Public Administration Program

Prospectus

The Bachelor of Science in Public Administration (BSPA) is designed to equip students with professional competencies to accomplish managerial tasks and organizational objectives in public and not-for-profit organizations. Students enrolled in the BSPA degree program study the various roles of professional managers in public service; develop leadership and analytical skills; study policy-making processes; and learn the techniques of sound public sector management. The program provides special attention and sensitivity to cultural and social issues in the Western Pacific and Asia region and an understanding of their relevance to public administration.

Learning Outcomes

Successful students will able to demonstrate:

A general understanding of the various roles of professional managers in the public and nonprofit sectors
Leadership and teamwork skills
Critical thinking and analytical skills in solving real world problems in public administration
A sufficient real-world understanding of public policy processes
Proficiency in information technology and communication skills, etc.
An understanding of local, regional, and global environments and their relevance to public administration
An understanding of ethical, professional, and socially responsible behavior

MAJOR REQUIREMENTS

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS (120 credit hours)

Description	Credit
General Education	44
Public Administration Major Courses	48
Public Administration Required Electives	25
First Year Seminar (FY-101)	3
Total Credits	120

Note: Students must earn a grade of “C” or better in all major coursework.

General Education (44 credit hours)

The BSPA program requires students to complete 44 semester hours of General Education. While there are many choices among the General Education courses offered, it is strongly recommended that BSPA students include the following courses as part of their General Education requirements. (See General Education Student Advisement Sheet.)

Tier I: Core Foundation

Course	Course Title	Credits	Term Offered
CT101	CRITICAL THINKING + This interdisciplinary foundation course develops students' abilities to think clearly, reason logically, and evaluate information critically in both human and technology-assisted contexts. Students learn to analyze, construct, and communicate arguments; detect fallacies and bias; and apply ethical reasoning to real-world problems. Students practice evaluating evidence and forming reasoned judgments using traditional methods and emerging digital tools. Emphasis is placed on cultivating intellectual curiosity, ethical awareness, and adaptability-skills essential for learning, citizenship, and life in an increasingly digital and technological world.	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS
MA110	BASIC MATHEMATICAL APPLICATIONS + This course explores the world of mathematical application for the management, life, and social sciences. It covers linear, quadratic, polynomial, exponential and logarithmic function and their applications to finance and economics. This course also provides an introduction to solving systems of linear equations, matrix operations, and a graphical treatment of linear programming. This course satisfies the GE requirement, but does not satisfy any prerequisite for higher level mathematics courses. It is intended for those students who have no further needs in mathematics. Prerequisite: Grade of C or better in MA-085b or MA-089, completed within the previous 3 semesters, or placement.	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS
EN110	FRESHMAN COMPOSITION + This is a basic college composition course. Emphasis is on constructing grammatical sentences in standard written English, on developing unified paragraphs employing appropriate principles of organization, on developing papers employing appropriate principles of organization, and upon improving skills in critical reading of non-fiction prose. EN110 must be completed with a grade of "C" or better before taking EN111. Grades are A, B, C, D, F, I or NC. Prerequisites: Completion of EN109 or test out.	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS
CO210	FUNDAMENTALS OF COMMUNICATION + This course introduces students to public speaking and person-to-person communication, as well as to group and intercultural communication. Students learn about basic speech preparation and delivery, as well as effective communication skills suited to the people with whom they interact in a variety of everyday contexts. Oral presentations may include demonstrative, informative, and/or persuasive speeches of 6-8 minutes in length. Prerequisites: EN110 placement.	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS
EN111	WRITING FOR RESEARCH + In this course, students are introduced to the conversation model of scholarship and to the work of composing academic research from topic development to final edit. This course emphasizes the development and advancement of information literacy skills for the purpose of acquiring knowledge of and cultivating a practice for conducting academic research and composing research-related documents such as annotated bibliographies and research manuscripts. Throughout the course, students learn to skillfully navigate information systems to access both print and electronic sources of information related to their research endeavor, with special attention on ethical and legal use of information in their academic research processes and research products. Prerequisite: EN110 with a grade ''C'' or better. REVISED AS APPROVED 042116	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS

Tier II: Uniquely UOG

Recommended	Course	Credits
Language	Any	4
Regional	Any	3

Tier II: Diversity Foundation

Course	Course Title	Credits	Term Offered
PA233	IMPACT OF GOVERNMENT REGULATORY ADMINISTRATION ON BUSINESS + This course offers an overview and rationale of public policies and administrative regulations as applied to the private sector, analysis and implementation of public policies/regulations; substantive, methodological and practical problems and issues of public policies and regulatory administration toward business by Federal, State and Local government, and governments in the Asian-Pacific region.	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS

Recommended	Course	Credits
Science & Math	Any	3
Cultural Perspectives	Any	3

Choice of One

Course	Course Title	Credits	Term Offered
PY101	GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY + This course provides an introduction to the basic principles of psychology, to methods for research in psychology, and to key finding from its subfields. Topics include the biological bases of behavior sensation and perception, consciousness and altered states, learning, human memory, problem-solving, motivation and emotion, development across the life span, personality, stress and coping, psychological disorders, psychotherapy, and social behavior.	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS
SO101	INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY + This course is a study of human society, its diversity, its nature, structure, and processes including foundations of culture, social interaction, social controls, social change and cross-cultural relations. Special emphasis is given to social processes in Micronesia and the Western Pacific.	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS

Tier II: Direction Building

Course	Course Title	Credits	Term Offered
BA110	PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS + This course introduces the principles, terminology and fundamental concepts of microeconomics and macroeconomics. It is a foundation for understanding the scope and methods of the economic perspective applied to issues faced by modern capitalist societies. Topics include the role of economics in society, the structure of economic activity, the behavior of firms and households in a market economy, the role of government and institutions of public policy in the United States. Relevant examples from Guam, Micronesia and the Pacific Rim will be explored. Prerequisites: MA110.	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS
LW101	INTRODUCTION TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE + This course is designed to produce an understanding of the underlying purpose of law enforcement by analyzing the functions of the police officer, courts, penal institutions and attorneys. The course also provides a survey of the criminal justice system focusing on its purpose, problems and functions.	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS

Tier III: Capstone Experience

Course	Course Title	Credits	Term Offered
PA480	PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION CAPSTONE + This course is the capstone of the Bachelor of Science Public Administration (BSPA)degree program integrating concepts and skills learned in the BSPA Foundation. This is an integrative, problem-solving course in which the knowledge gained in the major is applied to public administration case studies where the stude4nts will evaluate and provide solutions to actual problems. There is a special emphasis on a student's abilities to utilized critical thinking skill s to analyze strategic trends in public administration and demonstrate proficiency. Prerequisites: 1) Graduating seniors only; b) Completion of PA-405 and either PA305 or MA-385; and c) Consent of the instructor.	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS

Major Courses (48 credit hours)

Required Courses

Course	Course Title	Credits	Term Offered
LW402	CONSTITUTIONAL LAW + This course provides the student with underlying principles of constitutional interpretation, government organization and functions, and the application of the Bill of Rights to criminal justice. Special problems of constitutional principles applied to the criminal justice system are dealt with through the study of U.S. Supreme Court cases.	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS
PA210	PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT: CONCEPTS AND APPLICATIONS + This course covers the functioning of public administration and management in government structures; the history and environment of public administration and management in the U. S. and in the Government of Guam; the development and application of concepts, principles, and techniques of public administration and management in the public sector; and problems, issues, needs, achievements in public administration and management.	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS
PA215	SUPERVISION IN GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS + This course examines the operations and structure of government organizations from a supervision point of view. The course instructs students in critical supervisory theories, techniques and skills necessary for attaining superior results and accountability in government and not-for-profit organizations. The course is designed to assist students in becoming effective supervisors in public organizations and presents supervisory concepts organized around various functions such as planning, organizing, directing and controlling. The course equips Public Administration, Criminal Justice and other students with the supervisory skills they will need for growth of professional competence in the public service.	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS
PA303	GOVERNMENT FINANCE + tA survey of financial administration, budgeting, and grant management in government and nonprofit organizations, including understanding the budget as an instrument of fiscal policy, sources of revenue, contracting for services, the procurement function, financial planning, accountability, and control. The course focuses on enhancing the ability of students to think critically, plan, analyze, synthesize, solve fiscal problems and challenges, and make successful financial decisions in government and nonprofit organizations engaged in the delivery of government and public services.	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS
PA304	GOVERNMENT PUBLIC INFORMATION + The course focuses on the deliberate and sustained effort to establish and maintain effective communications with various publics by government and nonprofit organizations. The course promotes an understanding of how public and nonprofit organizations design, plan and execute successful information programs and/or special events using traditional media channels (newspapers, TV and radio broadcasting, direct mail, community meetings and disaster-related communications, seminars and conferences, etc.) and via new ?21st Century? technologies (e.g., live streaming on the web, social media networks, and AI - Artificial Intelligence, etc.) In this course students will learn that the key to excelling in disseminating information and fund-raising to various publics is sending the right message at the right time via the right communication channels.	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS
PA305	DATA ANALYSIS IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION + This course provides students with basic research tools used in of public administration, criminal Justice, and other applied fields. Emphasis is given to data collection, analysis, and interpretation skills. Major topics include research methods and techniques to study planning, organizing, staffing, directing, reporting and budgeting. Applied policy research is the consistent theme for this course. Prerequisites: BA130 with a C grade or better.	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS
PA306	HEALTH CARE PLANNING AND EVALUATION + This course is designed to teach the fundamental techniques, methodologies and political constraints of population-based planning for human services, with an emphasis on health. It explores the origins and purpose of planning and the planning process as a means of implementing social change. Existing planning policies are presented and analyzed with the objective of formulating an outline for a health or social plan for the community. Special emphasis is placed on the evaluation process. A local, national and international perspective of health and social planning is utilized in teaching this course.	3 credit hours	SPRING ONLY/ALL YEARS
PA347	LEADERSHIP AND COLLABORATION IN ORGANIZATIONS AND SOCIETY + The course integrates personal leadership with collaboration and networking for organizational performance and societal gain. The course strengthens practical leadership and collaborative skills. Prerequisites: BA240 (for BBA majors) or PA210 (for PA majors).	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS
PA401	COMMUNITY PLANNING + This course is an introduction to planning principles and techniques for island communities. The course focuses on Public Administration planning, processes, laws and regulations as they relate to communities and cultural values and environmental and aesthetic considerations in designing and executing community development programs. Factors such as economics, public policy, social indicators, and political variables are used as a frame of reference in the course. The course explores various planning factors that need to be considered by government and nonprofit organizations in designing community projects and in recognizing the unique challenges and opportunities and public and nonprofit organizations encounter and must consider to achieve results for the communities they serve. In this course, students explore the connections between what they will learn in class and community needs.	3 credit hours	SUMMER ONLY/ALL YEARS
PA402A	POLICY EVALUATION + The course examines the public policy Process (i.e., formation, implementation, and Evaluation) in public administration and Governance and examines a broad range of Substantive public policies (U.S., Federal, Guam, Regional, and international). The course also Integrates a variety of basic policy techniques Of analysis and the application of models in Public administration to help better understand Public-policy making and its impact on government And societal institutions. Students will learn Practical tools in developing public policy and In concepts and techniques of policy development, Analysis. The course will employ case studies to Illustrate concepts and techniques of policy Development, analysis, and debate. May be taken More than once, if topic is different. A. Policy Evaluation. B. Grant administration. C. Fraud Examination d. Procurement e. Emergency Management.	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS
PA402B	GRANT ADMINISTRATION + The course examines the public policy Process (i.e., formation, implementation, and Evaluation) in public administration and Governance and examines a broad range of Substantive public policies (U.S., Federal, Guam, Regional, and international). The course also Integrates a variety of basic policy techniques Of analysis and the application of models in Public administration to help better understand Public-policy making and its impact on government And societal institutions. Students will learn Practical tools in developing public policy and In concepts and techniques of policy development, Analysis. The course will employ case studies to Illustrate concepts and techniques of policy Development, analysis, and debate. May be taken More than once, if topic is different. A. Policy Evaluation. B. Grant administration. C. Fraud Examination d. Procurement e. Emergency Management.	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS
PA403	PUBLIC PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION + This course covers the development and management of human resources; history of the Civil Service career system; training practices; human relations in supervision; Issues and cases in professional leadership ethics in SBPA disciplines with case study examples from the United States, Guam, Asia and the Western Pacific provides the framework for the course. Codes of conduct, clientele and organizational relationships, legal requirements and professional accountability are studied with a leadership ethics emphasis for the public and private sector.	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS
PA405	LEADERSHIP ETHICS IN THE PROFESSIONS + This course emphasizes Best Practices in Leadership Ethics and Governance in Business, Government, and Societal Institutions. The course examines ethics in the workplace and the roles of organizational leaders in fostering ethical behavior. Contemporary ethical challenges, scenarios and ethics case studies from the United Statas, Guam, Asia, and the Western Pacific provide the framework for the course. The course takes an SBPA interdisciplinary approach to leadership Ethics in order to prepare students for professional employment and/or advancement in an increasing diverse technological and global society. Lectures, case studies, simulations, scenarios, self-assessment exercises, reading assignments and field activities explore the basic frameworks of ethical and moral leadership. The course emphasizes leadership development, team building, ethical decision making, enhanced communication skills, strategic thinking, and people skills. Upon completion of the course, students are expected to demonstrate a competency in critical thinking skills to both identify and remedy ethical issues typically encountered d in organizational setting and interaction. Successful graduate of the course normally pursues careers in government, business, accounting, finance, nonprofits, social work, and education organizations. The course is available to all University of Guam students.	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS
PA420	PUBLIC FINANCE & FISCAL POLICY + This course is a study of the manipulation of spending and tax revenue by governmental bodies in such a way as to affect the levels of output, employment, income, and prices in the economy; public financial administration; budgeting, procurement, planning, and control.	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS
PA490	SPECIAL PROJECT IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION + This special research course is intended to Acquaint criminal justice and public Administration majors with the contemporary Principles and techniques of research in these Disciplines. Students organize and participate in A major or research endeavor focusing on criminal Justice/public administration topics dealing with Guam and the Asian-Pacific region.	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS
PA480	PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION CAPSTONE + This course is the capstone of the Bachelor of Science Public Administration (BSPA)degree program integrating concepts and skills learned in the BSPA Foundation. This is an integrative, problem-solving course in which the knowledge gained in the major is applied to public administration case studies where the stude4nts will evaluate and provide solutions to actual problems. There is a special emphasis on a student's abilities to utilized critical thinking skill s to analyze strategic trends in public administration and demonstrate proficiency. Prerequisites: 1) Graduating seniors only; b) Completion of PA-405 and either PA305 or MA-385; and c) Consent of the instructor.	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS

Elective Courses (25 credit hours)

Required electives must be approved by Public Administration advisor.

MINOR REQUIREMENTS

Public Administration Minor Requirements (18 credit hours)

Required Courses

Course	Course Title	Credits	Term Offered
PA210	PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT: CONCEPTS AND APPLICATIONS + This course covers the functioning of public administration and management in government structures; the history and environment of public administration and management in the U. S. and in the Government of Guam; the development and application of concepts, principles, and techniques of public administration and management in the public sector; and problems, issues, needs, achievements in public administration and management.	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS
PA233	IMPACT OF GOVERNMENT REGULATORY ADMINISTRATION ON BUSINESS + This course offers an overview and rationale of public policies and administrative regulations as applied to the private sector, analysis and implementation of public policies/regulations; substantive, methodological and practical problems and issues of public policies and regulatory administration toward business by Federal, State and Local government, and governments in the Asian-Pacific region.	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS
PA303	GOVERNMENT FINANCE + tA survey of financial administration, budgeting, and grant management in government and nonprofit organizations, including understanding the budget as an instrument of fiscal policy, sources of revenue, contracting for services, the procurement function, financial planning, accountability, and control. The course focuses on enhancing the ability of students to think critically, plan, analyze, synthesize, solve fiscal problems and challenges, and make successful financial decisions in government and nonprofit organizations engaged in the delivery of government and public services.	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS
PA403	PUBLIC PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION + This course covers the development and management of human resources; history of the Civil Service career system; training practices; human relations in supervision; Issues and cases in professional leadership ethics in SBPA disciplines with case study examples from the United States, Guam, Asia and the Western Pacific provides the framework for the course. Codes of conduct, clientele and organizational relationships, legal requirements and professional accountability are studied with a leadership ethics emphasis for the public and private sector.	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS
PA405	LEADERSHIP ETHICS IN THE PROFESSIONS + This course emphasizes Best Practices in Leadership Ethics and Governance in Business, Government, and Societal Institutions. The course examines ethics in the workplace and the roles of organizational leaders in fostering ethical behavior. Contemporary ethical challenges, scenarios and ethics case studies from the United Statas, Guam, Asia, and the Western Pacific provide the framework for the course. The course takes an SBPA interdisciplinary approach to leadership Ethics in order to prepare students for professional employment and/or advancement in an increasing diverse technological and global society. Lectures, case studies, simulations, scenarios, self-assessment exercises, reading assignments and field activities explore the basic frameworks of ethical and moral leadership. The course emphasizes leadership development, team building, ethical decision making, enhanced communication skills, strategic thinking, and people skills. Upon completion of the course, students are expected to demonstrate a competency in critical thinking skills to both identify and remedy ethical issues typically encountered d in organizational setting and interaction. Successful graduate of the course normally pursues careers in government, business, accounting, finance, nonprofits, social work, and education organizations. The course is available to all University of Guam students.	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS
PA420	PUBLIC FINANCE & FISCAL POLICY + This course is a study of the manipulation of spending and tax revenue by governmental bodies in such a way as to affect the levels of output, employment, income, and prices in the economy; public financial administration; budgeting, procurement, planning, and control.	3 credit hours	FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS