Courses

Public Service as Responsible Citizenship is about people living together in democratic communities and the particular role community service plays in support of those communities. Community service in a wide variety of settings has become a significant way in which we accomplish public goals. This course critically examines the community service approach to “public work” and seeks to understand how service might be more effective in improving community life. Students will learn basic strategies and tactics utilized by individuals, groups and organizations to maintain and improve the quality of life in their communities.

The purpose of this course is to introduce doctoral students to the philosophy and methods of qualitative research. Through an examination of the evolution of qualitative methods, the various forms of qualitative research, and the ways to conduct qualitative research studies, students will develop the basic skills necessary to develop qualitative research designs and to conduct qualitative research. It will examine the similarities and differences between qualitative and quantitative research design, different approaches to qualitative research, including grounded theory, analytic induction, and ethnomethodology, and how these relate to mixed methods design. Students will be introduced to qualitative methods of data collection and analysis, including interviews, observation and participant observation, ethnography, case studies, content analysis, historical and archival methods, action research, and video methods. The course will enable students to interpret, evaluate, and present qualitative data and to design their own qualitative research proposal.

This course covers the design, production, and analysis of quantitative data for research in public affairs and administration. It focuses on multivariate linear regression as a tool for data analysis as well as a framework for answering substantive, causal questions. The course will introduce students to some additional methods, such as reliability analysis, factor analysis, and the basics of structural equation modeling. Emphasis will be on the use of statistical software and the interpretation of results, with applications to substantive research questions.

This course covers various advanced, multivariate statistical techniques used in public administration and policy research. It begins with regression models for limited dependent variables, i.e., models for nominal outcomes, ordered outcomes, and count outcomes, using maximum likelihood estimation techniques. The course then introduces panel data analyses and multilevel data analysis. Throughout, students will be given hand-on training in the use of statistical software, the interpretation of results from real data, and the translation of results into useful summaries through tables and figures. Students are encouraged to apply the methods learned to their own datasets, including data from their ongoing projects or dissertation research.

This course examines how nonprofit organizations develop effective resource development strategies to support their important work in our society. The course reviews the theoretical rationales and practical considerations in managing particular sources of income, including charitable donations, government support, earned income, and investment income. It also discusses strategies and best practices in designing appropriate revenue portfolios to achieve financial health and sustainability. 

This course provides an examination of selected issues and problems in public sector administration and management. Students should check with the department to determine the precise curriculum to be offered in a given semester.

Service-learning Internship I is designed to provide students field experiences with community agencies to link academic work with meaningful community service that will benefit both the agency and the student. Agencies will benefit with the infusion of enthusiastic students to assist in the delivery of services to their clients and students will develop a deeper understanding of their role as leaders in their communities as well as increase their civic and citizenship skills. The director of the undergraduate major will work in conjunction with the Career Development Center of Rutgers University–Newark and other campus units to place students in a viable internship.

Service-learning Internship II is designed to provide students field experiences with community agencies to link academic work with meaningful community service that will benefit both the agency and the student. Agencies will benefit with the infusion of enthusiastic students to assist in the delivery of services to their clients and students will develop a deeper understanding of their role as leaders in their communities as well as increase their civic and citizenship skills. The director of the undergraduate major will work in conjunction with the Career Development Center of Rutgers University–Newark and other campus units to place students in a viable internship.

Special Topics Education in Newark examines the history of education in Newark, New Jersey from the 1950s to the present in the larger context of the history, sociology and politics of urban education and urban educational policy and reform in the United States, New Jersey and Newark. Among the topics to be discussed are the limits and possibilities of urban educational reform; the relationship between poverty and schooling; and a number of policies and reforms that have affected education in Newark. These include: 1. Deindustrialization, white flight, housing policies and the decline of Newark in the 1950s; 2. The decline of the Newark Public Schools in the 1960s; 3.The 1987 State Takeover Law and state takeover in 1995; 4. School Finance Reform: Robinson v. Cahill and Abbott v. Burke; 5. The Effects of a Superintendent: Clifford Janey (2008-2011) and Cami Anderson (2011-2015); 6. The $100 million gift from Mark Zuckerberg, and its processes and effects; 7.  The rise of the charter school sector in Newark: are they more effective?; 8. Postsecondary education and the attempt to raise college attendance and graduation of Newark High School graduates; 9. The return to local control (2017-2018): has the district made progress? Through readings of books, journal articles, and research reports and guest lectures by a number of individuals who have been a major part of the history of education in Newark, students will understand what has happened to education in Newark over the last 70 years and the limits and possibilities of educational reforms in the city. 

This course covers such topics as public sector organization theory and behavior at the micro and macro levels, networking, and interorganizational relations.