School of Government
MICHAEL R. SMITH, Dean
Albert Coates Professor of Public Law and Government
David N. Ammons, Public Administration
James C. Drennan, Courts Law and Judicial Administration
Gladys Hall Coates Professor of Public Law and Government
Janet Mason, Social Services Law
David W. Owens, Environmental and Land Use Law
Robert P. Joyce, Education Law
William R. Kenan Jr. Professor
David M. Lawrence, Local Government Law
Professors
A. Fleming Bell II, Local Government Law
Frayda S. Bluestein, Local Government Law, Associate Dean for Programs
Molly Broad, Professor of the Practice
Joan G. Brannon, Courts Law and Judicial Administration (retired)
John Michael Crowell, Public Law and Government
Robert L. Farb, Criminal Law and Procedure (retired)
Joseph S. Ferrell, Property Tax Law, Secretary of the Faculty
Milton S. Heath Jr., Environmental Law
Cheryl D. Howell, Judicial Education and Administration
Laurie L. Mesibov, Education Law
John Rubin, Criminal Law and Procedure
John L. Saxon, Social Services Law
Michael R. Smith, Dean
Carl W. Stenberg III, Public Administration
Thomas H. Thornburg, Criminal Law, Senior Associate Dean
A. John Vogt, Governmental Finance and Accounting (retired)
Richard B. Whisnant, Environmental Law
Gordon P. Whitaker, Public Administration
Albert and Gladys Hall Coates Term Associate Professor for Outstanding Faculty Achievement
William C. Rivenbark, Public Administration
Albert and Gladys Hall Coates Term Associate Professor for Teaching Excellence
Jessica Smith, Criminal Law and Procedure
Associate Professors
Maureen M. Berner, Public Administration
Mark F. Botts, Mental Health Law
Richard D. Ducker, Land Use Law
Diane Juffras, Employment Law
Jill D. Moore, Public Health Law John B. Stephens, Inter-Agency and Public Policy Dispute Resolution
Charles Szypszak, Real Estate Law
Assistant Professors
Ann Anderson
Shea R. Denning, Property Tax Law
Willow S. Jacobson, Human Resource Management
James Markham, Criminal Law
Kara Millonzi, Local Government and Finance
Jonathan Q. Morgan, Economic Development
Ricardo S. Morse, Public Administration
Christopher Tyler Mulligan, Community and Economic Development
Karl Smith, Tax Law
Aimee N. Wall, Public Health Law
Jeff Welty, Criminal Law
Eileen Youens, Public Contract law
Senior Lecturer
Gregory S. Allison, Governmental Accounting and Financial Reporting
Lecturers
Norma Houston, Public Law and Government
Joseph E. Hunt, Property Tax Appraisal and Assessment Administration
Kenneth L. Joyner, Property Tax Administration
Dona Lewandowski, Public Law and Government
Dale Roenigk, Performance Measurement, Public Administration
Shannon Schelin, Director, Center of Public Technology
Vaughn Upshaw, Public Governance
Adjunct Faculty
Lydian Altman-Sauer, Public Intersection Project
Phillip Boyle, School Boards and Public Management
Margaret Carlson, Public Governance
Margaret Henderson, Nonprofit Management
W. Calvin Horton, Local Government Management
Richard Stevens, State Government
William Thornton, Local Government Law
The School of Government (www.sog.unc.edu) has its roots in the Institute of Government, established at UNC-Chapel Hill in 1931, and has long focused on state and local government in the broader study of government, public law, public finance and public administration. Today, it is the nation's leading university-based provider of instructional and advisory services to state and local government practitioners. Through Institute of Government instructional programs, advising, research and publishing, the School of Government advances general understanding about government and shares that information with practitioners and other scholars. The school offers a program of courses leading to the master of public administration (M.P.A.) degree.
Master of Public Administration Degree Program
CARL STENBERG, Director
M.P.A. Program Teaching Faculty
Allison; Ammons; Berner; Bluestein; Broad; Henderson; Horton; Michele Hoyman, Department of Political Science; Hughes; Jacobson; Morgan; Morse; Owens; Rivenbark; Roenigk; Saxon; Schelin; Smith; Stenberg; Stephens; Stevens; Szypszak; Vogt; Whisnant; Whitaker; Deil Wright, Department of Political Science.
Program Overview
The School of Government offers the master of public administration (M.P.A.) degree. Rated among the nation's best, the M.P.A. program offers a curriculum that blends the development of practical skills in analysis, communication, finance and management with an overarching emphasis on the enhancement of individual leadership skills.
Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration, the M.P.A. program has produced graduates now serving as officials in local, state and federal government. At the local level, alumni serve as city and county managers, budget and finance directors, personnel directors, other department heads and professional staff. In state governments, alumni direct departments and serve in management and staff positions in policy planning, finance and management, personnel, water resources, health services, education and other areas. At the federal level, alumni serve as administrators and analysts in a variety of agencies, including the Office of Management and Budget, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Labor, the Government Accountability Office, the Administrative Office of the Courts and Senate and House committee staffs. In the nonprofit sector, M.P.A. alumni administer programs in the arts, in education, in economic development and in human services.
More information is available on the Web at www.mpa.unc.edu.
Admission Requirements
The M.P.A. program welcomes individuals from different backgrounds. A majority of past entrants into the program have had undergraduate majors in the social sciences, especially political science and economics, but applicants have been accepted with undergraduate majors in architecture, business administration, engineering, English, , history, industrial relations and many other fields.
The requirements for admission are
• Bachelor's degree
• At least a B average in the undergraduate major and a generally strong academic record
• Minimum of three semester hours credit in American government and politics
• Satisfactory verbal and quantitative scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
• One-page statement of purpose that indicates student aspirations that are consistent with the focus and strengths of the M.P.A. program
• Three letters of recommendation
• Oral interview with the M.P.A. Admissions Committee
All admissions decisions are made during the spring for fall semester matriculation. Applicants are encouraged to meet the application deadlines of The Graduate School. However, the M.P.A. program continues to accept applications through February 1. After a preliminary screening of applications, notifications are made concerning the required oral interview.
Financial Aid
The M.P.A. program provides financial assistance to many of its students. Research assistantships or partial scholarships are available to top candidates. Furthermore, some students become involved with Institute of Government projects or work with other university, governmental or nonprofit organizations as paid, part-time graduate assistants.
Course Work and Degree Requirements
A minimum of 54 semester hours of credit, an internship and a final oral examination are required for the M.P.A. The two years of study and work are designed to combine three essential components of professional development: 1) a rigorous core of education in the theory and practice of public management, 2) a choice of an in-depth elective specialization in the second year and 3) a summer-long internship between the first and second years, in a position with substantive responsibilities.
Core course requirements are
• Public Organization Theory and Behavior (3)
• Introductory Policy Evaluation Methods (3)
• Professional Communications (3)
• Collaborative Governance (3)
• Public Management and Leadership (3)
• Methods for Policy Analysis and Evaluation (3)
• Human Resources Management (3)
• Government Budgeting and Finance (3)
•Governmental and Not-For-Profit Accounting and Reporting (2)
• Public Policy Analysis (3)
• Ethical and Effective Public Administration (1.5)
• Strategic Information Technology Management (1.5)
• Economics in Public Administration (1.5)
• M.P.A. Professional Development Seminar I and II (2 each)
In addition to the common core, each student completes 16.5 semester hours of elective courses.
Courses
Government (GOVT)
660 [160] MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION (4). This course covers municipal government organization and management, finance, personnel, planning and economic development, and the administration of specific municipal functions. Spring. Allison.
661 [161] COUNTY GOVERNMENT (4). This course covers county government organization and management, finance, personnel, planning and economic development, and the administration of specific municipal functions. Spring. Allison.
662 [162] INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP (3). Examines the public sector environment as it relates to information technology development. Special attention focused on the complex environment and its influence on information technology based solutions. Fall, spring. Brown.
663 [163] PUBLIC EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY (6). The Public Executive Leadership Academy is designed for North Carolina city and county managers to understand oneself as a leader and to prepare the organization to work with others in improving the quality of life within the community. Fall. Stenberg.
664 [164] CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER CERTIFICATION PROGRAM (5). The CIO Certification Program is designed for chief information officers of local governments in North Carolina. The course lays the foundation for addressing the most critical issues facing IT leadership in local government and equips leaders with tools to manage and improve their organizational assets. Fall. Schelin.
Public Administration (PUBA)
710 [210] PUBLIC ORGANIZATION THEORY AND BEHAVIOR (3). Exposition, comparison, and case-based application(s) of basic models of organizations, with emphasis on public sector entities. Fall. Whitaker.
711 [211] PUBLIC MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP (3). Prerequisite, PUBA 710. Development of administrators' skills in working with others to accomplish organization goals. Conceptual and experimental modes of learning used to examine a variety of administrative behaviors. Spring. Whitaker.
719 [212] INTRODUCTORY POLICY EVALUATION METHODS (3). The application of statistical methods to problems of evaluation of public programs and problems facing public managers. Theory and basic techniques up to an introduction of linear regression analysis. Fall. Staff.
720 [237] METHODS FOR POLICY ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION (POLI 725) (3). Prerequisite, PUBA 212, PLAN 130, or equivalent. Introduction to selected techniques such as the following: multiple regression, decision theory, research design, social experiments and quasi-experiments, program evaluation and policy-related models. Spring. Unah.
721 [234] PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATIONS (3). Grounds students in the fundamental techniques of writing and oral presentation in a range of formats suited to public service. Fall. Bizzell, Williams.
722 [219] POLITICS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS (POLI 219) (3). The motivations of public agency officials, interactions between bureaucracies and other political actors, and alternative strategies to control bureaucratic power and discretion in making, implementing and evaluating public policies. Fall. Hoyman.
723 [226] HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (3). Examination of political and institutional environment of public management, the evolution of the United States civil service system, competing values and principles shaping contemporary human resource management, and traditional human resource management functions. Spring. Jacobson.
730 [233] GOVERNMENTAL AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT ACCOUNTING AND REPORTING (2). Teaches the principles of accounting and financial reporting in governmental and not-for-profit environment. Provides skills for analyzing the financial condition of governments and the efficiency and effectiveness of governmental programs. Spring. Allison.
731 [214] GOVERNMENT BUDGETING AND FINANCE (3). An introduction to the revenue and expenditure structure of the public sector including revenue policy, expenditure policy and budget structure and administration. Topics are examined from an applied perspective using analytic criteria from public sector economics, public administration and political science. Spring. Rivenbark.
740 [205] PUBLIC POLICY ANALYSIS (POLI 718) (3). The roles of expertise in policy discourse, the place of values in policy analysis, summarizing preferences, benefits and costs, policy models, policy expertise and democratic political systems. Fall. Whisnant.
742 [235] VALUES AND ETHICAL PERSPECTIVES ON PUBLIC POLICY (1–3). Understanding and clarifying the valuational base of administrative and policy choices. Ethical problems encountered in public officials' personal actions. Spring. Staff.
745 [217] M.P.A. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SEMINAR I (2). Integration of learnings from M.P.A. students' professional field experience ("internship") through site visits, conferences and seminars. Fall. Ammons.
746 [218] M.P.A. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SEMINAR II (POLI 218) (2). Continued integration of learnings from M.P.A. students' professional field experience ("internship") through site visits, conferences and seminars. Spring. Ammons.
749 [213] ETHIC /EFFECT PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (POLI 720) (3). Prerequisites, POLI 210, 211, 212, 214, 226. The role(s), function(s) and strategy of public administrators in the formulation, adoption and implementation of public policies. Policy from the perspective of the policy maker; cases exploring the relationship of theories to actual policy processes. Spring. Wright, Stenberg.
751 [225] CITY AND COUNTY MANAGEMENT (3). Nature of city or county manager's job: expectations of elected body, staff, public and professional peers. Examines contemporary issues in departmental operations that have significant effect on how manager's performance is perceived. Fall. Ammons, Horton.
752 [224] PRODUCTIVITY IMPROVEMENT IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT (3). This course will acquaint students with the concept of productivity, its importance in the public sector, principal techniques used to improve productivity in local government and barriers to productivity improvement initiatives. Fall. Ammons.
756 [215] NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT (3). Examination of the managerial challenges posed by nonprofit organizations and of techniques and practices used by managers of nonprofit organizations. Fall. Henderson.
757 [702] FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS (SOWO 885) (3). This course provides basic financial skills for leaders of nonprofits, including bookkeeping fundamentals, interpreting financial statements, budgeting, cash management and investment, and legal compliance. Fall. Staff.
758 [227] NAVIGATING NONPROFIT-LOCAL GOVERNMENT RELATIONSHIPS (1–3). This course is designed for graduate students who are seeking professional positions in local government or nonprofits. The overall objectives are to exchange information about issues of mutual concern to both nonprofits and governments. Spring. Henderson.
760 [230] LAW FOR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (3). An introduction to law for students in public administration or related disciplines. Topics: sources of law and legal resources, personnel law, administrative law and selected topics in constitutional law relevant to public administration. Fall. Bluestein.
761 [216] LOCAL GOVERNMENT LAW (1.5). Overview of key legal concepts affecting local government operations. Topics include relation to federal/state governments, legal structures, finance and regulatory powers, plus introduction to the legal system and analysis. Spring. Bluestein.
762 [223] ADMINISTRATIVE LAW DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATIONS (3). Addresses legal issues in the exercise of governmental power by federal, state and local agencies in the United States. Topics include legislative and executive oversight, rule making, adjudication and judicial review. Fall. Owens.
765 [222] CAPITAL BUDGETING AND FINANCE (3). Prerequisite, PUBA 214. Analysis of alternative approaches to planning and administering the budgets and financial operations of public agencies. Extensive use of case materials. Fall. Vogt.
768 [221] PUBLIC AFFAIRS DISPUTE RESOLUTION AND CONSENSUS BUILDING (3). Theory and practice of dispute resolution and consensus building processes for public policy and program implementation. Utilizes exercises to develop skills in multi-party conflict analysis, negotiation, and intervention for inter-governmental, nonprofit and community disputes. Spring. Stephens.
770 [220] POLITICS OF COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: STRATEGIES AND CHOICES (POLI 770) (3). This course covers economic development from the community's perspective. The class develops criteria that a community should use in making economic development choices. The course presents a wide range of strategies. Fall. Hoyman.
771 [231] MANAGING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (3). Emphasizes the practical application and implementation of various approaches to economic development. Students will apply tools/strategies by doing case studies and small group projects based on real-world scenarios faced by local practitioners. Fall. Morgan.
775 [228] ELECTRONIC GOVERNMENT: PRACTICES AND METHODOLOGIES (3). This course focuses on the issues involved in administering and managing e-government activities. Special emphasis is placed on the particular challenges endemic to public performance. Fall. Brown.
776 [229] MANAGING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND NONPROFITS (1–3). The course explores information technology policies, development, training, assessment and organizational behavior. Spring. Staff.
778 [238] INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS (POLI 726) (3). Examines conflict and cooperation among governmental officials representing national, state and local government in the United States; changing roles of governments; and new mechanisms for intergovernmental collaboration. Fall. Wright.
780 [240] SPECIAL TOPICS IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (3). Prerequisite, permission of the instructor. Seminar in selected areas of public administration. Topics will vary from year to year. May be repeated for credit. Fall and spring. Staff.
781 [241] DIRECTED READINGS IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (1–3). Directed readings in a special field under the direction of a member of the graduate faculty. Fall and spring. Staff.
900 [395] RESEARCH IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (POLI 802) (0–6). Fall, spring and summer. Staff.