Core Classes | UNC MPA Student Intranet

Core Classes

All MPA students have the same 30 hours of core coursework. Expand on each title below to find faculty, sample syllabi, course descriptions, and more. Sample syllabi are listed by format as course delivery is different in each. All university course descriptions may be found in the University Catalog. All syllabi are found at the UNC Simple Syllabus Library.

Please see your format’s page for more details on when students normally take these courses. Students wishing to take core coursework in the other format from the one where they are enrolled should speak to the Director of Academic Advising & Student Life regarding availability.

PUBA 709 Foundations of Public Administration - 3 credits

Faculty: Obed Pasha, Carl Stenberg, Julie Brenman, Tara Fikes, Michael Welker, Heather Drennan
Description: This foundation course introduces students to the historical and contemporary social, economic, political, and ethical context of public administration and governance in the United States. Students gain an understanding of public institutions and values and develop skills for interpreting and critically evaluating American public service issues.

PUBA 710 Organization Theory - 3 credits

Faculty: Willow Jacobson, Jenny Heckscher, Jessica Khan
Description: Provides a conceptual and experiential grounding in theories of management and organizational operation. Students learn how to analyze organizations and their environments from multiple perspectives. Students systematically examine important dimensions of organizational life—what motivates people, how decisions are made, challenges of diversity, conflict, and power dynamics.

PUBA 711 Public Service Leadership - 3 credits

Faculty: Ricardo Morse, Audrea Caesar, Mary Hemphill
Description: Students learn about their leadership style and values, as well as strengths and weaknesses, with regard to public leadership at the personal, interpersonal, organizational, and community levels. Readings, assignments, and class activities focus on developing knowledge and skills necessary to successfully lead in public service settings
Pre-requisites: PUBA 709, 710, 719, 720, 721, and 1 of 723, 731, or 760.

PUBA 719 PA Analysis and Evaluation I - 3 credits

- Faculty: Maureen Berner, Christopher Cody, Aida Ali Akreyi, Kristen Brugh, Leisha Dehart-Davis
Description: First course in a two course sequence introducing students to applied research design, data collection, data management, data analysis, and analytical reporting to allow them to conduct original research, be informed consumers of other research, and ultimately improve public program planning and evaluation decisions.
To be taken before PUBA 720.

PUBA 720 PA Analysis and Evaluation II - 3 credits

Faculty: Maureen Berner, Christopher Cody, Aida Ali Akreyi, Colt Jensen
Description: Second course in a two course sequence introducing students to applied research design, data collection, data management, data analysis, and analytical reporting to allow them to conduct original research, be informed consumers of other research, and ultimately improve public program planning and evaluation decisions.
Pre-requisite: PUBA 719

PUBA 721 Professional Communications - 3 credits

Faculty: Kimalee Dickerson, Justin Barbaree, Tracy Miles
Description: Prepares students to communicate clearly and effectively as public service leaders, which includes reading, listening, and thinking critically; writing and speaking clearly, concisely, and unambiguously; giving organized and convincing oral presentations, and using appropriate tools and tone in preparing oral and written communications for diverse audiences.

PUBA 723 Human Resource Management - 3 credits

Faculty: Julie Beasley, Leisha Dehart-Davis, Audrea Caesar, Sarah Towne, Clay Fleming
Description: Students gain knowledge of the behaviors and practices of human resource management, as well as an overview of diversity and inclusion in public sector workforces. Class learning is both theoretical and experiential.

PUBA 731 Public Budgeting and Finance- 3 credits

Faculty: Whitney Afonso, Monica Allen, James Robinson, Heather Drennan
Description: Introduces students to the basic principles of public finance and covers the fundamental areas of public financial management, including the operating and capital budgeting processes used to obtain and allocate public resources, the role of public debt, and the issuance of annual financial statements

PUBA 747 Applied Research Problem I - 1.5 hours

Faculty: Amy Wade, Sarah Towne, Emily McCartha, Chris Cody, John Quinterno, Maggie Bailey
Please also see the PWE Page and the Applied Research Problem and Oral Exam Page
Description: PUBA 747 requires students to reflect on and demonstrate how they apply and integrate their learning from five required MPA courses and their professional public service work experiences to successfully respond to an applied research problem. Students will select from a list of applied research problems, conduct a literature review, collect data, and identify their preliminary findings. These steps will be informed by their professional public service work experiences given the applied research needed to produce their thesis substitutes, which will be written and evaluated by a three-person committee during PUBA 748.
Learning Objectives: This course requires students to illustrate and apply theoretical and conceptual materials within the context of their professional work experiences in responding to complex public service problems. At the completion of the course, students will be able to:
- - Demonstrate their capacity for the reflective learning process
  - Demonstrate their capacity to integrate classroom learning with real-life experiences
  - Demonstrate their capacity to communicate effectively
  - Develop a foundation of work that will inform the applied research problem
Prerequisites: PUBA 709, 710, 719, 720, 721, & 1 of 723, 731, or 760. Must also complete the Professional Work Experience or be approved for a waiver from the PWE prior to enrolling in 747.

PUBA 748 Applied Research Project II - 1.5 hours

Faculty: Amy Wade, Sarah Towne, Chris Cody, John Quinterno
Please also see the Applied Research Problem and Oral Exam Page
Description: In PUBA 748, students will continue to work on their applied research problem from PUBA 747. Students are expected to enter PUBA 748 with a complete (clean) dataset, including a preliminary analysis that has been revised to include the feedback from PUBA 747 instructors. In this course, students will continue with the data analysis, discuss the findings, and develop recommendations.
Learning Objectives: This course requires students to apply theoretical and conceptual materials to their applied research problem. At the completion of the course, students will be able to:
- - Demonstrate their capacity for the reflective learning process
  - Demonstrate their capacity to integrate classroom learning with real-life experience
  - Demonstrate their capacity to communicate effectively
  - Develop evidence-based recommendations for applied problem
Pre-requisites: PUBA 709, 710, 719, 720, 721, 723, 731, 747 and 760

PUBA 760 Law for Public Administration - 3 credits

Faculty: Charles Szypszak, Ana-Laura Diaz
Description: Introduction to basic law subjects likely to be encountered in public administration. Topics include constitutional foundations, due process and equal protection, and First Amendment rights; property, contracts, employment, torts, criminal law, administrative law, and public ethics laws; and basic legal research, managing litigation, and working with lawyers.