MA in Public Management Degree Details and Courses

This course is designed to introduce students to the public policymaking process, to the basics of policy analysis, and to the substance of some of today’s major policy debates. The first half of the course focuses on establishing a framework in which to analyze public policy formulation within the United States. The class also reviews the tools for developing and implementing policy. The second half of the course turns to policy analysis of some critical contemporary issues. Building on earlier readings, we will study current debates in economic/tax policy, education, health care, social security, and national security. (Core requirement for the MA in Public Management. Elective option for Government. Analytics students)

This course focuses on financial aspects of public sector organizations and institutions. The objectives of this course include helping students (1) learn the basics of public sector accounting and the construction of their financial reports, (2) become more intelligent users of the financial statements of public sector organizations such as sovereign, state, and municipal institutions, and (3) better understand the factors that affect the financial condition and financial performance of such entities.

More specifically, the course focuses on (1) the financial reporting concepts and standards that are applicable to public sector organizations; (2) ratios and other summary indicators used by analysts to evaluate the financial condition and financial performance of public sector and nonprofit organizations; (3) the analysis and interpretation of financial statements of selected public sector organizations; (4) fundamental finance principles; and 5) basic principles of budget formulation.

Economic thinking provides an important set of tools for almost every aspect of public policymaking. This course aims to offer students a basic understanding of economics and its importance in public policymaking. The first half of the course will offer students an understanding of microeconomic and macroeconomic theory, including a discussion of when markets can work to achieve policy goals and when “market failures” call for government intervention. The second half of the class will use these economic tools and theories in order to survey several specific policy areas, including health policy, tax policy, and the national debt. (Core course for the MA in Public Management This course counts toward the Economic Security concentration (GSS). Elective option for Government Analytics students.)

(The purpose of the class is to help equip students to operate effectively in both the public and private sectors. The class will cover three major topics: (1) an overview of managing public and private organizations, with special attention to their differing missions, capabilities, and environments; (2) a survey of important relationships between the public and private sectors; and (3) the need for improved coordination between the public and private sectors to achieve important public purposes. Students will be encouraged to make the course an interactive one and to share their personal knowledge in the context of the issues discussed. Students will be expected to complete a significant paper on a relevant topic approved by the instructor. (Core course for the MA in Public Management and the MA in Government/MBA program)

The main purpose of this class is to train students to be informed consumers of quantitative studies, in addition to teaching the tools of basic statistical work. The emphasis in this class is on application and understanding of existing results, rather than on theory or derivations. The course material will cover basic descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, and data collection. The key learning objective is for students to finish the class with a better understanding of the statistical and econometric results they may encounter, both in papers they read in other classes, as well as in the course of their work. The second key objective is for students to have the skills to employ basic quantitative tools in their own work in the fields of public policy and global security studies. As much as possible, assignments and readings used in class will be drawn from the public policy and security fields. There is no mathematical or statistical pre-requisite for the class. (Core course for the MA in Public Management and the MA in Global Security Studies.)

This is the final required course in the MA in Public Management program, and students can only take the capstone course in their final semester and after having completed all the other core requirements (Students graduating in the summer semester must take the course in the preceding spring semester). In the semester prior to taking the capstone course and conducting the project, students identify a project topic. The adviser for the paper will be the faculty member teaching the course. To complete the course, students must write a 30- to 35-page capstone paper.

This course will assist leaders in identifying their personal approach to leadership; provide tips on motivating staff by building trusting relationships and shoring up their credibility; suggest influence and persuasion strategies that leaders need to employ when working with bosses, colleagues, direct reports, and critical stakeholders, including funding agencies; develop strategies to build effective work teams; and consider approaches to monitor organizational performance in an ongoing fashion.

It is easy, in this age of reactive 24-hour news, to believe that ideas no longer matter in politics. But ideas are the currency of politics, and are central to both campaigning and governing. What candidates stand for matters, and the best policy is the best politics. This class will discuss the critical role ideas play in our American political system. It will examine how ideas define candidates and governments, shape political strategies, and form campaign communications. But, most importantly, it will discuss how campaigning on ideas leads to successful governing. While compromise and negotiation are often derided as weaknesses in today’s political system, we will examine how these techniques have been used to implement policy ideas and further political strategy. From the practical perspective of the instructor’s own legislative and political experience, the class will take up case studies involving the interplay between politics and ideas in recent history in areas such as budget reform, national security, tax reform, crime prevention, trade, and poverty. Through these case studies, we will look at how and why policy ideas succeeded or failed through the lens of elections, political communications, and their positive impact on the public.

The political scientist James McGregor Burns said “one of the most universal cravings of our time is a hunger for compelling and creative leadership.” Today, the craving for sound leadership is felt even more keenly than before, but examples of excellence in leadership are scarce. With both populism and authoritarianism on the rise globally and polarization at high levels domestically, it has become especially urgent to understand what true democratic leadership entails – both its power and its limits. This course will expose students to leadership models in America, starting with the founders and the conditions they set for future democratic leaders. In addition to examples of political leadership, students will study leadership in the area of social reform. Students will assess these models through primary readings, biographies, lectures, and film depictions. The course will help students to identify which models of creative leadership may be helpful in addressing current problems of contemporary politics

Conflict is part of organizational life. People in public sector agencies and nonprofit and for-profit organizations disagree over the meaning of regulations, the use of financial resources, office space, leave time, and many other issues. Managers must have the ability to diagnose disputes and to negotiate effectively to resolve conflicts. This course provides the theoretical background and conceptual framework needed for successful negotiation and mediation. Through presentations and discussions students become familiar with the tools necessary for conflict resolution in their agencies and organizations. Analysis of a party's interests, identification of the necessary style, awareness of communication skills, and planning and feedback are part of the process of becoming an accomplished negotiator.

Corruption is ubiquitous. It is a universal phenomenon that has always been around and that can be found almost anywhere. Recent years have seen much focus on the relationship between it and democratic governance. Indeed corruption and politics more generally, are inextricably and universally entwined. In this seminar we will take an in-depth look at the relationship between the two. We will ask: What is Corruption? Is it always the same thing everywhere, or does it vary depending on context or place? Do pork barrel politics and political clientelism count as corruption? What are the implications of corruption? Is it necessarily always a bad thing or can it be beneficial? Is the corruption experienced in developed countries qualitatively different from that in developing ones such that democracy suffers more in developing countries? We will seek to answer these and other questions by taking a critical look at the politics of corruption. We will look at the origins, extent, character and significance of corruption from both a developed and developing country perspective. We will cover various theories relating to corruption as well as look at a number of empirical cases.

This non-technical course introduces the foundational aspects of cybersecurity policy including basic technical principles of networks and their security, principles of strategy and policy, current governance mechanisms for global information infrastructures, and current strategies and policies for cybersecurity for the public and private sectors. It covers current cybersecurity issues, cyber deterrence and conflict, an inventory and description of state and non-state cyber actors, and the nexus between the public and private sectors. The course assumes little to no exposure to technical and policy aspects of cybersecurity.

The goal of this course is a comprehensive examination of social enterprises- organizations that, broadly speaking, “apply commercial strategies to maximize improvements in human and environmental well-being”. Social enterprises are a relatively new, 21st century phenomenon, and are typically referred to as hybrids of nonprofits and for-profits. While they are similar to nonprofits in that their missions and social and/or environmental objectives drive their very existence, social enterprises can have different structures than traditional 501©3s- some much more complex, legally and otherwise. Throughout the course we will learn about the various types of social enterprises that exist, comparing US models to models operating internationally, and analyze their pros and cons, challenges and opportunities. We will also explore how social enterprises challenge traditional business and nonprofit paradigms, what role social enterprises have come to play in international development, and finally, how to go about developing your own social enterprise. Elective course for the Certificate in Nonprofit Management.

The goal of this course is to convey the history, size and impact of the nonprofit sector while providing the fundamentals of nonprofit formation and management. In the United States, nonprofits are intertwined with our country's legal and tax systems, delivery of basic human services, and social, educational, health, environmental, equity issues and far more. Today, successful nonprofits require strong management systems, including management of finances, human resources, information technology, marketing, performance measures and other operational needs. The course will help the student understand the current thinking on best practices in managing and improving nonprofit organizations and appreciate the interplay of environmental and organizational factors that influence managerial decision-making. This course uses a simulation pedagogy that engages students in actively conceptualizing and building fictional nonprofit organizations. This is a core course for the nonprofit management program.

This course focuses on organizational leadership strategies and the role of ethics within nonprofit and nongovernmental work specifically. A wide scope of ethical issues relevant to nonprofit and nongovernmental work will be reviewed, analyzed and discussed. NPOs/NGOs operate under specific ethical guidelines in order to ensure accountability to the public and their many stakeholders. This course will focus on ethical behavior within organizations and explore instances of when prominent NGO leaders and organizations have been situated to face ethical dilemmas. The course will cover a wide scope of management models, techniques, and organizational values and goals. It will also review the impact that various leadership styles have had on organizations through the study of case studies and what has amounted to optimal leadership effectiveness. In addition to learning strategies to lead high performance organizations ethically. This course will combine theory, practical applications, and technical skills that will strengthen their ability to be strong leaders. Core course for the MA in NGO Management.

This course considers the political theory and history behind the rise of America’s Administrative State. This is an especially important undertaking today because the Administrative State has become increasingly contested not only among scholars but also politicians and the public. The course explores, among other major themes, the extent to which the Administrative State can be reconciled with America’s constitutional system of separation of powers and its republican or democratic principles.

This course will provide an overview on project management as it pertains to nonprofit work. The course will teach students how to manage the five aspects of project management: project initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and evaluation, and closure. Students will learn the full project cycle from start to finish, drawing on actual examples of projects funded by a diverse range of donors, public and private organizations, and foundations. The course will also utilize templates relevant to project management for students to use as a resource in the field. The class will touch on issues relevant to project management such as project scope, objectives, stakeholders, planning, financial tracking, grants compliance, and closing. Elective course towards the Project Management, Evaluation and Leadership track for the Masters in NGO Management.

470.774 Nonprofit Governance & Executive Leadership: Students will advance their understanding of self-governing nonprofit organizations by focusing on nonprofit boards' expectations, challenges, and opportunities and their executive leadership. This course covers the primary responsibilities of nonprofit boards according to law, custom, and best practices, and it includes ethical concepts, public attitudes, and contemporary legislative and regulatory issues. The course explores theories of effective governance and executive leadership. It examines how ethical considerations relate to perceptions of excellence and shape how staff and volunteer leaders manage people and money. In the discussions, there will be opportunities to explore the roles of boards in the context of the nonprofit environment. This is a core course for the MA in Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Management and Certificate in Nonprofit Management.

This course provides an overview on the tools, resources, and training needed to measure the impact of an organization’s programs and projects. M&E plans help nonprofits to determine if they are meeting their intended results, goals and objectives towards their overall mission. Designing a strong M&E system is critical to identifying realistic indicators, tracking an organization’s measurable results; providing programmatic progress; providing accountability to donors; and determining opportunities for growth. The intended results of a strong M&E plan are to enable nonprofits to demonstrate that they are achieving their missions—thus increasing their credibility among beneficiaries and strengthening their appeal to donors. This course will teach students how to develop a strong M&E plan that meets donor, organizational, and/or programmatic needs. Based on M&E results, students will learn how to improve program implementation and achieve greater outcomes. Students will learn to design an M&E plan and the ability to effectively communicate programmatic data to their stakeholders.

State politics and policymaking offer a fascinating contrast to the gridlock in Washington that gets all the media attention.

This is a particularly timely issue to study as most states gear up for the new legislative session. What impact will the 2024 elections have on policymaking at the state level? How will the Trump presidency affect states? We will explore these questions and more in this class.

This course will introduce students to today’s most pressing public policy issues, with an emphasis on writing to achieve impact. Public policy professionals must be familiar with a variety of key issues and be able to effectively make a case for a position. This course will examine such topic areas as health care, energy/environment, fiscal policy, international trade, and education and identify core issues and the politics that characterize each of these policy areas. As part of our study, students will learn the art of writing policy memos, issue briefs, op-eds and speeches. When you complete the course successfully, you will be able to demonstrate a basic understanding of five public policy issues through various forms of writing. You will be able to effectively and succinctly write policy memos, issue briefs, op-eds, blogs and speeches, addressing a specified audience, clearly identifying the problem, and making a case for a position or solution.

This course provides an in-depth examination of how the effects of climate change could impact national security, international relations, and global stability. Students will begin by examining and discussing the current body of academic literature. As the semester progresses, students will learn and practice how to use cross-disciplinary resources and tools to envision potential relationships between climate change effects and security outcomes.

In the wake of the financial crisis, bank bailouts, and stimulus plans, the relationship between American economic power and national security is especially salient. In this course, students investigate core topics in international political economy, analyzing the security implications of each. Topics include trade relations, international finance, monetary relations, poverty, and development. (Core course for the MA in Global Security Studies. Recommended elective for MA in Public Management)

Americans traditionally have viewed the courts as—in the words of a constitutional scholar—"the least dangerous branch of government." They are seen as reflectors, not agents, of change. But in an age of government downsizing, the role of the courts bears renewed examination. Students explore the historical and philosophical roots for the notion that American courts, and whether the lawyers who appear before them, can and should make law and policy, and the alternatives to this function. Students consider prominent areas of public policy that have been shaped by the courts, such as civil rights, family and domestic law, environmental and safety regulation, and the regulation of business and commerce. This course counts towards the Legal Studies Concentration.

This course examines the role of race and ethnicity in U.S. national politics focusing on political development, political behavior, and public policy. Treated as both a persistent “dilemma” and as central to U.S. national identity, race and representation questions have been pivotal in American political development from the Founding to the present. Tracing that development over time, this course focuses, too, on how race-based differences manifest in differences in voting, public opinion, and other behavioral aspects of politics as well as the ways that racial attitudes have been embedded in public policies and reinforced by their implementation.

This course covers the ways in which analytics are being used in the healthcare industry. Topics include data collection opportunities created by the ACA and other laws, the use of analytics to prevent fraud, the use of predictive modeling based on medical records, the insurance industry's increasing use of data and the ethical issues raised by these practices. Prerequisites: none required (470.681 Probability and Statistics recommended)

This class will examine the role of Congress in the making of American foreign policy. In particular, this class will discuss the role of Congress in war powers, economic sanctions, human rights advocacy, the approval of international agreements including treaties, international affairs budgets and spending, investigations and oversight of the conduct of foreign policy by the executive branch as well as the impact of Congress on the general direction of American foreign policies and priorities. Special attention will be given to the role of Congress in U.S. policy toward Iran over the past few decades, the use of military force in Iraq and Syria, the role of the legislative branch in U.S policy toward China and Taiwan and the promotion of human rights as a component of American foreign policy. The class will seek to examine the specific actions of Congress on these matters, and their causes and consequences. The class will use books, articles and original source material from committee deliberations and floor action. As we examine these topics, we will come back to larger themes – the balance of power between the executive and legislative branches, the impact of partisan and bureaucratic politics, and the changing role of the United States on the world stage. All this will be discussed with a mind to the role of foreign policy practitioners.

Who knew health care was so complicated.” These words remind us that despite decades of work, health policy wonks continue to debate what should come next in health care reform. This course introduces students to the policies and issues surrounding health care in the United States. During the semester the course will review the history of the incremental path to health care coverage since President Truman first called for universal health care in 1947. This will include enactment of Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). In addition, we will discuss in detail the various reform proposals currently under consideration and analyze their strengths and weaknesses. Finally, we will study how the current U.S health care system is organized, financed, and governed.

This course is a seminar-based overview of the role of energy in national security. Using a range of U.S. and non-U.S. case studies, students will review the roles of energy in grand strategy, the role of energy in conflict, and, finally, as a logistical enabler of military operations.

With the passage of the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act, all federal agencies are now required to make data accessible to the public and to implement specific plans for developing statistical evidence to inform policymaking. This course will examine the ways in which evidence and expertise are now being used for policy development and assessment. Specific topics will include cost-benefit analysis, cost effectiveness analysis, contingent valuation, forecasting and the communication of statistical evidence. In addition, the course will explore the interplay between political decisionmakers, experts and citizens in the evidence-based policymaking process.

Overuse is not the only problem with the maxim that American “politics stop at the water’s edge.” The slogan has simply never been true. American foreign policy has always been a result not just of the crises and opportunities the nation has faced but its unique politics and policy processes. American national interests are determined through the democratic processes established by the Constitution and other legislation and affected by the politics that drive the nation’s elections, its conversations and its foreign policies. These politics and processes have been remarkably consistent since the founding even as the nation’s interests have grown significantly. A better understanding of both the politics and processes of American foreign policy will help students appreciate how the country’s policies are made today and will be made in the future.

This course examines the process of drafting legislation and the consequences of legislative language in the implementation and adjudication of federal policies. Focusing on the various stages of the legislative process, this course considers the expert and political sources of the legislative language in the U.S. Congress and the importance of language in coalition-building for policy passage. Examining the interactions of Congress with the other branches of government, the course also considers how presidents, the executive branch, and the judiciary interpret statutory language.

Bridging the divide between political science theories of policymaking and the actual workings of the policy process in the institutions of national government, this course examines the individual contributions of each of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government as well as the interactions and struggles between those branches. How do these various institutions set the policy agenda, develop and deliberate policy alternatives, make authoritative policy decisions, and implement those decisions? In what ways are the interactions between these institutions best considered conflict or cooperation? Also, how do outside actors and institutions -- the media, interest groups, public opinion, parties and campaigns -- affect policymaking in these various institutional settings? Drawing on the Constitutional design and historical development of these institutions as well as contemporary practice, this course examines the purposes, processes, and outcomes of policymaking from an institutional perspective.

This course provides an overview of the role of both national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in processes of development, humanitarian response, and the promotion of human rights and active citizenship. The last decade has been one of rapid change in which NGO relationships with government, the private sector, and donors has been in a state of flux, with unprecedented challenges raised about the legitimacy and effectiveness of NGO actors. The course will look at how systemic changes the evolution of transnational advocacy, the aid effectiveness process, the emergence of new development actors from countries (such as India, China and Brazil) to the primacy of the private sector has influenced NGOs. Elective course for the Certificate in Nonprofit Management.

This course examines how states (primarily the United States) and other political entities harness military capabilities to pursue policy objectives. It exposes students to levels of strategy—grand strategy, strategy, operations, and tactics—in a national security context. The course will then focus on the practical implications of both the unchanging nature and evolving character of warfare. Students will critically examine, through theoretical and historical lenses, topics such as civil-military relations, military innovation, nuclear strategy, limited war, insurgency and counterinsurgency, and peace operations. The goal is to understand the embedded assumptions of the various theories, the characteristics of the military capabilities animated by them, and, through discussion and case studies, the strengths, limitations, and practical policy implications of each.

This class applies data analytic skills to the civic context, analyzing problems and datasets involving urban issues and civic technology. Students will develop the statistical and computational skills to complete data-driven analytical projects using data from city agencies, federal census data, and other sources, including NGOs that work with cities and civic technology. We will examine a variety of data sets and research projects, both historical and contemporary, that examine civic technology and urban problems from a quantitative perspective. Prerequisites: 470.667, Machine Learning Methods and Applications OR 470.709, Quantitative Methods for Policy and Political Analysis OR 470.854, Fundamentals of Quantitative Methods (AS.470.667 or AS.470.709 or AS.470.854 may be taken concurrently).

This course will explore contemporary issues in education policy, with a focus on the evolving relationships between federal, state, and local governments in guiding America’s schools. Topics will include the successes and failures of the soon-to-be-reauthorized federal No Child Left Behind Act, debates over the wisdom of national academic standards, the legal environment for public school finance, the growing role of nongovernmental organizations like Teach for America and national charter school networks in public education, collective bargaining in education, and the political dynamics of education reform. The course will include group discussions and papers in which students will be required to select and defend specific policy positions in the areas discussed. (Recommended elective for MA in Public Management)

Since World War II, American trade policy has been implemented through agreements with a growing array of foreign governments to encourage global economic integration by lowering barriers to international trade. The course will begin with a look at the foundation of this approach to trade policy at the end of World War II and the relationship the Roosevelt and Truman administrations saw between integration and security policy. It will then introduce students to the American trade regime of the early 21st century and the WTO, and examine the ways the U.S. governments has adapted this regime to regional challenges arising from relationships with Japan, China, and the Muslim world, and to policy issues, like resource dependence, sanctions and export controls. The course will have a midterm exam on America’s trade regime and the concepts that have shaped it, and a final paper, in which students will examine an issue of their choice in depth. (Recommended elective for MA in Public Management)

Data science is a methodology for extracting insights from data. This course is an introduction to the concepts and tools that are used in data science with an emphasis on their application to public policy questions. The course covers some advanced data mining and machine learning processes including classification and decision trees, random forests, cluster analysis, and outlier detection, while also providing you with training in the basics of data management and data exploration. All of the work in the course will be conducted to prepare you to proficiently conduct predictive analytics in a real-world setting. Prerequisite: 470.681, Introduction to Data Analytics and Policy; 470.768, Programming and Data Management; 470.673, Data Visualization; and 470.667, Machine Learning Methods and Applications OR 470.709, Quantitative Methods for Policy and Political Analysis (470.667 or 470.709 may be taken concurrently as a co-requisite).

This course examines the nexus of energy, natural resources, and the environment with conflict, war, terrorism, crime, development, diplomacy, politics, and technology. Students critically examine the ways that increased competition for environmental and energy resources, strained resources, and changing conditions can threaten national security. The course also examines how such threats may be mitigated. (Core course for the MA in Global Security Studies)

In the wake of the financial crisis, bank bailouts, and stimulus plans, the relationship between American economic power and national security is especially salient. In this course, students investigate core topics in international political economy, analyzing the security implications of each. Topics include trade relations, international finance, monetary relations, poverty, and development. (Core course for the MA in Global Security Studies. Recommended elective for MA in Public Management)

Nonprofit organizations in the United States are tightly bound with federal tax and state fiduciary regulatory requirements, requiring nonprofit leaders to familiarize themselves with tax rules and regulations critical to their operations. Given 501 (c) 3 organizations are exempt from federal and state taxes, they must understand the potential risks to maintaining this status, while ensuring financial transparency to the public. This course is an interactive and engaging nonprofit law class for the non-lawyer to familiarize themselves with the various types of legal issues related to nonprofit management. Students will gain exposure to the overall legal issues that concern a nonprofit, such as maintaining federal tax-exempt status, the misclassification of employees, or risks of lobbying and political activity, among others. In addition, students will learn strategies to stay in compliance with various federal and state regulations. Nonprofit organizations are founded for charitable, philanthropic, and advocacy purposes, to support the public at large, which means they must apply for, maintain, and safeguard their eligibility to serve as 501(c) entities by the IRS. This course will provide insight on the best legal practices while ensuring nonprofit organizations stay in compliance with federal regulations.

The goal of this course is to prepare future nonprofit leaders and board members with the international resource development and marketing fundamentals that help every nonprofit thrive. The course focuses on how to create and nurture an organizational culture where everyone on the staff and board understands, embraces, and acts on his or her role in developing strategic relationships with funders, potential funders, and media professionals. You will gain an understanding of the process, the metrics that drive the process, and the milestone markers that lead to success. You will explore how to develop a board and/or cadre of volunteers who give generously, share expertise freely, connect you to the right government officials and media leaders, and invite others to join them. Data-driven decision-making and all aspects of fund development, marketing, and communications will be woven throughout the course. Led by an internationally recognized practitioner, consultant, and master teacher, the course will use scenarios, discussion, social media, audio, and video clips so that you will walk away with the knowledge you need to secure private and government funding and social capital as a CEO, senior staff member, board chair, or member, and the confidence to do it all well. Elective course for the Certificate in Nonprofit Management.

The federal budget process is an enormously complex mixture of administrative routines and mechanisms designed to bias decisions, avoid blame, or reduce conflict. This course explores the structures of federal budgeting in terms of its varied goals and in the context of the wider governing process. The course will review the budgetary process in both the executive and congressional branching, as well as the interaction of those two systems. In order to gain understanding of the difficult policy choices and political pressures policymakers face, students will be asked to do a simulation of a budget process within the executive branch. The role of entitlements, scoring issues, and tax policy will be examined in the context of the debate over budget policy. The course will start with a short primer on finance theory. (Recommended elective for MA in Public Management. Elective option for Government Analytics students.)

Who knew health care was so complicated.” These words remind us that despite decades of work, health policy wonks continue to debate what should come next in health care reform. This course introduces students to the policies and issues surrounding health care in the United States. During the semester the course will review the history of the incremental path to health care coverage since President Truman first called for universal health care in 1947. This will include enactment of Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). In addition, we will discuss in detail the various reform proposals currently under consideration and analyze their strengths and weaknesses. Finally, we will study how the current U.S health care system is organized, financed, and governed.

In this hands-on course, we’ll help you understand the fundamentals of securing funds from institutional donors. As a staff or board leader of a non-profit, understanding the ins and outs of raising funds for priority projects and capacity building from government agencies, corporations and foundations will add to your toolkit for moving your organization forward. We’ll cover how this aspect of fundraising fits into your overall fundraising strategy and plan. We’ll help you identify the right potential funders for important projects, learn how to land capacity-building funds you can use to grow and sustain your organization, cover the basics of relationship-building with institutional decision-makers, help you use data to build credibility with funders, create pitch-perfect corporate presentations and dive into the process of writing winning proposals and applications. Finally, we’ll cover fulfillment and stewardship. Elective course for the Certificate in Nonprofit Management.

Risk management has always been in the vanguard of data analytics because risk measurement is a critical element in calculating risk/return tradeoffs. This course will examine both qualitative and quantitative analytical methods commonly used in risk management. Qualitative tools include impact/likelihood analysis; event and fault trees; threats, vulnerability, and consequences (TVC); and failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA). However, a key lesson in risk management is that what gets measured gets managed. As a result, a major part of the course will focus on quantitative tools, including modeling and stochastic simulations. We will use the @Risk software to build realistic risk models, including one in assessing project management risks. The objective of the course is to equip students with practical tools they can apply in risk-based decision making. Prerequisites: 470.681 Probability and Statistics; working knowledge of Excel

The goal of this course is to convey the history, size and impact of the nonprofit sector while providing the fundamentals of nonprofit formation and management. In the United States, nonprofits are intertwined with our country's legal and tax systems, delivery of basic human services, and social, educational, health, environmental, equity issues and far more. Today, successful nonprofits require strong management systems, including management of finances, human resources, information technology, marketing, performance measures and other operational needs. The course will help the student understand the current thinking on best practices in managing and improving nonprofit organizations and appreciate the interplay of environmental and organizational factors that influence managerial decision-making. This course uses a simulation pedagogy that engages students in actively conceptualizing and building fictional nonprofit organizations. This is a core course for the nonprofit management program.

Since World War II, American trade policy has been implemented through agreements with a growing array of foreign governments to encourage global economic integration by lowering barriers to international trade. The course will begin with a look at the foundation of this approach to trade policy at the end of World War II and the relationship the Roosevelt and Truman administrations saw between integration and security policy. It will then introduce students to the American trade regime of the early 21st century and the WTO, and examine the ways the U.S. governments has adapted this regime to regional challenges arising from relationships with Japan, China, and the Muslim world, and to policy issues, like resource dependence, sanctions and export controls. The course will have a midterm exam on America’s trade regime and the concepts that have shaped it, and a final paper, in which students will examine an issue of their choice in depth. (Recommended elective for MA in Public Management)

This course will provide an overview on project management as it pertains to nonprofit work. The course will teach students how to manage the five aspects of project management: project initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and evaluation, and closure. Students will learn the full project cycle from start to finish, drawing on actual examples of projects funded by a diverse range of donors, public and private organizations, and foundations. The course will also utilize templates relevant to project management for students to use as a resource in the field. The class will touch on issues relevant to project management such as project scope, objectives, stakeholders, planning, financial tracking, grants compliance, and closing. Elective course towards the Project Management, Evaluation and Leadership track for the Masters in NGO Management.

The course explores issues of financial management in state and local government, mostly in the United States. Students will study the political economics of property, sales, and income taxation. Non-tax revenue sources such as lotteries and user fees will also be explored. Other financial management strategies and techniques will be assessed as well, and they may include intergovernmental grants, project-based finance, capital project finance, municipal debt valuation, and local economic development. The course is designed for students who desire a practical overview of real-world challenges at the state and local level.

From the perspective of a nonprofit leader, this course provides a solid foundation in understanding key financial tools such as audits, financial statements, budgets and tax documents. Using these tools, students will analyze and assess the financial transparency, accountability, and health of various national and international organizations, determine the financial strengths and weaknesses within those organizations, learn how to use that information in the decision-making process, and finally, practice making informed recommendations to organizational leadership. This course is not designed to make students financial experts or practitioners. Instead, it is designed to enlighten students on key financial management concepts that improve their ability to be informed leaders, participants, and donors in the nonprofit sector. Students will also explore the responsibilities and consequences of international nonprofits engaging in activities in the US, as well as implications for US nonprofits operating abroad. This is a core class for the MA Nonprofit Management degree.