundamentals of legal reasoning and analysis, and provides a general overview of the structure of the American government and court system, examining the impact of that structure on the creation and enforcement of education law and policy.
Credits: 2
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LGST 8495 - Graduate Legal Capstone
MSL students take a capstone course that requires a research action project that is directly relevant to their current or future workplace or a substantial thesis-quality research paper.
Research action projects follow standardized approaches used in the student’s chosen field. Examples of such include developing an environmental assessment, creating a legal compliance program, designing a workplace dispute system, or preparing a conflict resolution curriculum. Research action projects are expected to be professional in their presentation and scope, but need not adhere to the formal thesis guidelines typically appropriate in traditional academic courses. Thesis-quality research papers should be focused on a law-related topic relevant to the student’s concentration.
Whether a research action project or a research paper, capstone projects should reflect student competency in the following areas:
- Legal research and analysis
- Critical thinking and problem-solving
- Legal writing, including citation
Credits: 2
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MATH 1170 - Calculus I
Goals: To learn how to use the calculus of one variable and the fundamental concepts of the calculus.
Content: Limits, continuity, derivatives and integrals of functions of one variable. Applications are taken mostly from the physical sciences.
Prerequisite: Twelfth-grade high school mathematics with at least B grades or Math 1150, or consent of instructor.
Credits: 4
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MATH 1200 - Statistics
Goals: To cover the fundamentals of statistical data analysis.
Content: Elementary probability, descriptive statistics, parametric and nonparametric tests of hypotheses, analysis of variance, correlation and regression. Statistical computing will be in R.
Prerequisite: High school algebra.
Credit will not be given for both MATH 1200 and PSY 1340 or MATH 1200 and QMBE 1310.
Credits: 4
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MATH 3320 - Multivariable and Vector Calculus
Goals: To extend concepts of calculus in two variables to the calculus of several variables.
Content: Vector calculus, partial and total differentiation, maximum/minimum problems, multiple integration, line and surface integrals, vector and scalar fields, theorems of Green, Gauss, and Stokes.
Taught: Fall and Spring terms
Prerequisite: MATH 1180
Credits: 4
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MATH 3440 - Discrete Mathematics
Goals: To introduce the concept of the discrete as well as techniques used in higher non-continuous mathematics, providing the necessary background material required by computer scientists for algorithm analysis.
Content: Sets and numeration, combinatorics, logic, algorithms, recursion, generating functions, graphs, and trees.
Taught: Spring semester
Prerequisite: MATH 1170
Credits: 4
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MATH 3550 - Foundations of Mathematics
Goals: To study mathematics as a logico-deductive system and to analyze those concepts and techniques that underlie all of mathematics.
Content: Logic, proof construction, sets, relations, functions, mathematical induction, arguments involving infinite sets, number systems, axiomatics.
Taught: Spring term.
Prerequisite: MATH 1180.
Credits: 4
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MATH 3560 - Modern Geometry
Goals: To introduce to the concept of model building in mathematics from both a synthetic and an axiomatic point of view.
Content: Various geometries are studied with attention paid to what geometry is. Hilbert’s axiom system for Euclidean geometry, hyperbolic geometry, and transformations.
Taught: Alternate years, spring.
Prerequisite: MATH 1170.
Credits: 4
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MBA 8017 - Cybersecurity Part One: Understanding the Cyber Landscape
This course provides an introductory level overview of current trends in cybersecurity, cyberattacks, and developing strong cultures of security within organizational environments. To combat a range of cyberthreats and associated risks, identifying critical assets and learning how to implement proactive strategies is paramount. Delving into the nature of the Internet of Things, and its role within an ever-changing cyber landscape, serves as the baseline for Cybersecurity Part Two: Introduction to Security Assessments and Digital Forensics.
Credits: 4
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MBA 8018 - Cybersecurity Part Two: Introduction to Security Assessments and Digital Forensics
Students learn the elements of a strong cybersecurity plan and are expected to demonstrate the steps of a security assessment, how to best implement mitigation strategies and incident response protocols, employing governing frameworks and acknowledging the “human element” of security. Additionally, students learn about the ethics of evolving technologies and their utilization, as well as ongoing changes to compliance requirements.
Prerequisite: MBA 8017
Credits: 4
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MBA 8019 - Cybersecurity Case Study and Analysis
Students explore a set of separate high-profile breaches, understanding the context, nature, response, and outcomes of the incident. Students learn how to apply cybersecurity concepts and best practices for implementation within organizational settings.
Credits: 4
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MBA 8031 - International Business Transactions
International Business Transactions takes students through the life-cycle of a model business transaction in which an existing product and service offering are provided for the first time in an international location. For each transaction life-cycle element, the emphasis is on considerations unique to the conduct of the transaction across political, geographic and cultural boundaries. Readings in bargaining strategies and international contract structure support a series of practical classroom exercises and preparation of typical transaction deliverables.
Credits: 4
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MBA 8097 - International Seminar
Credits: 4
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MBA 8101 - Leading in Organizations
This course focuses on the skills leaders need to elicit commitment and productivity from individuals and groups to create positive change and build flourishing organizations. Students learn theories and practices for identifying and motivating key actors in the workplace, and to create and lead successful teams. Awareness of one’s own values, beliefs, decision-making tendencies and behaviors is a crucial first step in becoming a leader. Thus, a significant portion of the course consists of assessment and reflection activities designed to enhance self-awareness of cultural intelligence, conflict style, team behaviors and preferences, sense of flourishing and wellbeing, and leadership values and goals.
Credits: 4
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MBA 8110 - Critical Thinking
It is a challenging objective to raise student skills in critical and analytical thinking. And this course’s purpose is just that. Through exploring today’s complex business problems, students develop a critical thinking attitude while learning how to apply an array of critical thinking skills. Emphasis is placed on using logical reasoning supported by qualitative and quantitative evidence to identify problems, evaluate alternatives, and justify decisions. It is expected that students become better listeners, more capable communicators – both in writing and speaking – as well as better at reflecting upon their own thinking.
The class is based on the premise that critical thinking and communication skills are best learned through practice. Therefore, repeated writing and speaking exercises are core components of the class, and students receive training and practice as well as instructor and peer feedback to help them improve their skills.
Credits: 2
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MBA 8120 - Global Context of Business
Businesses today operate in a changing global context. Even if they are not active internationally, they may have competitors and suppliers, who are and/or who originate in other markets, so it is important for managers to understand the context in which they operate. This course covers aspects of the business environment that differ across markets, and that have the potential to impact the organization. Included is material on differences in political and economic structures, differences in culture and ethical perspectives, and differences in policy toward foreign trade and investment.
Credits: 2
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MBA 8130 - Accounting for Managers
Managers, shareholders, creditors, and financial analysts are all prospective consumers of financial information. This course develops their understanding of financial accounting fundamentals and the substance of the income statement, balance sheet, and statement of cash flows. Traditional accounting procedure and the double entry system are considered; however, this course focuses on financial statement content and how generally accepted accounting principles shape the financial statements.
Credits: 4
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MBA 8145 - Managerial Finance
Today, managers need to understand the fundamentals of financial decision making in order to succeed. This course covers the issues in finance that a manager is likely to encounter. It is taught in two parts. The first portion of the course discusses financial statements, cash flows and the time value of money. Once students understand these topics, the course addresses valuations and risk surrounding corporate issuance of debt and equity. Students calculate and analyze capital investments and discuss how a company decides to allocate its resources in a value-maximizing manner. Students also discuss risk and return and how it can affect the company’s cost of capital. The second part of the course focuses on applying concepts learned to understand the cost of capital in the realm of capital allocation selection.
Credits: 4
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MBA 8155 - Data Analytics and Decision Making
Organizations today operate in a complex environment, with more data available than ever before. While tools and technology have enabled better use of that data, managers must be prepared to structure data-driven decision-making processes, understand the implications and assumptions of analytical methods, and successfully communicate findings to non-technical audiences. This course builds a strong foundation in decision-making theory, data management and analysis, and communication. Students build skills in using tools for data management, analysis and visualization. The course adds to the student’s toolbox of managerial skills and helps get them ready for analysis in the real world, where problems and data do not come in neatly wrapped packages; data and decision-making is messy.
Credits: 4
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MBA 8165 - Marketing Management
It is essential for leaders across every business function to understand the drivers and resource limitations of their organization’s marketing strategy. This course gives students an overview of the complex challenges of capitalizing on opportunities in local and global markets. Students learn marketing theory and state-of-the art practices and develop the skills and knowledge to influence profitable and ethical marketing choices.
Credits: 4
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MBA 8170 - Business Process Improvement
Business Process Improvement (BPI) is a critical dimension for any organization. It is a continuous journey of getting better, moving faster, and doing more with less. BPI is part of the culture in most successful organizations where leadership places high value on people who can bring cross-functional teams together to address the issues and challenges at hand. These challenges present real opportunities for improvement across every facet and function within the organization.
In this course, students learn how to define and start a Business Process Improvement project, gain familiarity with the methodology and tool-sets available to manage a BPI project, and learn the importance of using data analytics in arriving at the best recommendation for improvement. It is expected that students use critical thinking skills to best frame the project objective, learn to ask the difficult questions, and present their recommendations with conviction based on facts, not opinions.
Credits: 2
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MBA 8180 - Business Law and Ethics
This course helps students develop a clear understanding of basic principles of law as they relate to business. Topics covered include business organizations, contracts, product liability, intellectual property, and ethics. Students gain the knowledge and skills they need to identify common legal problems and ethical issues and to communicate effectively and concisely about them.
Credits: 2
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MBA 8195 - Strategic Financial Analysis
Viewing strategy through the lens of financial performance sharpens (or enhances) management (or management capabilities). Whether evaluating alternative strategies, setting strategy-assessing metrics, or judging strategy implementation, financials play a paramount role. Strategic Financial Analysis is designed to provide students with both theory and hands-on analytical practice to analyze and support strategic decisions. Value creation and competent financial analysis are central to good management and firm success. The goals of this course are to answer the following questions: Is our strategy working? What are the sources of problems, if they exist? What corrective actions and targets should be established to get back on track?
Credits: 2
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MBA 8201 - Leading in Organizations
This course focuses on the skills leaders need to elicit commitment and productivity from individuals and groups to create positive change and build flourishing organizations. Students learn theories and practices for identifying and motivating key actors in the workplace, and to create and lead successful teams. Awareness of one’s own values, beliefs, decision-making tendencies and behaviors is a crucial first step in becoming a leader. Thus, a significant portion of the course consists of assessment and reflection activities designed to enhance self-awareness of cultural intelligence, conflict style, team behaviors and preferences, sense of flourishing and wellbeing, and leadership values and goals.
Credits: 4
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MBA 8215 - Creativity and Innovation
Critical thinking along with innovation are the lifeblood of today’s global economy and leading companies. Some of the largest gains in shareholder value have come from the culture of critical thinking and innovation embedded in organizations. The innovations reach far beyond just product design and into enterprise processes and organizational design.
It is a challenging objective to raise student skills in critical thinking and innovation. And this course’s purpose is just that. Through exploring today’s complex business problems, students develop a critical thinking attitude while learning to be more innovative. The course is taught based upon the principle that creative thinking and innovation can be enhanced and honed with skills, techniques, and habits that all can learn to improve.
It highlights the skills that innovative companies have discovered to be most successful, and works to improve communication skills that make innovative ideas stick with peers and executives. It is expected that students become better listeners, better question-askers, and more impactful communicators – both in writing and speaking – as well as better at reflecting upon their own thinking.
Credits: 4
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MBA 8225 - Global Supply Chain Management
In this course students learn how to coordinate and integrate global logistics, purchasing, and operations.Students also learn how to assess company strengths and weaknesses to assist in making effective global supply chain management decisions. In addition, students explore the international business environment and the adaptation challenges it poses to organizations along dimensions such as political economy, legal frameworks and regulatory environment, trade and investment, cultural differences, social responsibility and ethical decision-making involving multiple stakeholders.
Credits: 4
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MBA 8230 - Financial Accounting for Managers
This course is an introduction to the external accounting systems used by U.S. organizations to report their financial position to external users such as stockholders, creditors, and potential investors. Students develop an understanding of the Balance Sheet and Income Statement.
Credits: 4
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MBA 8245 - Financial Decision Making
This course considers financial factors involved in managerial decision making including present value analysis, bond valuation, stock valuation, financial statement analysis, statement of cash flows, capital budgeting, cost-volume profit analysis, differential analysis, full absorption costing, variable costing, and standard costs.
Prerequisite: MBA 8230
Credits: 4
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MBA 8255 - Data Analytics and Decision Making
Organizations today operate in a complex environment, with more data available than ever before. While tools and technology have enabled better use of that data, managers must be prepared to structure data-driven decision-making processes, understand the implications and assumptions of analytical methods, and successfully communicate findings to non-technical audiences. This course builds a strong foundation in decision-making theory, data management and analysis, and communication. Students build skills in using tools for data management, analysis and visualization. The course adds to the student’s toolbox of managerial skills and helps get them ready for analysis in the real world, where problems and data do not come in neatly wrapped packages; data and decision-making is messy.
Credits: 4
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MBA 8265 - Marketing Management
It is essential for leaders across every business function to understand the drivers and resource limitations of their organization’s marketing strategy. This course gives students an overview of the complex challenges of capitalizing on opportunities in local and global markets. Students learn marketing theory and state-of-the art practices and develop the skills and knowledge to influence profitable and ethical marketing choices.
Credits: 4
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MBA 8275 - Business Process Improvement
Business Process Improvement (BPI) is a critical dimension for any organization. It is a continuous journey of getting better, moving faster, and doing more with less. BPI is part of the culture in most successful organizations where leadership places high value on people who can bring cross-functional teams together to address the issues and challenges at hand. These challenges present real opportunities for improvement across every facet and function within the organization.
In this course, students learn how to define and start a Business Process Improvement project, utilize the proven DMAIC methodology and tools from lean six sigma and develop problem-solving skills that can immediately be put to work solving process problems in their own workplace. Students learn the importance of using data analytics in arriving at the best recommendation for improvement. It is expected that students use critical thinking skills to best frame the project objective, learn to ask the difficult questions, and present their recommendations with conviction based on facts, not opinions.
The course is based on real-life case studies of companies with process challenges within their organizations – from manufacturing/operations, supply chain, service, and other functional areas.
One unique feature of this course is that upon completion, students receive their Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certification through www.GoLeanSixSigma.com on the last day of class.
Credits: 4
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MBA 8492 - Strategic Management
In this course students integrate knowledge and learning accumulated throughout the MBA Program, focusing on the long-term direction and profitability of the overall firm. Students explore how organizations leverage external and internal environments to create sustained competitive advantage and superior performance. Students hone their critical thinking skills by performing a variety of strategic analyses as they apply to organizations and practice making strategic recommendations as a manager. Students learn how to develop and integrate an organization’s vision, mission, and values, analyze the external environment and develop internal resources and capabilities. In addition, students learn about different types of business strategy and when they may be most valuable to the organization. Furthermore, students gain a better understanding of the formulation and implementation of strategy by learning more about diversified firm strategy, corporate social responsibility, ethics, and sustainability, organizational structure, internal controls and organizational culture.
Prerequisites: All of the core MBA courses, MBA 8201-8275
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MBA 8495 - Strategic Management I
In this course students begin integrating knowledge and learning accumulated throughout the MBA Program, focusing on the long-term direction and profitability of the overall firm. Students explore how organizations leverage external and internal environments to create sustained competitive advantage and superior performance. Students hone their critical thinking skills by performing a variety of strategic analyses as they apply to organizations and practice making strategic recommendations as a manager. Key topics covered in this course include developing and integrating vision, mission, and values, analyzing the external environment and developing internal resources and capabilities. In addition, students learn about different types of business strategy and when they may be most valuable to the organization.
Credits: 2
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MBA 8496 - Strategic Management II and Capstone
This course provides students the opportunity to work in teams in partnership with a local organization, applying knowledge and learning accumulated throughout their MBA education to a real-world situation and making recommendations to the business partner. In addition to accomplishing this project, students gain a better understanding of the formulation and implementation of strategy by learning more about diversified firm strategy, corporate social responsibility, ethics, and sustainability, organizational structure, internal controls and organizational culture.
Credits: 4
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MNM 8001 - Leading in Organizations
This course focuses on the skills leaders need to elicit commitment and productivity from individuals and groups to create positive change and build flourishing organizations. Students learn theories and practices for identifying and motivating key actors in the workplace, and to create and lead successful teams. Awareness of one’s own values, beliefs, decision-making tendencies and behaviors is a crucial first step in becoming a leader. Thus, a significant portion of the course consists of assessment and reflection activities designed to enhance self-awareness of cultural intelligence, conflict style, team behaviors and preferences, sense of flourishing and wellbeing, and leadership values and goals.
Credits: 4
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MNM 8005 - Nonprofit and Government Collaboration
This course examines the history and development of both the public and nonprofit sectors in the United States and the unique interactions and partnerships between the sectors in serving communities. Students examine emerging and historical critical issues in society as well as the operating environment and leadership challenges for public and nonprofit executives. The course provides both an academic and a practical foundation to these fields by drawing on theory, history, concepts, terms, noted authors, movements, and underlying philosophies of serving the public. How each sector influences the other is discussed via public policy and service delivery examples.
Credits: 4
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MNM 8030 - Financial Management of Nonprofit Organizations
This course introduces concepts and techniques in financial management applicable to nonprofit organizations. The focus is on nonprofit accounting, the interpretation and analysis of nonprofit financial statements, data and procedures for operational forecasts and budgets, financial responsibility, and the duties of nonprofit boards.
Credits: 4
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MNM 8035 - Fundraising for Nonprofits
This course examines strategies for diversifying revenues and creating short and long-term development plans. This course helps students develop skills in conducting research, identifying resources for public and private grants, and writing proposals. This course covers capital campaigns, earned income opportunities, membership development, individual donors, planned giving campaigns, and other fundraising initiatives.
Credits: 4
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MNM 8040 - Governance of Nonprofit Organizations
Good governance is the hallmark of high-performing, high community impact nonprofit organizations. This course focuses on examining broad questions of accountability as well as models of governance systems and typical problems between boards and management. Students are introduced to the governance process in nonprofit organizations, including the composition, roles, responsibilities and purposes of governing boards; the relationship between boards and staff; and the role of governing boards in planning the issue of governance.
Credits: 4
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MNM 8045 - Strategic Planning for Nonprofit Organizations
Nonprofit organizations continually evolve through a lifecycle and are affected by their ever-changing environment. Strategic planning is a technique used by organizational leaders to think strategically about organizational adaptability and long-term viability. In this course, students gain an understanding of the strategic planning process through the use of the strategic change cycle.
Credits: 4
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MNM 8052 - Human Resource Management for Nonprofit Organizations
This course provides an overview of the human resources function, with emphasis on the unique issues facing nonprofit organizations. It examines challenges of recruitment, retention, compensation, and personnel policies. Special attention is given to the role of boards and other volunteers.
Credits: 4
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MNM 8062 - Law for Nonprofit Organizations
This course examines the legal history and frameworks of nonprofit organizations. Emphasis is placed on the laws relating to the incorporation and tax-exempt status of nonprofit organizations. Students look at issues of accountability for nonprofit organizations and analyze the differences between profit and nonprofit organizations.
Credits: 4
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MNM 8065 - Data Analytics and Decision Making
Organizations today operate in a complex environment, with more data available than ever before. While tools and technology have enabled better use of that data, managers must be prepared to structure data-driven decision-making processes, understand the implications and assumptions of analytical methods, and successfully communicate findings to non-technical audiences. This course builds a strong foundation in decision-making theory, data management and analysis, and communication. Students build skills in using tools for data management, analysis and visualization. The course adds to the student’s toolbox of managerial skills and helps get them ready for analysis in the real world, where problems and data do not come in neatly wrapped packages; data and decision-making is messy.
Credits: 4
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MNM 8082 - Volunteer Management
This course explores the theories and practices required to develop and implement effective volunteer management programs within nonprofits. Topics include planning to ensure the success of volunteer programs, outlining the steps of appropriate volunteer recruitment, creating effective personnel policies and procedures, orientation training, supervising and evaluating, and recognizing volunteers for their contributions. Some related topics covered: what is national service, the changing demographics of the community volunteer, and organizational responsibilities and liabilities with administering volunteer programs.
Credits: 4
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MNM 8090 - Program Evaluation and Assessment
Continuously improving the services and programs of public agencies and nonprofits is critical to their ongoing success as organizations. Truly understanding what is happening in a program, service or organization of the social or governmental sector is important to help managers and leaders to improve those programs, services, and organizations. The methodologies and tools of research and program evaluation are the means to this understanding. This course investigates the principal methodologies of research: quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods. It also considers the methods employed by each to capture and utilize data.
Credits: 4
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MNM 8100 - Communications and Marketing for Nonprofits
This course explores research and marketing techniques used by nonprofits. It examines the importance of long range strategic planning for nonprofit organizations’ market development. The course involves students in exercises in brand development and management, audience targeting, development of key messages, and other components of effective communication.
Credits: 4
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MNM 8160 - Project Management
This course provides a thorough introduction to all aspects of project management, an important aspect of how organizations accomplish both tactical and strategic goals. The course discusses the theory, methodology, tools, application and art of project management, including an introduction to Agile and Lean Six Sigma. Topics include scope management, time and cost management, quality management, the human aspect of managing change, communications, and risk management.
Credits: 4
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MNM 8210 - Negotiation
Through both lecture and simulation, this course explores major themes in negotiation theory and practice, including distributive versus integrative bargaining, personality styles, multi-party negotiation, and ethical issues. Students are encouraged to reflect on the theoretical foundations that underlie our actions and on the many considerations that influence constructive, ethical negotiation practices.
Credits: 4
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MNM 8211 - Leading through Change
This course helps students understand organizations at a systems level, improve decisions, increase creativity, enhance others’ performance and develop capacity to build a healthy, productive workplace. Students experience how conflict is managed individually and systemically through assessing culture elements such as patterns, roles, concerns, power differentials and differing workplace assumptions and work in teams to design customized change leadership responses. They learn how assessments, buy-in, design teams, development, implementation, roll-out and feedback loops and other group process practices can build their capacity to lead systemic change more effectively.
Credits: 4
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MNM 8212 - Perspectives on Conflict and Change
This course explores the nature of conflict and the implications for individuals, groups and organizational change from a range of theoretical and research-based perspectives. Students learn how to identify underlying causes of conflict and resistance to change and to develop appropriate approaches to constructive engagement and sustainable change.
Credits: 4
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MNM 8360 - Advocacy and Lobbying for Nonprofits
This course provides the historical and theoretical context for nonprofit involvement in advocacy and lobbying; addresses organizational infrastructure needs in building capacity for public policy work; examines legal guidelines for nonprofit lobbying; and provides students with practical experience in working with the legislative process at all levels of government.
Credits: 4
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MNM 8440 - Social Demographics
This course looks at some of the details impacting our society and specifically how immigration, aging, and policy converge in our society and ultimately in our policymaking. Any one of the three issues covered in this course could be a separate, semester long course. This course covers basic concepts present in each of the three areas.
Credits: 4
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MNM 8492 - Capstone Skills Development for Nonprofits
This course is open to MNM students who have no more than four elective credits and the Capstone course remaining or who have completed all program course requirements except the Capstone course. It provides students with a rigorous classroom and practicum experience that helps them demonstrate the skills and knowledge they have mastered in the program and test their critical thinking and skills abilities to manage and/or lead a nonprofit organization. Students study and examine the critical or current issues of the nonprofit sector, complete an applied research project with a Twin Cities organization, and present the project including a final paper and presentation at the end of each semester.
Credits: 4
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MNM 8497 - Independent Study
Independent study provides an opportunity to work independently under the direction of a faculty member. The student and the instructor work out a course of study before the term begins and typically meet four to six times throughout the term to discuss readings and papers. Students may take one independent study.
Credits: 1-4
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MPA 8001 - Leading in Organizations
This course focuses on the skills leaders need to elicit commitment and productivity from individuals and groups to create positive change and build flourishing organizations. Students learn theories and practices for identifying and motivating key actors in the workplace, and to create and lead successful teams. Awareness of one’s own values, beliefs, decision-making tendencies and behaviors is a crucial first step in becoming a leader. Thus, a significant portion of the course consists of assessment and reflection activities designed to enhance self-awareness of cultural intelligence, conflict style, team behaviors and preferences, sense of flourishing and wellbeing, and leadership values and goals.
Credits: 4
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MPA 8005 - Nonprofit and Government Collaboration
This course examines the history and development of both the public and nonprofit sectors in the United States and the unique interactions and partnerships between the sectors in serving communities. Students examine emerging and historical critical issues in society as well as the operating environment and leadership challenges for public and nonprofit executives. The course provides both an academic and a practical foundation to these fields by drawing on theory, history, concepts, terms, noted authors, movements, and underlying philosophies of serving the public. How each sector influences the other is discussed via public policy and service delivery examples.
Credits: 4
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MPA 8010 - Professional Ethics
This course explores selected theories of ethics and fundamental principles of ethical management, with a focus on practical approaches to dealing with ethical dilemmas primarily across the public sector.
Credits: 4
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MPA 8030 - Public Fiscal Management
This course analyzes government revenue and expenditure policies, with an emphasis on the Minnesota state budgetary process. Topics include principles of public fiscal management, tax and spending systems, revenue sources, intergovernmental relations, and the administrative and political aspects of fiscal policy.
Credits: 4
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MPA 8040 - Public Policy Analysis
This course evaluates a variety of approaches and models used to analyze the making of public policy by examining the assumptions and limitations of each model. Current policy issues are explored. Each student designs and completes a significant research project on a selected public policy issue.
Credits: 4
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MPA 8045 - National Public Policy
Washington DC has a special place when it comes to public administration. It is the center of the federal government but as important, it is the center of discussion around many public policy and administration issues. Every successful public administrator needs to have an understanding of how things in Washington DC work, how they can work effectively on national issues and deal with the federal government.
This class provides students with several unique experiences that can only be had in Washington DC. These experiences include talking with national leaders to discuss cutting-edge issues facing public administration, talking with persons who implement federal programs to understand the complexities of programs from the national level and understanding the federal policy-setting process by talking with actors in that process. In addition, this class takes advantage of a unique opportunity to talk about ethical issues facing public administrators that can only be had in Washington DC.
Credits: 4
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MPA 8050 - Human Resource Management for Government
This course examines current case law, regulations, and trends that define and influence the personnel function. Topics include recruitment, selection, compensation, employee motivation, collective bargaining, organizational philosophies, and legislation and regulation.
Credits: 4
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MPA 8061 - Administrative Law
This course is designed to be user-friendly to the nonlawyer and has as its goal to acquaint students with the fundamental principles and concepts of administrative law. Taught from a public administration perspective, the course provides students the opportunity to explore the interplay between and among politics, democracy, and bureaucracy; to examine bureaucracy’s relationship to the legislative branch of government and to the courts; to learn about the administrative process at the local, state, and federal levels; to focus on the regulatory aspects of administrative law with particular attention to controlling risks, solving problems, and managing compliance; and to take a look at some contemporary substantive issues through the lens of administrative law.
Credits: 4
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MPA 8065 - Data Analytics and Decision Making
Organizations today operate in a complex environment, with more data available than ever before. While tools and technology have enabled better use of that data, managers must be prepared to structure data-driven decision-making processes, understand the implications and assumptions of analytical methods, and successfully communicate findings to non-technical audiences. This course builds a strong foundation in decision-making theory, data management and analysis, and communication. Students build skills in using tools for data management, analysis and visualization. The course adds to the student’s toolbox of managerial skills and helps get them ready for analysis in the real world, where problems and data do not come in neatly wrapped packages; data and decision-making is messy.
Credits: 4
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MPA 8090 - Program Evaluation and Assessment
Continuously improving the services and programs of public agencies and nonprofits is critical to their ongoing success as organizations. Truly understanding what is happening in a program, service or organization of the social or governmental sector is important to help managers and leaders to improve those programs, services, and organizations. The methodologies and tools of research and program evaluation are the means to this understanding. This course investigates the principal methodologies of research: quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods. It also considers the methods employed by each to capture and utilize data.
Credits: 4
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MPA 8120 - Labor Relations
This course offers a wide review of Labor Relations. The course assumes a general understanding of relationships between management and organized labor and other core graduate courses specifically organizational theory and human resource management. The instructional approach is in the survey form and employs lecture, readings, guest speakers, student presentation, and case study to achieve its objectives. It is not intended to train students for specialized careers in labor relations in a single course, but to acquaint the student with the underlying values, systems, laws and procedures shaping Labor Relations and the pertinent topics affecting the workplace today.
Credits: 4
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MPA 8130 - Housing & Economic Policy
This course examines economic development theories and housing policies in the United States. Emphasis upon understanding how economic and housing markets operate and how national, state, and local governments can influence business investment and job development decisions and the construction and rehabilitation of housing for different populations. This course first provides an overview on how economic and housing markets function. The course includes a discussion of basic principles of macro and microeconomics and then analysis of specific views of economic development, including export-base, core-periphery, and locational theories. The course then provides specific analysis and evaluation of the different policies and techniques governments have used to secure economic and housing goals. Among the techniques examined include: tax incentives and TIFs, bonding, public subsidies, public/private partnerships, infrastructure development, and direct government investment in, or ownership of housing and economic development entities.
Credits: 4
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MPA 8140 - Local Government Budgeting
This course focuses on the basic elements of developing, implementing, and evaluating the operating and capital budgets of local governments, emphasizing governments in Minnesota. Topics include review of major revenues and spending of local governments and their estimation and management within budgets, alternative strategies for developing and presenting budgets that align with public policy goals, the interaction of state and federal policies with local budgets, monitoring and managing an adopted budgets, and understanding and effectively communicating local financial issues and consequences to policymakers and citizens.
Credits: 4
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MPA 8160 - Project Management
This course provides a thorough introduction to all aspects of project management, an important aspect of how organizations accomplish both tactical and strategic goals. The course discusses the theory, methodology, tools, application and art of project management, including an introduction to Agile and Lean Six Sigma. Topics include scope management, time and cost management, quality management, the human aspect of managing change, communications, and risk management.
Credits: 4
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MPA 8201 - Public Dispute Resolution
This course is an introduction to the public policy formation and implementation process. Public organizations encounter many situations where negotiation skills and mediation/arbitration training in a public context is useful. Neighborhood disputes, development issues or special interest concerns require public officials to negotiate and mediate between parties in order to reach consensus and resolution to different opinions and points of view. These skills are different from the typical policymaking and implementation training that most public officials are used to. In today’s world of public participation and citizen awareness, negotiation and mediation skills are essential.
Credits: 4
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MPA 8208 - Organizational Culture
Organizations with highly effective cultures are more able to attract funding and clients, have stronger market share and profit, and serve more constituents more effectively than organizations with weaker cultures. In this course, students learn how to determine the effectiveness of an organization’s culture and what to do to maximize the performance of public, private, or nonprofit organizations.
Credits: 4
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MPA 8210 - Negotiation
Through both lecture and simulation, this course explores major themes in negotiation theory and practice, including distributive versus integrative bargaining, personality styles, multi-party negotiation, and ethical issues. Students are encouraged to reflect on the theoretical foundations that underlie our actions and on the many considerations that influence constructive, ethical negotiation practices.
Credits: 4
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MPA 8211 - Leading through Change
This course helps students understand organizations at a systems level, improve decisions, increase creativity, enhance others’ performance and develop capacity to build a healthy, productive workplace. Students experience how conflict is managed individually and systemically through assessing culture elements such as patterns, roles, concerns, power differentials and differing workplace assumptions and work in teams to design customized change leadership responses. They learn how assessments, buy-in, design teams, development, implementation, roll-out and feedback loops and other group process practices can build their capacity to lead systemic change more effectively.
Credits: 4
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MPA 8212 - Perspectives on Conflict and Change
This course explores the nature of conflict and the implications for individuals, groups and organizational change from a range of theoretical and research-based perspectives. Students learn how to identify underlying causes of conflict and resistance to change and to develop appropriate approaches to constructive engagement and sustainable change.
Credits: 4
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MPA 8223 - Contemporary Social Policy Issues
This course is open to advanced master’s level students. This course examines the historical context, theoretical arguments, and political controversies surrounding current and emerging social policy issues. Consideration is given to the impacts of changing social policies on vulnerable populations, the delivery of health and human services, and society at large.
Credits: 4
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MPA 8225 - Critical Issues in Public Administration
This course explores in-depth those changes that are likely to have the greatest impact on local government managers in today’s environment. External factors such as changing demographics, rising citizens’ expectations, and the evolving nature of federalism are examined as context for how effective managers must now respond. Several important internal issues such as how to motivate the new workforce, how to determine the costs and benefits of technology in service delivery, and governing body expectations for successful managers is also covered.
Credits: 4
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MPA 8228 - Public Arbitration Skills Building
This course is designed to make students familiar and comfortable with arbitration as a dispute resolution process in the public sector. Students have a chance to participate in several scripted arbitration proceedings that give them knowledge of the legal requirements and tactical underpinnings of this common workplace process. Employees are made aware of the State Statutes governing public employee disputes and become familiar with both salary and discipline arbitration proceedings.
Credits: 4
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MPA 8230 - Municipal County Administration
This course is a survey of contemporary issues facing municipalities specifically in Minnesota and generally in the upper Midwest. The course explores the practicalities and politics of managing a municipal organization using a variety of current practitioners in the field. Areas of concentration include: community roles and power structures, city council and staff relations, public safety and public works issues, land use and community development, employee relations, finance, legal authority and emerging issues of governance and the role of citizen participation. Students find this course a good way to acquire a broad-based understanding of municipal operations and the complexities of this occupational field.
Credits: 4
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MPA 8233 - Social Policy Administration
This course looks at the administration and implementation of social and human services policies at the agency/street level. Students concentrate on the policy analysis, evaluation, development, and implementation implications surrounding the provision of social services, especially in relation to our ever-growing, culturally diverse community. Course activities include on-site meetings with community groups and work with local social service agencies. Through course readings, community focus groups, on-line discussion, an analysis of census data, direct engagement with community groups, and other classroom events, students have the opportunity to assess and increase their knowledge of issues surrounding implementation and administration of social programs as well as improving understanding of cultural competency issues.
Credits: 4
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MPA 8234 - Civic Engagement
Fundamental to our democracy is the active involvement of citizens. Today we hear a lot of talk about civic engagement. But what is civic engagement? How do the public and nonprofit sectors become models of citizen participation? This course explores the discontents and the promises, introducing students to a new model of engaged democratic practice which is deeply political in an older sense of politics as engaging different interests and views in solving common problems and creating common things.
Credits: 4
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MPA 8235 - Strategic Planning and Decision Making in the Public Sector
This course provides students a high-level overview of strategic management and planning. The course focuses on the elements of the strategic management process with an emphasis on strategy development, planning, evaluation, decision making, citizen/customer engagement and environmental scanning.
The course is designed for students with management experience who are near the completion of course requirements. It presents a systemic approach to the integration of management functions into a continuous process of improvement with a focus on results and the customer, improving performance and being responsive to customer needs in a continuously changing environment.
Credits: 4
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MPA 8250 - Legislative Practicum
An in-depth exploration of how the state legislative processes operates and how knowledge of the law-making process is critical to public policy management and advocacy. The course employs reading, discussion, guest presenters, on-site visits, and a project that requires students to follow a bill from start to finish.
Credits: 4
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MPA 8260 - Alternative Service Delivery
State and local governments are continually under pressure to provide more cost efficient and effective services. As a result, public officials in Minnesota and across the United States are seeking alternative ways to deliver services. This course examines the theoretical underpinnings, implementation methods, and track records of various alternatives to public service delivery. Topics include collaborations, consolidation, privatization, contracting, private and nonprofit partnerships, and the use of market incentives and competition to improve service delivery. The course also examines a variety of policy areas where alternative means to service delivery have been analyzed or implemented including criminal justice, information technology, environmental services, education, health care, welfare, and transportation.
Credits: 4
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