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Public Administration & Urban Studies

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In the College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts

OFFICE: Professional Studies and Fine Arts 105 TELEPHONE: (619) 594-6224 FAX: (619) 594-1165

A Member of the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA).

Faculty

Emeritus: Bigger, Boostrom, Kitchen, Kochanski, Leiffer

Director: Rea

Professors: Calavita, Caves, Clapp, Gazell, Gilbreath, Gitchoff, Gupta, Henderson, Pugh, Rea, Ryan, Sparrow, Sutton

Associate Professors: Dobbs, Lee, Sabath, Stock, Wilson

Assistant Professors: Pearl, Walshok

Master of City Planning degree.

Master of Public Administration degree.

Major in criminal justice administration with the B.S. degree in applied arts and sciences. (Refer to this section of the catalog on Criminal Justice Administration.)

Major in public administration with the B.A. degree in applied arts and sciences.

Emphasis in city planning.

Major in urban studies with the B.A. degree in liberal arts and sciences. See Interdisciplinary Programs.

Minor in public administration.

Certificate in public administration (available at Imperial Valley Campus only).

The Major

Today, more than ever before, the nation is in need of effective leadership and competence in the administration of public affairs. The growth of all levels of government and public service organizations and their increasing responsibilities in a complex society have led directly to the need for more capable public administrators. The primary purpose of the public administration major is to provide knowledge and skills for students who wish to prepare themselves for management careers in government, community agencies, private not-for-profit organizations, planning and consulting firms, and private sector organizations that work in partnership with the public sector.

The undergraduate public administration major is an interdisciplinary program. In addition to the courses taken within the department, provisions have been made for the student to select additional courses in areas as diverse as economics, sociology, social welfare, political science, and psychology. Required preparatory courses for the major include classes in accountancy, economics, information and decision systems, political science, and statistics.

Career opportunities in public administration can be found throughout the public and private sectors, and the future is represented by an expanding job market. The Public Administration Center within the School of Public Administration and Urban Studies provides a comprehensive file of current job openings locally, throughout California, and across the country.

Upon graduation, students have secured a wide variety of administrative positions within government, the private sector, and community agencies. For example, graduating students have recently been placed with city personnel and finance departments, county operating departments, special districts, hospitals, and consulting firms.

Public Administration Major

With the B.A. Degree in Applied Arts and Sciences
(Major Code: 21021)

All candidates for a degree in applied arts and sciences must complete the graduation requirements listed in the section of this catalog on "Graduation Requirements."

A minor is not required with this major.

Preparation for the Major. Accountancy 201, Information and Decision Systems 180, Economics 101 and 102, Political Science 102, Public Administration 200, and a three-unit course in statistics. (21 units)

Upper Division Writing Requirement. Passing the University Writing Examination or completing one of the approved writing courses with a grade of C (2.0) or better.

Major. A minimum of 36 upper division units to include Public Administration 301, 310 or 312 or 315, 330, 340, 450, 460, 497 or 498; and 15 units selected with the approval of an adviser from the public administration faculty. Within this program, students may specialize in such areas as personnel and labor relations, urban management, urban planning, public finance and budgeting, information systems, and environmental management. Interested students must seek guidance from a public administration program faculty adviser. A master plan of the courses taken to fulfill the major must be approved by a public administration program faculty adviser and filed with the Office of Admissions and Records one semester before graduation.

Preparation for the Major. Accountancy 201, Economics 101 and 102, Information and Decision Systems 180, Political Science 102, Public Administration 200, and a three-unit course in statistics. (21 units)

Upper Division Writing Requirement. Passing the University Writing Examination or completing one of the approved writing courses with a grade of C (2.0) or better.

Major. A minimum of 36 upper division units to include Public Administration 301, 310, 330, 340, 450, 460, 497 or 498; and Public Administration 320, 420, 525, and two courses selected from Public Administration 341, 350, 510, and 512. A master plan of courses taken to fulfill this emphasis must be approved by a city planning program faculty adviser and filed with the Office of Admissions and Records one semester before graduation.

Public Administration Minor

The minor in public administration consists of 24 units to include Political Science 102 and a course in statistics or Information and Decision Systems 180, Public Administration 301, 310 or 312 or 315, 330, 450, and two additional courses with the consent of a public administration adviser. Prerequisites for the minor include Economics 101 and 102.

Courses in the minor may not be counted toward the major, but may be used to satisfy preparation for the major and general education requirements, if applicable. A minimum of six upper division units must be completed in residence at San Diego State University.

Public Administration Certificate

(Imperial Valley Campus)

To receive the certificate a candidate must complete an approved program of 18 units with a minimum grade point average of 2.5. Up to two public administration courses taken at another institution may be included among the required courses with approval of the program adviser.

Requirements include Public Administration 301, 330; three units selected from Public Administration 340, 341, or 450; and nine units in an area of specialization selected with the approval of the adviser.

Courses

200. The Urban Scene (3) I, II
Key issues in public administration, criminal justice administration, and city planning. Emphasis on government structure and public decision-making process, organizational behavior, effectiveness of criminal justice policies, zoning, and land use considerations.

301. Concepts and Issues in Public Administration (3) I, II
Theory and practice of governmental administration in differing environments, role of administrators in public policy, issues facing administrators, techniques of administration.

Growth of American city and various aspects of urban life, such as immigration, industrialization, anti-urbanism, and the city of the future, as reflected in American films. May be repeated with new content. See Class Schedule for specific content. Maximum credit three units.

510. Intergovernmental Relations in the United States (3) I
Prerequisite: Public Administration 310 or 312 or 315.

The law of public office and public officers, powers of administrative authorities, scope and limits of administrative powers, remedies against administrative action.

Prerequisite: Public Administration 301.

Administrative organization and process of selected foreign and American governments. Analysis of the cultural basis of administrative systems.

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