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Advanced Management and Finance Concentration
The concentration in Advanced Management and Finance enables students to deepen the policy and management analytic skills they are exposed to in the core curriculum. Students receive rigorous training in public and nonprofit finance. They also learn management innovation tools such as total quality management, re-engineering, benchmarking, strategic planning, electronic communication and commerce, performance management, and team management. Thus, the concentration provides Executive MPA graduates with the latest cutting-edge management and finance skills in demand in today’s rapidly changing public sector.
Context Courses
The following 3 context courses are required for the Advanced Management & Finance concentration.
Economic Setting of Public Policy
Focuses on interrelations between the economy and public policy, both in terms of policies that aim directly at influencing economic performance and those that must be consistent with the limits imposed by the budget and the productive capacity of the economy. (Summer semester only)
Political Environment of Policymaking
Evaluates the role of politics, interests groups, elected leaders and governmental institutions in the formulation and implementation of public policy. It includes a discussion of agenda setting, political management and the management of relations between administrative agencies and political leaders. (Summer semester only)
Innovation in Public Management
Analysis of public management literature on innovation covering such topics as engineering, team based management, privatization, public private partnership, contracting, benchmarking, quality management, and strategic planning. Emphasis is on advantages and disadvantages of these techniques in a point counterpoint format.
Concentration Courses
Students may choose 4 courses from the following electives to complete their Advanced Management & Finance concentration.
Ethics for Public Leadership
Discusses the policy process from the standpoint of ethics, as distinct from efficiency, effectiveness, expertise, cost or other organizational considerations. This course considers matters from the perspective of “quality” rather than “quantity,” although these certainly intersect. The course also attempts to develop some guidelines for ethical decision-making in politics and to determine how the use of such guidelines can be facilitated or instituted. Students must take Public Sector Ethics AND/OR Strategic Corporate Responsibility. (Spring semester only)
Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility
This course will introduce students to the global context of CSR through comparative business perspectives. After considering the theoretical frameworks for undertaking CSR activities the course will addresses a number of public policy issues facing globalizing companies through a series of case studies. Under examination is the manner in which business and ethical considerations have impacted upon different social, labor, and environmental challenges. We will be asking students to consider: to what extent such factors have been, and will be, part of the corporate strategy decision-making process; why companies are having to adapt (or not) to different pressures; and whether they might sometimes be going above and beyond the standards required by regulation. Students must take Public Sector Ethics AND/OR Strategic Corporate Responsibility.
Public Sector Marketing, Strategic Planning, and Communication
This course deals with how public and non-profit agencies interact with their external environment: how they generate revenue, and develop “brand identity”. The class further discusses the application of private sector marketing techniques to non-profit and governmental organization as well as methodologies and uses of strategic planning in the public sector. (Spring semester only)
Nonprofit Management and Finance
How to organize, lead and fund nonprofit organizations. The course provides an overview of key issues in not-for-profit accounting and a summary of the main legal issues that are crucial to effectively manage a nonprofit organization. The ability to communicate evaluations and conclusions of situations, especially to audiences not trained in policy and management analysis, is stressed throughout the semester.
Communicating in Organizations
A survey course that explores aspects of day-to-day managerial communication, presentations and high profile moments, as well as interpersonal communication. The course uses many teaching techniques: short lectures, individual and group exercises, videotaped presentations, role-plays, case discussions, video clips, and writing assignments.
Cross-Sector Partnerships, Philanthropy, and Community Building
Through a combination of readings, case studies, dialogue, and projects, this course will familiarize students with projects that have a community-wide focus and involve multiple entities. Many non-profit organizations and public agencies have shifted from an organizational focus, where organizations received technical assistance on management issues, to a broader, more collaborative process.
Public Finance
Covers management techniques central to the work of international economic and development policy makers, including financial management and project management. Also touches upon management of electronic information resources and technologies, including compilation and dissemination. (Fall semester only)
Human Resource Management
Students will learn how to increase managerial effectiveness by understanding organizational design, group and team dynamics and individual behavior in organizations. Students will use their understanding of human behavior in different organizational contexts to leverage their capacity and potential as individuals and members of teams.