The Graduate Certificate in Public Management

Portland State University
College of Urban and Public Affairs
Mark O. Hatfield School of Government
Public Administration Division

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROGRAM

1. Program Overview
This Public Management Certificate Program consists of 21 credit hours of graduate course work in Public Administration. The certificate is intended to provide existing and aspiring middle managers in public organizations with the knowledge and skills necessary to be fully successful in carrying out their administrative responsibilities. The program has been deliberately created to meet the very high rate of retirements that is occurring at the middle and upper ranks of most public organizations.

2. Objectives of the Program
The objective of this program is to improve the effectiveness, efficiency and efficacy of those who have responsibility for managing the public's business, by providing them with the following knowledge and skills.

1. Distinctive role responsibilities as middle managers in the public sector.
2. Knowledge and skills to manage organizational systems, such as budgeting, personnel, management and information.
3. Knowledge and skills to manage organizational design, change and evaluation.
4. Knowledge and skills to manage inter-organizational and inter-jurisdictional relationships.
5. Knowledge and skills to manage conflict.
6. Knowledge and skills to manage cultural and organizational diversity.

This program extends the mission of the University and the Mark O. Hatfield School of Government to those who currently have responsibility for managing public organizations throughout the Pacific Northwest. The approval of this Certificate will enable the Mark O. Hatfield School of Government to carry out this mission more effectively and to work in partnership with public agencies to improve the quality of public service.

3. Course of Study
Students must take the following two current courses:

PA 511- Public Administration (3 credit hours)
PA 540 - Administrative Theory and Behavior (3 credit hours)

Students must take any five of the following current courses. Substitutions may be made with permission of the academic advisor.
PA 513 - Administrative Ethics and Values (3 credit hours)
PA 515 - Public Works Administration (3 credit hours)
PA 516 - Current Issues in Public Management (3 credit hours)
PA 517 - Leadership Development for Public Organizations (3 credit hours)
PA 518 - Leading Public Organizations (3 credit hours)
PA 519 - Civic Capacity (3 credit hours)
PA 533 - Public Policy: Origins and Processes (3 credit hours)
PA 534 - Administrative Law and Policy Implementation (3 credit hours)
PA 536 - Strategic Planning (3 credit hours)
PA 543 - Creating Collaborative Communities (3 credit hours)
PA 545 - Organizational Development (3 credit hours)
PA 546 - Supervision in the Public Sector (3 credit hours)
PA 547 - Interpersonal Communication in the Public Sector (3 credit hours)
PA 548 - Advocacy Roles in the Public Sector (3 credit hours)
PA 550 - Managing Information Resources (3 credit hours)
PA 554 - Information and Research Skill in Public Policy and Administration (3 credit hours)
PA 555 - Program Evaluation and Management (3 credit hours)
PA 558 - Public Productivity Analysis (3 credit hours)
PA 561 - Public Bureaucracy: Pol. & Legal Aspects (3 credit hours)
PA 563 - Citizens and Administration (3 credit hours)
PA 582 - Public Budgeting (3 credit hours)
PA 585 - Financial Management in the Public Sector (3 credit hours)
PA 590 - Human Resource Management (3 credit hours)
PA 594 - Affirmative Action Planning (3 credit hours)

The Certificate Program will achieve outcomes that correspond to the specific objectives listed above in 2a.
Following is a summary of how these outcomes will be achieved through the course curriculum set forth in 3a.

4. Admission Requirements
This program is targeted to a new student clientele who are existing supervisors or managers in public
agencies, most of whom are not currently enrolled in the MPA program.
Students must have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 and at least 6 years of fulltime work experience or two
years of supervisory responsibility.

See application packet for more details.