Syllabus
Master of Public Administration Program (MPA)
ADM 780: Human Resource Management
GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY
Spring Semester 2014
Course Identification
 Course number: MPA 780
 Course title: Human Resource Management
 Course credits: 3 credits
Assistant Professor:
 Office hours: By appointment
 Email address:
 Office phone:
 Office location:
 Department phone:
Course Information
Time/Day/Location of class:
Room
Course Description
In this course, students will have an opportunity to learn the role and responsibilities of effective
and efficient human resource management (HRM) practices in managing government and nonprofit organizations. HRM is a fundamental component of the competitiveness, effectiveness,
and sustainability of any organization, as it influences who is hired, how they are trained,
evaluated, and compensated, and what steps are taken to retain them. Key functions such as
decision-making, recruitment, selection, development, appraisal, retention, compensation, and
labor relations will studied in and out of classrooms. Implications of legal and workplace
environments are appraised and current issues such as diversity training, sexual harassment
policies, and rising benefit costs are analyzed. Students will acquire knowledge of HRM and
increase an understanding of strategic partnership in the task of managing people that require
good work relationship between human resources and general managers in the government
agencies and non-profit organizations.
Pre and/or co-requisites: None
This course has four major goals:
1) To provide you with an understanding of key human resource practices in today’s
organizations.
2) To help you build critical thinking skills by analyzing how human resource practices can
support a firm’s strategic objectives and enhance long-term firm performance.
3) To help you apply and understanding of human resource practices to your job search and
career choices.
4) To develop your skills in the following areas: problem solving and analysis, written and oral
communication, and teamwork.
Required Texts:
Noe, R. A., Hollenbeck, J. Rl, Gerhart, B., and Wright, P. M. (2013). Human Resource
Management: Gaining a Competitive Advantage, 8th Edition. New York, NY: McGrawHill/Irwin. ISBN: 0078029252.
Assignment weights and expectations
Class participation and group contribution will be graded based on both frequency and quality
of class participation, with understanding of quality weighted more heavily than frequency.
Valued behaviors for class participation include: timely and appropriate comments, thoughtful
and reflective, responds respectfully to other student's remarks, provokes questions and
comments from the group; clear reference to text being discussed and connects to it to other text
or reference points from previous readings and discussions; and posture, demeanor and behavior
clearly demonstrate respect and attentiveness to others. Valued behaviors for facilitators in
group contribution include: facilitating group discussion skills by keeping the group focused, by
covering his or her entire agenda, and within the allotted time; facilitating to encourage all of the
students to ask questions or offer comments; when presenting the discussion topic, the facilitator
is consistently and displays a positive attitude throughout the discussion period; and ability to
engage all of the students in the discussion.
Bi-Weekly Discussion Questions will require you to respond to HR question in writing every
other week (total 7 responses) posted by the faculty. These HR questions are based on the major
readings and discussions in classes. Your responses to the HR questions are beneficial and
advantageous to your learning outcomes that will be supplements to your upcoming assignments.
The responses should be at least two paragraphs (double-spaced), but should not exceed one
page in length. Each response should summarize the primary contribution of the readings and inclass discussions to the understanding of HR management. You may add a personal comment
and/or critique.
HR Interview: You and one other classmate as a team partner will choose to do two interview
assignments. Teams must indicate the names of their 2 members and the name, phone number,
and email address of their interviewee on a cover page to a 1-1 ½ page and single-spaced that
summarizes the interview and makes appropriate conclusions. Interviewer teams will select ONE
of the following two subject matters:
1) Interview a Senior HR professional. Your interview “theme” is your choice (i.e.
strategic management process, Equal Employment Opportunity, types of discrimination, job
analysis, recruitment process, training activities, etc.). Some ideas include: How do you spend a
typical workweek?; What advice would you have for an graduate student in MPA program?
Other topics include hiring, firing, training, diversity, and any other topic that get substantial
attention in your HR interview.
2) Interview a deaf person who has a work history spanning the past four decades in
either governmental or non-profit organizations. The theme of your interview will be “How Has
the Workplace Changed for Deaf persons over the past 30-40 Years?”
Simulating Reflection: This assignment is designed to help you become a more-self-regulated
adult learner by encouraging you to reflect on course concepts and activities and relate them to
your own experiences, feelings, and beliefs. A secondary purpose is to get you into the habit of
reflection and synthesis, which can make your life and career more meaningful. Your simulating
paper should focus on the single most personally important topic that we have discussed in class,
in terms of issues relating to the management of people in governmental and non-profit
organizations. DO NOT summarize what you discussed in class or read in the text. Try to
analyze and/or synthesize the information. The best things to write about are things you read
about/discuss that give you pause, confuse you, scare you, excite and/or enrage you, or resonate
with your own experience….and what you have learned about organizations or yourself. Do not
be afraid to be critical. These papers should be about 1 ½ to 2 pages long (single-spaced).
Team Project: This assignment is the final project that will give you an opportunity to view realworld issues through a human resource management lens in either governmental or non-profit
organizations.
Groups will consist of four members each. Please create your own groups using the team sign-up
sheet located on the course blackboard. After the third class of the semester, the instructor will
assign students to incomplete groups. As group collaboration is such an important part of our
experience together in class, the instructor will expect each group to cooperate productively and
amicably. If group dynamic issues arise on the team, please resolve them before they adversely
affect the grade of any or all on the team.
Content – The team project requires you to make specific recommendations about what HR
policies are appropriate for your organization, applying the content from the class
lectures/discussion to your organization. For example, one of the early lectures will go over
human resource planning and recruitment. You will apply those topics to decide things such as
how to deal with an initial labor shortage, what sources to use for the recruitment of new
employees, and how to ensure that new recruits will stay with your organization. The instructor
will conclude each lecture with a list of questions related to that day’s topic. These questions will
form the core content of your project and will collectively be posted on the course blackboard.
In preparing and delivering this presentation, you are to pretend that you are attempting to “sell”
your idea to a group of potential investors called HR-Inc. The people at HR-Inc. are not
traditional investors, because they do not care how good your organization’s product or service
is, nor do they care about the soundness of your strategy. They do not even care whether your
organization will provide high quality of product or services. All they care about is how good
your HR practices are. If you have good HR practices, they will invest in your business. If you
make bad HR choices, they will not give you a dime. Your goal is therefore to impress them with
your HR knowledge.
Format – The final project will culminate in a memo to the HR-Inc. and a 20-minute
presentation, the final versions of which are due by _____________. Each team should submit a
memo and presentation on behalf of the efforts of the entire group.
Project grading will be broken down into three parts: Content – Faculty (50%), Assessment of
Individual Participation on Team Project, PowerPoint Presentations rating by Peer (50%). Please
note: All team members will initially receive the same grade for the team project. However, the
instructor may adjust individual grades based on the results of an evaluation of your team
participation by your fellow team members. Individuals’ evaluations of their team members will
be anonymous and confidential. You will assess each team member, excluding yourself, taking
into consideration the following criteria:
1) Fair workload—Did this team member take on a fair share of the overall workload?
2) Work quality—Did this team member deliver high quality contributions to the team?
3) Team interactions—Did this team member interact effectively with other members of the
team?
Content
 Did you provide a thorough review of the relevant issues?
 Did you organize your presentation with a logical structure?
 Did you cover the relevant material from lectures and readings?
 Did you achieve a deep and accurate understanding of the relevant issues?
 Did you “go the extra mile” and add relevant materials in your presentation?
 Did you include accurate reference information in the slides?
Style
 Did all presenters have good eye contact with the audience/camera, and was everyone’s
speech clear and smooth?
 Did your slides look good in terms of backgrounds, fonts, colors, style, etc.?
 Did you make good use of graphics to reduce your reliance on text?
 Was your presentation well organized?
 Was your timing good (right at 10 minutes – not too long or too short)?
 Did you “go beyond the call of duty” in any way with respect to your style by doing
something creative or different that set your presentation apart in your audience’s
memory?
Grading Policy


Regular attendance is required and participation will affect final grade.
Grades will be determined as follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Class participation = 20%
Bi-Weekly Discussion Questions = 15%
HR Interview = 20%
Simulating Reflection = 15%
Team Project = 30%
Total = 100%
6. The grading system is as follows...
98-100 = A+
94-97 = A
90-93 = A87-89 = B+
84-86 = B
80-83 = B77-79 = C+
74-76 = C
70-73 = CProgram-Level Student Learning Outcomes
The MPA degree program is designed to help students satisfy a set of “universal required
competencies” developed by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and
Administration (NASPAA). These competencies are a reflection of the program’s mission and
they clearly support public service values. The required competencies are organized as five
domains.
Domain 1—Leadership and Management: Students will demonstrate the ability to lead and manage in
public governance;
Domain 2—Public Policy Process: Students will demonstrate the ability to participate in and contribute
to the policy process;
Domain 3—Critical Thinking and Decision-Making: Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze,
synthesize, think critically, solve problems and make decisions;
Domain 4—Public Service Advocacy: Students will demonstrate the ability to articulate and apply a
public service perspective; and,
Domain 5—Communication: Students will demonstrate the ability to communicate and interact
productively with a diverse and changing workforce and citizenry.
Course-Specific Student Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, we expect students to achieve the following course-specific learning outcomes.
Course-level student learning outcomes that support Program-level Outcomes, learning opportunities
and assessment tools for the course are summarized below.
Course-Specific
Learning Outcomes
Program-Level
Learning
Outcomes
Learning Opportunities
Assessment
-Reading assignments
-Bi-weekly Discussion Questions
-HR Interviews
-Simulating Reflections
-Presentations
-HRM Pretest - Posttest
-Assessing Analysis Papers
-Assessing Team Project
Presentation
-Assessing Individual
Participation on Team Project
-Reading assignments
-Bi-weekly Discussion Questions
-HR Interviews
-Simulating Reflections
-Presentations
-HRM Pretest - Posttest
-Assessing Analysis Papers
-Assessing Team Project
Presentation
-Assessing Individual
Participation on Team Project
Learning Outcome 1:
Students will understand
the role of human resource
management in the
governmental and nonprofit organizations
Domain 3, Critical
Thinking and
Decision-Making
Learning Outcome 2:
Students will be able to
describe and discuss
current trends in HR
management that influence
strategic and career
decisions.
Domain 1,
Leadership and
Management
Learning Outcome 4:
Students will discuss the
role of performance
management, including
legal and ethical issues and
the major laws governing
HR management.
Domain 5,
Communication
-Reading assignments
-Bi-weekly Discussion Questions
-HR Interviews
-Simulating Reflections
-Presentations
-HRM Pretest - Posttest
-Assessing Analysis Papers
-Assessing Team Project
Presentation
-Assessing Individual
Participation on Team Project
Learning Outcome 5:
Students will recognize the
elements of a job analysis
and the various methods for
designing jobs.
Domain 3, Critical
Thinking and
Decision-Making
-Reading assignments
-Bi-weekly Discussion Questions
-HR Interviews
-Simulating Reflections
-Presentations
-HRM Pretest - Posttest
-Assessing Analysis Papers
-Assessing Team Project
Presentation
-Assessing Individual
Participation on Team Project
Learning Outcome 6:
Students will describe the
processes for planning and
recruiting to fill HR needs.
Domain 3, Critical
Thinking and
Decision-Making
-Reading assignments
-Bi-weekly Discussion Questions
-HR Interviews
-Simulating Reflections
-Presentations
-HRM Pretest - Posttest
-Assessing Analysis Papers
-Assessing Team Project
Presentation
-Assessing Individual
Participation on Team Project
Domain 4, Public
Service Advocacy
Domain 3, Critical
Thinking and
Decision-Making
Domain 5,
Communication
Domain 2, Public
Policy Process
Class Schedule
Dates
Week 1
Topic
Week 2
Syllabus & Introduction
HRM: Gaining a Competitive
Advantage
Strategic HRM
Week 3
The Legal Environment
Week 4
The Analysis and Design of Work
Week 5
HR Planning and Recruitment
Week 6
Selection and Placement
Week 7
Training
Week 8
Feedback & Activities
Week 9
Performance Management
Week 10
Employee Development
Week 11
Employee Separation and
Retention
Pay Structure Decisions
Week 12
Week 13
Recognizing Contributions with
Pay
Week 14
Employee Benefits
Week 15
Feedback & Activities
Assignment
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HRM Pretest
Biographical sketch
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Group formation
Exercise
Chapter 3
Exercise
Bi-Weekly Discussion Questions
Chapter 4
Discussion Questions (1-3)
Chapter 5
Exercise
Bi-Weekly Discussion Questions
Chapter 6
Exercise
Chapter 7
Bi-Weekly Discussion Questions
HR Interview
Team Exercises
Discussion Questions (4-7)
Chapter 8
Bi-Weekly Discussion Questions
Chapter 9
Exercise
Chapter 10
Bi-Weekly Discussion Questions
Chapter 11
Discussion Questions (8-10)
Chapter 12
Simulating Reflection
Bi-Weekly Discussion Questions
Chapter 13
Team Project Presentations
Discussion Questions (11-12)
Team Project Presentations
HRM Posttest
Changes to Syllabus Readings and Assignments
The instructor responsible for teaching this course will periodically review the reading and task
assignments and make changes as appropriate. If necessary, the instructor will announce and
discuss these changes in class.
University Policies

University Academic Integrity Policy:
http://library.gallaudet.edu/Catalog/Registration_and_Policies/Graduate_Policies/Ac
ademic_Integrity.html

Accommodations for students with disabilities: Information about accommodations
for students with disabilities is found at
http://oswd.gallaudet.edu/Student_Affairs/Student_Support_Services/Office_for_Stu
dents_with_Disabilities/General_Information/Academic_Accommodations_Policy.h
tml. If you have a disability that requires accommodation you have the responsibility
of formally requesting accommodation through the Office for Students With
Disabilities (OSWD) at the beginning of the semester)

Americans With Disabilities Act (http://www.ada.gov/cguide.htm)
The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, State
and local government, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation,
and telecommunications. It also applies to the United States Congress.
To be protected by the ADA, one must have a disability or have a relationship or
association with an individual with a disability. An individual with a disability is
defined by the ADA as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that
substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or
record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such
an impairment. The ADA does not specifically name all of the impairments that are
covered.
ADA, Section 504 states that “no qualified individual with a disability in the United
States shall be excluded from, denied the benefits of, or be subjected to
discrimination under” any program or activity that either receives Federal financial
assistance or is conducted by any Executive agency or the United States Postal
Service.
Assessing Analysis Papers
(Critical Thinking)
Criteria
Exemplary Skills
4 Points
Accomplished Skills
3 Points
Identifies and
summarizes the
problem/question
at issue
Accurately identifies the
problem/question and
provides a welldeveloped
summary.
Accurately identifies
the
problem/question and
provides a brief
summary.
Identifies and
assesses the quality
of supporting
data/evidence
Provides a welldeveloped examination of
the evidence and
questions its accuracy,
relevance, and
completeness. Clearly
distinguishes between
fact and opinion.
Examines evidence
and questions the
quality. Distinguishes
between fact and
opinion.
Identifies and
considers the
influence of the
context* on
the issue
Accurately identifies and
provides a welldeveloped explanation of
contextual issues with a
clear sense of scope.
Demonstrates
higher level
thinking by
interpreting the
author’s meaning
or the potential
bias
Identifies and
evaluates
conclusions,
implications, and
consequences
Emerging Skills
2 Points
Skills In Need of
Refinement
1 Point
Identifies the problem/
question and provides a
poor summary or
identifies an
inappropriate
problem/question.
Merely repeats
information provided.
Does not justify
position or distinguish
between fact and
opinion.
Does not identify
or
summarize the
problem/ question
accurately if at all.
Accurately identifies
and provides an
explanation of
potential contextual
issues.
Does not explain
contextual issues;
provides inaccurate
information; or merely
provides a list.
Does not identify
or consider any
contextual issues.
Accurately identifies the
author’s meaning and/or
potential bias and
provides a welldeveloped
explanation.
Accurately identifies
the author’s meaning
and/or potential bias
and provides a welldeveloped
explanation.
Provides inadequate
and inaccurate
interpretation of the
author’s meaning and
potential for bias.
Does not offer an
interpretation of the
author’s meaning.
Accurately identifies
conclusions, implications,
and consequences with a
well-developed
explanation. Provides an
objective reflection of
own assertions.
Accurately identifies
conclusions,
implications, and
consequences with a
brief evaluative
summary.
Accurately identifies
conclusions,
implications, and
consequences with a
brief evaluative
summary.
Does not identify
or evaluate any
conclusions,
implications or
consequences.
Does not identify
or assess the
quality of
supporting
evidence.
Assessing Team Project Presentations
Rubrics and Scoring Guide
Assessing Team Project Presentations
Exemplary
Proficient
Somewhat Proficient
Inadequate
4 points
3 points
2 points
0-1 point
RUBRICS FOR CONTENT OF PRESENTATION
Evaluation Points
The content is relevant to the team project
The content reflects the most recent research
The content is organized logically
The content is highly informative
The content has sufficient details
The content has sufficient number of references
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
RUBRICS FOR PRESENTATION SKILLS
Each team member’s presentation is logical and well-organized
Each team member “hooks” the audience with the introduction
Each introduction has a transition to the body of the presentation
The conclusion briefly summarizes the main points of the presentation
Each team member speaks from memory
Each team member’s stage skills are effective
Each team member skillfully handles questions from the audience
Each team member’s presentation makes it clear that it was rehearsed
Each team member manages his or her presentation stress
Each team member communicates his or her ideas with enthusiasm
Each team member maintains good eye contact with the audience at all times
RUBRICS FOR POWERPOINT PRESENTATION
Refer to the rubrics and scoring guide for assessing PowerPoint presentations
Total Actual Points
87-92 points = A
81-86 points = B
75-80 points = C
0-74 points = F
Insert points from
PowerPoint Assessment
form
Assessment 2.02: Assessing Individual Participation on Team Projects
Rubrics and Scoring Guide
Assessing Individual Participation on Team Projects
Assessment
Criteria
Contribution to
the team
project/work
Less Than Effective
Team Member
1 point
Does not collect any
relevant information; no
useful suggestions to
address team's needs;
Contribution to
the team
project/work
Does not collect any
relevant information; no
useful suggestions to
address team's needs;
Taking
responsibility
Does not perform
assigned tasks; often
misses meetings and,
when present, does not
have anything
constructive to say;
relies on others to do
the work;
Valuing other
team members
Often argues with team
mates; doesn't let
anyone else talk;
occasional personal
attacks and "putdowns"; wants to have
things done his way and
does not listen to
alternate approaches;
13 - 16 points = A
9 - 12 points = B
5 - 8 points = C
0 - 4 points = F
Average Team
Member
2 points
Collects information
when prodded; tries to
offer some ideas, but
not well developed,
and not clearly
expressed, to meet
team's needs;
Collects information
when prodded; tries to
offer some ideas, but
not well developed,
and not clearly
expressed, to meet
team's needs;
Performs assigned
tasks but needs many
reminders; attends
meetings regularly but
generally does not say
anything constructive;
sometimes expects
others to do his/her
work;
Usually does much of
the talking; does not
pay much attention
when others talk, and
often assumes their
ideas will not work; no
personal attacks and
put-downs but
sometimes patronizing;
when others get
through to him, works
reasonably well with
them;
Outstanding Team
Member
3 points
Collects basic, useful
information related
to the project;
occasionally offers
useful ideas to meet
the team's needs;
Collects basic, useful
information related
to the project;
occasionally offers
useful ideas to meet
the team's needs;
Performs all assigned
tasks; attends
meetings regularly
and usually
participates
effectively; generally
reliable;
Generally listens to
others' points of
view; always uses
appropriate and
respectful language;
tries to make a
definite effort to
understand others'
ideas;
Exemplary Team
Member
4 points
Collects and presents to
the team a great deal of
relevant information;
offers well-developed and
clearly expressed ideas
directly related to the
group's purpose.
Collects and presents to
the team a great deal of
relevant information;
offers well-developed and
clearly expressed ideas
directly related to the
group's purpose.
Performs all tasks very
effectively; attends all
meetings and participates
enthusiastically; very
reliable.
Points
Earned
Always listens to others
and their ideas; helps
them develop their ideas
while giving them full
credit; always helps the
team reach a fair decision.
Total Points:___
Assessing Participation in Class Discussions
Rubrics and Scoring Guide
Criteria
Quality of
Comments
5
Timely and
appropriate
comments, thoughtful
and reflective,
responds respectfully
to other student's
remarks, provokes
questions and
comments from the
group.
Resource/
Document
Reference
Clear reference to
text being discussed
and connects to it to
other text or
reference points from
previous readings and
discussions.
Posture, demeanor
and behavior clearly
demonstrate
respect and
attentiveness to
others.
Active
Listening
Assessing Participation in Class Discussions
Rubrics and Scoring Guide
4
3
2
Volunteers
Volunteers
Struggles but
comments, most are comments but
participates,
appropriate and
lacks depth, may
occasionally offers a
reflect some
or may not lead to comment when
thoughtfulness,
other questions
directly questioned,
leads to other
from students.
may simply restate
questions or remarks
questions or points
from student and/or
previously raised,
others.
may add nothing new
to the discussion or
provoke no responses
or question.
Has done the
Has done the
Has not read the
reading with some
reading; lacks
entire text and cannot
thoroughness, may
thoroughness of
sustain any reference
lack some detail or
understanding or
to it in the course of
critical insight.
insight.
discussion.
Listens to others
most of the time,
does not stay
focused on other's
comments (too busy
formulating own) or
loses continuity of
discussion. Shows
consistency in
responding to the
comments of others.
Listens to others
some of the time,
does not stay
focused on other's
comments (too
busy formulating
own) or loses
continuity of
discussion. Shows
some consistency
in responding to
the comments of
others.
Drifts in and out of
discussion, listening
to some remarks
while clearly missing
or ignoring others.
1
Does not
participate and/or
only makes
negative or
disruptive
remarks,
comments are
inappropriate or
off topic.
Unable to refer to
text for evidence
or support of
remarks.
Disrespectful of
others when they
are speaking;
behavior
indicates total
non-involvement
with group or
discussion.