Graduate School of Public Affairs
University of Colorado at Denver and HealthSciencesCenter
PAD 5361, Section 002
ADVANCED SEMINAR IN PUBLIC POLICY & MANAGEMENT[1]
Fridays: 4:00-6:45 pm
Fall 2006
Dr. J. A. WadeOffice: 1380 Lawrence Street, 5th floor
Phone: 303-556-5996Office Hours: Fridays 1:00 – 3:00 pm &
E-mail: By Appointment
North Classroom 1324; Course Supplement: eCollege (
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The Advanced Seminar in Public Policy and Management is designed to integrate and synthesize your entire MPA course of study. According to the Faculty Guidelines:
This course provides a process and structure for GSPA faculty to be able to ensure that all MPA graduates can demonstrate knowledge of the concepts and principles conveyed in the core curriculum and can apply that knowledge to analysis of contemporary issues in public administration (including the administration of non-profit organizations) within their chosen concentration or other specialization. The written products of this seminar will be tangible evidence of a degree candidate’s qualifications and expertise—the centerpiece of a professional portfolio that candidates may use to secure or to be advanced in employment commensurate with their demonstrated abilities (From “Guidelines for Course Administration and Advising,” Revised 7/98).
Please note that while you may take another elective at the same time, all core courses should be complete when you take the Advanced Seminar course.
THE SYLLABUS
The syllabus acts a contract between you and me. You should use this document as your first guide/reference for questions related to this course. Please read it carefully, prior to the start of this course. It contains a great deal of information, especially since you are embarking upon the final grade for your degree program. You are asked to sign the memorandum of understanding at the end of this document as testament to your understanding of the content herein. Please note, if for any reason that you do not agree with the information and requirements discussed within this document and are unable to sign, then you will politely be asked to withdraw from the course.
COURSE GOALS
This course is designed so you can:
Bridge your course of study to a practical experience should you chose a client oriented project
Bridge your course of study to a research experience should you chose an individual research project
Demonstrate knowledge, concepts and principles associated with the study of Public Affairs
Think critically
Write effectively
Produce a written report and supplemental presentation document
Give effective oral presentations
Use your capstone project to leverage your career and/or professional goals as they relate to your MPA Degree
REQUIRED TEXTS
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association 5th Edition.
ISBN 1-55798-791-2.
Displaying Your Findings: A Practical Guide for Creating Figures, Posters,
and Presentations. ISBN: 1-55798-978-8
1
For this course, we will use APA. However, you may choose to use a different writing style, such as MLA. You must inform the instructor prior to the writing of the paper.
STATEMENT OF INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT
The content of this course will require the use of basic cognitive thinking (e.g., recall and memory), convergent thinking (e.g., analysis using basic facts and knowledge), divergent thinking (e.g., use of opinion and prediction with support of the facts), and evaluative thinking (e.g., cost-benefit analysis and value judgments). To become a well-rounded student, you will need to apply all modes of thinking throughout the course.
EXPECTATIONS
Class Format: This course is taught in seminar format and requires individual self direction. Throughout the semester, I will meet with you and your class colleagues to assist you in producing a strong research or client-based project. Between meetings, you are encouraged to consult with all project readers in order to achieve timely progression, ask questions, present drafts, and etc. You should expect to revise your paper several times before completion of your final project. It is your responsibility to meet with your second and third reader as (s)he requires or as you need to.
Additionally, this course utilizes a course supplement known as eCollege which is available through CUonline ( eCollege allows for the integration of various technologies in order to create an environment of learning. You will find that the course supplement acts as an additional vehicle for:
- Posting communication pertaining to your project to the Instructor
- Posting course questions
- Posting parts of your project for immediate feedback
- Finding information as it relates to the course (e.g., calendar of events)
About eCollege: eCollege provides all of the necessary technology and services in an integrated approach to power the profitable growth of online distance programs. The company focuses on supporting the success of its customers by teaming with institutions to generate high student satisfaction, strong program retention and enrollment growth. As the only eLearning outsource provider focused on developing full programs, eCollege supports some of the largest and fastest growing online degree, certificate and professional development programs in the country. Please note that eCollege provides technical support 24-7 to students.
eCollege Help Desk (24 hrs. 7 days a week):
If you have technical questions or problems specific to eCollege please contact the help desk via:
Phone: 303-873-0005
e-mail:
INSTRUCTIONAL NEEDS
Office of Disabilities: The University of Colorado at Denver (UCD) welcomes and supports a diverse student body. The Disability Services Office (DSO) is the designated office that maintains disability-related documents, determines eligibility for academic accommodations, determines reasonable accommodations and develops plans for the provision of such accommodations for students attending UCD. The DSO will provide accommodations as mandated under the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
If you have special instructional needs because of a disability, please visit the DSO office first and obtain the necessary documentation and instructions for the instructor. Next, make an appointment to see me no later then the second week of class so we can discuss and arrange proper accommodations to facilitate your educational processes and maximize your learning utilities.
The DSO office is located on the Auraria Campus in the ArtsBuilding, Suite 177.
Phone: (303) 556-8387 TTY: (303) 556-8484FAX: (303) 556-2074
Mental Health and Counseling Issues: We all are subject to or experience the stresses of life. As your Instructor, I am not licensed to handle these issues. However, we offer services on campus that are not only available to you, but are completely confidential. The CU-Denver Student and CommunityCounselingCenter is a resource available to you. If you are interested in counseling services, youmay call the Center at 303-556-4372 or drop in at the NorthClassroomBuilding, Room 4036 to schedule an intake appointment.They are openMonday through Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
The CU-Denver Studentand CommunityCounselingCenter (hereafter referred to as "the Center") is part of the professional training program in the Division of Counseling Psychology and Counselor Education. We, at the Center, in complying with our belief that students' successes are dependent on their emergence as whole human beings, dedicate ourselves to delivering the best possible help and guidance to ensure their well-being. We act in partnership with the mission of this university to ensure student's optimal educational experiences in order to establish themselves as contributing individuals responding to "the challenges of an urban environment.”
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Academic Honesty
Academic honesty and integrity are vital elements of a dynamic academic institution. The responsibility for ethical conduct rests with each individual member of the academic community--students, faculty, and staff. CU-Denver has an ongoing commitment to maintain and encourage academic integrity. Therefore, the University has created a set of standards of academic honesty and procedures governing violations of these principles. Copies of the Academic Honor Code document may be obtained at the University Library, from the GSPA office, from the Student Services office, or from the Vice Chancellor's office.
Forms of Academic Dishonesty
1. Plagiarism: use of distinctive ideas or words belonging to another person, without adequately acknowledging that persons contribution.
2. Cheating: intentionally possessing, communicating, using, or attempting to use materials unauthorized by the instructor, information, notes, study aids, or other devices, in any academic exercise.
3.Fabrication and Falsification: intentional and unauthorized alteration or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise.
4. Multiple Submissions: submissions of substantial portions of either written or oral academic work that has previously earned credit, when such submission is made without instructor authorization.
5. Misuse of Academic Materials: intentionally or knowingly destroying, stealing, or making inaccessible, library or other academic resource material.
6. Complicity in Academic Dishonesty: intentionally or knowingly contributing to the academic dishonesty of another.
These examples of academic dishonesty shall not be construed to be comprehensive, and infractions will be dealt with on an individual basis according to university policies and procedures. It is the obligation of each student to assist in the enforcement of academic standards. – Please see attached policy governing academic honesty.
Enforcement: This policy is strictly enforced. Please note, I reserve the right to randomly select any paper and/or assignment that is turned in for a grade for plagiarism review. Plagiarism review consists of running your paper/assignment through various search engines and databases at my disposal in order to check for “borrowed” or “bought” information. If you are found in violation of academic dishonesty, then you will be subject to the enforcement policies and procedures, as outlined by GSPA, pertaining to academic dishonesty. Punitive actions may range from resubmission of the assignment to receipt of 0 for the assignment to review by the academic disciplinary committee. Please know that the GSPA faculty, me included, takes academic dishonesty very seriously. If you feel compelled or pushed to commit an infraction or are unsure of an assignment please seek immediate help from me or the Associate Dean of GSPA, Dr. Linda deLeon.
Weather Policy
Being that it is Fall, we can anticipate that some of our areas may experience hurricanes, tornadoes, forest fires, early snow fall, and other natural disasters. If for any reason you find that one of these phenomena are prohibiting your ability to come to class, access to the Internet, or hinder your ability to complete the final project for the course, please contact your me immediately at (303) 556-5996 or Dawn Savage or Antoinette Sandoval in the GSPA office at (303) 556-5970 and advise one of us of your situation.
Internet & E-mail Policy
All students enrolled in this course are required to maintain a working E-mail address during the class. All emergency notices pertaining to the class will be given out via E-mail and posted via eCollege. You will need a working Internet connection to access eCollege and should be registered via CUOnline. Access to eCollege may be gained via the Internet at
CU Denver's Computing, Information and Network Services (CINS) welcomes you the University and invites you to use our services. This invitation is for everyone, whether you are new to campus or returning. CINS is here to assist you. They are committed to providing you with access to our computing and networking facilities and helping you utilize those facilities effectively. The location of the CINS Main Office is 1380 Lawrence St., Suite 1350. Hours of operation are Monday - Friday from 8am - 5pm.
For those of you with access to the campus, the public laboratories are located in North Classroom Rooms 1206, 1208, 2206 and St. Cajetan's. Each lab contains terminals, printers and personal computers, including IBM PC clones and Macintosh computers. These systems are available for use by all currently enrolled CU-Denver students upon presentation of a valid CU-Denver Student I.D. card. For further information about any of these facilities, please contact CINS Academic Services at 556-4307.
GSPA also offers a state-of-the-art computer lab for graduate student use. The lab is located in the GSPA office (1380 Lawrence Street Center, Suite 500 Denver CO 80217). Should you need assistance or information pertaining to lab hours, please contact Rob Drouillard at .
The university’s E-mail policy is located at
Note for AOL 8.0 & 9.0 Users: Currently the eCollege system sends E-mails to your E-mail address on behalf of the sender (ex. your instructor, school administration, etc.). Many E-mail service providers identify this as spamming and, consequently, blacklist or block known companies that send bulk E-mail. eCollege has been added to the White list for AOL, which means that while E-mails sent from eCollege follow a similar process to spamming, eCollege E-mails will not be blocked, but will be sent to your Bulk Sender category in your AOL E-mail inbox.
It is highly recommended that you check your Bulk E-mail category regularly before deleting any messages as important E-mails from your instructor or your institution's administration could be in there. If you do find an E-mail from your instructor in the bulk E-mail folder or category it is recommended you add that E-mail address to your address book or buddy list in AOL so E-mails from that individual are sent to your inbox and not the bulk E-mail folder or category.
If you have further questions on this you can refer to the "Help" option in your AOL software for further details.
Note for Hotmail and Yahoo Users: Hotmail and Yahoo typically limit the amount of information that can be sent to an E-mail user. If you are using either of these providers for E-mail, you are encouraged to clean out your E-mail box on a regular basis. Additionally, both account types typically reject E-mails that include large attachments. Users should consider using an alternate E-mail address during this course.
The WritingCenter
Students needing assistance with writing skills should refer to the CampusWritingCenter. The purpose of the Center is to support those members of the university community who are endeavoring to become strong, independent writers. The Center is located in the Central Classroom, Room 206. Phone: 303-556-4845.
Grades of Incomplete
Grades of Incomplete are not given for this course. Should you be unable to complete this course you will have to register for the course again.
Questions and Concerns
You may ask questions and voice concerns to me using various mechanisms:
Personal Appointment:You may schedule personal appointments outside of class time to meet with me about your project. At various times in the course, you will be required to meet (typically on Mondays). However, additional appointments may be scheduled. Please send an E-mail to to schedule an appointment.
eCollege My Office: There is a specially designed button on the Course Home called MY OFFICE. This area is open to students to drop questions and/or concerns they may have. Please note that your question may be someone else’s question in the course; therefore, I highly suggest that you post in this area or review this area first. Questions or concerns of a personal nature may be sent directly via E-mail to me at .
Note: Please be aware that I do not live on my E-mail system. While I frequently check my E-mail and the course shell throughout the semester, sometimes it can take me up to 48 hours before I can respond, especially if your question is sent over the weekend. Please be patient on the return ofE-mails. If I fail to answer your E-mail in 48 hours, please resend it or call me at 303.556.5996.
Remember, there are many roads to take when trying to contact me. I suggest the following routes:
- Start out by posting to eCollege in the My Office area.
- When necessary, yield and send direct E-mails, especially those of a personal nature
- When all else fails, pull over to the side of the road and call me
REQUIRED ASSIGNMENTS:
Seminar Project: Individual Research vs. Client-Based
Your Seminar project may take one of two forms: individual research project or client-based project.
Individual Research Project: An individual research project is defined as one in which: (a) a student identifies the purpose of the study that may be to pursue an individual interest and/or to add to knowledge in a field; (b) the student chooses a professional journal to write his or her paper for (though actual submission or publication is not required); (c) data or information are collected to answer particular questions or test hypotheses; (d) the research project follows the length, style and format of the selected journal. Since the goal of a research-type project is to prepare a manuscript as if it is to become a potentially publishable article for a professional periodical, this individual research project must follow the length, format and stylistic guidelines required by a selected publication. Thus, picking a journal as if you wanted to write for it andobtaining its stylistic guidelines should be “the first order” of business to think about for starting this assignment. Again, consultation with the first reader and other faculty is important, but whatever the chosen journal, explicitly adhering to its prescribed length, style, and format must be demonstrated in writing the manuscript. If you wish to write a research paper, you should be prepared to do original archival and/or field research during the semester. This study should ultimately aim to add to existing knowledge in a subject area as well as to provide a deeper understanding of the chosen topic.
Individual Research Project Distinctions:
- Involve a more extensive review of the literature
- Must include data collection and analysis (the focus may be qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods; existing data may be used)
- Identify a scholarly journal as the garget source for the paper (The organization and content of the paper must then follow the “Call for Papers” in the journal, including purpose, style, quality of manuscript, etc.)
Client-Based Project: A client-based project follows the following guidelines: (a) the project takes place within a public or non-profit agency or organization after consultation with both a GSPA faculty member and an identified client within that agency; (b) the task to be accomplished should be of significance and practical use to that organization; (c) while the written paper is designed to be of use to that agency, it must still meet the purpose of this advanced seminar by integrating scholarly knowledge from the MPA program and (d) client-based projects may NOT be conducted as part of ongoing work responsibilities. If you are interested in doing a client-based project, ideally it should be an issue related to your current or prospective professional career. A client-based project may concern a subject internal to an organization, such as an aspect of human resources management, financial analysis, or reorganization; or an issue external to the agency, for example, an evaluation of a national welfare policy, implementation of a state environmental management program, or a local anti-crime initiative, etc. Again, it must be stressed that the project cannot be part of any actual ongoing work assignment. Discussions between class members, potential clients and me will help you to sort out what topic may be best to work on as well as how to go about conducting research.