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Graduate Degree Requirements
Public Affairs Program
Degree: Master of Arts
The Master of Arts in Public Affairs is designed to provide students with the knowledge and understanding that is required to relate effectively to the American public policy process. Graduates will be prepared to make significant contributions within the public and/or private sectors of American society. The program provides the foundation for productive participation in organizations dedicated to the development, implementation, and evaluation of public policies in the United States. It is expected that the typical graduate will function within public organizations at the national, state, or local levels. In addition, the skills and expertise that are developed in the program will enhance the ability of graduates to contribute to the success of non-profit and for-profit private sector organizations whose activities involve intense interactions with the public policy system.
The program emphasizes theoretical, practical, and methodological issues that are critical for the knowledgeable contributor and consumer of public policy in the American polity. Historical, empirical, and normative approaches are central to each element of the program. The norms of public service, sound governance, effective analysis, and knowledgeable evaluation are central to the program’s design. Therefore, the acquisition of relevant skills in quantitative and qualitative analyses is a central expectation for all students who complete the program.
Clientele
The program is designed to serve the needs of students who hold the bachelor’s degree in any field. The criteria for admission to the program are those specified for the master’s degree by the Graduate School at The University of Alabama in Huntsville. Admission does not depend on any particular subject matter expertise. The goals and interests of students rather than subject matter proficiency are the primary criteria for the selection of students for participation in the program. Students will be expected to complete a statistics course, such as SOC 333, PY 300, or AHS 300, if they have not taken one. Instruction in the program assumes the level of intellectual development and maturity expected of an above average college graduate. The program is organized primarily to serve the needs and interests of the mature individual who has significant experience after completion of an undergraduate degree program. Typically, these students will be employed by public or private sector organizations in which the principles and practices of public affairs are relevant. Successful completion of the program is expected to lead to enhanced organizational contributions and provide opportunities for career advancement. The program also is appropriate for the person who aspires to shift careers toward public policy activities. The design and scheduling of courses in the program assume that most students will have significant practical experience and will enroll in the program on a part-time basis. The program also is appropriate for persons with limited organizational experience, and every effort is made to make it possible for such students to enroll in the program on a full-time basis. Generally, in cases where students don’t have practical experience, a degree in one of the social sciences or a field of administrative science would be helpful but not required for admission and successful completion of the program.
Program
The program is administered by the Department of Political Science, and the bulk of the instruction is provided through that department. The focus of the program is on fundamental issues related to the problems of politics and governance in a democratic society. The subject matter and the objectives of the program dictate that there should be an interdisciplinary dimension to the program. Consequently, significant coursework and academic experiences outside the Department of Political Science will be required as a component of the program of study.
Liberal Arts Admission Requirements
Applicants must meet the general requirements for admission to the School of Graduate Studies and be recommended for approval by the department’s graduate committee prior to admission to the program.
Degree Requirements
The Master of Arts requires 36 hours of approved graduate work from the following courses:
- A minimum of 36 credits.
- A minimum of 18 hours at the 600-level.
- Foundation courses - 12 hours. All of the following courses are required.*
PSC 600 The American Polity
PSC 601 The Public Policy Process
PSC 610 Public Management Professions
PSC 635 Methodological Issues and Public Policy
*Although these courses are not prerequisites for other courses in the program, it is advisable for students to complete them as early in their program as practicable.
- Political Science Electives (18 hours)
PSC 520 Intergovernmental Relations
PSC 551 Public Policy and the Law
PSC 565 American Foreign Policy
PSC 568 National Security Policy
PSC 580 Special Topics in Political Science
PSC 605 Public Policy Seminar
PSC 611 Public Personnel Administration
PSC 615 Special Topics in Administration
PSC 630 Public Values and Public Policy
- Other options (6 hours)
Courses in other disciplines. Student should consult with department chair to determine appropriate course work from other disciplines.
PSC 695 Internship in Government (3-6 hours)
PSC 699 Master’s Thesis (6 hours)
Graduate Courses in Political Science (PSC)
520 Federalism and Intergovernmental Relations 3 hrs.
Examination of the theory and practice of American federalism with emphasis on the constitutional framework, intergovernmental relations and the changing roles of state and local governments.
551 Public Policy and the Law 3 hrs.
Judicial influences on the development and application of public policy in the United States. Role of the judiciary as a political actor.
565 American Foreign Policy 3 hrs.
Analysis of major theories explaining foreign policy and various controversies surrounding policy processes and issues.
568 National Security Policy 3 hrs.
Examination of the evolution of U.S. security policy in the post-1945 era, with a special focus upon the theory and practice of deterrence; and the problems associated with disarmament and arms control. Prerequisite: Undergraduate course in international relations recommended.
580 Special Topics in Political Science 3 hrs.
Selected topics in local, state, national and world politics.
600 The American Polity 3 hrs.*
Comprehensive and intensive review of the foundations, institutions, and dynamics of the American polity and the relationship of these forces to the making of public policy.
601 The Public Policy Process 3 hrs.*
Provides an analytical framework for critical thinking about public policy processes in American governments. Examines policymaking processes. Discusses political, economic, social and institutional factors that influence policymaking processes and the impacts of policy decisions by national, state, and local levels of governments.
605 Public Policy Seminar 3 hrs.
Focuses on specific policy areas of the national government such as foreign policy, science policy, or national security policy.
610 Public Management Professions 3 hrs.*
Introduction to public management as a field of study and practice. Review of basic literature. Emphasis on ethics in public service.
611 Public Personnel Administration 3 hrs.
Purposes, functions, and processes of personnel management at the national, state, and local levels.
612 Budgetary Process 3 hrs.
Governmental revenue and expenditure policies. Budget as a method of administrative and fiscal control.
615 Special Topics in Public Administration 3 hrs.
Selected current issues in public administration.
630 Public Values and Public Policy 3 hrs.
Critical examination of the normative aspect of public policy-making. Focuses on the value assumptions of social theoretical paradigms that influence the design of public policy and on the ethical and moral implications of those designs. Major themes include ideological biases of empirical analyses and evaluations in the policy sciences, ethics of social policy formation, and moral problems of economic distribution, and redistribution.
635 Methodological Issues and Public Policy 3 hrs.*
Designed to provide students the tools needed to become knowledgeable, informed users and consumers of social science research. The course surveys major issues relevant to the application of quantitative data to problems of public policy and administration. Issues include research design, measurement and operationalization, sampling, data collection, data analysis and interpretation, and evaluation. Prerequisites: SOC 333 or PY 300 or permission of chair.
695 Internship in Government 1-6 hrs.
Graduate students may receive from one to six hours of academic credit for an internship with local, state, or federal governmental agencies. Students must attend internship seminars, keep a log of activities, and submit a report on their internship.
699 Master’s Thesis 3-6 hrs.
Required every semester a student writing and receiving direction on a master’s thesis. A minimum of two terms and six thesis hours is required for the thesis option. No more than six hours credit may be applied toward the degree.
*Degree Requirement
250 Morton Hall
Telephone: (256) 824-6192
Email: publicaff.grad@uah.edu
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