The Context of Public Administration

The purpose of 1st year Core is to identify and explore the fundamentals of governing and administering for the public good. In the fall quarter, we examine the foundations of democracy and public service by investigating the enduring issues for public administrators. We will increase our understanding of the political, social, cultural, and economic contexts of public administration. Our goal is to gain an understanding of how practitioners can apply theories of public administration through praxis. We will analyze the roles and responsibilities of public administrators and their institutions at all sectors of governing. In Winter quarter we will examine the knowledge and skills needed to practice democratic public administration. Spring quarter we examine the policy and fiscal foundations of doing public service.